World Juniors 2021 Discussion Thread

OMG67

Registered User
Sep 1, 2013
10,543
6,748
They lost 1 game to a better team.... smh

And gave up 6 goals in 7 games with the only top team unplayed being Sweden.

This format leaves the door wide open for results like this.

It is not like Canada played a poor game.

In this tournament, I consider any medal a positive result. There are too many strong teams capable of winning it.
 

EvenSteven

Registered User
Sep 3, 2009
7,320
6,067
I think the organizers missed the boat with this unique pandemic situation. Building availability wasn’t an issue. No CHL/NCAA games to miss. A ton of airtime available on TSN.

They could have had a tourney that blended the old format with the new.

Round robin where everyone plays everyone once. Then have the top four teams advance to the medal round. That really makes the round robin games must win if there’s a threat of not getting into the top four. At least one “powerhouse” country wouldn’t get in.

What’s that? An extra few games over the course of an extra week. Methinks that would have made the head to head games between the top countries that much more intense with a berth in the medal round on the line. By the time Canada played Finland in this round robin, they were already guaranteed a berth in the medal round making that game not a “must win”.
 

Otto

Lynch Syndrome. Know your families cancer history
I think the organizers missed the boat with this unique pandemic situation. Building availability wasn’t an issue. No CHL/NCAA games to miss. A ton of airtime available on TSN.

They could have had a tourney that blended the old format with the new.

Round robin where everyone plays everyone once. Then have the top four teams advance to the medal round. That really makes the round robin games must win if there’s a threat of not getting into the top four. At least one “powerhouse” country wouldn’t get in.

What’s that? An extra few games over the course of an extra week. Methinks that would have made the head to head games between the top countries that much more intense with a berth in the medal round on the line. By the time Canada played Finland in this round robin, they were already guaranteed a berth in the medal round making that game not a “must win”.

Again.... it's not about the fans.. team Canada was already away from their families for 51 days.
 

Section7fan

Registered User
Feb 12, 2018
825
716
Well that should stop the clowns on TSN from talking about this being the best team ever for Canada...... Embarrassing.
Ya I got to agree. This years team was a good team but it was not even close to the 2005 team. Maybe if they had Lafreniere and Dach in the line up. All the forwards were 1st round picks and you couldn't tell some nights.
 

soo hound girl

Registered User
Oct 20, 2017
995
692
In my opinion I thought Byfield was a little bit of a disappointment #2 pick overall and had one good game I was cheering for him and kept saying to myself okay tonight he is gonna be the difference but it just didn’t happen I know he was the youngest player on the team but come on he needed to chip in a little more hopefully next year he will be the leader on this team and win another gold
You got to give credit to the USA they played a near perfect game and got a lucky bounce on their second goal
There top line was dominating us most of the game and to me they were the better team last night (hate to say it)
 

Buttsy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2015
2,644
2,224
London
In my opinion I thought Byfield was a little bit of a disappointment #2 pick overall and had one good game I was cheering for him and kept saying to myself okay tonight he is gonna be the difference but it just didn’t happen I know he was the youngest player on the team but come on he needed to chip in a little more hopefully next year he will be the leader on this team and win another gold
You got to give credit to the USA they played a near perfect game and got a lucky bounce on their second goal
There top line was dominating us most of the game and to me they were the better team last night (hate to say it)

Byfield seems like he doesn’t realize how good he actually is? Can dominate most other players physically just has to show up for every shift rather then every other game? The US was the better team last night. The lack of Fans fans I think hurt us as the Canadian teams tend to play off the emotion of the arena a lot.

BUT again beaten by a better team that executed their plan from start to finish. We don’t need a summit or anything led by the Great One to figure out what is wrong with Canadian hockey. Wouldn’t be shocked if it was a best of 7 that it would go 7 games as both teams were fairly close in talent. Similar teams in many ways actually.
 

