[News] USA Olympic Roster announced

[moon]

Is it more insulting than others talking about how bad Jack Johnson or Bufuglien have been?

It isn't stupid if it keeps a guy that won't help you win the Gold Medal off of the team.

I know you said you are a Burke fan but the last two lines make me think it is more of an issue you have with Burke going into this and if Poile had said the exact same thing it wouldn't have been an issue. Because pretty much every guy that was featured in the article said things that guys could take as insulting.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

The guy is arguably the best left wing in the world and skates better than... well it's hard to think of five guys who are on his level. On the big ice? Yeah, I'll take him.

LOL. Hall is a good skater and has offensive skills but his 2-way game is poor which is why the Oilers with his talents are below the Flames in the standings. He also does incredibly dumb things at times. His overall game isn't where it needs to be for a Canadian Olympic team that can pick and choose from a list of more complete forwards.

[bubbsy]

i haven't read what others have said about johnson/bufuglien.

the decision from burke &co. was who is on/off the team, not sure making such comments helps them win a medal.

lastly, am a burke fan, and more so a flames fan. i almost couldn't care less about other GMs statements, but i definitely have an opinion of how a flames GM behaves. My last line was almost a joke in that it's essentially the exact kind of comment burke made, though i wasn't as mean, as i didn't question his vocabulary or whether he can spell "tactful".

[Arsenal14]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

His comments, especially subjective/personal jabs at a player, should have been done behind closed doors with the team USA decision makers, that's what his role is.

That's exactly where he was making the comments - in conference calls and other discussions among the Team USA decision makers. It just happens that Team USA was providing this ESPN reporter with behind the scenes access.

[The Hendog]

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2...nsity-remarks/

Ryan stirring the pot with our teams boss
I wonder if Burke can keep his mouth shut

[Ring of Fire]

Burke was positive about Yandle, Ryan, and Johnson earlier on in the process. He said Yandle was picking teams apart, argued that there were few American goal scorers better than Ryan, and talked lots about how much he liked Johnson. I'm sure Burke would take all 3 on his NHL roster. His comments were more about current level of play and fit on the roster and while not tactful we're honest comments. Burke prefers a more well-rounded defenceman to an offensive defenceman for the bottom pair and extra D-man. He thinks There is not a point of having Ryan on the team if he's not in a top-6 role, which is a fair point. While the comments were blunt, the players are pros and in consideration for an Olympic team so I don't think their feelings should be hurt.

In regards to Orpik and Martin, they were coaches choices and Poile decided to take their input.

[moon]

Ryan kind of making team USA's point with his handling of this.

And him going at Burke, when as the article says another guy called him sleepy and "many" hands went up when asked who had concerns about him, is pretty silly as well.

I understand it must be tough as hell to hear those things about you and to be cut but when there are concerns about how you will act at the Olympic level and you act like a baby when cut those concerns aren't likely to go away the next time around.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by bubbsy

i thought it was completely insulting.



how is that not insulting? I'm a burke fan, but that's just flat out stupid, in my humble opinion. I suppose i just have to get more used to his useless, media attention personality. Does he even know how to spell "tactful"?

How IS it insulting? It's insulting because he says he's not intense?

I think you're being a little hyper-sensitive about the situation. He said that the kid is absolutely NOT intense in any way, nothing about that is insulting. Nor is it personal. It's called a criticism. A criticism towards the playing style of a hockey player.

He wasn't being disrespectful or scornful, he was being honest.

If someone were to say "Burke isn't tactful, Burke doesn't know how to spell tact." Do you think that's an insult? It's not, it's a criticism, and probably an apt one.

An insult is a comment on an unchangeable aspect of a person or something with the express intent of being hurtful. If you really think either of those fit this situation, then I'm not sure if you're reading it properly.

[MissTeeks]

Oh Ryan Lambert:

ryan lambert‏@twolinepass18m
brian burke: wants kevin westgarth on his team, but not bobby ryan. tells you every literal thing

I didn't like Ryan being left of Team USA either but these are two totally different player situations.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Oh Ryan Lambert:

ryan lambert‏@twolinepass18m
brian burke: wants kevin westgarth on his team, but not bobby ryan. tells you every literal thing

I didn't like Ryan being left of Team USA either but these are two totally different player situations.

Just a slight difference between Nemisz who Westgarth 'replaced' and someone like Parise.

[Voodooman]

Originally Posted by strombad

The whole "should've taken Jack Johnson" thing? That's just honesty, there's nothing mean spirited about it.

It may not be mean spirited, but it's borderline idiotic. Doesn't it scare you as a Flames fan that the guy driving our bus says that he wishes he had not drafted a perpetual 30 goal scorer over a defenceman who's averaged 15 points a season, and is a huge minus player over the course of his career (not that +- is a hugely telling stat, but still...)? Yeah, cause those 30 goal guys are a dime a dozen, but guys like Jack Johnson are like unicorns?

I think Burke is a windbag and a bully. While the rest of the GM's had the common sense to have their comments censored, Burke has to be in the spotlight, and look like a big man. I doubt he'd say any of those things to a players face. But then again, I think he truly believes that he's tougher than any player in the league, so who knows. I would love to see Ryan or Byfuglien knock his block off though. Early prediction, Ryan scores about 4 vs. the Flames when he comes to town in March.

Going into a couple of crucial drafts for the Flames, is this they guy you want making your decisions with that kind of mindset? Is he going to pass over Connor McDavid because he isn't truculent enough? And it seems like he's an imposing figure during these kind of discussions, so no matter who he hires as GM, Burke will still have the final say in all decisions.

[saillias]

Not surprising that a couple of the more abrasive posters on here don't understand why everyone is mad at Burkie. Haha.

