2013 World Championships

[vilzeh]

Almost entire USA team was seen drinking til morning before the Slovakia game.

also Radulov & Kovalchuk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYnniRUgRIw

Drinking Pepsi during the game, Kovalchuk was seen out the night before.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by vilzeh

Almost entire USA team was seen drinking til morning before the Slovakia game.

also Radulov & Kovalchuk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYnniRUgRIw

Drinking Pepsi during the game, Kovalchuk was seen out the night before.

Product placement! Kovi is trying desperately to get that luvrative PepsiCo endorsement...

In all seriousness, the IIHF must take note of the disrespect these pros are showing this tournament.

[Trojan97]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Product placement! Kovi is trying desperately to get that luvrative PepsiCo endorsement...

In all seriousness, the IIHF must take note of the disrespect these pros are showing this tournament.

I don't think having cola on the bench is meant as disrespect by Kovalchuk. I'm pretty sure Chara was seen drinking coke on the bench during their Cup run a few years ago also. It's probably more common then we know.

[Drury18]

Originally Posted by Trojan97

I don't think having cola on the bench is meant as disrespect by Kovalchuk. I'm pretty sure Chara was seen drinking coke on the bench during their Cup run a few years ago also. It's probably more common then we know.

Cola on the bench is actually fairly common. Most NHL locker rooms have flat (they don't drink it with the carbonation as they would pretty much vomit it up shortly after) cola in the coolers and the guys are drinking it between periods as the sugar and caffiene gives them a little boost and fights fatigue. Essentially used no differently then smelling salts during the game. Not everyone does it, not everyone does it every night. But its there. It's also not uncommon to see it handed out at marathons or any other high endurance sort of activity where participants need a little sugar to replenish what they have lost and maybe a little caffiene to keep them going.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Kaine

Dubnyk was bad today, his handling the puck, gave it away multiple times right on the tape of Slovenia players. He was very lucky none of them turned into goals against.

Dillon was the only Canadian D man that looked really good today. Brodie was likely the second best Dman although that's not really saying much considering the rest looked pretty awful. Certainly didn't look out of place today however, had a few very strong plays with the puck that set up a few really good scoring chances.

Honestly don't know what they can do with this mess of defense going forward. Subban will get big minutes obviously, Dillon should see big minutes. Robidas looks alright most games as long as he isn't playing top minutes. He has way too many turnovers when the pressure is on. Schenn has looked decent enough all tournament.

Beyond that you have Brodie, so far in limited minutes per game he has looked average, far from the worst but overall not with that top group. Canada's fastest and most mobile Dman, arguably the best puck moving one as well. Has made a few mistakes but again, nearly all of the Dmen have made a few. Harrison hasn't been bad, hasn't been good. Just looks like a decent bottom pairing Dman. Cambell has been pretty bad for most of the tournament, and since he has been used the last few games as a PP specialist for the most part, I suspect that his roll is now obsolete with Subban joining the team. He has flashes of brilliance, pinching at the right times to make a play but he has just as many boneheaded plays as well. Schultz... he has been by far Canada's worst Dman all tournament and how he continues to get ice time is simply jaw dropping. Once the play leaves the oppositions end he becomes a cross between a pylon and someone that has never heard of the game of hockey before. Totally lost and clueless in his own end.

Not sure who of the "B group" will get the nod going forward as none of them have stood out above the rest.

Goaltending, Smith should get the start going forward. He's been better all tournament and today Dubnyk looked pretty shaky.

So is Schultz getting minutes based on reputation or is there possibly a bias here and he's not as bad as everyone here seems to think? I'm asking because I'm not watching the games but I have a hard time believing Ruff would be giving out minutes to players that didn't deserve them.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

So is Schultz getting minutes based on reputation or is there possibly a bias here and he's not as bad as everyone here seems to think? I'm asking because I'm not watching the games but I have a hard time believing Ruff would be giving out minutes to players that didn't deserve them.

He is getting minutes because he is used on top PP unit.

5 on 5 he seems to be getting at best equal likely less minutes than Brodie.

He has been bad like people have said but Brodie hasn't been much better to justify getting more minutes.

With Subban and Hamhuis there I expect both Brodie and Schultz to see 0 or very limited minutes.

[Stampede2TheCup]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

So is Schultz getting minutes based on reputation or is there possibly a bias here and he's not as bad as everyone here seems to think? I'm asking because I'm not watching the games but I have a hard time believing Ruff would be giving out minutes to players that didn't deserve them.

