[GDT] Dec 30 - WJC: CAN vs SVK (9:30AM MT) TSN

[sureLoss]

Anyone else feel like Rychel has been the most invisible player for Canada? Doesn't seem to do anything.

[getbak]

Baertschi jersey at the Spengler. Nice.

[nik-]

Baertschi jersey at the Spengler Cup

[moon]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Reinhart's been pretty invisible.

Horvat looks great.

Reinhart was probably the best forward on the team prior to this game.

Even today he was pretty good and making smart plays and not the fancy crap that many others did.

Him or Mantha have been the two most impressive players for Canada so far with Horvat and at times Drouin close behind.

Originally Posted by renny

I don't really understand why Sutter has such a hard-on for Dumba. I honestly think Nurse should be on the team. Dumba hasn't done anything to impress me this tournament. Dumba seems to just hang onto the puck for too long and he takes bad penalties.

Dumba took one penalty that was a bad call and the other was meh. He is the best Canadian defender defensively and great at rushing the puck.

Not sure why everyone hates him so much when he has been the best defenseman so far for Canada in the tournament.

Nurse as a slow, underage defenseman who is struggling this year in the OHL would have been a very suspect pick.

[MoneyGuy]

I wish TSN would get it right. First they say any win tomorrow against the U.S. and we win our pool, then they say we have to win in regulation and just now they say again that any win gets us first place in our pool.

[Tinordi]

Limited viewing but I'm not overly impressed with either top prospect, Ekblad or Reinhart, in this draft.

This looks like one of those draft years where the top end talent isn't that great.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by DOOM

Horvat did nothing to stand out, imo.

We must have been watching different games. Horvat was one of the best forwards that game. He didn't have the production but he was all over the ice making plays. He has an impressive, tenacious two way game.

[nik-]

Yeah, lets hope that Reinhart doesn't impress and is available for us at the draft. Keep "disappointing" Sammy.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

We must have been watching different games. Horvat was one of the best forwards that game. He didn't have the production but he was all over the ice making plays. He has an impressive, tenacious two way game.

He's a good player, I just didn't notice him that much. Noticed Reinhart more to be honest.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by renny

And therein lies the problem, players should be selected based on merit, not on having a history with the coach, imo.

But we don't know that he isn't there on merit. My post was as much speculation as much as yours was opinion.

[moon]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Anyone else feel like Rychel has been the most invisible player for Canada? Doesn't seem to do anything.

I think Rychel has done a decent job at the basics. He makes safe plays, uses his body and doesn't turn the puck over. He certainly hasn't done anything flashy but I don't think he has been the worst player for team Canada. I think he would do better on a line with Anderson and Laughton though as they seem to play the same way as he does.

Tough to say who is the worst up front for Canada. Petan was terrible prior to the last 10 minutes, Gauthier has been okay, Drouin has been great and terrible at times, Lazar great yesterday poor today but playing his off wing. Leier hasn't impressed me much for the roles he has been given.

On defense Pelech the obvious worst guy with Bigras today trying to make a case that he should sit once Reinhart gets back.

As much as it sucks to not have MacKinnon and Monahan here Morgan Reilly is probably the biggest guy they are missing as they could really use his skating/puck control out there. A likely top pairing of him and Reinhart would really have made a big difference these past two games. But can't worry about that now.

[moon]

Originally Posted by renny

And therein lies the problem, players should be selected based on merit, not on having a history with the coach, imo.

He made the NHL for the Minnsota Wild this year.

He is on the team 100% on merit and is on the team regardless of who the coach is.

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

But we don't know that he isn't there on merit. My post was as much speculation as much as yours was opinion.

We do know he is there on merit any attempts to make it out different are wrong. No need for speculation at all.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Limited viewing but I'm not overly impressed with either top prospect, Ekblad or Reinhart, in this draft.

This looks like one of those draft years where the top end talent isn't that great.

If limited to today I could understand but in the pre-tourney games and first two game those two were arguably the best forward and defenseman for team Canada. (I personally Ekblad behind Dumba prior to today but understand if people thought he was better in those games.)

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by moon

He made the NHL for the Minnsota Wild this year.

He is on the team 100% on merit and is on the team regardless of who the coach is.

I agree with you on this Dumba thing, but is the coach solely responsible for the naming of the roster?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I wish TSN would get it right. First they say any win tomorrow against the U.S. and we win our pool, then they say we have to win in regulation and just now they say again that any win gets us first place in our pool.

It has to be in regulation.

Right now, the States has 9 points and Canada has 7. An OT or SO win would give Canada 2 and the US 1, so they'd stay ahead.

The only way for Canada to pass the US is with the full 3 points from a regulation win.

[moon]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I agree with you on this Dumba thing, but is the coach solely responsible for the naming of the roster?

No he is not.

Way to hard of a job to have Sutter who is a FT coach scouting all these guys in the various leagues.

Sutter likely has a big say once they get down to the final cuts and may have total control once they came to Europe but he is far from the sole voice on these things especially early on.

[DOOM]

Always weird to see a Canadian (Lombardi) scoring against Canada at the Spengler Cup.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Limited viewing but I'm not overly impressed with either top prospect, Ekblad or Reinhart, in this draft.

This looks like one of those draft years where the top end talent isn't that great.

you may be putting too much stock in 3 hockey games...both those guys are great players

[renny]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

But we don't know that he isn't there on merit. My post was as much speculation as much as yours was opinion.

Agreed.

[GirlySports]

see? i'm lucky. I asked what the score was and bang, 3 goals