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WJHC (World Junior Hockey Championships) 2016

Bender said:
Yeah, but you know not too many players look all that dominant right now. It IS a 2-2 game against the freaking Swiss!
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Sure, but I meant in the tournament as a whole. With that said you could say the same thing about that too. I really don't think anyone on this team has been dominant. The blueline in particular is really missing that stud #1. Marner's still definitely been one of the teams best players.
 
I was talking through the first 3 games not just today. Other than yesterday when everyone looked good I don't know I personally was expecting more. Maybe I just have higher expectations than most.
 
If this goes to OT, Canada will max out at 8 points with a regulation win over Sweden. To finish 1st, they would need the Swiss to beat the US in OT/SO.
 
azzurri63 said:
I was talking through the first 3 games not just today. Other than yesterday when everyone looked good I don't know I personally was expecting more. Maybe I just have higher expectations than most.
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You don't, but tell me who has looked dominant. I'd say the whole team has been very underwhelming.
 
The team can obviously still redeem themselves in the medal round, but, right now, this is venturing into debacle territory, and flirting with national embarrassment.
 
Geez, you guys a bit harsh, no? Sure, its not as good a team as last year, but they dominated in shots, possession (surely) and chances. The swiss pretty much just did what the danes tried to - collapse 5 players down low, and block shots.
 
crazyperfectdevil said:
national embarrassment?  really?  it's not like they're not going to the medal round.
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Sure, but getting to the medal round isn't exactly an accomplishment. 8 out of the 10 teams in the tournament get there. Right now, there's a very real possibility they get in with only having won 2 of their 4 games - and one via shootout. For the defending champs - and for Canadian teams in general at this tournament - that's pretty embarrassing.

Not making the medal the medal round would have been an atrocity that would have seen people lose jobs.
 
Frank E said:
So, I didn't watch the game...am glad.

Did Marner look ordinary?  Dermott?
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If you're looking at the result then yes, everyone looked ordinary. I see why Arizona picked Strome, but I do think the scouting reports are correct - he's not a particularly flashy or super high end player, but I think he's solid and could be a low end 1C or high end 2C.

Marner has a lot more razzle dazzle to his game - I thought he played well, but again, not much is to be said since hardly any chances were converted. Dermott looked solid to me, but didn't stand out.
 
Personally I still think they went with the wrong coach.  I think this should have been Dale Hunter's turn to coach Team Canada.  But I am certainly biased in that encounter.  Hunter did coach this group to the U-18 Championsion in 2013.  Admittedly there are a few standouts playing in the NHL that aren't on this team (Ekblad, McCann, Bennett, Fabbri).
 
Those guys and the whole team today looked like the second coming of Gretzky!!!  You might remember Keith. 
Frank E said:
So, I didn't watch the game...am glad.

Did Marner look ordinary?  Dermott?
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The US is up 10-1 over Switzerland about halfway through the 2nd period.

Just to avoid any confusion as to whether or not I mis-typed, that's ten to one.
 
Team Canada: So far, not so good...

Forwards::

The bright spots have been Dylan Strome, who's scored in every game, and Mathew Barzal, who's looked dangerous just about every time he's been on the ice.

Jake Virtanen has not looked like an NHL player. Brayden Point has also disappointed...he?s the captain and the consensus most dominant player in the CHL. He?s here, so he?s got to be better.

And Mitch Marner? Sure he's got three points, but he's looked like a skilled 18-year-old in a 19-year-old tournament: flashes of greatness, but inconsistent at best.

Defence

Canada's blue line needs to dominate by moving the puck. And it hasn't....top D-men, have struggled getting the puck to the forwards on the breakout. There have been too many slaps up the boards and long, cross-ice passes. 

Attacking in waves with speed and skill is what was expected of Team Canada. That starts with the defencemen and it really hasn't been there yet. It will have to be against Sweden on New Year's Eve.

Goaltending:  Solid, Blackwood that is, over McDonald. He will be Canada's #1 for the rest of the tournament.

Overall

Simply said, this is a squad that hasn't looked prepared for The power play has been inconsistent at best...running at 30 percent, but not scoring on. There has been too much play up top with the man advantage for a team loaded with top-end talent at forward. Canada has been most dangerous with the man advantage attacking off the half-boards or playing down low, but that?s obviously not how the players are being told to run the power play.

I?s not only about big hits, it?s been about taking the man instead of waving at the puck. And having a player or two take the game into their own hands by seeking physicality out. How has Lawson Crouse not flattened anyone yet? Or Julien Gauthier? Hicketts, all 5-foot-8 and 177 lb. of him, has the team?s biggest hit to date....you can change momentum with physical play, and this team hasn?t tried that.

...there's some hope to finish second in Group A. But that rests on a win over Sweden. With the way the team is playing right now, it's a slim hope.


http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/canadas-world-junior-championship-report-card/
 
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