Dual citizen. Not sure if he's declared yet or not. I think he'll go with whoever he gets an invite from, and with the depth of Canada's defense heading into next year and the shallow (at least compared to the last 2-3 years) pool for the US I think it's far more likely that he'll get the US invite.
Got it. I'd agree I don't think he's get an invite from Team Canada with the defensive depth.
Matt Puempel - Michael St.Croix - Ty Rattie
Boone Jenner - Sean Monahan - Nathan MacKinnon
Phillipe DiGuseppe - Mark McNeill - Colton Sissons
Phillipe Danault - Travis Ewanyk - Brett Ritchie
Brendan Gaunce - Nick Cousins
Griffin Reinhart - Ryan Murphy
Morgan Rielly - Matthew Dumba
Scott Harrington - Cody Ceci
Duncan Siemens
Rickard Rakell - Mika Zibanejad - Pontus Åberg
Filip Forsberg - William Karlsson - Sebastian Collberg
Jeremy Boyce - Victor Rask - Emil Lundberg
Ludwig Blomstrand - Joachim Nermark - Michael Schumacher
Oscar Klefbom - Jonas Brodin
Tom Nilsson - Hampus Lindholm
Mikael Vikstrand/Rasmus Bengtsson - Ludvig Byström
There was two last year (Hamilton and Beaulieu) in a very defense oriented year. And given this years failure, it'll likely be a transition to more offensive, especially considering it's going to have to be a very young team next year.
Not many posts in yet but what do other people think on Ekblad making the team? I campaigned pretty hard during this years WJC to not have MacKinnon even in camp but Ekblad is different. Huge, very strong defensively, and will be up there with Murphy and Ceci as the best defensemen in the OHL next season. Has there ever been a 16 year old defensemen make the team?
Beaulieu is pretty good defensively and Hamilton is strong defensively.
I'd say both are 2-way d-men, but those 3 are pretty weak defensively, especially Murphy.
John Gaudreau - Alex Galchenyuk - Stefan Noesen
J.T. Miller (A) - Rocco Grimaldi - Henrik Samuelsson
Mario Lucia - Vince Trochek - Nic Kerdiles
Lukas Sutter - Brady Vail - Stefan Matteau
J.T. Compher
Defense (x7):
Connor Murphy - Jacob Trouba (C)
Cody Corbett - Seth Jones (A)
Jake McCabe - Dylan Blujus
Nick Ebert
Goalies (x2):
John Gibson
Matt Mahalak
__________________ "I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough." - Mark Twain.
It's hard to call it at this point b/c it's not clear who is going to be available. I'd be better able to guess late October when the NHL teams have decided who they're not going to keep for the year...
Teuvo Teräväinen - Miikka Salomäki - Joel Armia
Markus Granlund - Aleksander Barkov - Juuso Ikonen
Artturi Lehkonen - Miro Aaltonen - Toni Kallela
Markus Hännikäinen - Teemu Henritius - Robert Leino
Henri Ikonen
Olli Määttä - Ville Pokka
Esa Lindell - Rasmus Ristolainen
Mikko Vainonen - Joonas Valkonen
Henri Auvinen
I see a couple of you putting Jordan Schmaltz for the US.......have you guys seen him play? I am just not impressed with him. I know he is rated really highly but I dont think he is even the best D man on the Green Bay Gamblers. Andy Welinski is IMO. Schmaltz has turned the puck over alot in the games I have seen him. He is good on the rush and on the PP but defensive zone skills are lacking IMO.
E: Almost similar to Tormentor's lineup. I think our team is pretty decent expecially in the larger ice where our fast forwards will be very effective. I think we are contenders next year.
E: Almost similar to Tormentor's lineup. I think our team is pretty decent expecially in the larger ice where our fast forwards will be very effective. I think we are contenders next year.
That's a big statement.
I think there are few teams with better top end talent in forwards. Our defence looks good, also top 6 forwards are quite good. All in all i think we have the change to beat any team in this tourny but contenders we are not.
First line with Granlund, Armia and Salomäki has everything, it looks very rounded on paper. That line i'd like to see in the WJC.
