Some of you really love to crap all over everything, it must be really fun to live your lives daily.
Of course he has about a 0.01% chance of making the team, requiring about 5 or 6 of the "locks" to be injured. But the lone fact that Gio's name came up under considerations, on a national broadcast no less, speaks volumes to how much his play has improved over the years through hard work.
Then again I shouldn't be surprised with the likes of Puckluck posting, that someone is getting crapped on in a thread that should be about appreciating something.
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There's very little chance Giordano would make the Olympic team. A guy like Hamhuis would certainly make it ahead of Giordano given Hamhuis' playoff and international experience. Giordano's Team Canada resume is a bit on the short side and that's going to hurt his chances.
One thing he has going for him is his year on international ice in Russia. I think it was that year he was also picked up for the World Championships but he didn't play much. ( I saw a Giordano Team Canada sweater hanging in a breakfast cafe in Penticton, so that could be an omen) More team Canada experience would help his chances but he doesn't have that star quality with the rest of the league. He's a big long shot but he's worthy of being in the conversation.
Are most likely locks. Letang is sniffing around, Barrett Jackman/Bouw could be there, Hamonic, Staal, Vlasic are in the conversation. If Giordano continues his play he'll definitely be considered.
I posted this in the Cammalleri thread, but since it's apparently a joke of a thread, thought it might stimulate some actual discussion in this thread, with Giordano now back from injury.
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Originally Posted by J epworth kendal
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Originally Posted by djsFlames
The better prosposition would be Giordano for team Canada consideration, me thinks.
Before his injury, I was getting slightly optimistic, then thought he had no chance once he was injured. Now however, with the announcement for Team Canada pushed back to January, he has a few weeks again to prove that this point per game pace isn't a fluke, and he can keep up with these added responsibilities.
Looking at Team Canada's defense, you know it's going to be heavy on the right side. Pietrangelo, Weber, Doughty, Subban, Seabrook are all probably locks.
That leaves 3 spots for left handed defensemen. Of those invited to the summer camp, 8 were left handed D (Kieth, Bouwmeester, Alzner, Hamhuis, Methot, Staal, Phaneuf and Vlasic).
I would say Kieth and Bouwmeester would still be locks for this team. The player most likely Giordano would have to beat out for that last spot would be Vlasic. Right now I think Canada would still pick Vlasic, but give another month of the type of hockey we've seen from Giordano, and we might see him picked as the 8th defensemen. Flames fans can hope.
Seeing how Giordano came back from injury like he never missed a beat was extremely satisfying. I can't imagine the time missed due to injury helped his already incredibly slim chances. But if he can stay healthy and keep this high level of play going for the next 12-13 before the selection deadline - well, crazier things have happened.
As mentioned when the thread was initially created towards the beginning of the season, the fact that his consideration was brought up at all after not being invited to the summer camp is quite an achievement.
Guys that are better than Gio and will be on the team hands down:
Weber
Doughty
Pietrangelo
Kieth
Guys that are probably better than Gio but might not get chosen because they are right shots:
Boyle
Subban
Seabrook
Letang (who I'm not even convinced is better than Gio)
Left Handed shots who are about as good as Gio:
Bouwmeester
Staal
Alzner
Phaneuf
Vlasic
Beauchimin
I think Bouwmeesteer is going to get a spot because of how well he plays with Pietrangelo and because he is the best skater of the crop. As for the 7th spot I don't see how someone can say Gio isn't at least in the conversation. IMO he is better than Phaneuf, Marc Staal, and Alzner and equal to guys like Vlasic, Beauchimin, and Letang. It could be interesting but I imagine it will end up being:
I think Giordano would have received an invite to camp had he stayed healthy and productive, but I still think he would have only made the team if there were some injuries. I don't think he will receive a camp invite now, even if he does well for this next stretch (well, unless he goes on some kind of a streak).
Taking nothing away from Giordano. I think he is a heck of a defencemen. He had that span of roughly 1.5 years that made me wonder about him, but I have literally zero complaints about any facet of his game. He is such a well-rounded defencemen you can throw out in any situation and expect him to do a good job.
I mentioned all this about gio in the cammalleri thread... He's a left-handed defenseman (which team canada is shy on). He has played on the big ice before in the KHL. He is having a great season and is scoring at a point-per-game pace. He consistently wins battles against the best players in the league. He is one of the top shot-blockers in the NHL. He can play in every situation and makes smart plays. He is just as fast a skater as any of the other guys they are considering. Another bonus with him over some of the other guys that he's competing with for that spot is that he is not as prone to stupid mistakes like those guys are (subban, Letang).
There will be plenty of defensemen on team canada that can put up points (weber, doughty, petrangelo, Keith) but giordano brings other intangibles too. I think it's fair to compare him to Marc Edward Vlasic who is currently being considered for that spot by team canada. But giordano has more offensive upside, is a better skater, is more physical, and is a better shot-blocker. Honestly, the only thing that giordano doesn't have going for him is that he was not at the summer orientation camp. If he was at that camp, his play so far this year would have everyone picking him to be on the team right now. Before his injury, he only trailed subban and karlsson for points among defensemen.
If he keeps playing like he has, it would be a mistake for team canada not to bring him. Having all four of doughty, Keith, Letang, and subban would very redundant. Gio brings a different element to team canada.
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Guys that are better than Gio and will be on the team hands down:
Weber
Doughty
Pietrangelo
Kieth
Guys that are probably better than Gio but might not get chosen because they are right shots:
Boyle
Subban
Seabrook
Letang (who I'm not even convinced is better than Gio)
Left Handed shots who are about as good as Gio:
Bouwmeester
Staal
Alzner
Phaneuf
Vlasic
Beauchimin
I think you overrate Giordano.
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I don't see it, but the last few posters aren't wrong. There are a few top level guys playing right now, and after them there's a big group of guys that are incredibly close (which Gio is part of).
