WJC: the favorite

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jcpenny

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Canada has been the best for many years so it is wonderful that pther countries have picked up from watching us. It gives us superb tournaments were youre not sure who's gonna win. We are experiencing the same thing with basketball were the other countries are learning from the U.S and getting better.
 

King'sPawn

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Reilly311 said:
tell me the name of that girl in your avatar right now! :eek:

I'm pretty sure that's Keira Knightley from Pirates of the Caribbean and the new Excalibur movie coming out.

As to the WJCs, it's very hard to argue against Canada. It's a matter of making sure the chemistry is there and the goaltending is a little more consistent. Paper doesn't win, but it certainly looks good for Canada.
 

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X-SHARKIE said:
Do you think that Wild, Panthers, Bruins respectfully want there top prospects to go play in the WJC's instead of the the AHL?
Part of the deal with the CHL allowing the AHL teams to have these under 20 players was they had to play in the WJC. Therefore, they are playing.
 

Reilly311

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cyclops said:
It will certainly be no cakewalk but when you consider that Canada's skaters were better then the U.S last year(and the U.S was supposed to be the juggernaut last year but when the games began it was clear they only had one good line)then it's hard not to put Canada as the favourite going in regardless of the goaltending situation.


What part of "No gold since 1997" don't you understand? Every year Canada is suppose to win. :lol
 

BigAl

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Is there really anythig to debate about? Canada could ice 2 teams this year and would come out with gold and silver. It is a no brainer. Just curious, what would Canada's second team look like? It would be pretty stellar.
 

Roughneck

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BIGROCKET said:
Is there really anythig to debate about? Canada could ice 2 teams this year and would come out with gold and silver. It is a no brainer. Just curious, what would Canada's second team look like? It would be pretty stellar.

Goal: Dubnyk, Nastiuk

Defense: Schultz, Rogers, Green, Fistric, O'Neill, Stephenson, Saunders

Forward: S. Bernier, M. Bernier, Bolland, Boyd, Chipchura, Crombeen, Fehr, Fraser, Meyer. Stone, Wolski, Zajac, Pouliot

Yea, could probably challenge the A team for the gold.
 
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espo*

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Reilly311 said:
What part of "No gold since 1997" don't you understand? Every year Canada is suppose to win. :lol
And what part of only one gold in the history of the WJC don't you understand?don't worry about Canada,you can be sure they'll be strong and you know it(though it's not your style to admit it,that's all part of your board style which everyone knows by now)Yes,we are supposed to win every year(not just Canada that thinks that,so do most of the other countries fans)There is a reason people think Canada will win every year and not the U.S and that is because Canada is proven and is always strong while the U.S is not.you're in tough this year in North Dakota to repeat,don't think you are not.On paper we have a better team,we had a better team last year(goalie nonwithstanding)They are a year older and wiser.
The Canadian team had no confidence in fleury last year and it showed in how they played in the third,basically they choked(that should make you happy) and it was'nt easy to look at but this year will be different i am confident.We'll see what happens when the tourney starts but i can garuntee you that you could ask any coach or hockey observer from any country who they think is the favourite going into this tournament and they will tell you it's Canada and there is a good reason for it.Get prepared for a war this december but this time i hope you just don't go awol from the boards when /if Canada wins like you did with the World cup(you are that same famous reilly are'nt you?),at least stick around to take your medicine. Since you have lots to snort about before the results come in you should at least be around to take the heat when you're proven wrong.If i'm wrong i'll be here,i won't run away.
 

J17 Vs Proclamation

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TORRUS said:
What a stupid way of thinking... Have you ever heard of a word ''team''?! Obviously not! Where were teams like Detroit or Colorado or, even better, NY Rangers in the past two years??? According to you the Rangers should be the best team in the universe! How do you explain this years Stanley cup finals: Calgary-Tampa? Or good play by Minesota and Annaheim last year?

