WJC Canada first cuts

[Panopticon]

Too bad. I really wanted to see Esposito and had (unrealistic perhaps) hopes of seeing Tavares play as well...

Well, now I'm only hoping Franson doesn't get cut, he's the only Canadian that interests me now (when it comes to the WJC).

''I've never been cut from a team before,'' Tavares said. ''It's something new to me and it's the worst feeling.''

Maybe this will do him some good.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Anyone got an idea of who they think the next cuts will be and if they think that Cliche has a shot at the team (good two-way guy)?

 

[canucksfan]

Perreault and Esposito are two natural centermen with great speed and skills.
Essentially Hartsburg decided to be conservative and keep intact his two offensive lines from last year.
The proof of that is in the fact that the first three centermen were already decided and he made Perreault and Esposito practice at wing....
Their fate was already decided.
As usual the Q lags behind in their core decisions and the Q players have to conciliate with the needs preestablished before their coming.
Another evidence of that was Latendresse last year....he was not good enough for them on the top 3 lines but is good enough to replace Higgins injured on the first Habs line with Ryder and Koivu, scoring 12 points in 18 games on that line so far....
Good riddance!

With Latendresse's played last year at the WJC's he was lucky he made it. He was Canada's worst forward at the tournament.

Look at Wolski too. He was having an outstading year with the OHL and he didn't even get invited to camp last year.

Furthermore, there was only two French Canadians cut. From all acounts Esposito didn't have a great camp so that's why he was cut. Perrault played good but obviously not good enough.

 

[Faute]

Anyone got an idea of who they think the next cuts will be and if they think that Cliche has a shot at the team (good two-way guy)?

Cliche will probably one of Canada's 4th liners. It also helps that Lewiston's coach Clement Jodoin is also Team Canada's assistant coach.

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

There are only two more forward cuts to be made so all but two of the following will make it:

Cody Bass R/
Marc-André Cliche R/
Sam Gagner R/
Claude Giroux R/
Darren Helm L/
Bryan Little R/
Brad Marchand L/
Kenndal McArdle L/
James Neal L/

I am assuming that the six returnees will all make the team as well.

I am guessing Bass will be one of the cuts.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Cliche will probably one of Canada's 4th liners. It also helps that Lewiston's coach Clement Jodoin is also Team Canada's assistant coach.

Good to hear. I love Cliche's game and how it should play out at the NHL level for him.

Should add some offense down there along with his great two-way game, as well.

 

[Langway]

I am guessing Bass will be one of the cuts.

Bass & Marchand would be my guesses...

 

[Panopticon]

There are only two more forward cuts to be made so all but two of the following will make it:

Cody Bass R/
Marc-André Cliche R/
Sam Gagner R/
Claude Giroux R/
Darren Helm L/
Bryan Little R/
Brad Marchand L/
Kenndal McArdle L/
James Neal L/

I am assuming that the six returnees will all make the team as well.

I am guessing Bass will be one of the cuts.

Highlighted the ones I hope to make the final team. Maybe Neal as well, but not as much as the others.

Bass & Marchand would be my guesses...

This, for example, would work fine for me.

 

[canucksfan]

Only five cuts remaining if I have done my math right.

If you include don't include Mason there will be one cut with the goalies. I think it will be a battle between Bernier and Irving. I really thought that Cann had an outside chance but he got cut.

Two defencemen will get cut. You have five of the returning players and then Franson. So that leaves Kohn, Alzner and Mikkelson to battle it out for the 7th spot. I would pick Mikkelson out of those three players just beating out Alzner.

Forwards will be the hardest to decide. Two cuts will be made. You have the first line set with Downie, Cogliano and Toews. The third line will be Bertram, Pyatt and O'Marra. So basically, you have to get a scoring line, and a fourth line and a 13th forward. I would cut Bass and Helm.

 

[Slippy]

Only five cuts remaining if I have done my math right.

It's actually 6 more cuts. 2 at each position will give them a roster of:

2 Goalies
7 Defencemen
13 Forwards

If you include don't include Mason there will be one cut with the goalies. I think it will be a battle between Bernier and Irving. I really thought that Cann had an outside chance but he got cut.

