[GDT] Canada vs. Austria, Mens Hockey at 10 AM Mountain

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

I think that's exactly Vlasic's role - steady and unnoticeable. He's the #5/6 defenseman. He's playing his role perfectly and I think he stays in. Subban's out... likely for the rest of the tournament barring an injury.

I know you don't like Subban but I disagree with this reasoning. Having a guy who plays a "role" like that is not that different than bringing Kris Draper to an olympic tourney to kill penalties (or Zamuner or whoever). Don't overthink it, play your best players.

The only other guy who can do what Subban can do is Drew Doughty, who has been our best blueliner in the first two games. And PK has a better shot, to boot; better than anyone except Weber.

Remember, the guy who stays in isn't the 6th defenseman, he's the 7th. You have to think the top 3 RD are Doughty, Weber and Pietrangelo, and the top 3 LD are Keith, Bouwmeester and Hamhuis.

Vlasic's a great guy to have around in case someone gets hurt, because he'll fill in and won't cost you anything when he's on the ice. But in the meantime I want the best players we've got available to put out there. In a close elimination game if we get a third period power play, Subban is going straight onto the right point.

[sun]

I think leaky lu will get the start for next game. He's the incumbent and he played well today. I would prefer Price obviously. 7 is a choke artist at times as we witnessed when he flubbed an easy save which eventually led to the tying goal in 2010.

Nice tune up game for the team. I am blown away by the d core we have, wow. Much prefer Vlasic to PK though, and it ain't really close.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

I know you don't like Subban but I disagree with this reasoning. Having a guy who plays a "role" like that is not that different than bringing Kris Draper to an olympic tourney to kill penalties (or Zamuner or whoever). Don't overthink it, play your best players.

The only other guy who can do what Subban can do is Drew Doughty, who has been our best blueliner in the first two games. And PK has a better shot, to boot; better than anyone except Weber.

Remember, the guy who stays in isn't the 6th defenseman, he's the 7th. You have to think the top 3 RD are Doughty, Weber and Pietrangelo, and the top 3 LD are Keith, Bouwmeester and Hamhuis.

Vlasic's a great guy to have around in case someone gets hurt, because he'll fill in and won't cost you anything when he's on the ice. But in the meantime I want the best players we've got available to put out there. In a close elimination game if we get a third period power play, Subban is going straight onto the right point.

The only breakaways during today's game were with Subban on the ice.

Canada already has 4 of their 9 goals from defenders.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The only breakaways during today's game were with Subban on the ice.

Canada already has 4 of their 9 goals from defenders.

Neither were his fault...

[Meers]

Kunitz has looked out of his depth. Duchene, Benn and (obviously) Carter deserve to be out there.

Subban's an unnecessary risk on the back end. Hamhuis was much steadier. With Weber and Doughty already providing offence from the blue line, I don't think the team needs to roll the dice with PK.

Tough call between Luongo and Price. Both are very good tenders. But Price had a gaff against Norway that led to a puck in the net and Luongo has backstopped a team to gold before. I'd go with Luongo.

[CalgaryFan1988]

I would sit Subban as well. He was the worst defenceman in the two games IMO

On forward I would sit Kunitz, really liked Duchene today. He's fast and generated chances.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

Neither were his fault...

Except for when he was too deep in the offensive zone...

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

I know you don't like Subban but I disagree with this reasoning. Having a guy who plays a "role" like that is not that different than bringing Kris Draper to an olympic tourney to kill penalties (or Zamuner or whoever). Don't overthink it, play your best players.

The only other guy who can do what Subban can do is Drew Doughty, who has been our best blueliner in the first two games. And PK has a better shot, to boot; better than anyone except Weber.

Remember, the guy who stays in isn't the 6th defenseman, he's the 7th. You have to think the top 3 RD are Doughty, Weber and Pietrangelo, and the top 3 LD are Keith, Bouwmeester and Hamhuis.

