World Junior Championship starts Dec. 19, Dec. 21 in Ottawa

[ChocolateLeclaire]

Lazar's ceiling is Jonathon Toews. In terms of work ethic and leadership, he's already there. I hope the ability to come up big in the clutch (like he did in the Mem Cup) and carry the play on the ice translates into the NHL.

Toews doesn't put up gaudy numbers, but he's a game-breaker. That's what I want Lazar to be.

 

[Proust*]

Lazar was great, but that was a deep forward group, wow. If I had to rank the top 6 forwards, I would go:
- Reinhart
- Domi
- McDavid
- Duclair
- Lazar
- Petan

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Everyone was 19 in that tournament. Lazar never show case any signs of extreme talent with the puck like some of the other guys on the roster. It is very evident that his top ceiling is a Mike Fisher.

Jason Spezza at 19 showed that he had top-end offensive skills.


How ever, I am happy with that Lazar is, I just wish he would be a tad faster and maybe a tad better at puck handling skills as well(but this would be asking a bit too much)

Gretzky at 19 also showed top end offensive talent. Can I compare spezza to Gretzky?

 

[Micklebot]

Lazar's ceiling is Jonathon Toews. In terms of work ethic and leadership, he's already there. I hope the ability to come up big in the clutch (like he did in the Mem Cup) and carry the play on the ice translates into the NHL.

Toews doesn't put up gaudy numbers, but he's a game-breaker. That's what I want Lazar to be.

Toews has better puck skills and is a better skater imo. I don't expect Lazar to ever get to that level.

 

[Six Assets]

Toews is not a good comparison for lazar. Very different players.

 

[BonkTastic]

Lazar's ceiling is Jonathon Toews. In terms of work ethic and leadership, he's already there. I hope the ability to come up big in the clutch (like he did in the Mem Cup) and carry the play on the ice translates into the NHL.

Toews doesn't put up gaudy numbers, but he's a game-breaker. That's what I want Lazar to be.

Toews was, is, and will always be the better offensive player. Dude was dominant in his WJCs... that 3 shootout goal game was beyond clutch.

If Lazar turns into a 20g-30a-50pts version of Toews, I'll be over the moon.

 

[Micklebot]

Toews was, is, and will always be the better offensive player. Dude was dominant in his WJCs... that 3 shootout goal game was beyond clutch.

If Lazar turns into a 20g-30a-50pts version of Toews, I'll be over the moon.

It was also the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Man that rule was stupid, and made an already dumb way to decide a game even dumber. That rule would be at home as a plot twist in a mighty ducks/dumb and dumber cross-over movie.

/rant

 

[OgieO]

Toews has better puck skills and is a better skater imo. I don't expect Lazar to ever get to that level.

Agree. I think Lazar can improve the puck skills (a skill that you can develop and he has the work ethic) but it's hard to project him to Toews' level.

Lazar plays a tremendous all around game - good at everything, very good at a few things and has all the work ethic and intangibles you'd want in a player. I think he can score a bunch of goals in the NHL and will help a team all over the ice - but a Toews projection seems a bit much imo.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Lazars offensive talents depend on how Ottawa develops it. The guy tied (or beat?) crosbys and stamkos's u16 scoring record (kinda forget the exact stat) and if you go through some junior highlights especially 2+ years ago he does some pretty special things with the puck. I think it just so happened he and his coaches realized he's smarter than most of his teammates so he became the defensive conscience on all his lines. He needs to get the flair back. I don't think it's that he can't do good things with the puck. It's that he doesn't even try to do them. He's very strict in his game. I'm sure if you saw him try to cut in to the middle of the ice more you would see more shots and goals. In junior he babysat his line defensively. And Ottawa his grroming him to do the same in the NHL. Which is why I suggested to play him with Mac and Turris for a few shifts here and there. Or Hoffman and zib HERE and THERE. Or Ryan and Hoffman. But I guess I don't want us to magically regress into Edmonton.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Lazars offensive talents depend on how Ottawa develops it. The guy tied (or beat?) crosbys and stamkos's u16 scoring record (kinda forget the exact stat) and if you go through some junior highlights especially 2+ years ago he does some pretty special things with the puck. I think it just so happened he and his coaches realized he's smarter than most of his teammates so he became the defensive conscience on all his lines. He needs to get the flair back. I don't think it's that he can't do good things with the puck. It's that he doesn't even try to do them. He's very strict in his game. I'm sure if you saw him try to cut in to the middle of the ice more you would see more shots and goals. In junior he babysat his line defensively. And Ottawa his grroming him to do the same in the NHL. Which is why I suggested to play him with Mac and Turris for a few shifts here and there. Or Hoffman and zib HERE and THERE. Or Ryan and Hoffman. But I guess I don't want us to magically regress into Edmonton.

That's why I wanted him to spend the year in junior - only if we knew he was going to get a premier offensive role (and not be the defensive conscious of the team). He needs to do the fancy moves in games (like junior) where it isn't sudden death like the NHL. That's where he'd get the mojo back.

That's the real key - how a guy is developed. Nail a guy to the third line role, and that's where he's groomed. Put him in the top line in the WHL and tell him to get 100 points, and he explodes offensively.

Problem is, you can't really experiment at the NHL level, because each playoff game is worth nearly a million bucks to the owner, the TV rights-holders, and the fan outcry and all that peripheral stuff.

 

[Boud]

Agree. I think Lazar can improve the puck skills (a skill that you can develop and he has the work ethic) but it's hard to project him to Toews' level.

Lazar plays a tremendous all around game - good at everything, very good at a few things and has all the work ethic and intangibles you'd want in a player. I think he can score a bunch of goals in the NHL and will help a team all over the ice - but a Toews projection seems a bit much imo.

