Not sure why one or two posters keep putting St. Croix on the roster, let alone on the first line. He has almost no chance to make the team period
Personally I don't have him or Ewanyk when I try to come up with the roster, but it is not absurd to think one or both could make it. St. Croix is one of the best players in the WHL. I like his vision and passing. Ewanyk is a responsible player and is capable of shutting down opposing teams top lines. They have their work cut out for them but you cant say they have no chance. If the NHL is back then Hockey Canada will definately take a long look.
Personally I don't have him or Ewanyk when I try to come up with the roster, but it is not absurd to think one or both could make it. St. Croix is one of the best players in the WHL. I like his vision and passing. Ewanyk is a responsible player and is capable of shutting down opposing teams top lines. They have their work cut out for them but you cant say they have no chance. If the NHL is back then Hockey Canada will definately take a long look.
Ewanyk not so much, but St. Croix does have a shot, consistently the offensive catalyst on one of the CHLs best team... Didnt show too well in the SSS but was the best player on the ice offensively in the oil kings/Moose jaw game (defensively was rielly or reinhart). I know a few games isnt much but for what it is worth I have played against many of these guys that will be on World Jrs this year or trying out, and St Croix is the best player I have played against... I dont think he is as far off as some believe, maybe not the most well known name in a year where many big names will be cut because there is just too much to choose from. Sorry if that didnt make sense, wrote this over a 10 minute period lol
I don't see him in league play, but the few times I have seen Ouellet he would seem like a strange choice for a shut-down pairing to me. But that said, I think Harrington makes anybody look good defensively.
Did you watch the Canada-Russia Challenge? He was excellent defensively there.
St. Croix will be getting jobbed for 2nd straight yr unfortunately.
It's not "getting jobbed" it's just not a good fit. This comes from a guy that fully appreciates St. Croix and his talent. If the NHL comes back it's a different story because with training camp guys gone he immediately becomes one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the country.
It's 1 little post in the middle of a bunch of huge posts with predicted rosters. I'm not reading massive posts when I can take two seconds to ask a question and get an answer my time is valuable.
I've been skimming through this thread and one word I haven't seen used yet is "chemistry" team Canada needs to focus more on chemistry, players who have played a significant amount together. This is such a quick tournament. This could be the difference in a close checking 1 goal game against Russia or the USA. Who cares if we blow out some lessor team.
I've been skimming through this thread and one word I haven't seen used yet is "chemistry" team Canada needs to focus more on chemistry, players who have played a significant amount together. This is such a quick tournament. This could be the difference in a close checking 1 goal game against Russia or the USA. Who cares if we blow out some lessor team.
They have done this in the past, and it didn't last. They took a full line from Windsor, it never lasted at all. They will take the best players and build chemistry, rather than pick chemistry over skill.
They have done this in the past, and it didn't last. They took a full line from Windsor, it never lasted at all. They will take the best players and build chemistry, rather than pick chemistry over skill.
You can have Chemistry and Skill with Drouin and Mac!
They have done this in the past, and it didn't last. They took a full line from Windsor, it never lasted at all. They will take the best players and build chemistry, rather than pick chemistry over skill.
And in the past 3 years we've won zero gold medals....something has to change. Also.."build chemistry" haha in what 3 weeks?? Do you realize how foolish that sounds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tripod
You can have Chemistry and Skill with Drouin and Mac!
Bingo. If a player is on the bubble and he has proven chemistry with a player who will make the team, this should be a huge factor in selecting the team. For whatever reason it seems like a lot of the time this gets overlooked.
And in the past 3 years we've won zero gold medals....something has to change. Also.."build chemistry" haha in what 3 weeks?? Do you realize how foolish that sounds.
Bingo. If a player is on the bubble and he has proven chemistry with a player who will make the team, this should be a huge factor in selecting the team. For whatever reason it seems like a lot of the time this gets overlooked.
I'm not sure where you are going with that seeing as the tried the chemistry part in 2010, the first year of the losing streak.
Bringing someone who deserves to be there, who has chemistry with someone, like Drouin, is not the same as bringing someone for "Chemistry", like with Henrique (was not deserving "at the time" over others) and Nemisz in 2010. Sure, they had Chemistry with Hall playing together in Windsor, but that didn't mean anything once the tournament started, which we found out quickly.
These are not rec league players, they know how to play off of each other, and 3 weeks is enough time for these players to gel.
I think this lineup would be pretty good. Lots of skill and I think that Hudon will get more than his fair share of ice time regardless of his role. Hockey Canada seems to love him. I'm not 100% sold on Ritchie, but we'll see how he does in camp. The other thing that i'm not sure of is the three 17 year old forwards on the team. Has Hockey Canada ever had three 17 year olds forwards on a WJHC team? Will this team be physcial enough? We know that Jenner and Wilson can bring it...for the rest, we have to hope that like some past members of the junior team, they can turn it on when they need to.
