[News] TSN's Team Canada Prediction

[northcrunk]

Has J-bo won a thing in his life? Why would you bring him to the biggest international tournament. It's not like we don't have 5 or 6 defencement that bring what he does plus more.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Has J-bo won a thing in his life? Why would you bring him to the biggest international tournament. It's not like we don't have 5 or 6 defencement that bring what he does plus more.

He is playing fantastic this year... is more mobile than most Defenceman and has great chemistry with Pietrangelo.

The team is full of winners why would you keep him home because he spent the first 10 NHL seasons on bad teams.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Has J-bo won a thing in his life? Why would you bring him to the biggest international tournament. It's not like we don't have 5 or 6 defencement that bring what he does plus more.

Name them.

The guy has been great this year and he plays with one of Canada's other top defenseman. For the chemistry component he has much more reason to be there than Seabrook did last time around, but his play this year has given him enough merit to be there alone.

[You Need a Thneed]

Bouw is Tied 5th among Canadian defensemen in points, second in the NHL in +/- after Seabrook, Mobile and big (for the big ice), and has a 100% FO winning percentage this year.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Bouw is Tied 5th among Canadian defensemen in points, second in the NHL in +/- after Seabrook, Mobile and big (for the big ice), and has a 100% FO winning percentage this year.

It's that face off percentage that gives him the edge. If one of Canada's 10 centers go down who else is going to take them?

[moon]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

Has J-bo won a thing in his life? Why would you bring him to the biggest international tournament. It's not like we don't have 5 or 6 defencement that bring what he does plus more.

He won the World Cup in 2004 when that was still a big deal.

Plus it isn't like he has been on stacked teams that have underachieved. He has been on garbage teams that shouldn't have won anything.

Prior to 2010 Duncan Keith hadn't won anything should he have been left at home that year?

[cannon7]

I like keeping defensive pairs together, eliminates the need to develop any chemistry on the blueline.


Keith-Seabrook -- Seabrook doesn't make this team otherwise, but that pairing is great.

Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo -- Likewise, I don't think Bouwmesster makes this team but it's a strong pairing.

I'd put Doughty-Weber together, they complement eachother welll.

Would love to see Gio on this team, but objectively I think Hamhuis is better. Boyle is a little long in the tooth for me, Vlasic is a great choice though.

[moon]

The issue with the Doughty-Weber pairing is that neither guys can/wants to play on the left side.

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by cannon7

I like keeping defensive pairs together, eliminates the need to develop any chemistry on the blueline.


Keith-Seabrook -- Seabrook doesn't make this team otherwise, but that pairing is great.

Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo -- Likewise, I don't think Bouwmesster makes this team but it's a strong pairing.

I'd put Doughty-Weber together, they complement eachother welll.

Would love to see Gio on this team, but objectively I think Hamhuis is better. Boyle is a little long in the tooth for me, Vlasic is a great choice though.

I agree with everything in this post in principle, except that Doughty and Weber shouldn't play together because someone's gotta play LD there. This is also why I advocate for Keith / Doughty as the top pairing, they were the best pairing in 2010 and are better players than they were then, give them another shot together. It's already been established that it works.

Taking as read your preference for Hamhuis, how about a pairing of Hamhuis / Weber? They also played together in Nashville, and complement each other quite well. That would be a tough pairing to play against. Personally my preference for Hamhuis over Vlasic is pretty minor, I wouldn't be upset with either guy as long as the top 6 D has three left handers to play their natural side.

Thus,

Keith / Doughty
Bouwmeester / Pietrangelo
Hamhuis / Weber
Vlasic (or someone else as #8) / Subban

... really I'll probably be okay with whatever HC does on the blue line as Keith, Doughty, Weber and AP are all locks, JBo is almost a lock, and whoever fills in the remaining slots will be perfectly capable. I'm far more concerned about their forward choices.