Studley\'s WJC 2 Cents: Team Canada

[studley49]

I, like most Canadians watching the CAN/SWE game, was enraged at the 3rd period that Team Canada put forth yesterday - and I\'m sure their coaching staff felt the same way. So, I think we know what time it is...

While I don\'t think Hartsburg should blow everything up, it\'s obvious there needs to be some tinkering done to Canada\'s lineup. John Tavares played a great game in the ice time he received yesterday - there were some lapses from time to time, but still a great overall output.

On the other hand, Brad Marchand just might have taken some of the load off of Marc-Andre Fleury\'s shoulders for blowing a WJC game. Sure, Marchand scored the game\'s opening goal and he didn\'t play a horrible overall game - his last shift on the ice exemplified my opinion on his game: overrated.

Marchand should be an NHLer at some point, but as far as I\'m concerned he will be a 3rd-liner at most. I\'ve watched him hard over the 3 Canada games thus far and see the gritty two-way game that will introduce him to the NHL, but he WILL NOT be a top-6 forward. He takes too many dumb penalties at inappropriate times, he tries to make the cute plays, and he misses empty nets. TSN loves this guy, and you only hear good things about him during the broadcast, but honestly he needs to play a different role on this team in order for Team Canada to be successful.

I\'m no hockey coach, but if I was piecing together a lineup for tomorrow\'s game versus Denmark I would try the following lines:

Giroux - Turris - Tavares
Halischuk - Stamkos - Matthias
Legein - Sutter - Marchand
Simmonds - Holzapfel - Gillies
Boychuk (insert him on the 3rd and 4th lines)

The top line of Giroux, Turris and Tavares showed alot of chemistry in their brief stint on the PP in the game against Sweden. With that much top-end talent on one line, Canada should score in bunches.

The second line has been quite solid thus far, so I see no reason to split them up.

Now THIS is a third line! Linemates Legein and Sutter have been great for this team in almost all aspects (Sutter\'s battling hurt = less faceoff wins). Putting Marchand on their wing allows him some offensive creativity but also gives Canada a third line with even more explosiveness and energy.

Honestly, I would consider subbing out Holzapfel for Boychuk in this case since Riley has left me unimpressed. However, he\'s been winning a lot of faceoffs and teams up well with the likes of Gillies. Solid line no matter who suits up.

Defensively, I would change nothing except for maybe giving Subban some PP time (but really, whose ice time do you lessen?). Finally, Mason deserves another shot at #1 goalie after Bernier\'s less-than-stellar 3rd period. However, Bernier should bounce back if he\'s still #1 - so no real concern.

To wrap up my mid-tourney analysis of Team Canada, I would like to take the chance to name my \"monsters\" - minus the McGuire man-crush.

#3 - Karl Alzner/Logan Pyett
OK, so I couldn\'t narrow it down to 3 - but these guys have been spectacular in every sense. Neither are given credit for an offensive game, but yet their presence on the PP has been better than expected as far as I\'m concerned. Match that with solid PK and ES play, and they make my list.

#2 - Stefan Legein
I know, I know - Pierre has a love affair with him; however, I see him as a much smarter version of Sean Avery minus some of the locker room problems. The amount of tenacity and edge he brings to the 3rd line is incredible, and he can be plugged in on the PP if needed to. He\'s a role player who can do pretty much anything, which makes him a treasure for the Canadian team.

#1 - Colton Gillies
I haven\'t heard enough about this freight-train to suit me. Honestly, I\'m not old enough to be able to place a player comparison on him, but Colton plays an old-school, in-your-face type of game that brings everyone to the edge of their seat. I don\'t think I\'ve seen him play a bad shift in the tournament so far. He doesn\'t have the scoring touch to play with the top-6, but I would almost give him a shot to play with Stamkos and Matthias simply because his energy and hitting open up things for a couple of snipers - it makes sense to me.

Anyways, if you made it this far - thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it.

Flame away if you wish, but I\'m going to whip up my mid-tourney all-star team in the near future.

[originalsix]

very well put. i feel the same.

[doulos]

I hope you guys are watching the game today. Tavares is putting on a clinic in the first period (which just ended). Why the heck is he not playing on the first line? I dunno. Either way he\'s making hay on the second line and creating chances all over the place.

As for the rest of the team, they look anemic and are giving up way too many turnovers. Hopefully this team will have their crap together by the time they enter the semi-finals or they will be gone before they even make it to the medals.

[doulos]

And why they insist on putting out Marchand on the top line is beyond me. He seems to be getting worse with every game, he can\'t hold onto the puck and when he does get it he can\'t finish. Lousy.

[ultrawhiteness]

i like your analysis. I also do not really get marchand on the top line. Looks like they really miss not having Perron there.

As a Bernier owner, I hope they go back to him in the medal rounds. If he loses the job due to those 2 horrible goals against sweden (banked off of him from behind the net, and banked off his dman\'s skate) then we could see some serious m.a. fleury syndrome

[doulos]

I think that Bernier will be back in net, he\'s been really solid and there\'s no reason not to.

This was probably one of the worst played 4-1 wins I have ever seen. Almost the entire team, with a few exceptions, looked like they could care less out there. Lazy passes, cute little plays that didn\'t accomplish much and overall a pretty sad display. I wouldn\'t be surprised to see them lose to Finland next game.

[ultrawhiteness]

i will bet on a win against the finns, but even the optimist in me is worried about the americans afterwards