[bubbsy]

i don't know, i found it insulting, and wish he was a bit smarter in what goes out into the media.

[Tinordi]

Drafting Johnson over Ryan with almost 10 years of hindsight only makes sense if you were a really stupid person.

Ryan is unquestionably the better draft pick. Burke saying that is very concerning as a Flames fan.

[cDnStealth]

The Pens defence is vastly over-rated. Martin looked like a pylon in the playoffs last year. No way I'd take him over Yandle.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by cDnStealth

The Pens defence is vastly over-rated. Martin looked like a pylon in the playoffs last year. No way I'd take him over Yandle.

Or Fowler, who's just not very good. Yandle should be there over any of those guys.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Voodooman

It may not be mean spirited, but it's borderline idiotic. Doesn't it scare you as a Flames fan that the guy driving our bus says that he wishes he had not drafted a perpetual 30 goal scorer over a defenceman who's averaged 15 points a season, and is a huge minus player over the course of his career (not that +- is a hugely telling stat, but still...)? Yeah, cause those 30 goal guys are a dime a dozen, but guys like Jack Johnson are like unicorns?

I think Burke is a windbag and a bully. While the rest of the GM's had the common sense to have their comments censored, Burke has to be in the spotlight, and look like a big man. I doubt he'd say any of those things to a players face. But then again, I think he truly believes that he's tougher than any player in the league, so who knows. I would love to see Ryan or Byfuglien knock his block off though. Early prediction, Ryan scores about 4 vs. the Flames when he comes to town in March.

Going into a couple of crucial drafts for the Flames, is this they guy you want making your decisions with that kind of mindset? Is he going to pass over Connor McDavid because he isn't truculent enough? And it seems like he's an imposing figure during these kind of discussions, so no matter who he hires as GM, Burke will still have the final say in all decisions.

It doesn't concern me at all. Jack Johnson is just as valuable to a team as Bobby Ryan is. Neither are game breakers.

Myself? I'd take Ryan, but it's not like we're talking about two infinitely different players in terms of quality. As well, looking at the Ducks situation, they likely could've used Johnson more. Positionally, he was the better call.

If we're speaking of idiotic things, then how about this line of thinking that there is some reality where Burke and these players need to get into fist fights? Grow up. If either of Ryan of Buf needed to "knock his block off" because he said one wasn't intense and the other was improving his fitness, well, that's laughable.

The best part about the whole Burke discussion is that the people ragging on his criticisms for being insulting can't help but call him names. Really intelligent way of making a point,

[Table 5]

"He added that Burke tried contact him on Wednesday, but Ryan hasn't called back."

Straight-shooter or not, it looks like even Burke realizes he needs to do a little damage control because of his comments.

[Tinordi]

Ryan and Johnson are a tier apart. One is one of the worst top 4 defencemen in the league the other is an elite goal scorer scoring 30 goals four seasons in a row. Saying you should have drafted Johnson over Ryan is insane.

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

LOL. Hall is a good skater and has offensive skills but his 2-way game is poor which is why the Oilers with his talents are below the Flames in the standings. He also does incredibly dumb things at times. His overall game isn't where it needs to be for a Canadian Olympic team that can pick and choose from a list of more complete forwards.

Right, he's absolutely the main reason they're so bad, because there are no other players on the Oilers, just Taylor Hall. If you put Taylor Hall on the Penguins they'd be a lottery team.

Do people think for even half a second before they post? Hall's two way game is no better or worse than Matt Duchene's and he's on basically everyone's roster, for good reason. Having every forward be a Selke nominee is a good way to lose 3-2 hockey games. Someone has to make things difficult for Ovechkin, which is why Toews and Bergeron are going (among other reasons). But not everyone has to be that guy. Someone also has to burn right past Olli Maata and rip one short side on Rask to put the game out of reach. That's Hall, that's Duchene, that's Stamkos.

Stop overthinking it and take your best players.

Also, I just saw this for the first time and LOL'd:

Originally Posted by Moon

St. Louis tough to leave off but we have seen in the past what happens with going with age over the younger legs.

This is hilarious. Have you seen St. Louis' legs? He's probably in better shape than the 20somethings being selected. The guy is a freak of nature, and it's insane that anyone takes issue with his foot speed.



Once you get past the mortal locks, I can't think of a single player who's an easier choice to support them. He's fast, extremely cerebral and creative, sees passing lanes others don't, has elite finishing ability, has excellent chemistry with one of Canada's best offensive players, has a ton of experience, has a cup, is the reigning NHL scoring champion, and even without Stamkos is still scoring a PPG. He's built for international ice. It makes no sense to me that people are even considering leaving him at home. I know people are salivating at putting Stammer on Sid's wing but that's silly to me, Marty and Stammer are the most dangerous combination in hockey and there's no reason to put all the eggs in one basket.


Incidentally, my lines are essentially Crosby plus (the plus being probably Tavares and Giroux), Stamkos and St. Louis plus (the plus being Duchene or Hall), then Getzlaf and Perry plus (the plus being EStaal or Thornton), then what I refer to as the "Nightmare" line because it sounds completely awful to play against - Benn / Toews / Bergeron.


Tavares - Crosby - Giroux
Duchene - Stamkos - St. Louis
EStaal - Getzlaf - Perry
Benn - Toews - Bergeron
Hall - Thornton


No one wants to play against that lineup. Calling them 1-4 is misleading because they're essentially three first lines, plus the pure misery of trying to play against Toews & co. For me, that's how you make a team for a best on best tournament - there is no drop off, it's a relentless rolling of elite line combos, any or all of which can absolutely own a game.