Tom Wilson will be on the team. He brings something that nobody else has shown in the Superseries games so far and during the Russia-Canada games in the summer!
the only forward i see making it( 12 positions) from the Dub is Ty Rattie.
Is there any others that push their way onto the top two lines?
Is there anyone else that can supply specialty minutes.
we have four from the Q making it, six from Ontario, 1 NCAA.
Who from the west will cut into those numbers?
the only forward i see making it( 12 positions) from the Dub is Ty Rattie.
Is there any others that push their way onto the top two lines?
Is there anyone else that can supply specialty minutes.
we have four from the Q making it, six from Ontario, 1 NCAA.
Who from the west will cut into those numbers?
I wouldn't count out guys like Adam Lowry and Mark McNeill. Both are more than fully capable of playing 3rd line minutes, providing size, skill, energy and two-way play.
Sissons fits into that same boat too, to a lesser degree.
A guy like Shinkaruk might get some interest but I don't see him making it in the end.
Curious why some lineups have Scheifele as a winger. He's never played the wing on any Team Canada team that I've seen (U18's, last years World Junior, 2012 Summer Series vs Russia, 2012 Subway Series).
I rememer reading somewhere that Laughton is a pretty good bet to make this team. Seems like perfect fit for 3rd or 4th line. Makes no sense having a player like Boone Jenner on the 4th line over Laughton.
I wouldn't count out guys like Adam Lowry and Mark McNeill. Both are more than fully capable of playing 3rd line minutes, providing size, skill, energy and two-way play.
Sissons fits into that same boat too, to a lesser degree.
A guy like Shinkaruk might get some interest but I don't see him making it in the end.
Do you think Lowry's skating , specifically his first step quickness would be strong enough , especially on the larger ice surface?
When I watch him , his challenge is that first step quickness. If , when that improves his overall game will will positively be influeneced imo. From a decent/good prospect to an above average one for the NHL level.
I rememer reading somewhere that Laughton is a pretty good bet to make this team. Seems like perfect fit for 3rd or 4th line. Makes no sense having a player like Boone Jenner on the 4th line over Laughton.
What?
Wasn't Jenner on the energy line for Canada last year?
I'm not even sure what you're suggesting, that Jenner is too offensive to play on the 4th line?
He's not, he's taylor made for that role on a deep team Canada IMO.
I rememer reading somewhere that Laughton is a pretty good bet to make this team. Seems like perfect fit for 3rd or 4th line. Makes no sense having a player like Boone Jenner on the 4th line over Laughton.
Jenner plays just like Laughton, but he's better. He's good defensively, physical, is better offensively, and is bigger.
Wasn't Jenner on the energy line for Canada last year?
I'm not even sure what you're suggesting, that Jenner is too offensive to play on the 4th line?
He's not, he's taylor made for that role on a deep team Canada IMO.
Ive seen him play a few times this year with Oshawa and that was what i was implying haha. He is clearly their best offensive player and the games I saw it was all first line minutes.
I rememer reading somewhere that Laughton is a pretty good bet to make this team. Seems like perfect fit for 3rd or 4th line. Makes no sense having a player like Boone Jenner on the 4th line over Laughton.
Laughton will not get an invite nevermind make the team, would be a very long shot to get an invite
I'm thinking that Spott and Team Canada have seen something in Lowry that maybe you've missed. Captains of this SSS are Huberdeau, Jenner, Harrington, Murray and Lowry. All four of the others are locks for the WJC team.
Leipsic played great in the Canada-Russia challenge this summer, so he could be another western contender. I'd have him on the team as an agitator before St Croix as a scorer.
I like Lowry, and he does bring good leadership qualities and lots of size, but as someone pointed out he is quite slow for his calibre of player and that will ultimately cost him a spot on the team due to the larger ice surface.
I think Leipsic will be one of the final cuts, along with Hudon, Leivo, Siemens, Shinkaruk, Corrado, Ceci, Puempel and Percy.
Care to elaborate on what a "gallagher situation" is?
He was one of the best players for Canada last year outperformed Tanner Pearson and Mark Scheifele by a considerable margin.
A Gallagher situation would be Canada using a guy best suited to a bottom six role in a top six role, instead of someone clearly better suited to the top two lines. Last year Canada stuck with Gallagher (who I thought was terrible to mediocre throughout the tournament) instead of Connolly, even though it was obvious that Connolly belonged in the top group much more than Gallagher did. This would be similar to using Hudon on a top line instead of someone like MacKinnon/Rattie/Drouin.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alberta tough
Agreed, and I think Scheifele would be better used centering the second line.
Yeah, I would much rather Strome on the wing than Scheifele.
