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World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:51 pm
by Island Nucklehead
Canada made its first cuts today for the World Junior team.
Three forwards and two defenceman were the first players cut by Team Canada on Sunday, as the national junior team begins to take shape.
Forwards Morgan Klimchuk, Nick Baptiste and Remi Elie were let go on Sunday, while Travis Sanheim and Chris Bigras were the players cut from the blue line.
Bigras was a member of Canada's 2014 World Junior squad that finished fourth in Malmo, Sweden. He was held pointless in seven games at last year's tournament.
Surprised they let Bigras go, pretty big slap in the face for a guy who made the team last year. Maybe they're acknowledging the mistake they made leaving Nurse off last year. It also means Canada has 8 dmen left at camp, including undersized Vitoria Royal Joe Hicketts.

Virtanen is also a lock, having lit up the University Selects over the weekend.
Jake Virtanen also solidified his spot on Canada’s final roster. Virtanen scored two goals in the second period, including a beauty when he skated in front after circling the net and roofed a shot over the shoulder of goalie Michael Nishi. Virtanen had six points in the two exhibition games against the university team.
http://www.tsn.ca/canada-makes-first-cu ... e-1.159843

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2014/12/14/c ... ior-tuneup

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:08 am
by Cousin Strawberry
Its been a while since we had a decent goaltending at this tournament... Haven't heard who we have...anyone know?

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:47 am
by Puck
[quote="Island Nucklehead"]It also means Canada has 8 dmen left at camp, including undersized Vitoria Royal Joe Hicketts.[quote]

Cool. I like watching this kid play. Good skater, smart. Kind of reminds me of a Scott Niedermeyer type. He was one of the last invites, so if he's down to the last 8 that's a pretty good showing.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:53 pm
by Island Nucklehead
Russia beats Canada 2-1 in OT in pre-tourney exhibition. McDavid, Petan (on loan from the Ottawa Senators), and Hicketts were scratched.

Canada dominated play, had something like 53 shots (Russia had 20).

I don't like our goaltending. Both Russian goals were a direct result of Fucale's poor glove, while the Russian goalie stood on his head. If we can't get even decent goaltending, it won't matter that we have all these stars up front.

Shades of things to come? I hope not.

http://www.tsn.ca/russia-beats-canada-i ... e-1.164257

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 7:35 am
by Topper
I watched with a keen eye on Virtanen. His was on a 3rd-4th line with two bubble players, Gautier and Crouse and for the most played the role of night watchman, floating around the perimeter.

His most noticeable feats were several late hit/knock downs that will be called interference once the tourney begins. He made Matt Cooke proud.

For awhile I thought the bubble players he was aligned with would supplant him.

Late in the game he was caught out on a line change with Reinhart and Domi and then we saw what makes him tick

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:19 am
by okcanuck
I like our chances this year considering a player like Chartier was cut. 32 goals for the Rockets this year isn't too shabby.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 12:16 pm
by Island Nucklehead
Can anyone tell me why Frederik Gauthier made this team, again? He was absolutely horrid at last years tourney. Why would they cut a guy like Dal Colle, who could actually help them generate something?

Gauthier (Rimouski Oceanic) 15GP 8G 6A 14Pts 9PIM
Dal Colle (Oshawa Generals) 23GP 21G 25A 46Pts 8PIM

Team Canada has a nasty habit of overthinking this selection process. I hope they didn't do it again.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:10 pm
by Topper
Island Nucklehead wrote: Gauthier (Rimouski Oceanic)
Dal Colle (Oshawa Generals)
They were being PQ about it

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 2:16 pm
by Chef Boi RD
After seeing the Russian game I was shocked how bad Dal Colle looked. What a terrible skater. I don't see him in the NHL, glad the Islanders took him and not Virtanen.

Really impressed with Crowse, top 10 pick for sure

I honestly think the only reason Gauthier is there because he is a Leaf but he still a better choice than Dal Colle. Anyone is a better choice than Dal Colle

Is today's game on TV?

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 2:17 pm
by Island Nucklehead
RoyalDude wrote:After seeing the Russian game I was shocked how bad Dal Colle looked. What a terrible skater. I don't see him in the NHL, glad the Islanders took him and not Virtanen.

Really impressed with Crowse, top 10 pick for sure

Is today's game on TV?
4pm Pacific on TSN2 apparently.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:04 pm
by Chef Boi RD
Regarding all the Junior tournaments Canada hosts where we put together a few teams, Team Black, Team Pacific etc., when are we gonna get over ourselves thinking we can put together more than one team and still win gold? That was so 15 years ago. It's not Canada's game anymore, everyone else has caught up. The USA have win gold for the last 6-7 years in those tourneys where we put together more than one team. It's ridiculous, we don't dominate, not enough where we can water down the product at tourneys to more than one team. Those days are over.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:24 pm
by Island Nucklehead
RoyalDude wrote:Regarding all the Junior tournaments Canada hosts where we put together a few teams, Team Black, Team Pacific etc., when are we gonna get over ourselves thinking we can put together more than one team and still win gold? That was so 15 years ago. It's not Canada's game anymore, everyone else has caught up. The USA have win gold for the last 6-7 years in those tourneys where we put together more than one team. It's ridiculous, we don't dominate, not enough where we can water down the product at tourneys to more than one team. Those days are over.
I think a big part of it is exposing more of our younger players to big-time tournaments like this. So Hockey Canada might care more about development than the actual results. Rather than have 20 kids, send 60. U17/U18, really who gives a shit about these tournaments? It's about learning the process of developing chemistry for a short tournament and getting used to playing against different systems and other countries' best players.

It's not like we do that for the tournaments that matter (U20, Olympics, World Championships etc.), so I'm not too worried if Team Pacific comes up short in a tournament full of 16/17 year olds.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:44 pm
by Chef Boi RD
The problem is, we are creating a culture of losing, who cares who gets exposed and how many, you're just exposing them to losing at tournaments. What good is that?

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 4:05 pm
by Chef Boi RD
Calling McDavid the next one is giving Eichel a lot of fuel to prove something and putting a lot of pressure on Connor. Classic Canadian hockey media.

Feel bad for McDavid, he's got the weight of hockey Canada squarely on his shoulders. It all points to a disappointment.

Re: World Juniors 2015

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 4:58 pm
by Island Nucklehead
RoyalDude wrote:The problem is, we are creating a culture of losing, who cares who gets exposed and how many, you're just exposing them to losing at tournaments. What good is that?
Culture of losing might be a bit much. The Oilers have a culture of losing...

Canada has 5 medals at the last 5 U-17 challenges (1G, 2S, 2B). They've only missed the podium once at that tournament (2013). 7 times since 2000 they've had 2 teams on the podium. In 2004 and 2005 Canada won every medal available (1st, 2nd, 3rd) at both events. Canadian teams have won 37 medals at that event, the USA is next with 12.

CHL playoffs typically preclude some players from playing the U-18's, but Canada won gold as recently as 2013. Bronze last year. The tournament Canada's best U-18's go to is the Ivan Hlinka, and Canada has won 8-straight Gold medals there. Canada has more gold at that tournament (19) than any other single nation has medals (Russia has 13 medals total, the USA 12).

So yeah, Canada is on a bit of a drought at the World Juniors, but Hockey Canada seems to be doing fine in other tournaments.