From highlghts I've seen it sounds like the choice will be made tonight whether Price or Irving is the number one. It looks like Price has a slight edge right now. Bernier didn't look impression in yesterday's Red and White from what I saw.

Bass & Marchand would be my guesses...

As for Marchand and Bass being the last cuts on forward, I would hate to see both of them go. I am not saying this cause I’m an expert on the choices but what I know of each.

Marchand was phenomenal last year in the Memorial Cup for Moncton, and is great skater and seems to create a lot of energy when he’s on the ice.

Also, I have thought Bass could be the 13th forward due to the minor injury to Toews’ shoulder. He would be a good third or fourth line centre option, and possibly for the PK. Should Toews further aggravate his shoulder it is nice to have a responsible grinder to fill the void, as well as a guy with some Team Canada experience at the Under-18 level.

 

[bottleCAPS]

i guess Burki had a poor Camp despite lighting up the WHL vs Russian Selects games. i'm dissapointed with some of the cuts and would have liked to see Perreault make the club but i guess that's something to look forward to next year.

all in all this years team canada does little to excite me and i'll probably cheer for another international team this year.

 

[Panopticon]

Forwards will be the hardest to decide. Two cuts will be made. You have the first line set with Downie, Cogliano and Toews. The third line will be Bertram, Pyatt and O'Marra. So basically, you have to get a scoring line, and a fourth line and a 13th forward. I would cut Bass and Helm.

Who would form the second line (the scoring line) and the fourth line, in your opinion (and anyone elses who has an opinion on the matter) then?

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

I like Marchand myself.

And everyone don't be so quick to count out Mason - he would have been cut already if he didn't have a chance to make the team. The fact he's still there speaks volumes. If all three goalies have been underwhelming so far he could easily sneak on, and with only a mild concussion he'll be good to go by Christmas.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I'd say Stewart was the most surprising cut. He's an 87, so it's his last chance. He's big, he's very quick and he's aggressive. His older brother spent two years with the program, won a gold medal in 2005. And by all indications, Chris is more consistent than Tony. And Chris had a goal and an assist last night.

Burki's another late 87 who I thought had a good chance. He's been streaky in his career, but he's put up some big numbers in the Dub. Perhaps Canada's brass couldn't overcome their concerns about his consistency.

At the start of the year, I thought Setoguchi would be a lock for the first line. He made the eligibility cut-off by one day. The kid has top-notch goal scoring ability, but he has struggled this year, after a terrific season last year. I'm not surprised he was among the early cuts.

I'm not surprised that Tavares and Esposito aren't going. Tavares is still two-and-a-half years from being drafted. I think he'll be there next year, but on a veteran-laden squad, and some good 1987s and 1988s to choose from, he wasn't going to make it. I think Esposito could have been there had he played his game. But he didn't. And he was terrible in last year's WU17. You could blame the flu, but a friend of mine said it best: "Esposito looked like he had the flu only when the puck was in his zone."

I think Franson will get one of the two remaining spots. If Alzner has a great game tonight, and Canada thinks they can play him, and not be hurt by him, I think he goes to Sweden. If Franson is selected, Canada will have six 87s on their roster. The other three defencemen in camp (beyond the Big 5 and Franson) are 87s. If you can have a quality 89 as your No. 7, with six 87s, then do it.

I hope McArdle, Little and Giroux get three of the remaining forward spots. McArdle would be a great addition to a checking line - he's a strong skater and he thinks the game very well. He's been a favourite of mine for a while. I think Little will be a dynamic offensive forward, and Giroux would compliment a scoring line very well. The wild card is Gagner - another showing like last night should get him a spot on the team. But I think he's still in a position, as a 1989, where he has to play his way onto the team. If he doesn't play well, he'll be one of two forwards cut tomorrow morning.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Who would form the second line (the scoring line) and the fourth line, in your opinion (and anyone elses who has an opinion on the matter) then?

My second line would have Little and Giroux on it, and I'd have McArdle and Cliche on the fourth line. If Gagner has a strong game tonight, he could make the team, although he'd likely be slotted as the 13th forward. That would leave Marchand for the second line, and one of Bass, Helm or Neal battling for the fourth line.