MatthewsMoustache

Registered User
Jul 2, 2018
2,819
2,274
I wasn't a fan of how Tourigny used Byfield. The stats say Byfield was a point per game player and 5th in team scoring, but how many of those points were in the blowouts? I get that there were 13 1st round picks fighting for ice time in the forward spots, but Quinton never really played more than 3rd line minutes. This likely goes for all of these players because of how skilled they are, but I think you get more out of Byfield as a 1st/2nd line centre. He can physically dominate probably anyone in that tournament, I just don't understand why they would shelter his minutes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Finster8

Generalsupdates

@GeneralsUpdates on Twitter
Sep 4, 2017
7,300
4,367
I wasn't a fan of how Tourigny used Byfield. The stats say Byfield was a point per game player and 5th in team scoring, but how many of those points were in the blowouts? I get that there were 13 1st round picks fighting for ice time in the forward spots, but Quinton never really played more than 3rd line minutes. This likely goes for all of these players because of how skilled they are, but I think you get more out of Byfield as a 1st/2nd line centre. He can physically dominate probably anyone in that tournament, I just don't understand why they would shelter his minutes.
I'm a huge Byfield fan, but I didn't think he showed very good in this tournament offensively, for someone of his calibre. He had some value defensively, which is why he was used as the 3C and in more of a shutdown role, but it looked like his hands couldn't catch up to his feet in the offensive zone a lot of the time
 

OMG67

Registered User
Sep 1, 2013
10,543
6,748
I'm a huge Byfield fan, but I didn't think he showed very good in this tournament offensively, for someone of his calibre. He had some value defensively, which is why he was used as the 3C and in more of a shutdown role, but it looked like his hands couldn't catch up to his feet in the offensive zone a lot of the time

The reality is that many games all four lines were offence lines. Playing USA, Finland and Russia are the only games where you can truly say a line was depended on for defence. Every line in the other games should be capable of scoring with no issues.
 

OMG67

Registered User
Sep 1, 2013
10,543
6,748
I don't understand why people are upset.

How many OHL finals are won 4 straight? Not many. That means weaker teams win games.

IMO, Canada would win a 7 game series but this format requires a team to play every game in the medal round with no mistakes and hope they don't run into a hot goalie or have a weak goalie performace on their side.

A medal of any colour is a great result in this tourney. 5 teams come in every year capable of winning.
 

Generalsupdates

@GeneralsUpdates on Twitter
Sep 4, 2017
7,300
4,367
The reality is that many games all four lines were offence lines. Playing USA, Finland and Russia are the only games where you can truly say a line was depended on for defence. Every line in the other games should be capable of scoring with no issues.

He was given almost no offensive zone starts and used a lot for defensive zone starts. To me that's a line being depended on for defence

That's not to say his line can't score, obviously, they're all world class junior players. But it's hard to argue that he wasn't put in a defensive role considering his majority of D-zone starts
 

OMG67

Registered User
Sep 1, 2013
10,543
6,748
He was given almost no offensive zone starts and used a lot for defensive zone starts. To me that's a line being depended on for defence

That's not to say his line can't score, obviously, they're all world class junior players. But it's hard to argue that he wasn't put in a defensive role considering his majority of D-zone starts

Against weaker competition he didn’t utilize his opportunities with the exception of the one game. You have to admit that is suspect regardless of where he took his draws. HE also had many different wingers in an attempt to get him working.

The final two medal round games he wasn’t looked upon as an offensive threat and wasn’t used as such against the stronger competition.

IT was a disappointing tournament for him. That said, he is still only 18 years old and not many 18 year olds, regardless of their projected NHL status, perform at an elite level.

Byfield is a bigger player and he needs to figure out a way to utilize his size more effectively against more elite opponents that can match his skill level. This is also not uncommon.

I don’t think there is a serious scout or analyst that gives him a shot in hell of playing in the NHL this season. That was evident last year. HE needs more time in the OHL.

On the positive side, he did perform well defensively. He did show he can handle his own end against strong competition. That is a positive.

I’m not trying to knock the kid. I really like him as a prospect and I consider him as a potential star NHLer. He’s just the type of player that needs more time.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->