I find Lazar is a very similar player to Dustin Brown. He hits, good all around player and leader. Could maybe be a little better than Brown over time but I see Lazar being a similar player.

 

[Micklebot]

I find Lazar is a very similar player to Dustin Brown. He hits, good all around player and leader. Could maybe be a little better than Brown over time but I see Lazar being a similar player.

Yeah, Brown and Callahan seem like good projections. Maybe Landeskog?

 

[Burrowsaurus]

That's why I wanted him to spend the year in junior - only if we knew he was going to get a premier offensive role (and not be the defensive conscious of the team). He needs to do the fancy moves in games (like junior) where it isn't sudden death like the NHL. That's where he'd get the mojo back.

That's the real key - how a guy is developed. Nail a guy to the third line role, and that's where he's groomed. Put him in the top line in the WHL and tell him to get 100 points, and he explodes offensively.

Problem is, you can't really experiment at the NHL level, because each playoff game is worth nearly a million bucks to the owner, the TV rights-holders, and the fan outcry and all that peripheral stuff.

All good points. Before the season started I wanted him in junior. But those first few game I thought he was incredible. Especially the Colorado game when he was carrying Michalek and smith. And then the kid line. I would send him back now. Rangers sent duclair back.

 

[DrEasy]

Yeah, Brown and Callahan seem like good projections. Maybe Landeskog?

Or Peca?

What a great game, glad I PVR'd it!

Impressions based on the semi and the finals games:

- Our forwards were fantastic: Reinhard, Domi, Duclair, what a line! McDavid has the grace of a figure skater, never seen skill like this at that level before. Wonder if the early injury hampered Petan; he wasn't the same guy after, and after being moved to the 4th line the chemistry of the #2 and #4 lines suffered as a result. I liked the Gauthier line: a solid, grinding line, that was maybe overplayed in the finals. Still not sure what to think of Paul.

- Our defense lacked depth. Loved Morrissey, Nurse, Theodore but wasn't impressed by Bowey or Hicketts.

 

[Back in Black]

I didn't sleep last night (too much excitement, booze).

Even though we don't win every year, we are still the only Country to win 5 in a row, and we've done it twice. We still own the most medals.

Russia was a formidable opponent last night. Couldn't get any better than that!!

 

[Minister of Offence]

Yeah, Brown and Callahan seem like good projections. Maybe Landeskog?

Not that it can't happen but at the same age landeskog was a cut above.

I can't find anyone he's more like than DBrown

 

[Micklebot]

Not that it can't happen but at the same age landeskog was a cut above.

I can't find anyone he's more like than DBrown

Landeskog definately transitioned to the NHL about as smoothly as anyone I've ever seen, so agree with you there. But I never found Landeskog had any particular skill that stood out (leadership notwithstanding), kind of like Lazar in that way.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Not that it can't happen but at the same age landeskog was a cut above.

I can't find anyone he's more like than DBrown

Yeah and landeskog has taken a step back.

I see a lot of Bergeron. A shorter Bergeron

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

It was also the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Man that rule was stupid, and made an already dumb way to decide a game even dumber. That rule would be at home as a plot twist in a mighty ducks/dumb and dumber cross-over movie.

/rant

Shootouts are pretty dumb to begin with, worst way ever to decide a game. Using the same 1 player over and over makes a lame thing even lamer.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Better than a tie

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Better than a tie

Not with the current point system. If they want to go to a 3-2-1 system, the fine, keep the shootout. Preferably after a 5 minute 3 on 3 that follows the 4 on 4.

Ties never really bothered me anyway, the shootout just isn't hockey to me.

 

[Micklebot]

Better than a tie

Except that there are loads of other options, like you know: not letting the same player shoot three times in the same shootout; playing overtime until a winner is decided; reducing it to 4 on 4 overtime, or even 3 on 3.

Aside from that, I prefered ties for the regular season. Sure it was a let down, but at least teams weren't getting any points in the standings from something that is not really hockey.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I prefer a conclusion over a tie

A tie is the worst possible outcome

 

[Wondercarrot]

I guess everyone has to agree after watching world juniors that Lazar does not have that high end offensive talent like some of the other kids in TC. But, yeah he is like Mike Fisher, heart and soul, gritty type player.

Weird he ended up tied for the tournament lead in goals and 2 pts off the tourney lead, while playing 2nd line and 2pp minutes, while killing every penalty.

Reinhart who is the same age IIRC, drafted 2nd overall and is apparently a 'brilliant' talent also returning to the team only had 2 more points with all those extra PP minutes, top line play etc.

Lazar's offensive talent may not be as flashy as some int he WJC but i expect it to translate to a pro game as well as any other than mcdavid.
I mean he did it last year and this year, he broke crazy stamkos/crosby records at the U18 or 17 a couple years ago.

He's not a PPG guy in the NHL but it certainly wouldnt surprise me if he were 60pt + guy.
how many other guys on Team Canada do you think will do that?

 

[Micklebot]

Weird he ended up tied for the tournament lead in goals and 2 pts off the tourney lead, while playing 2nd line and 2pp minutes, while killing every penalty.

Reinhart who is the same age IIRC, drafted 2nd overall and is apparently a 'brilliant' talent also returning to the team only had 2 more points with all those extra PP minutes, top line play etc.

Lazar's offensive talent may not be as flashy as some int he WJC but i expect it to translate to a pro game as well as any other than mcdavid.
I mean he did it last year and this year, he broke crazy stamkos/crosby records at the U18 or 17 a couple years ago.

He's not a PPG guy in the NHL but it certainly wouldnt surprise me if he were 60pt + guy.
how many other guys on Team Canada do you think will do that?

Lazar took a while to get into his groove as a late addition to the team. I imagine his start would have been better had he been practicing with the team for two weeks like everyone else.