[GDT] Canada vs USA - Gold Medal Game - Men’s Hockey

[Monahammer]

Yes, Canada has the best forwards at the tournament. Bringing different forwards lower down the lineup probably doesnt make much difference.

Canada has the best defender, then probably the 4th best defender at the tournament. You can argue Doughty was too old to go, but really it doesn't seem likely that Canada's defense was in any material way less good than any other country. It is unlikely then that bringing better defensemen would change anything.

Binnington was fine, but not the best goalie in any game he played in. He was serviceable, but didn't steal any games, didn't make a huge difference. Here's a look at the starters though, and IMO he is dead in the middle. Worse if you include the depth that some countries have.

Saros
Dostal
Hellebuyck
Markstrom
Grubauer

Binny

Hla###
Genoni
Silovs
Keller
Clara+

So to me, the best way to improve Team Canada going forward is to work on the goalie pipeline. And it is Hurting. We have basically no reasonable canadian goalie prospects cooking right now.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

I think Bedard and Schiefele in place of Marchand and Reinhart could have made a difference.

And Schaefer for Parayko on the back end.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Yes, Canada has the best forwards at the tournament. Bringing different forwards lower down the lineup probably doesnt make much difference.

Canada has the best defender, then probably the 4th best defender at the tournament. You can argue Doughty was too old to go, but really it doesn't seem likely that Canada's defense was in any material way less good than any other country. It is unlikely then that bringing better defensemen would change anything.

Binnington was fine, but not the best goalie in any game he played in. He was serviceable, but didn't steal any games, didn't make a huge difference. Here's a look at the starters though, and IMO he is dead in the middle. Worse if you include the depth that some countries have.

Saros
Dostal
Hellebuyck
Markstrom
Grubauer

Binny

Hla###
Genoni
Silovs
Keller
Clara+

So to me, the best way to improve Team Canada going forward is to work on the goalie pipeline. And it is Hurting. We have basically no reasonable canadian goalie prospects cooking right now.

Not complaining about Binnington - but in the last 5 seasons - of goalies would've played 175 games - here are the save percentage rankings:
1. Hellebuyck
2. Shesterkin
3. Sorokin
4. Ullmark
5. Vasilevski
6. Logan Thompson

Three of those guys couldn't have played in the Olympics and the other non-Hellebuyck guy is having a disaster season. He's one of the better goalies in the league (better save percentage than guys like Soros, Gustavsson, Oettinger, Swayman, etc.)

[saillias]

On one hand, blowing off your job to fly around on govt funded trips, and hang out with NHLers, is kinda living the dream.

All I hear about Kash Patel is that he flies around to visit sporting events and go on fancy dates with his honeypot girlfriend.

But if you're an American taxpayer you probably wanna ki** that guy.

[Beninho]

The players who decide to attend the State of the Union will reveal a lot about where they stand. This goes far beyond a ceremonial handshake and visit, it is active participation in propaganda. The players who attend will be expected to offer tacit approval through their presence and applause of everything Trump says, which will almost for sure include jabs at Canadian sovereignty. I cannot remember any time in the past where any American national team was present at a State of the Union address, I don’t think it has ever happened. I could be wrong though.

It is a moment that demands a backbone. It is a moment to remember Nikita Zadorov, who jeopardized his future and exiled himself from his home country to stand on his principles. That is the weight of real morality.

By comparison, declining an invitation to this spectacle is a minor inconvenience. For a player who claims to just be 'not political,' avoiding this is the only logical choice. You cannot claim neutrality while allowing yourself to be trotted out as a Soviet-style prop for a divisive populist President. It’s actually insane that USA hockey would agree to being present at what will be a divisive and politically charged speech. I don’t think many of these players are educated enough or sober enough to realize the gravity of the decision they are making by attending. Hopefully there is a moment of clarity for some of these men and they decide to stand with their fellow women’s team and decline the invitation.

[Knut]

Such an easy out too. "we have to return to our NHL teams". Do a photo-op at a later date.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

It actually makes me feel a little better that the American players are proving themselves to be complete pieces of ####. Actively supporting an administration that is kidnapping its own citizens and putting them in concentration camps. Actively covering up child rape by members of the administration up to an including the president of the United States of America.

They are who we thought they were.

And there’s no excuse. They are the ones mixing politics with sport.

Every last one of those American players are scum.

I hope Matthews goes, misses the leafs game and gets booed mercilessly.

