U18: Team Switzerland

[pgfan66]

I know for a fact that Lindemann was at least at the preparation camp for the tournament. I can't really rule out the possibility that he got hurt or sick before the tournament. But it wouldn't surprise me if he just wasn't selected. Our U18 coach has somewhat of a strange philosophy when it comes to roster selection. He seems to really overvalue what is often called "intangibles" on this board. So traits like team first mentality, character etc. Still even if you factor those aspects of the game into the equation, there is just no way Lindemann would't make the team under most other coaches. He is easily a better player than a lot of forwards that are actually on the team. And he played in an actually decent junior league with a high pace of play last season, wich is usually hugely beneficial in such tournaments. And Lindemanns omission wasn't the only questionable choice regarding the team composition either. I mean its not the case that we would be super competitive all of a sudden with our best possible roster but its still frustrating to see that we are not even making the best use of our already limited talent pool.

Unfortunately we can already look forward to see our U18 coach (Macel Jenni) taking over the U20 team for the next WJC. Yay!

Interesting, thanks. I thought Lindemann looked really smart and was an excellent two-way player, which is what smaller hockey countries like Switzerland and Germany usually like to have on their world cup roster.

 

[Speyer]

Interesting, thanks. I thought Lindemann looked really smart and was an excellent two-way player, which is what smaller hockey countries like Switzerland and Germany usually like to have on their world cup roster.

Yeah he is also a decent special teams player and with him not on the team our coach relied on a 5'6 150 lbs purely offensive playmaking winger on the PK against the Finns. And then the guy gives interviews basically complaining that he has to compete with "boys against men". Its almost comical.

 

[Hinterland]

Jenni trying to play with two lines? This fool can't even organize his bench.

 

[Kuracmugger]

Norway playing better so far…

 

[Hinterland]

Yeah. Norway was better. Huet had to make a few saves already.

Leo Braillard is the best player on the ice though and I'm not sure it's close. Of course, just as I typed it, he takes a penalty. Daniil Ustinkov is impressive as well. Physically imposing, fast skating and strong on the puck. His passing is poor though. Not sure if it's a lack of vision but he passed the puck into no mans land or to Norwegians several times already...without getting pressured. Curious.

That's a very nice goal. Way too easy though. Literally no Norwegian was doing or covering anything.

 

[Speyer]

Yeah. Norway was better. Huet had to make a few saves already.

Leo Braillard is the best player on the ice though and I'm not sure it's close. Of course, just as I typed it, he takes a penalty. Daniil Ustinkov is impressive as well. Physically imposing, fast skating and strong on the puck. His passing is poor though. Not sure if it's a lack of vision but he passed the puck into no mans land or to Norwegians several times already...without getting pressured. Curious.

That's a very nice goal. Way too easy though. Literally no Norwegian was doing or covering anything.

I just joined and haven't seen the first period today. Ustinkovs passing was a bit suspect vs the Finns as well. I remember two pretty bad turnovers. Its a small sample size though. I don't remember him being this bad a passer from his games on the U17 team.

 

[Hinterland]

I just joined and haven't seen the first period today. Ustinkovs passing was a bit suspect vs the Finns as well. I remember two pretty bad turnovers. Its a small sample size though. I don't remember him being this bad a passer from his game on the U17 team.

Yeah, that's my impression as well. I don't get it either. He's amazing against the puck and noboby seems to be able to separate him from the puck. He's also much faster than most kids out there. So he always has time and space. Guy keeps on skating pucks out of trouble, sometimes almost end to end just to eventually turn it over. Strange.

 

[Kuracmugger]

I am sorry but pedrazzini is just bad

Yeah. Norway was better. Huet had to make a few saves already.

Leo Braillard is the best player on the ice though and I'm not sure it's close. Of course, just as I typed it, he takes a penalty. Daniil Ustinkov is impressive as well. Physically imposing, fast skating and strong on the puck. His passing is poor though. Not sure if it's a lack of vision but he passed the puck into no mans land or to Norwegians several times already...without getting pressured. Curious.

That's a very nice goal. Way too easy though. Literally no Norwegian was doing or covering anything.

Agree he was close to a second goal too on PK

 

[Speyer]

Reber is wasted on the Pedrazzini line. Im sure he could create much more with better linemates. Also the discipline regarding penalties is horrible once again.

