International TournamentsDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
Let me the first one to break the ice. My forwards and lines as of today are as follows:
E.Staal Crosby Carter
Nash Getzlaf Perry
Stamkos Tavares St. Louis
Toews Bergeron Giroux
13th Forward- Duchene
14th Forward- L. Couture (Taxi Squad)
Patrick Sharp was always on my team as the 13th forward based on his versatility killing penalties and chemistry with Toews. Sharp has always played very good hockey for Canada on the big ice. However, since he is injured and out for several weeks, i would give the spot to Duchene (based on his strong play this year). St. Louis was not on my team before the season, but watching him in a lot of games this year on the dish, he has played great
hockey alongside Stamkos, and has earned consideration for Sochi even though he is up there in age. As for guys like Taylor Hall, Eberle, Seguin, Kane, Benn, Neal, Skinner, etc., they have a chance to make the team, and merit consideration as well (especially with a strong start to next season). I love Canada's options at forward, and it is not the main concern for me. Hopefully Luongo and Carey Price can erase my goaltending concerns leading up to Sochi.
I understand. To be honest, i am a big Iginla fan, and still have the flashbacks on how unbelievable he was in the 2002 Olympic Final. I think that if he was playing for a legitimate Stanley Cup Contender right now, his stats would be way better and it would not be an outcry if he was on the team. However, i have to put my personal feelings aside on this one and think about the good for the country. This was hard for me, but after thinking about it more, i removed Iginla from my roster and replaced him with Jeff Carter.
As far as I'm concerned Price should have the starting job in Sochi. From an outside looking in perspective he's the best Canada has to offer and the only keeper as an opposing fan that I fear. Luongo's beatable and Fleury really hasn't been all that solid the past calender year.
As far as I'm concerned Price should have the starting job in Sochi. From an outside looking in perspective he's the best Canada has to offer and the only keeper as an opposing fan that I fear. Luongo's beatable and Fleury really hasn't been all that solid the past calender year.
Absolutely agree. Price is the guy. I am not a big Fleury fan, and i rather have Corey Crawford or a healthy Cam Ward as my third goalie, with Luongo as my backup.
Absolutely agree. Price is the guy. I am not a big Fleury fan, and i rather have Corey Crawford or a healthy Cam Ward as my third goalie, with Luongo as my backup.
It's sad but I really think they would choose Fleury for at least a roster spot based on pedigree and it would be a mistake. I was an adamant supporter of him for the longest time but he's been pretty weak for the last year and given up alot of bad goals and at inopportune times. Cam Ward at full health is better than Crawford and Fleury.
Other than that Price should be the prohibitive favorite. As a Bruins fan, our team has had some good luck playing against him and has had success in the past, but I've seen what happens when you are struggling against him. He's a wall when that happens and when his confidence is going, he's a top 3 goalie in the league. As far as I'm concerned no one else is in the contest right now.
It's sad but I really think they would choose Fleury for at least a roster spot based on pedigree and it would be a mistake. I was an adamant supporter of him for the longest time but he's been pretty weak for the last year and given up alot of bad goals and at inopportune times. Cam Ward at full health is better than Crawford and Fleury.
Other than that Price should be the prohibitive favorite. As a Bruins fan, our team has had some good luck playing against him and has had success in the past, but I've seen what happens when you are struggling against him. He's a wall when that happens and when his confidence is going, he's a top 3 goalie in the league. As far as I'm concerned no one else is in the contest right now.
Price, Luongo and Ward are my goalies right now, with Crawford my 4th guy. I was never a Fleury fan, and his play the last year makes him the odd man out, because he has given up a lot of bad goals at the wrong time which you correctly mention. This might sound harsh, but i always thought this guy was overrated. Do not get me wrong, he has played good at
times, but a lot of people claim he is a great goalie, and i never saw it. He was horrible against Philly in the first round last year, and basically going back to the 2004 WJC Final against Team USA, a game where he allowed soft goals and messed up in the end, i have never been truly impressed with the guy. It would be a mistake to pick him based on the last year especially.
Cam Ward at full health is better than Crawford and Fleury.
Have you watched any 'Canes game at all this season? Cam Ward was awful before he got sidelined from injury.
Based on his performances this season (and since it's totally okay to judge Fleury based on one abysmal playoff season, I'm going to do the same to Ward), I don't want him anywhere near this Sochi team.
Have you watched any 'Canes game at all this season? Cam Ward was awful before he got sidelined from injury.
Based on his performances this season (and since it's totally okay to judge Fleury based on one abysmal playoff season, I'm going to do the same to Ward), I don't want him anywhere near this Sochi team.
Ya, I have to agree. Ward is a no go for me as well. although I put MAF in the same boat as Ward, I don't want either one on the Sochi team. Or at the very most MAF is number 3 and spends the tournament in civies watching from up high.
Have you watched any 'Canes game at all this season? Cam Ward was awful before he got sidelined from injury.
Based on his performances this season (and since it's totally okay to judge Fleury based on one abysmal playoff season, I'm going to do the same to Ward), I don't want him anywhere near this Sochi team.
Actually, that's not true at all. Regardless of the fact that it was sample size of 17 games, he was starting to play much better and was consistently playing at a level that was usual for him.
I was judging Fleury based on his play from the past calender year, which means a much larger sample size and is in gernal, a far better decision. I was always a fan of him. However last year he did not play well down the stretch, in the playoffs and hasn't been all that strong this year. Lately he's played better which is a feather in his cap. If he continues to his play to the end of this season, then of course, his name is in the running for a back up spot. With that said, we are talking about our impressions NOW and the current status of their play, not what could very well change in 10 months. By that time all of our rosters have changed and him being on the roster at that point is a very real possibility.
