IIHF World ChampionshipDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
I have a tough time seeing Spott name 3 draft eligible guys to the team.
I think Mackinnon is a lock... and Drouin has a 50/50 chance.
Given the depth at C, and the fact that Mac and Drouin are ahead in that regard... I think Monahan is going to have to blow Spott and co. away in order to get a spot.
I don't think Drouin makes it and it's time to get over the label of "draft eligible" for Monahan, he's the same age as Rielly, Dumba, Reinhart, etc. and has the same amount of junior experience. Just because he's a few months younger and hasn't been drafted by the NHL doesn't mean Hockey Canada is gonna cut him for being too young. He's a three year OHL veteran, that's plenty of experience. It's the 17 year olds who wear the face masks like Drouin and MacKinnon that get cut for being too young. Monahan could still get cut because of how stacked the centres are this year but it will not simply be because he's draft eligible like Seguin and RNH got cut in the past.
The 13th forward could really go to almost anyone who performs in camp.
This is pretty good but I now truly believe that hudon and danault will be battling for the same spot with danault coming out ontop. Hudon will be there next year. Replace hudon by a guy that many people dont give credit in graovac.
Last edited by MyNameIsNobody: 12-10-2012 at 02:09 PM.
Reason: Spelling error
Murphy will be in the top 6, and it's not if it's when.
Validate your claim, don't just state it. Anyone can do that, and if you refuse to back it up that's all they need to reply in return.
I like Murphy as a player... but honestly of the players on that list, he's got one of the worst defensive games.
- Hamilton is a given... best dman on the team.
- Rielly is the best OFD, he'll play on the top pairing, imo slightly better than Murphy defensively.
- Ouelett and Harrington are both very good two way guys.
- Reinhart is the biggest guy they'll have on the back end, very good defensively and can take the body
Thats 5 dmen right there. Then you're looking at Dumba, Sproul, Pelech and Murphy for the last two spots. Murphy will make it for sure, I just think its far from a guarantee that he'll be on one of the defensive pairings.
Being the 7th defenseman isn't a bad thing at all... they're usually the same style as Murphy, and are used for a full 2 mins on the pp and to spell guys in the rotation. They usually end up in the top 6 in minutes even though they're not actually in the "top six" which everyone seems to be so caught up on.
Ellis, Pietrangelo, Subban all guys who played that role before. Don't take it so personally!
This is pretty good but I now truly believe that hudon and danault will be battling for the same spot with danault coming out ontop. Hudon will be there next year. Replace hudon by a guy that many people dont give credit in graovac.
I doubt Hudon doesn't make the team.
Both the coach and gm love him, calling him a steal for the Montreal Canadians on many occasions.
This is pretty good but I now truly believe that hudon and danault will be battling for the same spot with danault coming out ontop. Hudon will be there next year. Replace hudon by a guy that many people dont give credit in graovac.
The problem with predicting that Hudon will not be in the lineup is that:
- Bob Mackenzie really liked what he saw enough to consider him for a Top 6 spot (I actually think he should be on the 3rd line with Danault)
- Steve Spott liked what he saw (link)
- Kevin Prendergast liked what he saw (link)
- Many analysts (dobberhockey, TSN analysts watching Canada-Russia challenge) were surprised at how good he was
I think that unless Hudon has a terrible camp, he will be on the team.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HABS2DCUP
I doubt Hudon doesn't make the team.
Both the coach and gm love him, calling him a steal for the Montreal Canadians on many occasions.
I see that someone else beat me to it... but I supplied links!
I like Murphy as a player... but honestly of the players on that list, he's got one of the worst defensive games.
- Hamilton is a given... best dman on the team.
- Rielly is the best OFD, he'll play on the top pairing, imo slightly better than Murphy defensively.
- Ouelett and Harrington are both very good two way guys.
- Reinhart is the biggest guy they'll have on the back end, very good defensively and can take the body
Thats 5 dmen right there. Then you're looking at Dumba, Sproul, Pelech and Murphy for the last two spots. Murphy will make it for sure, I just think its far from a guarantee that he'll be on one of the defensive pairings.
Being the 7th defenseman isn't a bad thing at all... they're usually the same style as Murphy, and are used for a full 2 mins on the pp and to spell guys in the rotation. They usually end up in the top 6 in minutes even though they're not actually in the "top six" which everyone seems to be so caught up on.
Ellis, Pietrangelo, Subban all guys who played that role before. Don't take it so personally!
I agree with everything you say in this post except the exclusion of Corrado as a guy who has a legitimate shot at the last 2 spots. He is gritty and mobile (very important for playing on the big international ice).
Murphy isn't solid enough defensively to play regular minutes for Team Canada.
No way. Once they are on that plane that's it.
