USA scores first against Sweden, on a gritty goal by Tyler Johnson only 24 seconds in. Sweden has more team speed, but USA is using physicality to make up for that.
USA scores first against Sweden, on a gritty goal by Tyler Johnson only 24 seconds in. Sweden has more team speed, but USA is using physicality to make up for that.
I'd like to see McRae's mins increased. He made the big hit on the Swedish defender to cause the turnover on Johnson's goal, made a great play on the US' 1st goal vs Finland last night, and got the US on the board early vs Canada.
He has seen some secondary PP time, but I think he's earned bigger mins.
I'd like to see McRae's mins increased. He made the big hit on the Swedish defender to cause the turnover on Johnson's goal, made a great play on the US' 1st goal vs Finland last night, and got the US on the board early vs Canada.
He has seen some secondary PP time, but I think he's earned bigger mins.
I do, too. I'd like to see him every third shift, and have a regular spot on the PP (not just 1/2-time 2nd shift).
Sweden just scored because The US last shift got a little complacent.
Lander scores again (Sweden leads 2-1), after controlling the puck for most of the last 5 minutes. They're winning the battles for the puck and keeping it.
USA just wasted a 5 minute major PP, by trying to be too fancy. At its end, they gave up a 1 on 0, but a great save by Lee and a slash saved them. But they didn't give up a goal on the PK.
McRae is definitely making the most out his limited minutes. Warsofsky competes well enough and one things for sure, he doesnt lack confidence. Hes had some shaky shifts on D, but comes back stronger the next shift it seems. Win or lose, i gotta say, I love the way this team plays the game.
on Rundblad all I gotta say is- Jarmo, what the hell were you thinking. We could've had Kreider.
From what I've seen, he sure has looked shaky in this tournament.
That sucks. When will we see him play again? Next year's WJC? Or Peoria? He looks like more of a project than Petro ever was. I hope he matures quickly on the ice.
That sucks. When will we see him play again? Next year's WJC? Or Peoria? He looks like more of a project than Petro ever was. I hope he matures quickly on the ice.
I'm not sure about his eligibility for the WJC next year: someone who knows that stuff should say.
I'd say he's a few years away from being able to come over here. I'm thinking his game is no where near ready to transition to the North American style.
That sucks. When will we see him play again? Next year's WJC? Or Peoria? He looks like more of a project than Petro ever was. I hope he matures quickly on the ice.
He is overaged next year. He had played very bad this season in Sweden + that he got a contact to 10/11 so i doubt he would play in Peoria next year.
Rundblad looked horrible. Not one good thing about his game showed. I really wonder about this pick. He has so much to work on. This could be Jarmo trying for a home run and missing. But we shall see.
Didn't see the game - sounds like another rough time for Rundblad?
I personally wanted Kreider at the draft as he sounded like a level-headed intelligent kid from his interviews and blog, and the idea of adding a speedy (said to be one of the best skaters in the first round) power forward to the system excited me.
However, I gotta put my trust in Jarmo on this one.. it's much too early to write him off, he was advertised as a guy who needed some development (especially on his defensive game) and that's what we've seen. Jarmo has a pretty good drafting history. Rundblad had a bad tournament and hasn't had a great year overall, hopefully he will turn things around within the next year or two.
Anyway - Canada vs USA final. I'm super excited, though trying to temper expectations as I'm not sure it can exceed the awesomeness of the recent New Year Eve's games (this year and last year).
Rundblad is a super-smooth skater, who has great offensive sense and sees the ice well (at least on offence). He has very good puckhandling skills and can pass well. He has a fairly good shot, too. He's not huge, but has decent size. He is definitely a project (as is Ponich). But, given all that, IF he learns to play position well in his own zone (on defence), and works diligently on adding muscle bulk, AND he adds a physical component to his game, he'll be a very valuable defenceman. He's definitely a lot farther away from NHL ready than Pietrangelo was in his draft year. He was a relatively high-risk/high reward pick. Jarmo felt that The Blues had re-stocked the prospect cupboard, and now high-end quality is worth more than just another "safe" pick of a player of the same quality level of Berglund, Eller, Oshie and Perron.
Picking Rundblad MAY turn out to be a mistake. But if he really wants to improve his game and make himself a well-rounded player, and he puts the work in to do it, The Blues will have a terrific defenceman to add to E.J., Pietrangelo and Cole.
Personally, I'm disappointed already, because Rundblad already stated that he realises that he needs to work on his positioning in his own end, getting back, reading the play, getting stronger, and adding more physicality to his game. He seems to not have done anything significant in those areas, while also regressing in his offensive production, due to "concentrating on his defensive game"!!!
Still, he is very young. And, with the right help and encouragement, and his desire, he may pan out.
I'm sure that he will play in The SEL next year (honouring his current contract). As to 2011-12, it's hard to say whether or not he'll want to come and play in Peoria. The way he's playing now, I'm not sure he wouldn't end up in Alaska, like Kana. That would be a disgrace for a top 7 1st rounder. I hope he will progres significantly in his defensive game and weight-training this season. What he needs to do is very possible. It's a lot easier to lift weights and study positioning and listen to your coaches, than to improve one's skating speed by 25%, or magically infuse offensive instincts into one's brain.
It's not easy to become a chippy player all of a sudden. But a player CAN decide that if he needs to add hitting and better use of his body weight to defend against opponents if he wants to earn NHL level money, he will do those things.
Let's hope that Rundblad wants it all badly enough. So far, he hasn't shown that he wants it much. At least, Rundblad is a lot younger than Brad Boyes. Boyes, at 27, is probably not going to do what it takes to make himself a complete player. Rundblad has time to decide to, and to do it.
Rundblad was born in 1990 so yes, this is the last year he's eligible for the WJC.
Unfortunately, tonight's game has resembled a lot of Rundblad's games this season. He has a lot of skills but tends to overcomplicate things and ends up coughing up the puck in bad situations a lot of the time. He tries a lot of fancy little stickhandling moves that he could get away with at lower levels but is getting burned in the SEL and WJC. He just needs to simplify his game and realize those little dipsy-doodle moves don't work on a lot of players he's now playing against.
I personally would've liked it if the Blues would've taken either Kreider or Erixon (Rundblad's teammate) instead or perhaps even Schroeder but who are we to judge? It's a lot easier playing Monday morning QB 6 months after the draft than it is being the guy making the decisions at the draft table in June. Also, while I've been disappointed in David's season, it's still WAY too early to write him off or call him a bust by any means. He'll likely spend at least one more season in Sweden before coming over to N.A. (likely Peoria) for the 2011-12 season. He just really needs to shore up his defensive game and SIMPLIFY it.
