Flames prospects at the 2025 WJC: Hurtig

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

7 vs. Switzerland, 4 vs. Sweden, tough crowd.

We’ve seen double digits pretty regularly most years.
Watching the product on the ice and not focusing on the scoreboard they simply don’t look like the dominant world beaters that they normally are.

That’s all, I think it was a mistake to leave off so much offence.
Literally the best players in junior right now x 4.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Royle9

We’ve seen double digits pretty regularly most years.
Watching the product on the ice and not focusing on the scoreboard they simply don’t look like the dominant world beaters that they normally are.

That’s all, I think it was a mistake to leave off so much offence.
Literally the best players in junior right now x 4.

I was at the game last night and their best line was McKenna, Catton and Pinelli. They had some studs on the other lines but they did nothing noticeable for most of the game.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Royle9

We’ve seen double digits pretty regularly most years.
Watching the product on the ice and not focusing on the scoreboard they simply don’t look like the dominant world beaters that they normally are.

That’s all, I think it was a mistake to leave off so much offence.
Literally the best players in junior right now x 4.

Very rare to get double digits against the Swiss. and you will never gets double digits against the Swedes.

[Junglist]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Very rare to get double digits against the Swiss. and you will never gets double digits against the Swedes.

Was gonna say, we usually beat the Swiss, but the games are usually like 3-1, even if we outshoot them by a bunch.

Can’t remember the last time putting up double digits against Sweden. They have been the best team before elimination games in this tournament for years.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Royle9

We’ve seen double digits pretty regularly most years.
Watching the product on the ice and not focusing on the scoreboard they simply don’t look like the dominant world beaters that they normally are.

That’s all, I think it was a mistake to leave off so much offence.
Literally the best players in junior right now x 4.

Double digits vs. Sweden? When did that occur?

It was exhibition games, Canada usually starts slowly. 11-3 seems fine.

[Royle9]

Canada looking mediocre tonight as well.
Sam Dickinson of all guys has looked absolutely terrible, it feels like everyone’s trying to do it all themselves.

Hopefullly they can work out these kinks!

I firmly believe that they shot themselves in the foot by preemptively selecting the roster way ahead of time and not giving the offensive threats a chance.

Canada looks like they could use all 5 of them right now.
Last few years has been bad because of a lack of high end goaltending but so far in this pre-tournament the only guy looking lights out is McKenna and he’s underage (the reason allegedly the 5 other guys didn’t make it)

I will echo what Craig Button said, perhaps they should give younger guys a chance more often. He’s questioning why Cameron hasn’t paired McKenna with Martone considering they were sensational at U18’s last year putting up record numbers.

Maybe we should select the team based on best player available instead..

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Canada looking mediocre tonight as well.
Sam Dickinson of all guys has looked absolutely terrible, it feels like everyone’s trying to do it all themselves.

Hopefullly they can work out these kinks!

I firmly believe that they shot themselves in the foot by preemptively selecting the roster way ahead of time and not giving the offensive threats a chance.

Canada looks like they could use all 5 of them right now.
Last few years has been bad because of a lack of high end goaltending but so far in this pre-tournament the only guy looking lights out is McKenna and he’s underage (the reason allegedly the 5 other guys didn’t make it)

I will echo what Craig Button said, perhaps they should give younger guys a chance more often. He’s questioning why Cameron hasn’t paired McKenna with Martone considering they were sensational at U18’s last year putting up record numbers.

Maybe we should select the team based on best player available instead..

I went to the pre tournament games because the tournament games are too damn expensive.

What I saw was two good lines (the Catton line and the Ritchie line) and two very average to bad lines (Yager and Luchanko). That might change in the tournament but that was what the pre-tournament looked like to me.

The backend is pretty mediocre as well. Best dman is the draft eligible player, which ain’t great for their prospects.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Canada looking mediocre tonight as well.
Sam Dickinson of all guys has looked absolutely terrible, it feels like everyone’s trying to do it all themselves.

Hopefullly they can work out these kinks!

I firmly believe that they shot themselves in the foot by preemptively selecting the roster way ahead of time and not giving the offensive threats a chance.

Canada looks like they could use all 5 of them right now.
Last few years has been bad because of a lack of high end goaltending but so far in this pre-tournament the only guy looking lights out is McKenna and he’s underage (the reason allegedly the 5 other guys didn’t make it)

I will echo what Craig Button said, perhaps they should give younger guys a chance more often. He’s questioning why Cameron hasn’t paired McKenna with Martone considering they were sensational at U18’s last year putting up record numbers.

Maybe we should select the team based on best player available instead..

They should look at selecting the coaches the same way.

[transplant99]

Good article on Hurtig

“You grew up watching the world juniors and whenever it was in North America, you’d set an alarm in the middle of the night to watch Sweden,” said Hurtig, selected by the Flames in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL Draft and already home-based at the Saddledome as a stalwart for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. “I’d wake up at 2 or 3 a.m. to watch Sweden play, especially when they were playing Canada or U.S.A., those special games.”

“I feel like my type of D-men are slowly moving away from the game,” Hurtig told Postmedia before departing for the world junior tournament in Ottawa. “There’s a lot of skill out there nowadays. But I feel like if you’re going to win, you need some guys to do the dirty work, too. It’s not always fun, but it’s gotta be done.

“Just my attitude to the game, I’m a team guy. I block shots, play PK, and I take pride in that. I feel like the coaches know what they get from me. It’s nothing flashy, but play my minutes and do them hard.”

“Everyone wants to look at points and what you do offensively,” said Flames general manager Craig Conroy. “But that’s not what he does. He shuts down opposing players. He plays that defensive style. He’s out there on the penalty-kill.

“And you need to have the offset, you know? Maybe you have an offensive guy paired with a guy who’s in more of a shutdown role. I think of Robyn Regehr when he was here, and that was more what he needed to do. As compared to Dion (Phaneuf), who was putting up 20 goals. To be a good team, you need that balance and I think Axel brings that. If you talk to the Hitmen, they’re more than happy with everything he’s done. It’s exciting for us. He’s a big man and he can move.”

“I know who I’m going to be if I’m going to make the NHL, and that’s going to be a big, hard defenceman that blocks shots and a good first pass,” Hurtig reasoned. “I’m just trying to get as good as I can on that. Of course, I work on my blue-line skill and try to get better at that too, because that’s an important part of the game. But I know where my strengths are.”

https://calgaryherald.com/sports/hoc...s-future-plans

[Canada 02]

Blues prospects, Dvorsky and Stenberg showing well