US maybe, but Canada will expirience what happend to Russia last year. All the pucks will go to Crosby and he can't win by himself (like Ovechkin last year). Canadians, if you are lucky you will end up 2nd, like you always do! You are good enough to be the vice champion! :)

What i meant was how much depth the canadians have
 

McDeepika

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cyclops said:
And what part of only one gold in the history of the WJC don't you understand?don't worry about Canada,you can be sure they'll be strong and you know it(though it's not your style to admit it,that's all part of your board style which everyone knows by now)Yes,we are supposed to win every year(not just Canada that thinks that,so do most of the other countries fans)There is a reason people think Canada will win every year and not the U.S and that is because Canada is proven and is always strong while the U.S is not.you're in tough this year in North Dakota to repeat,don't think you are not.On paper we have a better team,we had a better team last year(goalie nonwithstanding)They are a year older and wiser.
The Canadian team had no confidence in fleury last year and it showed in how they played in the third,basically they choked(that should make you happy) and it was'nt easy to look at but this year will be different i am confident.We'll see what happens when the tourney starts but i can garuntee you that you could ask any coach or hockey observer from any country who they think is the favourite going into this tournament and they will tell you it's Canada and there is a good reason for it.Get prepared for a war this december but this time i hope you just don't go awol from the boards when /if Canada wins like you did with the World cup(you are that same famous reilly are'nt you?),at least stick around to take your medicine. Since you have lots to snort about before the results come in you should at least be around to take the heat when you're proven wrong.If i'm wrong i'll be here,i won't run away.


Do u think they will have more confidence in this years goalie then they had in fleury last year. I doubt it however there is no reason why they don't win this year their team is stacked
 

espo*

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oilerlova said:
Do u think they will have more confidence in this years goalie then they had in fleury last year. I doubt it however there is no reason why they don't win this year their team is stacked
Sure,depending on how the goaltender plays of course.If he sucks and is so shaky that even routine shots the guy struggles with then god help them because they'll play passive and tentative at some point(usually the biggest game)The players of course never voiced anything but 100% confidence in Fleury last year(that's what they are supposed to do ) but you could tell that they realized the guy was'nt sharp all tourney long and when the heat was on they played like it.As good as fleury played in Halifax the year before he played as bad in Finland and it cost the team.
Names don't mean much when the puck is dropped,only performance does and the goalie has to prove it,if he does it does'nt matter if the name of the guy is fleury,hasek or dubnyk for that matter.When the goalie is sharp it lets everyone play their game confidently.The team last year was very good and got away with his performance because they were that much better then the rest of the teams but the luck ran out against the only team in the tournament that was comparable with them(U.S)Defense,forwards...they were'nt as strong as Canada but they had better goaltending and Canada let them back in it with tentative play that came about from nerves of being in a 3rd period with the lead in the championship game and things about wrapped up.They could'nt nail things down because they were too nervous about their goaltending and they let the U.S take things to them.I've seen it happen enough before and it won't be the last time i see that happen to a team.If the starting goaltender this year is sharp they'll have more confidence in him then Fleury last year.Performance is what matters come game time,not draft position,press clippings or name.If they get the goaltending this year they should win.
 

Riggins

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cyclops said:
And what part of only one gold in the history of the WJC don't you understand?

Don't worry about that guy. The only reason he posts is to bash Canada. He was the one pimping that sad excuse for an American World Cup team as the best in the tournament.
 

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cyclops said:
And what part of only one gold in the history of the WJC don't you understand?don't worry about Canada,you can be sure they'll be strong and you know it(though it's not your style to admit it,that's all part of your board style which everyone knows by now)Yes,we are supposed to win every year(not just Canada that thinks that,so do most of the other countries fans)There is a reason people think Canada will win every year and not the U.S and that is because Canada is proven and is always strong while the U.S is not.you're in tough this year in North Dakota to repeat,don't think you are not.On paper we have a better team,we had a better team last year(goalie nonwithstanding)They are a year older and wiser.
The Canadian team had no confidence in fleury last year and it showed in how they played in the third,basically they choked(that should make you happy) and it was'nt easy to look at but this year will be different i am confident.We'll see what happens when the tourney starts but i can garuntee you that you could ask any coach or hockey observer from any country who they think is the favourite going into this tournament and they will tell you it's Canada and there is a good reason for it.Get prepared for a war this december but this time i hope you just don't go awol from the boards when /if Canada wins like you did with the World cup(you are that same famous reilly are'nt you?),at least stick around to take your medicine. Since you have lots to snort about before the results come in you should at least be around to take the heat when you're proven wrong.If i'm wrong i'll be here,i won't run away.

