Why not Dion in Sochi?

[Cor]

Vlasic > Phaneuf tbh.


So sorry.

 

[Damisoph]

His play this year must have put him in the conversation, but there's just too much talent there. Personally I'm glad he'll get the time off.

 

[BonMorrison]

Whilst I don't agree with it being cut-and-dry one is better than the other, I don't think it's something to laugh at. Vlasic is the Sharks best defenseman and incredibly underrated.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm fine with Phaneuf not being seriously looked at for Team Canada. He needs the rest a lot more than playing in a tournament.

I think Phaneuf is very underrated, I've said so many times. He's been excellent this year and easily playing like a top 10 defenseman, close to the top 5 to be perfectly honest.

 

[hockeyfanz*]

Am I the only one confused by this? Canada is short at LHD. They have two locks for the team, and they want to bring at least 3 LHD to the Olympics.

Why is it Phaneuf doesn't seem to be in the conversation? He is one of the better d-men in the league, and he is definitely a top 6 Canadian d-man.

So why is a guy like M.E Vlasic being thrown out over Dion Phaneuf? Phaneuf is no slower then Shea Weber, so it can't be the big ice....

What gives?

The answer is simple. The Management team responsible for picking the players are not Leaf homers. Their goal is to win the Gold Medal. Not to appease Leafs fans. Phaneuf is NOT top 6 Canadian D or we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Remember Bryan McCabe in the Olympics. Yeah. There is your answer.

 

[Brewsky]

Doughty Weber
Pietro J-Bo?
Keith Seabrook?

Dare we got with 2 d partners? And leave guys like Letang, Subban, etc. off?

 

[DoubleDouble*]

Is Dions skating considered his weakness? To me he seems like a very good skater.

Subban, Weber, Doughty, Keith are the 4 locks for me. Then Pie, Dion, Seabrook, Vlasic, Letang, Boumeester are all good candidates to fill out the last two spots.

Dion deserves a lot of praise for his play this year, I don't think missing out on the Olympic team is really a slap in the face. I think he is better overall thab Vlasic, Bou and Letang but they are more specialized and being great at one thing is probably going to outweigh Dions all around game.

 

[ACC1224]

He's been fantastic this year.

I certainly don't have time to watch all these other players considered better than him every night (not sure how others find the time, I suspect most don't) but if he isn't top 8, Canada has little to worry about in this tournament.

 

[BiggestLeafsFanEVER*]

Vlasic is a decent #3/#4 dman. He does nothing better than Phaneuf.

I agree with this. IMO Phaneuf should be on the team. Too bad for him he won't be but I guess it's good for Leafs fans because he'll get a break.

 

[BayStreetBullies*]

The answer is simple. The Management team responsible for picking the players are not Leaf homers. Their goal is to win the Gold Medal. Not to appease Leafs fans. Phaneuf is NOT top 6 Canadian D or we wouldn't be having this conversation.

So considering Phaneuf for Team Canada would make them homers?

Remember Bryan McCabe in the Olympics. Yeah. There is your answer.

I also remember Team Canada failing to win a medal that year. Yeah. There is your answer.

 

[EDDIE20*]

To be honest, I'd rather Phaneuf not participate in the Olympics. It might hurt us if he gets injured.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Am I the only one confused by this? Canada is short at LHD. They have two locks for the team, and they want to bring at least 3 LHD to the Olympics.

Why is it Phaneuf doesn't seem to be in the conversation? He is one of the better d-men in the league, and he is definitely a top 6 Canadian d-man.

So why is a guy like M.E Vlasic being thrown out over Dion Phaneuf? Phaneuf is no slower then Shea Weber, so it can't be the big ice....

What gives?

He was invited to the Olympics camp.

Weber, Subban, Keith, Letang, Pietrangelo, Seabrook, Doughty figure to be the top 6 candidates than Dion is in the next group after that.

I like Dion but he isn't the best skater which could get exposed on the big ice and the physical side of his game with being one of the best hitters in the world is a huge part of his game but on bigger ice that it figures to be less important well skating/gap control become more important.

 

[The Blue Devil]

I agree with this. IMO Phaneuf should be on the team. Too bad for him he won't be but I guess it's good for Leafs fans because he'll get a break.

It's good for the Leafs organization, not the fans(some fans). It just gives some fans ammo as to why Phaneuf sucks so bad.

 

[Glenn Isildur Healy]

So considering Phaneuf for Team Canada would make them homers?



I also remember Team Canada failing to win a medal that year. Yeah. There is your answer.

Saying Team Canada is moot because McCabe was horrible during the Olympics.

No need to defend every Leafs player

 

[Parkdale]

I'm sure that if Phaneuf deserves to be in Sochi, he will be. Why would Canada not go with the lineup with the best chance for the gold medal? The selection committee certainly will be familiar with what Phaneuf brings to the table....this is not a popularity contest.

 

[BiggestLeafsFanEVER*]

It's good for the Leafs organization, not the fans(some fans). It just gives some fans ammo as to why Phaneuf sucks so bad.

Well I meant more that if Phaneuf getting rest rather than going to Sochi, dealing with that and the potential for injury, etc., helped the Leafs win more that would be good for the fans.

Personally, I would want him to play at the Olympics but it's not all bad if he doesn't.

 

[Ratboy]

Cause he isn't good enough. I'm afraid to see him on international ice, it would be like McCabe all over again.

 

[DD03]

What does McCabe making the Olympics have to do with Dion Phaneuf?

What am I missing?

 

[Ratboy]

What does McCabe making the Olympics have to do with Dion Phaneuf?

What am I missing?

McCabe was horribly exposed on the large international ice. I'm afraid the same may happen to Phaneuf?

 

[mcleex]

There's no way Letang deserves to go

 

[rdawg1234]

Phaneuf has been one of the best d-men in the league this year, extremely solid defensively.

In fact I can barely remember any glaring mistakes hes made in the 20 or so games we've played so far.

the top 4 are locks:

Doughty, Keith, Pietrangelo, Weber maybe Seabrook.

leaves 2 spots.

Anyone saying Subban, Letang and Jay-bo are WAYY better picks then him are crazy, IMO he's played better than all 3 this year.

If we have a need for offense/speed however than Letang and Subban are better choices.

 

[LMFAO]

I prefer to see him rest than play for Team canada actually

 

[The Thin White Duke]

Sorry, when did J-Bo become unquestionably better than Phaneuf? When he got to St Louis and got to play with a real #1?

I can see the argument that J-Bo makes more sense on international ice because of his skating, but the guy's the definition of a passenger. He's a rich man's Gunnarsson.

 

[Dreakmur]

when did j-bo become unquestionably better than phaneuf?

2005

 

[leafstilldeath*]

So Dion can shut down guys like Crosby, Ovechkin and Tavares several times a year, but no, lets go with a guy like Vlasic who can skate a little bit better?

Dude unlike NHL international hockey is not a cap world. World class players play on the team i.e. Crossby won't have lame line-mates. All of them will be bonafide superstars. Can you imagine a russian line of Kovy-Geno-Ovie? lol. That is just such bad ass line. Dion is good but there are much better Ds than Dion for Sochi. I want the medal NOT bragging rights of how a leaf player represented Canada.

Country > Club