[GDT] Dec 28 - WJC: USA vs SVK (5:30AM MT) & CZE vs CAN (9:30AM MT) TSN

[rohara66]

How many eligible players are playing in the nhl for other countries?

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by rohara66

How many eligible players are playing in the nhl for other countries?

These guys: http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/birth...n-in-1994.html (some of those guys are playing obviously)

Plus MacKinnon, Nichuskin and Barkov.

You could argue the US is hit just as hard as Canada losing Jones, Galchynuk and Trouba,

[moon]

Originally Posted by rohara66

How many eligible players are playing in the nhl for other countries?

Trouba, Jones, Galchenyuk for the States
Grigorenko and Nichuskin for the Russians
Lindholm for Sweden
Maata for Finland
MacKinnon, Reilly, Monahan, Wilson for Canada

is all that I can think of.


Lindholm and Forsberg returned to Sweden, Ristolainen returned to Finland.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

These guys: http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/birth...n-in-1994.html (some of those guys are playing obviously)

Plus MacKinnon, Nichuskin and Barkov.

That list isn't entirely accurate, as Dumba and Lindholm are playing in this tourney.....there might be more too, I'm not sure.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by moon

Trouba, Jones, Galchenyuk for the States
Grigorenko and Nichuskin for the Russians
Lindholm for Sweden
Maata for Finland
MacKinnon, Reilly, Monahan, Wilson for Canada

is all that I can think of.


Lindholm and Forsberg returned to Sweden, Ristolainen returned to Finland.

You missed Barkov. Also, Grigorenko is playing.

[Red John]

Originally Posted by moon

It isn't just repeating it, it is pointing out examples and watching the play.

You honestly think that the Czech team played well today? They scored two fluke goals and two terrible plays from the goalie to get their 4 goals. They didn't create chances, they didn't threaten Canada. They also then relied on a lot of blocked shots (some on purpose other just hit them) and posts to keep Canada from scoring. They didn't use their sticks to get the puck off of Canada, they didn't use smart postioning to prevent Canada from getting into good scoring opportunities they collapsed in front of the net and prayed.



In 2010 they lost one game in OT and were easily the best team that tournament.

In 2011 they were dominant until a collapse in the 3rd period and again the best team in the tournament.

In 2012, they again lost 1 game by 1 goal in which they played better than the Russians but did lose.

Last year were 1-1 against the Gold Medal American team and didn't bother to show up in the Bronze Medal game.

So I think their demise is a little exeraggerated. They were the best team in the tournament and lost razor thin games in 3 of the last 4 years.

I would say that it isn't a downturn just a case of Canada not getting the lucky breaks they did when they won 5 in a row. Also a case where now there are 5 teams that are competitive pretty much every tournament where previous years it was only 3 that had a chance to win. Other countries have been moving closer to Canada and our biggest advantage (depth) doesn't always help us out in these one game tournaments.

Yes, the Czech team did play well today. They aren't as talented as Canada so trying to trade chances with them was never going to happen. Yes they got a bounce or two but their goaltender was better, and actually their "collapse and pray" strategy as you call it was excellent - they realized that Canada wasn't willing to outnumber them in front of the net and was just going to bomb away from distance and try for fancy plays that they continued to take away.

They were opportunistic with the few chances they did get and voila that's how an inferior team on paper wins games. You criticize them for blocking shots as if that's somehow a bad thing. Disagree with your assessment on positioning - it was very good constantly getting in shooting lanes and passing lanes to the slot. They were full marks for the win.

Can certainly buy your theory that in a short tournament it's all about breaks and that Canada got a lot of them from 2005-09 and not so much recently...but to excuse every loss since 2010 and explain it away is a bit arrogant and unfair. 2010 loss was probably because of goaltending purely, although that team played way too much river hockey which was bound to bite them eventually and it did.

2011 they weren't the best team in the tournament - they lost to Sweden and again to Russia later. If you lose two games in this tournament you aren't the best. Even though again goaltending was largely to blame.

2012 they were dominant until the Russia game which was embarrassing. Completely got dismantled.

2013 again they got completely dismantled when it mattered and then again lost in the bronze.

Now they've lost a game to a weak-link country that isn't Russia Sweden or US. Obviously they can still win the gold but they can't be considered favourites anymore like they usually are every year.

One thing though that stands out is that in a short tournament goaltending matters, and timely saves are usually the difference between winning and losing in the medal rounds especially. Canada hasn't received timely goaltending since 2009 in this tournament and that's a trend.

[btimbit]

Boring Sean Monahan ‏@boringmonahan 4h
World Juniors is coming on now. I would have liked to play but I wasn't allowed, instead I'm making toast and watching it on tv.

[jayswin]

Wow, I'm speechless. This is the most "moon'ed" I have ever seen a thread. Just say something "mildly" to "very" accurate about the game and moon jumps in and battles it to the death, no matter how off his rocker he appears.

I know Team Canada is his thing, but I've never seen him like this.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Red John

Yes, the Czech team did play well today. They aren't as talented as Canada so trying to trade chances with them was never going to happen. Yes they got a bounce or two but their goaltender was better, and actually their "collapse and pray" strategy as you call it was excellent - they realized that Canada wasn't willing to outnumber them in front of the net and was just going to bomb away from distance and try for fancy plays that they continued to take away.