Very well said. I'll be here with you to take my lumps if Canada loses this year. I cannot wait for this tourney to get started. :handclap:
 

Wondercarrot

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US maybe, but Canada will expirience what happend to Russia last year. All the pucks will go to Crosby and he can't win by himself (like Ovechkin last year). Canadians, if you are lucky you will end up 2nd, like you always do! You are good enough to be the vice champion!

Was Canada just compared to Russia in terms of team building?
Have no fear Russia we'll save your traditional spot carrying Canada's jockstraps around international hockey tourneys.
Oh, and those waterbottles aren't going to fill themselves Yankees, so hop to it.
 

Reilly311

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cyclops said:
Get prepared for a war this december but this time i hope you just don't go awol from the boards when /if Canada wins like you did with the World cup(you are that same famous reilly are'nt you?),at least stick around to take your medicine. Since you have lots to snort about before the results come in you should at least be around to take the heat when you're proven wrong.If i'm wrong i'll be here,i won't run away.


well I was banned for all of the world cup so I couldn't post.

I believe the US was favored last year to win the tournament and when they had to face canada in the finals everyone said "OH Canada will EASILY win this game, they're the favorite now!!!111".

The reason Canada lost last year we because of goaltending, but now that they have a question mark again this year, they're the favorite? Makes no sense to me. I don't care how many good forwards or defenseman they have, it's goaltending that wins games in the end. Montoya is the best goalie in this tournament and with most of the US team returning I'd consider them the favorite. That, and they're the defending champs playing in their home country.

No one can give a legit reason to think Canada is the favorite coming in except that the same team that choked last year is a year older and they'll have an untested goalie (which doesn't matter right?)

See you this christmas. :)
 

championhabs

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reffree said:
Canada can't loose this year, it will be their best team since the 1995 "dream team"

Who was on this Dream Team? Thanks. While on the topic I like Canada as the favorite and the USA a close second.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Zednik20 said:
Don't worry about that guy. The only reason he posts is to bash Canada. He was the one pimping that sad excuse for an American World Cup team as the best in the tournament.



"Sad excuse? The U.S. team was 1/2 a period away from the championship game. As for the thrust of this thread, Canada is the favorite this year, yet the fact that they aren't in the position year in and year out shows the rest of the world is catching up, and in alot of ways is already there. No one can match Canada's depth, but when each country's best is in the field, that overall depth isn't as much of an issue.
 
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PanthersRule96

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Douggy said:
I think the US are the favourites again this year.

My madly early prediction:
1) USA
2) Canada
3) Czech Republic
The Czech's IMO will be good.
They will have Rostislav Olesz, Milan Michalek (or maybe he's too old, I forget), Jakub Sindel, etc...... good offense and on D, Smid is great. Schwarz in net, and you have a good team. Watch Finland come in and win. WIth all these guys who no one really pays attention to like Nokaleinan, Tukonen, and Korpikoski (sp?) or Sweden.

I think
1) Canada (Horton and co.)
2) Russia (Ovechkin and Malkin)
3) Czech Republic (Olesz, Schwarz, Sindel, Kindl, Smid, etc....)

A bit of bias here, but I really sense that Olesz will have a fantastic WJC. HE's been playing with NHL competition all year in the Czech league and will finally get a chance to show his offensive talent assumming he doesn't get knocked out. IMO he has more offensive potential than people think. I pick him to be the surprise of the tourney, him showing that he's a top prospect. I hope so at least.

BTW, does anyone know whether ESPN will be televising it, cuz I don't have center ice and have never been able to watch the WJC, which sucks. No TSN down here. It makes sense that ESPN would televise cuz it's in Dakota.
 