Your point would be valid if it were thoroughly researched. You clearly were just looking at stat lines and assuming it gospel and indicative of his play. Either that or you saw some of the highlights when we were ten games in and deciding to judge him based on that. Either way, you don't know what you are talking about.
I could normally agree with your point about Ward, however it just has no basis and is factually incorrect. The only argument against Ward AT LEAST getting a look for the third goalie spot is that he's streaky. This is really what we are arguing about too, someone who probably won't see any time. So assuming, as he is streaky, that he's not playing well for arguments sake. OK, that's fine. What that really means is you have two capable goaltenders who are otherwise excellent are proven talent.
However were Ward to have a hot glove next January and going into the Olympic games be playing that way, he'd be a serious contender for the past he has proven success in international hockey, and in the postseason. If you don't believe that you might as well go rewatch the SC Finals between the Canes and the Oilers. Hot goalies are scary goalies and in short tournaments, can win you the whole thing. Personally I'd put more stock into Ward than Fleury, but that's just me.
And this is all irrelevant as I stated, we are arguing about a third goalie here.
I know Martin St Louis is getting up there in age and wasn't on the last Olympic team. But he's always shown an instant chemistry with any centre he plays with. He's clearly still elite and easily one of the best wingers in the world. He's still fast and is defensively responsible, though not physical. He produces in the regular season, playoffs and the World Championships. He's also seems to be a great leader.
Assuming his play doesn't drop off much by the time the Olympics come, do you guys think he makes the team?
I know Martin St Louis is getting up there in age and wasn't on the last Olympic team. But he's always shown an instant chemistry with any centre he plays with. He's clearly still elite and easily one of the best wingers in the world. He's still fast and is defensively responsible, though not physical. He produces in the regular season, playoffs and the World Championships. He's also seems to be a great leader.
Assuming his play doesn't drop off much by the time the Olympics come, do you guys think he makes the team?
I know Martin St Louis is getting up there in age and wasn't on the last Olympic team. But he's always shown an instant chemistry with any centre he plays with. He's clearly still elite and easily one of the best wingers in the world. He's still fast and is defensively responsible, though not physical. He produces in the regular season, playoffs and the World Championships. He's also seems to be a great leader.
Assuming his play doesn't drop off much by the time the Olympics come, do you guys think he makes the team?
Definitely yes. The fact he plays with the nhl best sniper lifts his chance from 100 % up to 150 %.
am I a london fanboy? yeah, maybe I am. But to me chemistry is really important, and these guys have tremendous chemistry together. I think Kadri's ready to get his chance, as is gagner.
Perry crosby stamkos
nash giroux e. Staal
eberle tavares hall
m. Richards toews bergeron
benn
weber doughty
letang keith
pietrangelo seabrook
subban
price
fleury
luongo
I know Eberle has been mentioned a lot, but as of right now, based on his play this year, i would not put him on the Sochi team. His time will come, but 2014 is not the year for him. He has been very inconsistent, and there are better options right there on right wing, that i would rather have than him. Based on his excellent play this year, i would rather have Martin St. Louis on the team rather than Eberle. You also have no Getzlaf as well, which i disagree with.
This country has so many fricken centermans it's unreal. I mean, we're like a good 8-9 players deep down the middle:
(no order, just as they came to mind)
Crosby
Stamkos
Toews
Tavares
Giroux
Bergeron
Staal
Duchene
Spezza
I mean, each and everyone one of these players would fall on my team in the olympics. We'll probably on see the best far, followed by players capable of playing wing.
p.s. Spezza is on this team. I don't get why everone left him off... Forget about him? or just because he's injured he's on no ones radar...
This country has so many fricken centermans it's unreal. I mean, we're like a good 8-9 players deep down the middle:
(no order, just as they came to mind)
Crosby
Stamkos
Toews
Tavares
Giroux
Bergeron
Staal
Duchene
Spezza
I mean, each and everyone one of these players would fall on my team in the olympics. We'll probably on see the best far, followed by players capable of playing wing.
p.s. Spezza is on this team. I don't get why everone left him off... Forget about him? or just because he's injured he's on no ones radar...
I'm not against him like the others. I think he could be great between Stamkos and St. Louis, but I guess he have to produce some really great numbers in the play-offs /next season. You already have Toews, Getzlaf, Bergeron ....
maybe
Tavares - Crosby - Nash (Bergeron)
Stamkos - Spezza - St. Louis
E. Staal - Getzlaf - Perry (Neal)
Bergeron (Nash) - Toews - Sharp
13th: Giroux (Neal)
14th: Duchene / Hall
Why not ? But Spezza is not there if he doesn't make at least 100 points in play-offs lol ........honestly, he should produce at least at the 2011-12 season level (he had 84 points) - time will tell
I know Eberle has been mentioned a lot, but as of right now, based on his play this year, i would not put him on the Sochi team. His time will come, but 2014 is not the year for him. He has been very inconsistent, and there are better options right there on right wing, that i would rather have than him. Based on his excellent play this year, i would rather have Martin St. Louis on the team rather than Eberle. You also have no Getzlaf as well, which i disagree with.
Staal wasn't having the best year either in 2010, and he was on the team. Eberle is known to Team Canada for his work in the world juniors. We need clutch players like him. Plus he's an elite sniper and hard worker. You can't base selections on what kind of years people are having this year - it's 2013-2014 season that counts.
Getzlaf is too slow for the big ice. He's good, but we need a speedy team. Getzlaf is a dog out there.