They were opportunistic with the few chances they did get and voila that's how an inferior team on paper wins games. You criticize them for blocking shots as if that's somehow a bad thing. Disagree with your assessment on positioning - it was very good constantly getting in shooting lanes and passing lanes to the slot. They were full marks for the win.

I am not criticizing them for blocking shots and agreed that they played how they had to to win the game. But I don't think that they played well or that they outplayed Canada. They goalie had a lot of pucks that he had no idea where they were hit him. He may have been better but that was because of how weak Patterson was. I thought overall the Czech goalie was alright.

2011 they weren't the best team in the tournament - they lost to Sweden and again to Russia later. If you lose two games in this tournament you aren't the best. Even though again goaltending was largely to blame.

2012 they were dominant until the Russia game which was embarrassing. Completely got dismantled.

2013 again they got completely dismantled when it mattered and then again lost in the bronze.

Now they've lost a game to a weak-link country that isn't Russia Sweden or US. Obviously they can still win the gold but they can't be considered favourites anymore like they usually are every year.

I didn't mean to try and explain the tournaments away as though the losses didn't matter just pointing out that it was pretty close each year to Gold and that Canada is still very, very competitive each and every year.

One thing though that stands out is that in a short tournament goaltending matters, and timely saves are usually the difference between winning and losing in the medal rounds especially. Canada hasn't received timely goaltending since 2009 in this tournament and that's a trend

Agreed here they certainly haven't had a great goaltending performance for awhile and that can be the difference in the breaks going your way that it did during the Golden years.

[moon]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Wow, I'm speechless. This is the most "moon'ed" I have ever seen a thread. Just say something "mildly" to "very" accurate about the game and moon jumps in and battles it to the death, no matter how off his rocker he appears.

I know Team Canada is his thing, but I've never seen him like this.

Feel free to comment on the game anytime.

The two big "issues" are that I think Canada was the better team and that McDavid was fine to shoot in the shootout. Hardly crazy opinions and hardly battled to the death here.

People are able to have discussions in threads without you coming in and trying to take it off track by talking about the poster not the actual game.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

This thread has gone full moon. I've said it before, never go full moon. Yikes.

Yup. Once it goes full moon, the wolves comes out.

[stemit14]

I really hate all the big goal celebrations... I know they're just kids and it's exciting but it shows much more class and professionalism if they would just tone it down. It looks even worse after all those celebrations and team canada loses the game.

[dissentowner]

[Erick Estrada]

Too bad about Canada losing but personally I don't care all that much about this tournament and am more interested in Flames prospects excelling which means I'm hoping for the US to get gold as that should put Gillies on the map as the hopeful heir to Kipper's throne.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Too bad about Canada losing but personally I don't care all that much about this tournament and am more interested in Flames prospects excelling which means I'm hoping for the US to get gold as that should put Gillies on the map as the hopeful heir to Kipper's throne.

Pretty much this. I don't get why moon gets so defensive when it comes to the World Juniors. I'd be way more devastated if we lost gold in the Olympics gold medal game than in the World Juniors.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

Pretty much this. I don't get why moon gets so defensive when it comes to the World Juniors. I'd be way more devastated if we lost gold in the Olympics gold medal game than in the World Juniors.

So would I.

I would trade all of our WJHC Golds for Gold at the next Olympics but that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy the WJHC.

I don't understand why people that don't care about the WJHC have tell everyone else how much they don't care about it seemingly all the time.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by moon

So would I.

I would trade all of our WJHC Golds for Gold at the next Olympics but that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy the WJHC.

I don't understand why people that don't care about the WJHC have tell everyone else how much they don't care about it seemingly all the time.

Well that's my first post in this thread so I hope you aren't referring to me as I feel I am allowed to make a post on occasion as the US is in the title of the thread and that's the team I'm cheering for Flames reasons. I thought last years WJHC was fantastic as Granlund and Gaudreau had great tournaments.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Well that's my first post in this thread so I hope you aren't referring to me as I feel I am allowed to make a post on occasion as the US is in the title of the thread and that's the team I'm cheering for Flames reasons. I thought last years WJHC was fantastic as Granlund and Gaudreau had great tournaments.

It was referring to a whole bunch of people that over the years have posted in these types of threads about how they don't understand why people watch, these tournaments don't matter, these tournaments suck, they don't care about it etc. There just seems to be a lot more of these than necessary every year and I think if people don't care it is much easier to just ignore it than tell everyone about it.

You are able to make any post you want I just don't understand why people who don't care that much about a tournament would post in a thread about it.

A usual cheering for Flames prospects makes no sense to me but that argument has been beaten to death already. Hopefully Gillies gives up 10 goals in every game he plays and the US are relegated.

[neo45]

Its super lame if any Canadians cheer for the US in this tournament


Its fine if you dont love junior hockey but to cheer AGAINST Canada, and cheer for their largest rival just becuase one player was drafted by the Flames is pretty low. Makes way more sense to cheer for Matt Dumba and Jt Morrisey who are actually Calgarians and learned the game here

Has Gilles even been to Calgary more than once yet?

[Temporary_User]

I think everyone is overreacting a little to this one bad game. Canada had a fairly horrible tournament for the 2010 Olympics and they still ended up with winning gold.
You don't need to coast into the gold medal game, you just have to play well enough to get there and then get the bounces when they really count.