I've watched some and I really don't think people are exaggerating how horrible he's been. The speed out there and size of the ice really exposes how weak he is defensively. However, it's a learning process for guys being there the first time. I think he's gotten his ice time just by virtue of being on the team and the coaches giving everyone a chance in the preliminary games. I think it would discourage young players from going or sour them on the experience if they just got benched completely early on.

[Kaine]

Originally Posted by moon

He is getting minutes because he is used on top PP unit.

5 on 5 he seems to be getting at best equal likely less minutes than Brodie.

He has been bad like people have said but Brodie hasn't been much better to justify getting more minutes.

With Subban and Hamhuis there I expect both Brodie and Schultz to see 0 or very limited minutes.

Pretty much this. Although to be fair, most of the defense have been pretty terrible. Dillon is about the only one that has looked like hes taking it seriously aside from Brodie and Harrison who really seem to be struggling getting use to the ice/reduced minutes from the NHL/ new linemates or whatever the issue is.

As bad as they have all been tho, Schultz really is by far the worst and yes EE 90% of his time comes from the PP, he sees the rare 5 on 5 shift although they are few and far between.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by moon

He is getting minutes because he is used on top PP unit.

5 on 5 he seems to be getting at best equal likely less minutes than Brodie.

He has been bad like people have said but Brodie hasn't been much better to justify getting more minutes.

With Subban and Hamhuis there I expect both Brodie and Schultz to see 0 or very limited minutes.

And the top PP unit is garbage, hence the introduction of Subban.

[Stay Golden]

Did the 2 cupcakes join Sweden? If not that is interesting considering they were both healthy except for missing a heart.
Subban will provide a big shot from the point for Canada.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Did the 2 cupcakes join Sweden? If not that is interesting considering they were both healthy except for missing a heart.
Subban will provide a big shot from the point for Canada.

And Edler.

[Saqe]

First I thought people were talking about Canada vs. Slovakia and thought that what a nice showing from the Slovaks. Then I realized it Slovenia, lol.

From wikipedia:
The Slovenian men's national ice hockey team, also known as the Lynx (Slovene: Risi), is currently ranked 18th in the world by IIHF as of the 2011 IIHF World Ranking. The team is controlled by the Ice Hockey Federation of Slovenia. Slovenia has only 943 players (the second lowest after Lithuania in the top 25 world rankings). Their best ever record is 13th place and highest ranking is 15th.

Pretty embarrasing showing from Canada, no other way of putting it.

[Kaine]

Originally Posted by Saqe

First I thought people were talking about Canada vs. Slovakia and thought that what a nice showing from the Slovaks. Then I realized it Slovenia, lol.

From wikipedia:
The Slovenian men's national ice hockey team, also known as the Lynx (Slovene: Risi), is currently ranked 18th in the world by IIHF as of the 2011 IIHF World Ranking. The team is controlled by the Ice Hockey Federation of Slovenia. Slovenia has only 943 players (the second lowest after Lithuania in the top 25 world rankings). Their best ever record is 13th place and highest ranking is 15th.

Pretty embarrasing showing from Canada, no other way of putting it.

Pretty much the story of the tournament for most of the team, heck most of all of the "top teams" in the tournament. Swiss are the only ones that I have actually watched that have anything to be proud of.

Canada has a couple of players playing well, a few playing "well enough" to not look too out of place and the rest of the team is just laughably bad. I know the days of the 10-0 games are gone for the most part but some of these games are way closer than the should be given the simply massive talent difference between teams.

The worst part about it tho, I can't recall seeing such boring hockey in quite some time. Were talking Wild or Coyote's level of boring.

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by Kaine

The worst part about it tho, I can't recall seeing such boring hockey in quite some time. Were talking Wild or Coyote's level of boring.

Yeah I pretty much don´t even watch the games anymore until the playoffs start. It´s pretty ridiculous to have 16 teams in the tournament, IIHF obviously wants to cash in but some of the games provide zero value. I guess it´s good for the sport...

[Max Cow Disease]

I'm just watching some of the Berra highlights from Switzerland/Belarus on the Flames' site and am finding it relatively hilarious, with that English dude doing the commentating (Scottish? Irish? I don't know, to be honest). It makes it all seem so...soccer-ish. The way he's calling the play is just so distinct and unlike North American play-by-play.

[MissTeeks]

The US kicked the crap out of Russia this morning 8-3.

[MissTeeks]

And the Swiss won 2-1 against the Czechs. Martin Gerber was in net for them.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

The US kicked the crap out of Russia this morning 8-3.

Ref conspiracy against Mother Russia?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

And the Swiss won 2-1 against the Czechs. Martin Gerber was in net for them.

Hes still playing? Thats awesome.

[nik-]

Anyone else find it a little concerning that another of the "best goalies outside of the NHL" is platooning with Martin Gerber?