[bluejays]

I was a "hater" of a lot of guys chosen for the team. Chiefly Binnington, along with others, but Team Canada really played well collectively. Their big guys generally stepped up so I have little complaint with the team chosen. Overall there will be a lot of turnover primarily because of age, for the next Olympics, but that's par for the course. I just hope next time around they can bring a bit more skill. Marchand, and Bennett specifically didn't add anything positive to the team. A grinder or two are fine but more game breakers can't do you wrong.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Beninho

The players who decide to attend the State of the Union will reveal a lot about where they stand. This goes far beyond a ceremonial handshake and visit, it is active participation in propaganda. The players who attend will be expected to offer tacit approval through their presence and applause of everything Trump says, which will almost for sure include jabs at Canadian sovereignty. I cannot remember any time in the past where any American national team was present at a State of the Union address, I don’t think it has ever happened. I could be wrong though.

It is a moment that demands a backbone. It is a moment to remember Nikita Zadorov, who jeopardized his future and exiled himself from his home country to stand on his principles. That is the weight of real morality.

By comparison, declining an invitation to this spectacle is a minor inconvenience. For a player who claims to just be 'not political,' avoiding this is the only logical choice. You cannot claim neutrality while allowing yourself to be trotted out as a Soviet-style prop for a divisive populist President. It’s actually insane that USA hockey would agree to being present at what will be a divisive and politically charged speech. I don’t think many of these players are educated enough or sober enough to realize the gravity of the decision they are making by attending. Hopefully there is a moment of clarity for some of these men and they decide to stand with their fellow women’s team and decline the invitation.

It would be encouraging, but I don't expect any of those red white and blue blackheads to break ranks with the tkachuks and say no thanks to standing with an authoritarian conman who doesn't represent the principles (and morals) of their nation.

[dino7c]

They built a team that would have won if Nate hit an open net from 3 feet...hard to blame anyone

[White Out 403]

[troutman]

US women's team has declined White House invitation.

[Erick Estrada]

It was a fantastic game between the two best teams in the world and one team was going to lose. People are going to spend days on the "what if" stuff but anything can happen in a one game show down and that's why we love sports. Let's not forget the USA left Robertson, Hutson, Caufield, etc at home so splitting hairs over who was brought and who was not is a pointless exercise.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by dino7c

They built a team that would have won if Nate hit an open net from 3 feet...hard to blame anyone

We dominated that game in a way that was shocking. The only thing more shocking than how much belt to the ass we gave the Americans was the seemingly evil spirits keeping the puck out of their net, and, Helley showing up for a big game.

[Looch City]

I fully expect Tkachuk to walk up there and hand him his medal and then give him a quick handy as well.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by troutman

US women's team has declined White House invitation.

Good for them

The American team is full of maga trumpanzees.

My god. I still feel ill. Not that we lost. but we lost to the americans.

God please give us another 4 nations or some other best on best tourney before the next olympics.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

State of the nation with dear leader > Olympic gold > 2 Stanley cups

Hope Tkachuk enjoys his couple of days with his gold medal, it will be Trump's shortly. He doesn't have one of those yet and wants one.

[mogg]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

State of the nation with dear leader > Olympic gold > 2 Stanley cups

Hope Tkachuk enjoys his couple of days with his gold medal, it will be Trump's shortly. He doesn't have one of those yet and wants one.

They are very pleased to announce the winner of the inaugural United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Peace Prize.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by troutman

US women's team has declined White House invitation.

Not surprising since he mocked them on his call to the men’s team, warning them that he has to invite the women too or he’d get impeached…. He’s such a piece of ####.

[3rd liner]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

It would be encouraging, but I don't expect any of those red white and blue blackheads to break ranks with the tkachuks and say no thanks to standing with an authoritarian conman who doesn't represent the principles (and morals) of their nation.

I agree, they will all follow each other. Just finished the Rick Westhead 'We Breed Lions' book, he talks a lot about the psychology of a locker room and a professional team and why some awful behaviour happens. As an aside, it's a good read, especially for people with kids in hockey and it's not just about the World Junior sexual assault case. Though sexual assaults in hockey over the years are a big topic of the book. The team psychology stuff was interesting for me as well as describing why some players end up making really bad decisions as a result of coming up through the system.

Basically these guys can be sheep and won't break rank from the team for fear of their life and career being affected, even if it means participating in or staying silent on awful behaviour. Like siding with a scumbag president...