Vlasic's a great guy to have around in case someone gets hurt, because he'll fill in and won't cost you anything when he's on the ice. But in the meantime I want the best players we've got available to put out there. In a close elimination game if we get a third period power play, Subban is going straight onto the right point.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. If you don't agree with Vlasic's role (comparing it to Draper) than I don't agree with Subban's for the same reason. Both are limited (or less efficient) in 1 aspect of the game - Subban defensively and Vlasic offensively. I think Subban's upside is easily replaced with the the top 4 defenseman offensively but is surpassed by everyone defensively. That risk (defensively) isn't going to cost the team with Norway or Austria or teams at that level. But it becomes very concerning with Russia/Sweden/US.

If Canada needs a goal late in the game, I'm confident with Weber, Keith and Doughty on the backend without having to hold my breath when Subban gets out there.

We'll see who Babcock picks for the 3rd game, but I suspect Subban's going to be wearing a suit more than a jersey for the rest of the tournament.

[SuperMatt18]

Subban makes much more sense as a 7th d-man, then Hamhuis or Vlasic.

I would rather have a gamebreaker as a 7th d-man, then a guy who is just steady and isn't going to be a difference maker.

Dress your 6 strong d-man and have Subban out there as the game breaker that might be a difference in a game.

[19Yzerman19]

I was about to post a poll - can't find the option. Someone want to put one up for who should sit on Sunday?

[Azure]

Subban is useless defensively. Kunitz is useless period.

Sit both.

Duchene earned his spot today. Kunitz lost his.

I doubt either happens though. Kunitz will continue playing, and he'll continue dragging Crosby down because Kunitz has this apparent 'chemistry' with Crosby that will be game-changing, but for two guys that have played together and 'dominated' together for 5 years, they sure as hell didn't do anything against a team that even the Oilers could beat.

[19Yzerman19]

Thing about Kunitz is that he seems to just want to sort of throw or swat the puck in the general direction of his linemates. He had a couple where he just threw it sort of near Crosby, on the expectation that the best player in the world would figure out how to get ahold of it. Did the same to MSL in the third on two separate plays - most obvious was a pass behind the net that was way to hard and that Marty just barely managed to settle down.

Guys like Tavares, Getzlaf, Benn, Duchene manage to get the timing and weight just right so that their linemates don't have to take the time and effort to figure out how to get full control of the puck and can spend that time thinking about what to do with it. Kunitz doesn't seem to have that. He understands that he needs to get open and get the puck on net quickly but the rest of his game isn't there.

I hope they sit him but I agree with Azure, I'd be surprised if it actually happens.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Getz wasn't projected to be a top ten pick and if the Flames had taken him they would have been blasted for going "off the board".

He was a pretty lazy junior player with holes in his game

Originally Posted by Azure

Subban is useless defensively. Kunitz is useless period.

Sit both.

Duchene earned his spot today. Kunitz lost his.

I doubt either happens though. Kunitz will continue playing, and he'll continue dragging Crosby down because Kunitz has this apparent 'chemistry' with Crosby that will be game-changing, but for two guys that have played together and 'dominated' together for 5 years, they sure as hell didn't do anything against a team that even the Oilers could beat.

Whoa now, lets not say things we cant take back.

[Meers]

Sharp and Hamhuis will draw back in vs Finland.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=443875

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Except for when he was too deep in the offensive zone...

I did not understand why he was pinching down like that when CAN had the lead.

I trust Luongo (maybe Smith too) more than Price at this point.

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by Meers

Sharp and Hamhuis will draw back in vs Finland. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=443875

Not really a surprise IMO. The story is whose spots they get.

[Tinordi]

After this game I'm beginning to think that Smith might be the best option. That puck handling ability on the big ice could be very important.

[Tinordi]

I was watching the game at a pub so I wasn't keeping track but did Jeff Carter score a natural hatty?

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

I was watching the game at a pub so I wasn't keeping track but did Jeff Carter score a natural hatty?

He did.

[Machiavelli]

Originally Posted by troutman

I did not understand why he was pinching down like that when CAN had the lead.

I trust Luongo (maybe Smith too) more than Price at this point.

The D-men were pinching in throughout the game.

I understand many of the concerns about Subban's game, but it seems like some of you are just trying to find things to complain about with him.

I thought he played fine, same as Vlasic and Hamhuis last game.

Keith had a couple of bad turnovers, no one mentioned those. If Subban had made those mistakes he'd be crucified on here.