A Gallagher situation would be Canada using a guy best suited to a bottom six role in a top six role, instead of someone clearly better suited to the top two lines. Last year Canada stuck with Gallagher (who I thought was terrible to mediocre throughout the tournament) instead of Connolly, even though it was obvious that Connolly belonged in the top group much more than Gallagher did. This would be similar to using Hudon on a top line instead of someone like MacKinnon/Rattie/Drouin.
I can't say I agree at all with your assessment of Gallagher (at all), but I understand what you mean to a point. I imagine you don't remember who pretty much almost brought Canada back in the 3rd period of the semi-final against Russia.
If you go back to some of the threads, I also shared the sentiment that Connolly was being mis-used as a checker, but I thought the disappointments were Schwarz, Scheifele, and most of all Pearson (that guy was a bum until the bronze game).
I can't say I agree at all with your assessment of Gallagher (at all), but I understand what you mean to a point. I imagine you don't remember who pretty much almost brought Canada back in the 3rd period of the semi-final against Russia.
If you go back to some of the threads, I also shared the sentiment that Connolly was being mis-used as a checker, but I thought the disappointments were Schwarz, Scheifele, and most of all Pearson (that guy was a bum until the bronze game).
But that's another debate.
Well, my main memories of Gallagher were of him falling over constantly and shooting the puck straight into the chests of opposing goaltenders. In any event though, I doubt we'll see that kind of situation in the forward group this year. A bigger concern is Spott giving Murphy a bigger role than he deserves just because he coaches him in the CHL.
Do you think Lowry's skating , specifically his first step quickness would be strong enough , especially on the larger ice surface?
When I watch him , his challenge is that first step quickness. If , when that improves his overall game will will positively be influeneced imo. From a decent/good prospect to an above average one for the NHL level.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DropkickQuinn
I like Lowry, and he does bring good leadership qualities and lots of size, but as someone pointed out he is quite slow for his calibre of player and that will ultimately cost him a spot on the team due to the larger ice surface.
I think Leipsic will be one of the final cuts, along with Hudon, Leivo, Siemens, Shinkaruk, Corrado, Ceci, Puempel and Percy.
- Lowry's footspeed has improved immensely since this time last year.
- What makes you think Leipsic will be a final cut? He wasn't even invited to play at the Super Series. That's pretty telling.
I like Huberdeau, RNH, Strome, Scheifele, Rattie and MacKinnon as a top6 but don't know about that setup or it's likeliness...
At CANRUS series when Huberdeau, Strome and Scheifele were on the same line for PP they put Scheifele at C.
I'll try to take a stab at this, but everyone be kind as I'm not HC or an expert (obviously those two are mutually inclusive ). Now let's travel through my thought process...
I prefer 3 scoring lines over top6/bottom6 style. Also, I like to circle my players around my C.
RNH is a guarantee for the 1st (if he's coming, we'll just assume). So two spots remain with strongest candidates being Strome, Scheifele, Monahan and MacKinnon. Scheifele I'd say is better suited for a offensively dangerous but defensively sound 3rd C. Strome has played wing and plays well while MacKinnon seems to not play out of position as well with high QoC. So with that I'd put the 3 top9 pivots as RNH, MacKinnon and Scheifele.
So then for our 6 wingers strongest candidates would be: Huberdeau, Strome, Drouin, Monahan, Rattie, Ritchie, Hudon, Jenner, Puempel, Griffith and maybe one or two others. Keep Drouin with MacKinnon and I think Huberdeau is all but a lock for the first line. I could see either Rattie or Strome switching the top two lines so I won't make a decision. I like Jenner too and think he'd pull off a solid 4th line pivot:
So far:
Huberdeau - RNH - Strome/Rattie
Drouin - MacKinnon - Strome/Rattie
xx - Scheifele - xx
xx - Jenner - xx
xx: Monahan, Ritchie, Griffith, Hudon, Puempel, Danault and Lessio... I'm still having difficulty deciding on which 4 of these would get the pick and order but I don't think many would beat these for the spots...
Defence I find easier (for who makes it, not necessarily order of pairings):
Murray - Hamilton
Rielly - Harrington
Oullet - Murphy
Reinhart - Dumba
Mackinnon is a lock to be the 2C IMO. He just isn't as good on the wing
I wouldn't call it a lock but he's certainly better suited at center... Not sure how Scheif or Strome will adjust to wing, but probably better than MacKinnon...
Will Lessio be healed up by tournament start? I see him included in some mock teams..
If he is healed i could see him making it for sure, possibly playing on 4th line wing with Jenner, Lessio is very fast (one of the most impressive at canrus), determined and will throw the body around.
Going to be very tough to finalize this roster... Also whoever said Siemens will be a late cute
). Now let's travel through my thought process...