I'm not sure where you are going with that seeing as the tried the chemistry part in 2010, the first year of the losing streak.
Bringing someone who deserves to be there, who has chemistry with someone, like Drouin, is not the same as bringing someone for "Chemistry", like with Henrique (was not deserving "at the time" over others) and Nemisz in 2010. Sure, they had Chemistry with Hall playing together in Windsor, but that didn't mean anything once the tournament started, which we found out quickly.
These are not rec league players, they know how to play off of each other, and 3 weeks is enough time for these players to gel.
That's your example? Canada lost in OT to the US in the Gold medal game after beating them in the round robin. Agreed Nemisz and Henrique didn't work out but as per my post i'm referring to Drouin with Mackinnon.
Why if Drouin was say on the bubble for the 13th forward position with Monahan would they not take the forward who has proven chemistry with Mackinnon.
Also 3 weeks is not enough time for players to "gel". Sure they will have a system in place, but in terms of instinctually knowing where your linemate could be on the ice is not obtained in 3 weeks of ice time.
That's your example? Canada lost in OT to the US in the Gold medal game after beating them in the round robin. Agreed Nemisz and Henrique didn't work out but as per my post i'm referring to Drouin with Mackinnon.
Why if Drouin was say on the bubble for the 13th forward position with Monahan would they not take the forward who has proven chemistry with Mackinnon.
Also 3 weeks is not enough time for players to "gel". Sure they will have a system in place, but in terms of instinctually knowing where your linemate could be on the ice is not obtained in 3 weeks of ice time.
It's not about that. Obviously chemistry would be nice to have. But in a tournament like this, if a line doesn't produce immediate results, they are going to change up the players pretty quickly and then that whole "chemistry thing" gets thrown out the window. What you're left with are players individually not as skilled or as experienced as the ones you could have brought over.
I agree that Drouin and Mackinnon would be a great luxury to have and they fit the bill of guys with chemistry likely to put up immediate results and I hope they take a look at it. But judging by Hockey Canada standards, they rarely think "outside the box". So I think Drouin won't make the team despite how much I want him to.
It's not about that. Obviously chemistry would be nice to have. But in a tournament like this, if a line doesn't produce immediate results, they are going to change up the players pretty quickly and then that whole "chemistry thing" gets thrown out the window. What you're left with are players individually not as skilled or as experienced as the ones you could have brought over.
I agree that Drouin and Mackinnon would be a great luxury to have and they fit the bill of guys with chemistry likely to put up immediate results and I hope they take a look at it. But judging by Hockey Canada standards, they rarely think "outside the box". So I think Drouin won't make the team despite how much I want him to.
That's my point though. It's such a short tournament so how and when are you suppose to know if a line has gelled or not? A duo like MacKinnon-Drouin doesn't come around that often, it would be a terrible decision to not have them both on the team. Again....proven chemistry. We don't have to wait 2-3 games to see if they'll play well together.
That's my point though. It's such a short tournament so how and when are you suppose to know if a line has gelled or not? A duo like MacKinnon-Drouin doesn't come around that often, it would be a terrible decision to not have them both on the team. Again....proven chemistry. We don't have to wait 2-3 games to see if they'll play well together.
Chemistry is part of it, and I'm sure they are looking into it. But so many other factors need to be put into play. Playing on bigger ice surface kinda changes a players instincts of knowing where the others gonna be. Plus factors like performing in pressure situations, handling momentum swings...I mean, I'm all for putting Drouin and Mackinnon on the team, but typically, 17 yr olds haven't been all that stellar in the past several WJC's. So looking at it from team Canada's perspective I could see it being hard for them to have one of their lines made up of primarily 17 yr olds.
But if it were me, I'd def put them on the team with Huberdeau, they definitely had chemistry and incredible offensive potential.
It's not about that. Obviously chemistry would be nice to have. But in a tournament like this, if a line doesn't produce immediate results, they are going to change up the players pretty quickly and then that whole "chemistry thing" gets thrown out the window. What you're left with are players individually not as skilled or as experienced as the ones you could have brought over.
I agree that Drouin and Mackinnon would be a great luxury to have and they fit the bill of guys with chemistry likely to put up immediate results and I hope they take a look at it. But judging by Hockey Canada standards, they rarely think "outside the box". So I think Drouin won't make the team despite how much I want him to.
That's my point though. It's such a short tournament so how and when are you suppose to know if a li e has gelled or not? A duo like MacKinnon-Drouin doesn't come around that often, it would be a terrible decision to not have them both on the team. Again....proven chemistry. We don't have to wait 2-3 games to see if they'll play well together.