NeverGoingToWin

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please try to explain to me how being in the championship game the last 3 years isnt being in position to win. last i checked the only teams left with a chance to win are the 2 teams in the final. maybe i am wrong though so enlighten me. By the way, anyone who cant admit Canada was by far the better team last year doesnt know hockey. For christs sake,it took our own goalie scoring on his own net to lose. Which is very bad i admit but you get my point.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Heatley#15 said:
please try to explain to me how being in the championship game the last 3 years isnt being in position to win. last i checked the only teams left with a chance to win are the 2 teams in the final. maybe i am wrong though so enlighten me. By the way, anyone who cant admit Canada was by far the better team last year doesnt know hockey. For christs sake,it took our own goalie scoring on his own net to lose. Which is very bad i admit but you get my point.


Than I guess Bob McKenzie doesn't know hockey because he indicated in his on air comments that the game was even in the 1st, Canada carried play in the 2nd, and the U.S. took care of business in the 3rd. That doesn't seem to indicate Canada was the "far better team." If anything, the final was evenly matched, and the final stats support that.
 
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Canadian Chris

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The really BIG question for me and the Czechs will be whether or not Schwarz is burnt out or not. The Giants are riding him HEAVILY from what I've seen, and I've heard a lot of talk that he seems fatigued...Hopefully this isn't the case, and is purely speculation on my part...

But Canada is, and generally ALWAYS is the pre-tourny favorite. Honestly, they've routinely gone into the WJC's with goalies that are inexperienced and faired AMAZINGLY well.

Last year, the Canadian defense manhandled many of the teams, the Americans included. They were big, quick and could join the rush. This years defense will be nearly identical.

The forwards were also NOT the problem last year. No one is really arguing that actually...it all comes back to how MAF played. Well, he didn't play spectacular at all during the tourny. The Americans winning goal was a fluke. 99/100 I'd say that MAF plays that differently. It was a judgement error on his part...he hesitated and ended up paying for it. Life goes on though.

Canada was not the favorite last year, the Americans were. Canada, I believe was predicted by most to finish 2-4...with Fluery giving them a chance at a silver or bronze depending on how things played out.

Once the finals were determined, obviously the majority of Canadian fans are going to get behind their team and predict a win. Some get a little over zealous and say things such as "easily"...well, there's very few times in hockey when win, especially gold medal wins come easily. Canada played with, and outplayed the United States for probably 40-45mins last January.

Canada is my favorite, and most other people favorites going into this tourny simply because we generally ALWAYS put a damn good f'n team on the ice at the WJCs. I don't see why that won't be any different this year.

The US will be good again, but I think they will take a hit losing some of their "key" players. Canada won't have lost many, if any of their "key" players...and our goaltending is usually quite supberb in these tourny's...and there's no reason to believe that won't be thet case again this year!

1 Canada
2 Russia
3 Czechs
 

God Bless Canada

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Canada is the favourite, but we aren't shoo-ins. We have depth up front that we haven't had since 1995. Even the star-studded teams of 1996, 2002 and 2004 can't compare with the offensive talent that Canada will field up front. Gilbert Brule is a franchise player in the making, but there's no guarantee he'll even make the team.

The defence looks excellent, with the addition of Barker and two others going with Coburn, Phaneuf, Belle and Seabrooke already there.

I'm not as concerned as others about our goaltending. MA Fleury is too old to play this year, but Ryan Munce was excellent in leading Canada to the WU18 two years ago. David Shantz has been excellent this year. There are a couple impressive goalies in Quebec this year who were part of Canada's sweep of the medals at the WU17 last year.

That being said, the U.S. will be strong, with the confidence from last year's WU20, and plenty of returning talent. I think Finland is actually the No. 3 team. Russia has the top two picks from last year, but Zheredev is too old and 2003 wasn't a vintage year for Russian players. There isn't much to choose from in 2005, either. So depth could be a problem.
 

Rabid Ranger

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Canadian Chris said:
The really BIG question for me and the Czechs will be whether or not Schwarz is burnt out or not. The Giants are riding him HEAVILY from what I've seen, and I've heard a lot of talk that he seems fatigued...Hopefully this isn't the case, and is purely speculation on my part...

But Canada is, and generally ALWAYS is the pre-tourny favorite. Honestly, they've routinely gone into the WJC's with goalies that are inexperienced and faired AMAZINGLY well.