John Gaudreau - Alex Galchenyuk - Stefan Noesen
J.T. Miller (A) - Rocco Grimaldi - Henrik Samuelsson
Mario Lucia - Vince Trochek - Nic Kerdiles
Lukas Sutter - Brady Vail - Stefan Matteau
J.T. Compher
Defense (x7):
Connor Murphy - Jacob Trouba (C)
Cody Corbett - Seth Jones (A)
Jake McCabe - Dylan Blujus
Nick Ebert
Goalies (x2):
John Gibson
Matt Mahalak
I've noticed no one has included Shane Prince (GP-57 G-43 A-47 PTS-90)...
Oversight or is it because of what he said when he was cut last year?
Beaulieu is pretty good defensively and Hamilton is strong defensively.
I'd say both are 2-way d-men, but those 3 are pretty weak defensively, especially Murphy.
What? How often do you watch these players? I suspect never.
First of all, none of those guys are weak defensively. Secondly, they're all at or above Beaulieus level defensively, especially Reilly and Murphy. Thirdly, this year in the OHL, Hamilton; the guy you said is strong defensively, isn't much better than Murphy in that regard this season in the OHL. Almost everybody who says these guys are bad defensively, hasn't watched them, and is judging based on how they play.
Offenesive defensemen doesn't equal bad defensively.
John Gaudreau - Alex Galchenyuk - Stefan Noesen
J.T. Miller (A) - Rocco Grimaldi - Henrik Samuelsson
Mario Lucia - Vince Trochek - Nic Kerdiles
Lukas Sutter - Brady Vail - Stefan Matteau
J.T. Compher
Defense (x7):
Connor Murphy - Jacob Trouba (C)
Cody Corbett - Seth Jones (A)
Jake McCabe - Dylan Blujus
Nick Ebert
Goalies (x2):
John Gibson
Matt Mahalak
I'd love to see a team like that, but do you think the brass will go that CHL heavy? USA Hockey might not have much of a choice moving forward.
There was two last year (Hamilton and Beaulieu) in a very defense oriented year. And given this years failure, it'll likely be a transition to more offensive, especially considering it's going to have to be a very young team next year.
Not many posts in yet but what do other people think on Ekblad making the team? I campaigned pretty hard during this years WJC to not have MacKinnon even in camp but Ekblad is different. Huge, very strong defensively, and will be up there with Murphy and Ceci as the best defensemen in the OHL next season. Has there ever been a 16 year old defensemen make the team?
I haven't seen Ekblad play this year so I can't make say he won't make the team let alone say he shouldn't even be invited.
IMO if he makes the under-18 team this summer and dominates then he should be considered for the invite and then go from there.
I see that you are assuming that Ryan Murray makes the jump to the pros this fall otherwise he will be definitely be on our team this Xmas.
Who would you compare Ekblad to as far as style of play?
J.T. Miller - Alex Galchenyuk - Tyler Biggs
Brandon Saad - Nick Bjugstad - Stefan Noesen
Jason Zucker - Stefan Matteau - Rocco Grimaldi
Connor Brickley - Brock Nelson - Austin Watson
Jon Merrill - Jacob Trouba
Brady Skjei - Adam Clendening
Derek Forbort - Jordan Schmaltz
Stephen Johns
Rickard Rakell - Mika Zibanejad - Pontus Åberg
Filip Forsberg - William Karlsson - Sebastian Collberg
Jeremy Boyce - Victor Rask - Emil Lundberg
Ludwig Blomstrand - Joachim Nermark - Michael Schumacher
Oscar Klefbom - Jonas Brodin
Tom Nilsson - Hampus Lindholm
Mikael Vikstrand/Rasmus Bengtsson - Ludvig Byström
Niklas Lundström
Oscar Dansk
That team looks damn good, but I have my doubts about Z and Brodin being there.
A larger (He should be, he's already his size now) Pietrangelo with more physicallity would be a good comparison. Bit of a mean streak as well.
Do you think Ekblad has the tools to control the game? I have been impressed with his statistical performance, and I know that he has the ability to be an elite defender at the NHL level (hence exceptional status), but one thing Pietrangelo always impressed me with was how he controlled the tempo of the game, and he's doing it at the NHL level as well.
