Who's got the better defence....Canada or USA??

[rigger]

JJ>Staal
EJ>>Bourdon
Lee (>just a bit) Letang
Chorney<Parent

Again Canada's depth is better, but I'm sorry the US top 4 is better.

I hate to say it but it's true. The states defense is phenomenal. If Vlasic was playing then it may even things out as I believe that Vlasic is better then the Johnsons since he is in the NHL and doing well. The Johnsons and Chorney and Lee will be great on the PP and PK, if the Johnsons play 25 minutes each with different line mates, then that means most of the game one of them is on the ice.

 

[canucksfan]

It's very close. Canada has the better depth. no question about that but why I give the edge to the States is because of the Johnson's.

 

[Dakota Sioux]

All I can say is that I hope Lee plays better in the Worlds than he is right now for the SIOUX because he is having a down year IMO.Chorney has been the SIOUX's best D-man this year.I'm hoping this tourney wakes Lee's butt up.

 

[TC20]

I think you guys have forgotten about Kris Russel. You put him onto the big ice and can he will be more effective and make a greater impact then Lee and Chorney. He will be the power play quarterback for one unit on the team, but the only downfall for him in this tournament will be having to play with the 6th defenceman named to this team which could limit his role.

 

[Ti-girl]

I think you guys have forgotten about Kris Russel. You put him onto the big ice and can he will be more effective and make a greater impact then Lee and Chorney. He will be the power play quarterback for one unit on the team, but the only downfall for him in this tournament will be having to play with the 6th defenceman named to this team which could limit his role.

I don't see it that way.

Russ has played with (this season) : Schlemko, Baldwin, Isherwood and Brown. Because of injuries to the backend of the Tigers he has played with everyone but Glass and Benfeld.

He should log tons of minutes.

 

[Alison]

I won't make my opinion since I watch Staal game in and game out here in the Nickel, and am obviously biased in my opinion.
But we make all these comparisons on players, how many of us have watched these guys play outside of the WJC tourney's? I have not seen the Johnsons outside of the WJC so can not really comment on who I think is better. All I know is Staal is a horse, he plays many minutes a game on the Wolves, the PK,PP and his regular shifts. He is a fool me once type player but it will never happen again.
Perhaps this question of defence will be better answered after the tourney?

 

[time]

Maybe this question can be put to bed after the the prelim tilt; maybe we have to wait for the playoffs. But, so far, JJ has played badly in every key game at two WJCs. He was on for Russia's late goal last year, and he really blew it today against Toews. And yes, as a Canadian fan, I would like to reference all the posts from last spring about how Toews is such a weak a player.

Both Johnsons will be quality NHL defensemen, but perhaps we can stop making comparisons to Chris Pronger? This is like the Ryan Suter thing: it took years for this website to see that Phaneuf was a clearly a better player.

Marc Staal anyone?

 

[Oilslick941611]

The last two games which feature these defenses point to Canada having the suprior Defense, Canada 2 wins, Usa 0...

Canada by a fair margin.

 

[BruinsBtn]

On paper, the US

But when the games start, Canada.

We have a winner!

 

[Alison]

MARC STAAL > j johnson.

 

[missinthejets]

Jack Johnson is some kind of overrated, he made more goofs today than he did good plays if you ask me. I'd much rather have Staal, much less mistake prone.

 

[kov]

Jack Johnson is some kind of overrated, he made more goofs today than he did good plays if you ask me. I'd much rather have Staal, much less mistake prone.

Not that there's so very much between them, but I think the main difference was that Staal was working within a solid system where he knew his role and didn't try to do much. Johnson is in a less-developed system, got frustrated and tried to do too much, he'll learn from it.

I think what we learned today was that Canada has better depth *and* better tactics.

 

[turnbuckle*]

USA pretty easily .

What sort of talent do you consider yourself an analyzer of...please don't say hockey!!

 

[animalchin]

if the Johnsons play 25 minutes each with different line mates, then that means most of the game one of them is on the ice.

Good, because they have shown that their stick-throwing and/or getting totally burned by speedy forwards leads to direct goals.

USA defense= over-rated.

And that comparison that you quoted was laughable.

 

[ZombieMatt]

Personally I like the United States top two, but Canada's for all around depth. People are attacking JJ because of one game. He's still a top notch d-man, calm down. Erik Johnson is a beast, pure and simple and, IMO, is significantly better than any of Canada's guys. Just my thoughts.

 

[zoomba]

Canada's defence was the better of the two today, but both teams have great young players. One game does not a career make but Staal and Parent were outstanding again today. That Staal is awesome, especially on PK. Letang and Bourdon have already played in the NHL and it shows with their play, especially Letang. He is very composed and good in both zones.