Canada wasn't the pre-tournament favorite last year, the U.S. was, and the goalie excuse is a cop-out. Canada has more goaltenders to choose from than any other country, and all countries face the same goaltender turnover.

Canadian Chris said:
Last year, the Canadian defense manhandled many of the teams, the Americans included. They were big, quick and could join the rush. This years defense will be nearly identical.

Canada dominated play in the 2nd period. The U.S. was not manhandled, and actually threw it's own share of big hits (Mark Stuart anyone?)

Canadian Chris said:
The forwards were also NOT the problem last year. No one is really arguing that actually...it all comes back to how MAF played. Well, he didn't play spectacular at all during the tourny. The Americans winning goal was a fluke. 99/100 I'd say that MAF plays that differently. It was a judgement error on his part...he hesitated and ended up paying for it. Life goes on though.

No, the forwards were not the problem last year, it was the defense and goaltending in the final period which allowed the U.S. to ebetually tie the game and then win.

Canadian Chris said:
Canada was not the favorite last year, the Americans were. Canada, I believe was predicted by most to finish 2-4...with Fluery giving them a chance at a silver or bronze depending on how things played out.

You just contradicted an earlier statement of yours. Anyway, can you show me anyone who thought Canada would go 2-4? That certainly wasn't the consensus around here. Canada just lost fair and square to a better team.

Canadian Chris said:
Once the finals were determined, obviously the majority of Canadian fans are going to get behind their team and predict a win. Some get a little over zealous and say things such as "easily"...well, there's very few times in hockey when win, especially gold medal wins come easily. Canada played with, and outplayed the United States for probably 40-45mins last January.

A "little over-zealous"?!?! :lol:

Canadian Chris said:
Canada is my favorite, and most other people favorites going into this tourny simply because we generally ALWAYS put a damn good f'n team on the ice at the WJCs. I don't see why that won't be any different this year.

Canada is the pre-tournament favorite, but that doesn't mean they're a slam dunk.

Canadian Chris said:
The US will be good again, but I think they will take a hit losing some of their "key" players. Canada won't have lost many, if any of their "key" players...and our goaltending is usually quite supberb in these tourny's...and there's no reason to believe that won't be thet case again this year!

1 Canada
2 Russia
3 Czechs

Yeah, the U.S. lost Parise, Mark Stuart, and James Wiesnewski, but return the key player in Al Montoya, and bring back guys like Ryan Suter, Drew Stafford, and Patrick O'Sullivan. Something tells me we'll be fine.
 

God Bless Canada

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The 1995 dream team included most of the top young players in the world at the time: Harvey, Friesen, Daigle, Allison, Daze, Pederson, Smyth, Tucker, O'Neill, McCabe, Baumgartner, Jovanovski, Storr and Cloutier.

It was a true example of what Canada is capable of when their roster isn't being pilaged by NHL teams. (Canada would often obliterate the opposition if not for having six or seven eligible players in the NHL. Most counties have one or two).

Interesting to note, I've talked to some tourney insiders who feel that the best TEAM Canada ever sent was in 1996 in Boston, not 1995. 1995 had more talent, but 1996 played like a team.
 

Postman

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Than I guess Bob McKenzie doesn't know hockey because he indicated in his on air comments that the game was even in the 1st, Canada carried play in the 2nd, and the U.S. took care of business in the 3rd. That doesn't seem to indicate Canada was the "far better team." If anything, the final was evenly matched, and the final stats support that.
I am not surprised at all by some people forgetting how Canada was predicted (by Canadians) to manhandle the US before the game, yet the US came out and was clearly more physical in the first period and matched Canada's physical play throughout the game.

Rabid Ranger said:
Yeah, the U.S. lost Parise, Mark Stuart, and James Wiesnewski, but return the key player in Al Montoya, and bring back guys like Ryan Suter, Drew Stafford, and Patrick O'Sullivan. Something tells me we'll be fine.
Not to mention the addition of guys like Pineault, Schremp (should make it), Johnson (should make it), Thelen (should make it), and Hensick.

It's the same thing every year around this place. All the pro-Canada posters come out and say they'll dominate, and when the tourney is over... they're no where to be found.
 
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