Hopefully Ustinkov is just a little nervous. Its the most important tournament he has played in his life so far. And many scouts will be watching him.

 

[Kuracmugger]

I only recognized dorthe when he got Penaltys however he‘s PPG so far.

 

[Hinterland]

I am sorry but pedrazzini is just bad


Agree he was close to a second goal too on PK

Yeah but he's not the only one. Most of these kids aren't legitimate prospects if we're being honest. That's what you get if you decide not to select your best prospects.

Against Norway, this doesn't matter though. Very poor team. They're physically imposing but that's about it. With very few exceptions they can't skate at all and their technique is mostly poor as well. Against the puck, if they don't go for the big hit, they're mostly just casually standing around covering absolutely nothing. Pretty easy to look good playing vs these kind of pylons. Huet had to make a few key saves early on but since then it's honestly all Switzerland. Norway is about as harmless as it gets. This team is gonna get murdered vs the better teams. Could be ugly.

 

[Hinterland]

Reber is wasted on the Pedrazzini line. Im sure he could create much more with better linemates. Also the discipline regarding penalties is horrible once again.

Hopefully Ustinkov is just a little nervous. Its the most important tournament he has played in his life so far. And many scouts will be watching him.

That's what you get from poorly coached teams. We're used to this from watching the other clowns like for example Bayer.

 

[Speyer]

PP is horrible too, also as usual. Boy, I wonder why that is.

 

[Kuracmugger]

Yeah but he's not the only one. Most of these kids aren't legitimate prospects if we're being honest. That's what you get if you decide not to select your best prospects.

Against Norway, this doesn't matter though. Very poor team. They're physically imposing but that's about it. With very few exceptions they can't skate at all and their technique is mostly poor as well. Against the puck, if they don't go for the big hit, they're mostly just casually standing around covering absolutely nothing. Pretty easy to look good playing vs these kind of pylons. Huet had to make a few key saves early on but since then it's honestly all Switzerland. Norway is about as harmless as it gets. This team is gonna get murdered vs the better teams. Could be ugly.

Yeah that’s about it, sweden would absolutely murder norway. Somehow Jenni seems to love pedrazzini tho he always brings him on the PK. I wasn’t really fond of graf too but he plays good today but could also be the norway effect…

All underagers with an assist today reber even has 2 i am interested how they will look next year

 

[Speyer]

Yeah that’s about it, sweden would absolutely murder norway. Somehow Jenni seems to love pedrazzini tho he always brings him on the PK. I wasn’t really fond of graf too but he plays good today but could also be the norway effect…

Graf is a decent defensive forward for our standards. But he is someone that you usually want on the fourth line as an energy guy. I agree with you on Pedrazzini. I mean he has good puck skills but just so many deficiencies in other areas. Its also not like he is that dynamic offensively to compensate his flaws like Martschini was for example. He is also not exactly the ideal pk player, yet Jenni sends him out there every time we take a penalty. Its hard to think our coach isn't biased towards some players when you see things like that.

 

[Hinterland]

Graf is a decent defensive forward for our standards. But he is someone that you usually want on the fourth line as an energy guy. I agree with you on Pedrazzini. I mean he has good puck skills but just so many deficiencies in other areas. Its also not like he is that dynamic offensively to compensate his flaws like Martschini was for example. He is also not exactly the ideal pk player, yet Jenni sends him out there every time we take a penalty. Its hard to think our coach isn't biased towards some players when you see things like that.

Not even sure if he's biased. Might be just as dumb as it gets. He's probably convinced he selected and is leaning on the best, most talented players available.

 

[Speyer]

Not even sure if he's biased. Might be just as dumb as it gets. He's probably convinced he selected and is leaning on the best, most talented players available.

Maybe its both of those things at the same time, idk. I just feel bad for the players that got snubbed because of him.

 

[Kuracmugger]

Graf is a decent defensive forward for our standards. But he is someone that you usually want on the fourth line as an energy guy. I agree with you on Pedrazzini. I mean he has good puck skills but just so many deficiencies in other areas. Its also not like he is that dynamic offensively to compensate his flaws like Martschini was for example. He is also not exactly the ideal pk player, yet Jenni sends him out there every time we take a penalty. Its hard to think our coach isn't biased towards some players when you see things like that.

