[GDT] Jan 5 - WJC Medal Games - Bronze: CAN vs RUS (7AM MT) & Gold: SWE vs FIN (11AM MT)

[rhino]

This was the most disappointing team we have sent in quite some time. I watched every game and there was a lot of selfish play with this group. Conner Mcdavid was not noticeable at all. There were way to many times guys were carrying the puck instead of passing...... trying to do it on their own.

[sureLoss]

McKenzie thinks Canada is more fearful of losing than determined to win.

Problem is between the ears.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

McKenzie thinks Canada is more fearful of losing than determined to win.

Problem is between the ears.

I think Bob is dead on the money - The Canadian team looked paralyzed out there against Finland yesterday (as in scared to make a mistake). You can't play well when you're tighter than a snare drum.

[Hockey_Ninja]

No shock we lost. Canada's World Junior dominance has come to an end. The other countries have caught up.

[Table 5]

When I think of the best Canada teams, they remind me of the 2004 Flames...teams that would just outwork and out hustle their opponents from start to finish, regardless of skill. There was no off button, and they would simply wear teams down.

This years team didn't seem to have that rabid passion and work ethic...they remind me more of the Flames of the last couple of weeks (or the Flames before the sell-off). There have been less skilled Canadian teams that have won because of their work ethic and team play. Something about this year just looked flat right off the start.

[Torchdemall]

I completely agree with him, they look like they are just gripping it too tightly, and when I heard the pre-game interview and hear them talking about doing it for the Country.... yikes! Just do it for yourself, leave it all on the ice and do your best, that's insane pressure for a teenager to carry around and many of them looked to be over thinking, and trying too hard.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Cue the hand wringing in the media ad nauseum.

[Yoho]

Originally Posted by Torchdemall

I completely agree with him, they look like they are just gripping it too tightly, and when I heard the pre-game interview and hear them talking about doing it for the Country.... yikes! Just do it for yourself, leave it all on the ice and do your best, that's insane pressure for a teenager to carry around and many of them looked to be over thinking, and trying too hard.

What do you think the players from other countries are saying? Now we are putting too much pressure on them because they won the participation ribbon?

Bah they weren't good enough period. No excuses. Too small,too soft, not skilled enough. Worst passing Canadian WJC team I have ever seen.

I'm still proud of them, however they were out classes by a long margin this tourney and I think the selection process for this team needs to be revisited.

[Ashasx]

The questionable picks for this team played awful.

[Roof-Daddy]

The biggest problem for this version of Team Canada was that too many of the 94's were very underwhelming. Pelech, Hudon, Leier, Rychel, Dumba, Laughton and Anderson really didn't do anything IMO and the 19 year old's should be the driving force behind your team.

Some positives I guess are that Fucale played pretty solid, and will very likely be the starter next season, as well as 10 skaters who are eligible to return next year including what will be a 17 year old McDavid, who will likely benefit from having played this year. Would be nice if both Ekblad and Reinhart were able to come back too, but that's probably unlikely.

(Side note, Paterson made the team last year over Brossoit mostly because he was 18 and Brossoit was 19 and they wanted Paterson groomed for this years tourney, how dumb does that decision look now?)

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

No shock we lost. Canada's World Junior dominance has come to an end. The other countries have caught up.

I hate his mentality. We clearly have the most talent most years. This was said time and time again from 98-04 when we went 7 years without gold then magically won 5 in a row.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

The biggest problem for this version of Team Canada was that too many of the 94's were very underwhelming. Pelech, Hudon, Leier, Rychel, Dumba, Laughton and Anderson really didn't do anything IMO and the 19 year old's should be the driving force behind your team.

Some positives I guess are that Fucale played pretty solid, and will very likely be the starter next season, as well as 10 skaters who are eligible to return next year including what will be a 17 year old McDavid, who will likely benefit from having played this year. Would be nice if both Ekblad and Reinhart were able to come back too, but that's probably unlikely.

(Side note, Paterson made the team last year over Brossoit mostly because he was 18 and Brossoit was 19 and they wanted Paterson groomed for this years tourney, how dumb does that decision look now?)

It looks dumber when you just ignore when a player just tanks and you stick to some plan instead of actually looking at a results.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

No shock we lost. Canada's World Junior dominance has come to an end. The other countries have caught up.

Canada also isn't sending all of our top players to this tournament anymore. MacKinnon, Monahan and Rielly weren't released as they are playing in the NHL.

[Roof-Daddy]

Geez, speaking to my point about the 19 year olds flopping:

Rychel, Laughton, Pelech, Leier, Dumba, Hudon and Anderson......all 94 birth years, combined for 6 points in 49 man games.

Makes me even more peeved that Poirier didn't really get a chance.

[ThePrince]

Sorry to beat an old dead horse, but I just don't think Brent Sutter is a good coach. He's so insistent on his system that he can't make adjustments when things aren't going the way their game plan anticipated.

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by rhino

This was the most disappointing team we have sent in quite some time.

You mean since last year when they had no business finishing out of the medals and managed to anyway? I had lower expectations for this year than last, that's for sure.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The medal girls this tourney haven't really met Swedish expectations.

The best ones probably go south in the winter.

[puckluck2]

Team Canada is who I thought they were. Didn't think they were good enough for a medal.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

No shock we lost. Canada's World Junior dominance has come to an end. The other countries have caught up.

Thank goodness as well! So boring when it was really just two Nations with a chance (Russia and Canada). Sweden and the Chezk were often hit and miss on being a legit threat. Then slowly the USA became a legit threat, and now slowly over time the so called "tweener" nations are often legit threats and even some of the joke nations (Swiss and Germany) are at least no longer jokes.

So much more entertaining. So much more with watching. We still haven't given up the clear depth edge, but so nice that a medal at the junior level is no longer a close to a given.

[sureLoss]

Finns up 1-0 28 seconds into the game