The tournament ends January 5 if NHL starts jan 2 how many games would they miss??? 2 ?? Tops
The only person they might call back before tournament start is rnh
I think it would be a huge huge mistake not to take MacKinnon and Drouin. Both are dominating the QMJHL. They have talent, why leave talent behind just because they're a year younger? On an international ice surface there's less emphasis on size, and more emphasis on speed and skill. These two excel in that area.
I think it would be a huge huge mistake not to take MacKinnon and Drouin. Both are dominating the QMJHL. They have talent, why leave talent behind just because they're a year younger? On an international ice surface there's less emphasis on size, and more emphasis on speed and skill. These two excel in that area.
Hopefully, a coach like Spott will change the vision for the team now and the near future.
A lot of people have to remember that the coach Team Canada selects has a HUGE impact on who makes the team. A guy like Pat Quinn took skill forwards across the board and they scored aplenty. Don Hay, on the other hand wanted either experience or defensive players: guys like Connolly who do everything their told and display a better touch around the net are to be given junk minutes. A guy like MacKinnon would never make Team Canada this year if Hay was coach.
I don't follow this as closely as a lot of you guys, but I just can't picture Tom Wilson not making the team. I've seen a few projected teams without him.
I don't follow this as closely as a lot of you guys, but I just can't picture Tom Wilson not making the team. I've seen a few projected teams without him.
I agree.
He's got a very unique skill set compared to some of the other forwards he's competing with. I think he has to have a pretty bad camp not to have a spot on the checking line.
Bolded are players that you guys have on off-wings, and thus those units are extremely unlikely.
yeah probably unlikely but kids aa kids ive coached can play at any position, it really isnt that hard moving around positions, these guys are semi pro, been around hockey a long time and probably have played 2 if not all 3 forward positions.
Mark Masters @markhmasters
Canadian jr coach Spott decides to keep Niagara's Strome/Ritchie & Halifax's MacKinnon/Drouin together for tomorrow's Red-White game
Mark Masters @markhmasters
Canadian jr team head coach Steve Spott says the plan is to make all 13 cuts on Thursday afternoon
yeah probably unlikely but kids aa kids ive coached can play at any position, it really isnt that hard moving around positions, these guys are semi pro, been around hockey a long time and probably have played 2 if not all 3 forward positions.
I'm sure they "can" play all levels. Heck, against certain opponents I'm sure RNH could play defense and still have a field day. At this level (and above), though, it makes a tremendous difference what position you play and practise every day (or have experience in, as injuries force some teams to get creative). Also, the more offense you're expected to provide, the more it matters, as you're either always directing pucks to the middle of the ice with your backhand on the rush, or having to stop/rotate away from the middle of the ice to get any power and accuracy with forehand passes. If you're a body banger, it could mean less, but there isn't exactly a whole lot separating top U20 clubs from one another these days, and every player out of his natural position would have to be considered a disadvantage - given the other options Canada has for filling/arranging those spots.
For example, if my decision came down to filling one final LW spot, and my best two options left available were Hudon and MacKinnon, even I might pick Hudon for this very reason.
So does everyone else. This is a bad arguement since you can say this for everyone. And really the only respose you can say is he's less likely to earn his spot, which is a baseless comment.
I've went through why on past pages. Murphy is the best defensemen defensively on one of the best defensive teams in the CHL. He's one of if not the best skating defensemen in the CHL. He's one of the most if not the most dynamic defensemen in the CHL.
Quote:
Originally Posted by topched
I like Murphy as a player... but honestly of the players on that list, he's got one of the worst defensive games.
- Hamilton is a given... best dman on the team.
- Rielly is the best OFD, he'll play on the top pairing, imo slightly better than Murphy defensively.
- Ouelett and Harrington are both very good two way guys.
- Reinhart is the biggest guy they'll have on the back end, very good defensively and can take the body
Thats 5 dmen right there. Then you're looking at Dumba, Sproul, Pelech and Murphy for the last two spots. Murphy will make it for sure, I just think its far from a guarantee that he'll be on one of the defensive pairings.
Being the 7th defenseman isn't a bad thing at all... they're usually the same style as Murphy, and are used for a full 2 mins on the pp and to spell guys in the rotation. They usually end up in the top 6 in minutes even though they're not actually in the "top six" which everyone seems to be so caught up on.
Ellis, Pietrangelo, Subban all guys who played that role before. Don't take it so personally!
That's reputation, not fact. Murphys been excellent defensively this season, and his other game more than makes up for it.
You don't keep your most dynamic defensemen just to play powerplay. Spott trusts him defensively, the other coaches will too.
I really hope Graovac gets a solid look, I really like what he brings to the game and I could see him stealing a spot.
Wouldn't be surprised to see Scott test out some more instant karma (after the Mac/Drouin & Strome/Ritchie announcement) at camp, so if Monahan ends up looking like a guy they can't do without, Graovac becomes a favourite among the dark horses - with a good showing. Wouldn't I be sour if I were Ceci, lol.