 

[Garp]

My second line would be :

Gagner-Little-Giroux (even if it's a really smal line)

en the fourth:

Neal-Cliche-McArdle
(is Cliche a center?)

Marchand as the 13th forward and a possibility to switch Gagner and McArdle

 

[faucette78]

Is Tavares natural position centre? He was playing on the wing for both intersquad games. I konw a lot of centres have a hard time adjusting to the wing if they have always played centre.

 

[canucksfan]

Who would form the second line (the scoring line) and the fourth line, in your opinion (and anyone elses who has an opinion on the matter) then?

I think the second line has two players set on it and they would be Giroux and Little. I think McArdle or Marchand will fill the third spot. I'd give the edge to Marchand just because McArdle would suit more of a fourth line role. The last line I would have Cliche, Neal and McArdle. Helm and Bass also has a good shot at making this line. For the 13th forward it depends on what they want. An offensive forward or a defensive forward. Personally, I'd go with Gagner. So I would have Little, Marchand and Giroux as the second line and McArdle, Cliche and Neal as the fourth line. So the forwards who I would cut would be Bass and Helm but again I wouldn't be surprized if one of them made it if not both of them.

I really would like to see Neal on this team. He adds a big physical presence to this team and is a great energy guy.

 

[FLYLine27*]

My second line would be :

Gagner-Little-Giroux (even if it's a really smal line)

en the fourth:

Neal-Cliche-McArdle
(is Cliche a center?)

Marchand as the 13th forward and a possibility to switch Gagner and McArdle

Yes

 

[Blind Gardien]

There are only two more forward cuts to be made so all but two of the following will make it:

Cody Bass R/
Marc-André Cliche R/
Sam Gagner R/
Claude Giroux R/
Darren Helm L/
Bryan Little R/
Brad Marchand L/
Kenndal McArdle L/
James Neal L/

I am assuming that the six returnees will all make the team as well.

I am guessing Bass will be one of the cuts.

Well, given that I would have guessed against Bass even being invited, and guessed again against him surviving to the last round of cuts... I have to think he simply has his fans, and he'll probably make it. I could see it coming down to a battle between Marchand/McArdle/Bass as energy guys and Cliche/Helm as utility guys... but in general I would agree that Giroux, Little, and Gagner are staying for their offense, and that Neal is there for the physical presence. *I* would cut Bass (and be totally undecided on who else to choose as the final cut), but then I only see him on the ice in the OHL and I'm pretty sure there is a lot about him that Hockey Canada likes, beyond what we see on the ice.

 

[Cerebral]

I'm a little surprised they cut Ellerby, he wasn't having an amazingly impressive camp or anything but I thought he looked pretty decent over the past couple of games. Oh well, that probably opens the door for Mikkelson to make the club (any word on if Russell is healthy enough to play yet?).

 

[canucksfan]

i guess Burki had a poor Camp despite lighting up the WHL vs Russian Selects games. i'm dissapointed with some of the cuts and would have liked to see Perreault make the club but i guess that's something to look forward to next year.

all in all this years team canada does little to excite me and i'll probably cheer for another international team this year.

Why wouldn't you cheer for Team Canada? I could care less who they name and I would still cheer for them. I would never cheer for another country but Canada.

 

[canucksfan]

It's actually 6 more cuts. 2 at each position will give them a roster of:

2 Goalies
7 Defencemen
13 Forwards


From highlghts I've seen it sounds like the choice will be made tonight whether Price or Irving is the number one. It looks like Price has a slight edge right now. Bernier didn't look impression in yesterday's Red and White from what I saw.

Like I said I didn't count Mason so if I did I would have 6 cuts remainign as well.

Irving didn't look that impressive in the first intra-squad game. Right now I would give a slight edge to Irving over Bernier but if Bernier out plays him tonight than that could change.

 

[Slippy]

Like I said I didn't count Mason so if I did I would have 6 cuts remainign as well.

I just didn't understand the part about not including Mason.

 

[rigger]

I would have liked to see Jonathan Tavares. He would be a guy that got sheltered minutes but he could be in another 2-3 WJC's before he goes pro, this could be huge for his development.

But then again, this tournament is a win now mind set and I would hate to see an older, more deserving guy lose out because they want to groom Tavares.