Well definitely. I mean, RNH has a much higher ceiling. Landeskog could be a better fit given they've already got their number one center.
Well definitely. I mean, RNH has a much higher ceiling. Landeskog could be a better fit given they've already got their number one center.
Updates on Team Canada Cuts
Brad Ross (F - TOR)
Brendan Gallagher (F - MTL)
Joey Hishon (F - COL)
Garrett Wilson (F -FLA)
Linden Vey (F- LAK)
Reilly Smith (F-DAL)
Ryan Howse (F - CGY)
Jesse Blacker (D - TOR)
Brayden McNabb (D- BUF)
I am surprised about Hishon - he was having a killer OHL season to date but I guess he's up against some elite competition here. I just see Hishon as a player with a high compete level and he seems like a gamer to me. Could've been the type of player to replace Eberle. I hope they find other gamer types and include them on the roster.
Last edited by Dean Youngblood; December 14, 2010 at 8:45 AM.
Canada: Ryan Murphy, Brett Connolly, Gudbranson, Coutourier, Jaden S
US: Campbell, Kristo(isn't he still eligible)
Russia: Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, and Bobkov
Sweden: as Dean Omark said Larsson..Larsson..Larsson and Landeskog and Lehner
Finland: Teemu Pulkkinen and ? Granlund has a concussion and has been ruled out I believe.
Sorry for the spelling errors.
PS: I'm not trying to high-jack this thread but I have to make a quick decision today. I have Colburne and Tarasenko as my 2 most expendable (risky?) forwards right now now. I do like both but would anyone here drop either one for Max Pacioretty now that he is up from the AHL and being auditioned on the 1st line in MTL?
PS: My team is ridiculously young (expansion team) but I am almost positive that whoever I drop will be instantly picked up. Trust me.
Love this thread. Also who will be Canada's #1? Roy? Pickard? Viseten?
Last edited by Princeton; December 14, 2010 at 9:19 AM.
20 team keeper: 20 players. no farm.
Goals=2 pts---Assists=1 pt-----DG=3-----Wins=3.5-----SO=4
G: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen....Bobrovsky
D: Fox....Bouchard....Letang....Heiskanen....Perunovi ch....Zellweger....Toews....Ekholm
F: Eichel....Caufield....J Robertson....W Nylander....Kucherov
Eklund....W Johnston....Peterka....Fiala....Bratt
2012 Third Place
2013 Runner Up
2014 Iron League Champion
2015 Iron League Champion
2016 Runner-Up
2017 Third Place
2018 4th
2019 18th-rebuild
2020 10th
2021 8th
2022 7th
2023 Third Place
I'm also surprised that Hishon got cut this early. I thought he was a steal for the Avalanche last year.
Not shocked to see Hishon cut. Yeah he's got good numbers and plays the two-way game that Canada is looking for but if you trust some of the reports out there then you know that Hishon wasn't a standout at summer camp. He definitely wasn't among the better forwards at this camp either.
If you look at who they have competing for spots at center, the common denominator is size. With Schenn, Johansen, Couturier all looking like locks to make it you are left with Pirri, Sheahan, Cizikas and Nugent-Hopkins battling for the 4th spot. With the exception of Nugent-Hopkins, these other guys are older, bigger and more experienced than Hishon. And you may just see Nugent-Hopkins being kept around as the 13th forward rather than having a regular spot. His offensive game is as dynamic as we have on this roster.
Things are much more wide open on the wing but I can only assume they didn't feel Hishon was a good fit there.
As for in goal, it's still very wide open. Bob Mackenzie has Visentin as the favourite. Personally, I think Roy has a leg up being the oldest guy there. He also had an outstanding summer camp. But in reality no goalie has stood out thus far.
sounds like this Hamilton kid is as good as a lock to make the squad too because of his diversity (able to play PP and play a checking role)
Update from Bob McKenzie
followed by...
Scratches for Team Canada vs Univ team: 4 returnees, Ellis, de Haan, Cowen, Schenn plus Johansen, Leblanc, Kassian, Cizikas.
All but Cizikas are guaranteed spots on the team. Cizikas may make it, or not, but isn't playing tonight because of injury.
Clearly they love Kassian's physical presence. And I tend to agree. He's outrageous at the junior level. The space he clears cuz people are afraid to go near him.
They'll need him to keep his wits about him though and that can be a struggle. Could be a force though. Definitely put him on the list of guys who could have a breakout tournament.
Does this mean Cizikas is basically hoping a bunch of guys play their way off the team tonight? Obviously he has nothing to prove to Dave Cameron who is his coach on his OHL club as well but it can't help not being able to go out there.
Looks like Sheahan had a monster game tonight. You can pencil him in as the 4th line center. Good chemistry with Curtis Hamilton too so maybe those two on a shutdown/energy line.
Gudbranson got lit up for one. He has had a miserable camp. By all accounts he should have made this squad, but now I don't know.
Final cuts for Team Canada announced:
http://tsn.ca/world_jrs/story/?id=345561
No article actually showing the lineup yet bet here's the roster:
F
Schwartz-Schenn-Leblanc
Connolly-Johansen-Kassian
Foligno-Couturier-Hamilton
Eakin-Cizikas-Ashton
Howden
D
Ellis-Cowen
Gudbranson-Olson
de Haan-Barrie
Despres
G
Roy-Visentin
I can't speculate on what the lines will look like though.
Honestly was a little surprised none of the 17-year-olds made it. From what I could tell these two young D; Ryan Murray and Ryan Murphy, outplayed the likes of Gudbranson, Depres and Barrie.
I also think that up front all the size is a little redundant. I mean it lends itself to only the one style of hockey. I thought that Nugent-Hopkins would make a great 13th forward. It was suggested by the TSN panel that that was the only way he'd make it and it made a lot of sense to me. I mean he brings a dynamic offensive game that few players on the team have. Could be one of those things you look back and regret when it's all said and done, if Canada has powerplay issues.
I mean, other than the great experience and how it prepares them for next year's camp what's the point of bringing these kids in if even when they outplay an older guy they still don't get a spot. I mean by all accounts Gudbranson and Depres did have good camps. Now maybe I understand keeping Gudbranson cuz he's so high profile and has a history with Hockey Canada, but Despres as well? And maybe you don't need a Ryan Murphy when you've got Ryan Ellis but injuries are known to happen.
Anyways that's my little rant.
If you are looking for breakout candidates check these guys out:
Both goalies; Roy and Visentin, have an equal shot at being the starter and making a name for themselves. We've seen it countless times before that the higher touted guy ends up ceding the starting job to the other guy, well here there's no clear cut favourite but both have skills.
Up front it's mostly your big lunchpale types that can do a bit of everything but there are a few guys who are going to be needed for offense. Jaden Schwartz and Louis Leblanc are quite possibly the two most offensively oriented players we have. Yes they play a great two-way game like the rest of the group but they have another gear in terms of offense. They just have that hockey IQ you love. You should know by now I'm huge on Schwartz and I feel similarly about Leblanc. I think the lottery picks Brett Connolly and Ryan Johansen are going to be big time scorers here as well. Connolly might be the best pure goal scorer on the roster. Johansen just seems to me like he's going to be the first line center if there is a first line. Of course everyone knows about Schenn, but I like Johansen even better from an offensive stand point.
On defense it's pretty much shutdown guys with the exception of Ellis and de Haan.