Jack Johnson had a bit of a rough go of it today. I don't like him, but I respect his talent and expect that he will bounce back quickly. Eric Johnson made some mistkaes too but remember that he is a year younger than Staal, Bourdon, Parent etc. Anyone who watches him play can tell he is special and when we look back at all the D-men on both of these teams he will likely have made the most impact at the NHL level. The future is bright for these two but I think they tried to do a bit too much today.

Canada's guys did a better job of playing within themselves and funciton better as a unit. This tournament I think they are the top defensive group.

 

[devin1487]

Jack Johsnon looks like he's just on cruise control. I really wish he would have turned pro this season, I think he's become complacent and it'd be interesting to see him turn pro and challenged.

Erik hasn't looked good at all this year. I was never overly sold on him to begin with but he's not really playing like a #1 overall. He'll still turn out to be a solid D-man but I don't think he's going to be the franchise player they'll want him to be.

Staal is as advertised and always has been. Solid big guy,and he responded well to adversity after being cut from the Rangers this year.

Bourdon might be kind of over rated, but he's teetering on the possibility of being a dynamite player

Letang is a great offensive threat, his D at times is average but he's been not bad this tourny so far...

anyways I'd say canada has the edge this year

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Personally I like the United States top two, but Canada's for all around depth. People are attacking JJ because of one game. He's still a top notch d-man, calm down. Erik Johnson is a beast, pure and simple and, IMO, is significantly better than any of Canada's guys. Just my thoughts.

Offensively, I'd tend to agree. On the defensive end, however, Staal and Parent were better at last year's tourney and look to be better this year so far.

Staal and Parent were virtually flawless in their own zone today, and both Johnsons made some glaring errors that cost USA the game.

1. JJ. Gets drawn out of position chasing a hit, which leads to the odd-man rush where Downie scores the first goal of the game.

2. EJ and JJ. JJ makes a poor pass that gets intercepted by Toews, then EJ throws his stick when Zatkoff seemed to have the situation handled. Toews scores on the subsequent penalty shot.

3. EJ. Gets out-hustled by Darren Helm who goes on to score on the partial break.

Still fine prospects with more impressive pedigrees than Staal or Parent, but its almost self-evident that they aren't on the same level as Canada's top pairing when it comes to neutralizing the opposition.

 

[The_Hockey_Guy18]

JJ>Staal
EJ>>Bourdon
Lee (>just a bit) Letang
Chorney<Parent

Again Canada's depth is better, but I'm sorry the US top 4 is better.

I wouldn't say that. In my opinion, I would put Chorney and Parent equal, and Letang ahead of Lee. And JJ is better than Staal in the offensive end, but put them behind their own blue line, and the advantage is going to go to Marc.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I wouldn't say that. In my opinion, I would put Chorney and Parent equal, and Letang ahead of Lee. And JJ is better than Staal in the offensive end, but put them behind their own blue line, and the advantage is going to go to Marc.

What on earth would make you think that Chorney is as good as Parent?

 

[clay]

I would say Canada has the better defensemen. Marc Staal and Ryan Parent are about the most reliable defensive pairing possible. Letang and Bourdon aren't too shabby either. Both of them have yet to be on the ice for an opposing goal! Russel and Franson are also a great powerplay unit.

The Americans really don't look to have any chemistry. Erik Johnson got beat a few times in foot races in the Canada game, and Jack doesn't seem as dominant as last year. Chorney has been very solid, but the rest of the American squad I find have been very subpar.

 

[The_Hockey_Guy18]

What on earth would make you think that Chorney is as good as Parent?

I haven't gotten the chance to see Chorney play as much as Parent, but from what I have seen throughout the World Juniors so far, he has been very solid, and in my opinion, the US's most reliable defenseman. I shouldn't have said they were equal, not seeing as much of Chorney to compare, but from what I have seen so far, and from watching Parent for a couple months, they both looked very similar.

 

[lilooet*]

I haven't gotten the chance to see Chorney play as much as Parent, but from what I have seen throughout the World Juniors so far, he has been very solid

So, that would be a total of two games, in one of which, his lazy play in his own end directly caused the game-winning-goal; and in the other he was next to useless. And yet, and yet, an evaluation based on these two games somehow makes his play comparable to Parent's?

Weak.

 

[The_Hockey_Guy18]

Ha, alright. Weak comparison on my part.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Ha, alright. Weak comparison on my part.

Enh, you're new, don't sweat it. For future reference, it's probably not the best idea to compare a defenseman on a floundering squad to a top pairing blueliner on the best team in the tournament who's been pretty much flawless in his own end to date.

At least until you're really sure about it.