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Originally Posted by Da_Chief
I'm not gonna waste my time and pull up Kunitz's stats with and without Crosby. The fact is their are several better players then Kunitz that deserve to play ahead of him.
Guys I would take:
Nash-Crosby-Stamkos
Tavares-Getzlaf-Perry
E. Staal-Toews-Giroux
Benn-Thornton-Seguin
x-Hall and Duchene
Chemistry to me is more important than just picking the best players. It's a short tournament which leaves little or no time to find out which players play well together. For example it's pretty much a gaurentee the Keith and Seabrook will play together.
I still say anyone who leaves Jamie Benn off the roster is absolutely nuts. The skill level is a given, but he's also an exceptionally strong two way player who competes as hard as anyone for the puck. He is absolutely perfect for a bottom six role on this team, the guy is just a nightmare for opposing players to deal with. This is the kind of thing you get.
My forwards are Crosby, Stamkos, St. Louis, Toews, Bergeron, Getzlaf, Perry, Duchene, Giroux, E Staal, Benn, Thornton, Tavares, Hall.
EDIT: Incidentally, you're also bats%&t insane if you think Keith and Seabrook will be a pairing. Keith and Doughty were the best pairing Canada had last time, they'll play together again this time. Taking Seabrook ahead of numerous superior right handed defensemen because of who he normally plays with is foolish, imo.
Last edited by 19Yzerman19; 01-01-2014 at 09:55 PM.
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Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
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Originally Posted by Buff
Doing so well with Crosby helped to boost his confidence. Combine high confidence with something to prove (that he is good with or without Crosby) and he'll still do well. However, he would not have been in that position if he never played with Crosby. Even though he did well without Crosby, his pace still dropped off. He also has the benefit of playing either with Malkin, or on the 2nd line behind Malkin and thus the coverage on him wouldn't be as intense.
Something to consider....Crosby plays better with Kunitz
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Does Kunitz owe a measure of his success to Crosby? Surely. But evidence shows that Crosby also plays better when he’s with Kunitz. In 280:40 so far this season when Kunitz+Crosby have been on the ice at 5 on 5, they have a 58.0 Corsi For %, and a 1.2 goals for/20 compared to just a .43 goals against/20.
When Crosby plays without Kunitz, as he’s done for 57:00 this year at even strength, his numbers drop to just a 50.9 CF%, a 0.35 goals for/20 and a 2.8 goals against/20. It’s a limited sample size (although 57 full minutes is nothing to dismiss completely) but the data that is around is very clear- Sidney Crosby plays better with Chris Kunitz than without him.
Chemistry to me is more important than just picking the best players. It's a short tournament which leaves little or no time to find out which players play well together. For example it's pretty much a gaurentee the Keith and Seabrook will play together.
Should we just try to pick best lines/pairs in the NHL and we can and send them?
These guys are superstars, they've grown up playing with all kinds of players. To me you have to pick the best players and go with that. It's not like that will be the only line opposition has to battle with, there will be four strong lines and combination to be tested.
I can't imagine the management team agree with Lowe. He can use any weak excuses about Hall being a future Team Canada player etc, but it's more than clear, if he's being considered (based on that planted Edmonton newspaper article a week or so ago it seems that he's likely making a case for Hall) that its to boost his players club confidence by throwing him on a team he doesn't belong on.
Location: A simple man leading a complicated life....
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Originally Posted by Da_Chief
Should we just try to pick best lines/pairs in the NHL and we can and send them?
These guys are superstars, they've grown up playing with all kinds of players. To me you have to pick the best players and go with that. It's not like that will be the only line opposition has to battle with, there will be four strong lines and combination to be tested.
If you watch the CBC video that was posted, the people involved in the selection process talked about chemistry and in specific Crosby playing with Kunitz. I would think that knowing where your line mate is going to be at any time on the ice would have some advantage over playing with someone you haven't played with.
The guy is arguably the best left wing in the world and skates better than... well it's hard to think of five guys who are on his level. On the big ice? Yeah, I'll take him.
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Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19
The guy is arguably the best left wing in the world and skates better than... well it's hard to think of five guys who are on his level. On the big ice? Yeah, I'll take him.
I'd want a player that knows how to win
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The guy is arguably the best left wing in the world and skates better than... well it's hard to think of five guys who are on his level. On the big ice? Yeah, I'll take him.
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Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19
The guy is arguably the best left wing in the world and skates better than... well it's hard to think of five guys who are on his level. On the big ice? Yeah, I'll take him.
Wait.....what?
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The guy is arguably the best left wing in the world and skates better than... well it's hard to think of five guys who are on his level. On the big ice? Yeah, I'll take him.
Going to be very tough to argue that Hall is arguably the best LWer in the world when there are guys like Datsyuk, Parise, Ovechkin, Sedin off the top of my head.
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Going to be very tough to argue that Hall is arguably the best LWer in the world when there are guys like Datsyuk, Parise, Ovechkin, Sedin off the top of my head.
Did you mean Zetterberg?
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I can't imagine the management team agree with Lowe. He can use any weak excuses about Hall being a future Team Canada player etc, but it's more than clear, if he's being considered (based on that planted Edmonton newspaper article a week or so ago it seems that he's likely making a case for Hall) that its to boost his players club confidence by throwing him on a team he doesn't belong on.
Hall was top 10 in the entire NHL in points last year and is 15th in the NHL in points this year. Ovechkin was the only player on LW with more points then him last year. Hall has more PPG then any Canadian LW this year. I'm not saying he will make the team for sure but you make it seem like he is some 4th line scrub. Last year and this year combined, he has been the #1 point producing Canadian LW.
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I am really surprised that the U.S. didn't take Ryan, but I am still fairly sure that they will medal, and my money is that they finish no lower than silver.
I like the way their team is built.
I think they will be hard pressed to get into the gold medal game.
They played well in Vancouver, but Miller played out of his mind - it is hard to imagine that they will be the team with the hot goalie two tournaments in a row.
Also, Russia shat the bed in Vancouver - I highly doubt that happens in Sochi. Sweden will also be better on the big ice than they were in Van.
The US simply doesn't have the depth. IMO, they are the fourth best team this year.
I know chemistry is important, but for me it kinda takes the fun out of Olympics. I want to see the best players go and have line combinations that wouldn't be seen otherwise. The NHL is already such a controlled environment with the defense-first mentality, this tournament should just be a pure fun, fantasy kind of thing.