Yeah he‘s definitely biased i really don’t see a reason why he would send pedrazzini on the ice when there are the 2 meiers,Graf or even kevin zürcher available. I also agree with what you said one post later there are some deserving players who got snubbed because of jenni and i really don’t see why Hull ode Gruber wouldn’t be a better fit than pedrazzini or even dorthe(altough he plays good today).

Muggli is getting a lot of praise by the swiss commentator he speaks as if he’s even more touted than ustinkov. And as i was typing he said that if you „listen what the scouts say“ alain Graf is having good chances to get drafted which would be a really big surprise to me.

 

[Kuracmugger]

Matteo Wagner is pretty average overall but he has a great shot and doesn’t need many chances

 

[Hinterland]

Just for fun, here's how I'd have played:


Braillard (05), Hull (05), Forget (06)
Giger (06), Gruber (05), Bosson (06)
Ponzetto (06), Reber (06), Cattin (06)
Weber (06), Antenen (06), Körbler (06)

Ustinkov (06), Schneller (05)
Muggli (06), Lekic (05)
Kyburz (06), Meier (06)
Toller (06), Kurt (06)

Neuenschwander (06)
Kirsch (06)


Easily good enough to beat that Norwegian team. Not the best team you can select but probably almost equal compared to the team Jenni selected...just a year younger on average. I know you usually don't bring that young of a team to this tournament and there's probably 4 or 5 guys who'd be gambles but most of these 06 players are actually playing vs older kids already. There's no way guys like Antenen, Giger, Forget, Ponzetto or Meier would look out of place in this tournament and they'd have easily dominated this Norwegian team as well.

 

[Hinterland]

Yeah he‘s definitely biased i really don’t see a reason why he would send pedrazzini on the ice when there are the 2 meiers,Graf or even kevin zürcher available. I also agree with what you said one post later there are some deserving players who got snubbed because of jenni and i really don’t see why Hull ode Gruber wouldn’t be a better fit than pedrazzini or even dorthe(altough he plays good today).

Muggli is getting a lot of praise by the swiss commentator he speaks as if he’s even more touted than ustinkov. And as i was typing he said that if you „listen what the scouts say“ alain Graf is having good chances to get drafted which would be a really big surprise to me.

Graf is playing a very good tournament so far but there's no chance he's gonna get drafted. Also, there was no real need to put him on this team with guys like Gruber or Hull eligble as well. Also, Antenen would have been an underager two way Center who's at least as good as Graf already. Probably not gonna get drafted either because his offense is kinda limited but a very good player who wouldn't look out of place in this tournament.

 

[Speyer]

Graf is playing a very good tournament so far but there's no chance he's gonna get drafted. Also, there was no real need to put him on this team with guys like Gruber or Hull eligble as well. Also, Antenen would have been an underager two way Center who's at least as good as Graf already. Probably not gonna get drafted either because his offense is kinda limited but a very good player who wouldn't look out of place in this tournament.

Only way for Graf to get drafted would be if Jenni became a NHL GM or head scout until summer. So probably not very likely. If Knak (2020) Canonica, Biasca, Taibel etc. are all left on the shelf Graf won't come of the board either. I have no idea what Roost was smoking when he alluded to this. Same thing applies to Simon Meier too, unfortunately.

 

[Hinterland]

Completely different game compared to the last one. Latvians are at least as skilled and fast as the Swiss but they're losing almost all of the battles. Against Norway it was pretty much the other way around. They won the battles but were terribly slow and unable to make plays.

 

[Hinterland]

If the Latvians do win battles they're dangerous. First time they won a few, Switzerland takes a penalty as a result and the Latvians score on the PP.

 

[Speyer]

Completely different game compared to the last one. Latvians are at least as skilled and fast as the Swiss but they're losing almost all of the battles. Against Norway it was pretty much the other way around. They won the battles but were terribly slow and unable to make plays.

And we are unable to make use of our chances. More killer instinct is needed up front. And we need to finally start to avoid those penalties. How can this problem this endemic in international games? This just allowed the Latvians to come back into the game.

Edit: Jesus another one this is just rididiculous.