GDT: World Cup of Hockey talk

Boom Boom Apathy

I am the Professor. Deal with it!
Sep 6, 2006
48,174
97,101
As S1C2 said, for the foreseeable future, Team Canada is going to have such a talent advantage over Team USA no matter what. In order for Team USA to have a chance, they absolutely need to bring the best possible team and have pretty much everything go right.

One player isn't going to make a difference, but not having the best collection of players possible (yes, I know that's a subjective statement) makes it even harder and I think that's the beef that a lot of fans have.
 

Anton Dubinchuk

aho
Sponsor
Jul 18, 2010
25,984
54,314
Atlanta, GA
As S1C2 said, for the foreseeable future, Team Canada is going to have such a talent advantage over Team USA no matter what. In order for Team USA to have a chance, they absolutely need to bring the best possible team and have pretty much everything go right.

One player isn't going to make a difference, but not having the best collection of players possible (yes, I know that's a subjective statement) makes it even harder and I think that's the beef that a lot of fans have.

as my long-term commitment to my username suggests, i have no problem with brandon dubinskys inclusion on this team


the fact that anton is not there though...
 

RodTheBawd

Registered User
Oct 16, 2013
5,529
8,604
With a better lineup and nearly anyone but Torts, they would have at least made it out of group play. Maybe.
 

GoldiFox

Registered User
Apr 21, 2014
13,287
32,030
They sell Raleighwood t-shirts in the airport shops...



:amazed: Phil with the burning sarcasm. Did NOT see that coming from him.

I feel dumb now. Maybe its just one of those things I have heard a ton of times and it just never registers until Kevin Weekes says it. Happens all the time.
 

bleedgreen

Registered User
Dec 8, 2003
23,740
38,206
colorado
Visit site
I have no idea what replacing torts would improve for the us. This isn't a coaches tourney. You lay a system out and the players do what they do. He didn't have enough time to shape anything. His coaching didn't get in the way of anything either. Babcock isn't doing any coaching for Canada other than some basic formations and concepts. Coaches are greatly over rated in this sort of thing. There was nothing wrong with the lines torts made.

Tyler Johnson and Kessel might've created one or two goals more. I think that's a stretch but fine, it's a concept. Wouldn't have mattered. Faulk doesn't play significantly better d over these guys and the only offense he would bring to a higher level is the shot. I might've brought shattenkitty for the mobility over buff, but I don't think that would've mattered either.

Bishop would've helped I think, I can agree with that.
 

DaveG

Noted Jerk
Apr 7, 2003
51,016
47,854
Winston-Salem NC
Faulk or anyone else left off the US team wouldn't have made any difference.

Against Canada? no, none at all.

Against Team Europe though? it absolutely would have. USA had nobody on the ice seemingly capable of running a breakout from the back end. Shattenkirk, Faulk, and Buf (who was benched that game) over McDonaugh, and the Johnsons would have made a huge difference.
 

Navin R Slavin

Fifth line center
Jan 1, 2011
16,175
63,350
Durrm NC
OK, I still think it's a dumb money grab, but these U23 kids are ridiculous and I hope they go to the finals and smoke Canada like a blunt.
 

GoldiFox

Registered User
Apr 21, 2014
13,287
32,030
Team NA is extremely fun to watch. They just ooze skill and speed. I think it harnesses one of the powers that has made the NBA more successful in recent years... Stacked teams provide a boatload of entertainment. Sucks for parity, though.
 

Sens1Canes2

Registered User
May 13, 2007
10,666
8,292
Finland got a dose of what happens when a country's best players show up. One goal in the tournament with 3 minutes left in their third game.
 

geehaad

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Aug 24, 2006
7,508
18,851
Didn't Canada win? Am I crazy?

There just seemed to be a lot of hype about Finland recently, off of the WCs and WJCs.

My point was that Finland faced each country's best at the Olympics and the results were quite different. Only losses were by 1 goal -- to finalists Canada (OT) and Sweden -- got a quality win against Russia and blew out the USA in the bronze medal game.

If you add together WJCs, WCs, and the last Olympics, this performance is the anomaly.
 

WreckingCrew

Registered User
Feb 4, 2015
12,059
37,075
Now, I know Canada was supposed to win this tournament, but damn if it didn't seem like that game was a setup. I mean, Europe blew some beautiful chances, but Canada got away with everything (especially too many men)...and no penalty shot for Hossa was baffling. Europe really dominated about 55 minutes of that game, but late PPG by Canada took all the momentum away.
 

Anton Dubinchuk

aho
Sponsor
Jul 18, 2010
25,984
54,314
Atlanta, GA
i care little about the world cup of hockey

therefore i was cheering for canada so that the hurricanes can hurry up and get their coach back to training camp
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->