Why has Canada...

[Ola]

...stopped producing players like Marc Savard and even Joe Sakic?

Canada is always going to be the prime producer of top talent in the hockey world. Great players like Thornton, Lecavalier, Heatly and Nash comes around every other year but small extremly skilled centers seems very rare these days. I don´t think it has anything to do with the trapping era, small centers like LaFontain posted great stats as late as 98´. Crosby will be a exemption but all of Canadas great seems to be atleast 6´2-6´3 these days.... I doubt the averege length of the kids today is 6´3 so I wonder where all talented kids who are under 6´ goes???

The top young canadian playmaking centers that comes to my mind are Briere, Savard and Comrie and all of these players have flaws in their game and there talent level can´t be compared with the greats mentioned above...

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[Rabid Ranger]

...stopped producing players like Pat LaFontain, Marc Savard and even Joe Sakic?
Canada is always going to be the prime producer of top talent in the hockey world. Great players like Thornton, Lecavalier, Heatly and Nash comes around every other year but small extremly skilled centers seems very rare these days. I don´t think it has anything to do with the trapping era, LaFontain posted great stats as late as 98´. Crosby will be a exemption but all of Canadas great seems to be atleast 6´2-6´3 these days.... I doubt the averege length of the kids today is 6´3 so I wonder where all talented kids who are under 6´ goes???

The top young canadian playmaking centers that comes to my mind are Gomez, Savard and Comrie and all of these players have flaws in their game and there talent level can´t be compared with the greats mentioned above...

I'm not sure what you're complaing about. Who cares about small, finesse centers when you can have the same skill package in a player that's twice the size (Thornton, Lecavalier etc)?


* Pat Lafontaine is American. Born in St.Louis, raised in Michigan.

 

[Ola]

I'm not sure what you're complaing about. Who cares about small, finesse centers when you can have the same skill package in a player that's twice the size (Thornton, Lecavalier etc)?


* Pat Lafontaine is American. Born in St.Louis, raised in Michigan.

I wasn´t sure I was complaining?

 

[Jeff Goldblum]

Pierre-Marc Bouchard has the potential to be pretty good.

 

[scosar]

Does Corey Locke ring a bell

 

[V for Voodoo]

Does Corey Locke ring a bell

I don't know about anybody else but that's definitely the name that
comes to my mind when i think of greats like Joe Sakic.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I don't know about anybody else but that's definitely the name that
comes to my mind when i think of greats like Joe Sakic.

lol

 

[Intensive Purposes]

I just saw a great interview with Bob Nicholson on Sportsnet last week that would explain this.

In Canada, the leagues allow bodychecking from age 12 on. Thus, smaller players end up quitting because they don't want to get the crap beaten out of them on a weekly basis.

If you are not 6'2" by age 16, there doesn't seem to be a place for you in Canadian Minor Hockey. There are exceptions to that rule of course - but that could be a factor.

 

[H3ro]

One name: Mike Richards

 

[DaaaaB's]

What about Daniel Briere. Also Patrice Bergereon isn't real big either.

 

[TheZodiac]

I don't think Sidney Crosby is a giant. 5`10" , average size and skill.

 

[Hossa]

I don't really buy this. I mean, look at the 2005 draft. Crosby, Brule, Bertram...these are all smaller offensive players. I don't know if it was simply a cycle or what, but it seems to me like this "trend" is set to go in reverse in the very near future.

 

[CRAZY_FAN]

The teams are looking at big players first and that is the real problem right now. I dont have a problem with big guy with talent, but they should take a look at smaller players who have tons of skills.

 

[LaLaLaprise]

I just saw a great interview with Bob Nicholson on Sportsnet last week that would explain this.

In Canada, the leagues allow bodychecking from age 12 on. Thus, smaller players end up quitting because they don't want to get the crap beaten out of them on a weekly basis.

If you are not 6'2" by age 16, there doesn't seem to be a place for you in Canadian Minor Hockey. There are exceptions to that rule of course - but that could be a factor.

Partly right but if you look at most Midget AAA leagues barely ANY of the players are 6'02. You exageratted quite a bit.

 

[417]

Mike Ribeiro, Brad Richards, P-M Bouchard, Antoine Vermette, Matt Stajan, not sure if he's canadian, Scott Gomez?

Some of the guys I mentionned are over 6 feet, but don't pla a physical game, they're more playmakers

 

[Hossa]

Mike Ribeiro, Brad Richards, P-M Bouchard, Antoine Vermette, Matt Stajan, not sure if he's canadian, Scott Gomez?

Some of the guys I mentionned are over 6 feet, but don't pla a physical game, they're more playmakers

Gomez isn't Canadian and only Ribeiro and Richards can be called established offensive players. But not a bad point.

 

[Intensive Purposes]

Partly right but if you look at most Midget AAA leagues barely ANY of the players are 6'02. You exageratted quite a bit.

You are right, I did exaggerate. I meant to mention that in the original post. But the point still remains, that as the average players get bigger - it filters out the smaller guys.

 

[417]

Gomez isn't Canadian and only Ribeiro and Richards can be called established offensive players. But not a bad point.

Didn't think Gomez was Canadian, but the poster was asking why Canada dosen't produce these types of players, so I know that Vermette, Bouchard and Stajan aren't proven players but they are nevertheless from the Canadian system, so we do produce these types of players, but alot of these players take more time to develop (Ribeiro)

 

[eddy]

Not a centermen, but small, Canadian and very skilled, Martin St.Louis.

 

[ktownhockey]

Lol

I don't think Sidney Crosby is a giant. 5`10" , average size and skill.

Did you make a typo or something???? Crosby AVERAGE Skill.... what games have you been watching? if any

 

[TheZodiac]

Did you make a typo or something???? Crosby AVERAGE Skill.... what games have you been watching? if any

YeH it was poor choice of words ...I meant average size and super skilled.:lol

 

[colonel_korn]

Brendan Morrison is another small Canadian finesse centre (though he played in NCAA, not the CHL)

 

[coolio123]

After watching Hal Gill play awful in the first round against Montreal, I hope NHL scouts stop drafting extremely large players with no skill.

 

[Canadian]

A Joe Sakic type, how about Stephen Weiss? I know Weiss isn't all that great right now, but give him some time and maybe he will turn into a Sakic/Yzerman replica.

 

[Anksun]

Doesnt want to break anyone bubble but...

Joe Sakic is not exactly the kind of player to comes out of a Country every year... all countries included!!!!

Many good small centers and wingers have been mentionned in this thread already, but dont expect a new Sakic out of Canada every year... And if there is not one in 2 years, it doesnt mean Canada have not produced good small players.