WJC talk

[HIFE]

Wow you guys my 1st games of the tourney, what a show. Swiss played a great game, I agree Hischier is an exciting player to watch. Thought he could score every shift. Czech is getting out shot but playing solid. I love when teams get under USA and Canada's skin.

 

[Leronziia]

That was a pretty goal.





Hronek decking PLD.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Hronek reads the play really well. Seems to be in the right place to pick up the puck constantly. Czechs under a lot of pressure and Hronek is maybe the only d-man that seems able to handle it.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Hronek is a mean SOB. He's like Svechnikov in that sense. If you try anything, he's going to put the hurt on you. It's a nice quality, but he's definitely going to have to calm down a little bit at the pro level.

 

[Leronziia]

He plays a physical brand of defense, engages the puck carrier very quickly and ties them up or takes them to the boards.

Impressive for a guy <80kg.

 

[Wood Stick]

Hronek is a mean SOB. He's like Svechnikov in that sense. If you try anything, he's going to put the hurt on you. It's a nice quality, but he's definitely going to have to calm down a little bit at the pro level.

Late birthday too which means he could be up for Grand Rapids next season. Interesting with VS coming up too.

 

[Leronziia]

Terribly soft call.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Terribly soft call.

Thought so too. Not sure what that was about.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Well, the Czechs are out. Overall, I really liked what I saw from Hronek. That guy is a total competitor. Very good defensively, a good puckmover, a capable shooter, and overall very good hockey sense. Plays with a lot of edge for a smaller guy, to the point where it was actually too much, but I think that'll come with time.

I wish we could have seen him with more PP time, but the Czechs didn't seem to have a lot of PPs. He seems to have really top notch skills on the blueline in the offensive zone, but it was a pretty small sample size.

 

[Leronziia]

Well, that's the tournament done for Hronek.

He finishes with 2 goals and 2 assists in 5 games (equal 1st in scoring with Zboril), was named best player for the Czechs in one game and among their 3 best for the tournament (alongside 2 forwards).

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Late birthday too which means he could be up for Grand Rapids next season. Interesting with VS coming up too.

I could see him getting some games in GR at the end of this season. There isn't a ton of competition and he has played against men before.

 

[Mijatovic]

Plays with a lot of edge for a smaller guy, to the point where it was actually too much, but I think that'll come with time.

Nice. Will be good to see him put on 30-40lbs and then keep that edge. Sounds like a real good goer (did not see a minute of his games)

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Nice. Will be good to see him put on 30-40lbs and then keep that edge. Sounds like a real good goer (did not see a minute of his games)

He doesn't look very small to me, I should say. He might have been really skinny at the draft, but it looks like he's had a good summer. If I had to guess, I'd say he's 6'1 175 or so now. He was noticeably bigger than Spacek, who is 5'11 190.

 

[HIFE]

Well, the Czechs are out. Overall, I really liked what I saw from Hronek. That guy is a total competitor. Very good defensively, a good puckmover, a capable shooter, and overall very good hockey sense. Plays with a lot of edge for a smaller guy, to the point where it was actually too much, but I think that'll come with time.

I wish we could have seen him with more PP time, but the Czechs didn't seem to have a lot of PPs. He seems to have really top notch skills on the blueline in the offensive zone, but it was a pretty small sample size.

You are spot on with your description of his play, thanks for your enthusiasm the last week. The bolded statement though, I hear said but he doesn't look small to me. Not sure what he's listed at but size will not be a problem.

In the single game I saw Hronek kept very calm. Things just went right on his shifts getting pucks out. His rushes were aggressive and led directly to one goal and inadvertently to another. Encouraging prospect to keep an eye on.

 

[Wood Stick]

I could see him getting some games in GR at the end of this season. There isn't a ton of competition and he has played against men before.

Grand Rapids has a good D. Brian Lashoff, Nathan Paetsch, Robbie Russo, Nick Jensen, and Joe Hicketts is a very good D. I'm really hoping James De Haas gets a contract and ends up there to finish the year.

 

[KasperTheGrittyGhost]

Grand Rapids has a good D. Brian Lashoff, Nathan Paetsch, Robbie Russo, Nick Jensen, and Joe Hicketts is a very good D. I'm really hoping James De Haas gets a contract and ends up there to finish the year.

Can anyone describe De Haas' game to this point? I only remember reading pretty tepid reviews from guys like Malik and Sporka during prospect camps.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Can anyone describe De Haas' game to this point? I only remember reading pretty tepid reviews from guys like Malik and Sporka during prospect camps.

Big and rangy, good skater, ordinary puck skills. Clarkson streams their games on their website if you want to watch him.

FWIW he will technically be a UFA after he graduates.

 

[Leronziia]

Saarijarvi's tournament is done now with Finland avoiding relegation.

He finished with 2 PP goals and 2 assists in 6 games. He was also named among the best 3 players for Finland.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Saarijarvi's tournament is done now with Finland avoiding relegation.

He finished with 2 PP goals and 2 assists in 6 games. He was also named among the best 3 players for Finland.

Could have been better but that's fine

 

[Leronziia]

Yep, he had a good tournament without being great. The powerplay was lacklustre for most of the tournament and only came to life against Latvia.

We didn't learn anything new about Saarijarvi. He's still an offensive dynamo at junior/international level.

 

[ChadS]

Yep, he had a good tournament without being great. The powerplay was lacklustre for most of the tournament and only came to life against Latvia.

We didn't learn anything new about Saarijarvi. He's still an offensive dynamo at junior/international level.

I was kind of surprised to see how well he handled the forecheck and especially avoiding some big hits from forwards.

 

[Leronziia]

Had a look again at some of his shifts against Sweden and you are quite right.

https://youtu.be/FdEfNiJa0Hk

At 16:52 he avoids the hit and makes the right play along the boards.

Every time Saarijarvi had the puck in that first 10 minutes, Finland managed a controlled zone entry.

Kid can play.

 

[drwings40]

Very entertaining semifinal game between USA and Russia.

The Minnesota Wild must be happy, they have a solid group of forwards in Kunin, Greenway, Kaprizov...and Eriksson Ek is also doing well.

 

[RabidBadger]

I hope this allays any concerns about Motzko coaching our prospect.

USA has a tendancy to win gold with those Badger captains

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Great tournament! Honestly and people can look at those games however they want. But the USA just best Russian and Canada twice in a row each while claiming goal. That is what some of us have dreamed about. Just a great Tourny.