2014 Olympics

[diamond_ace 3,112]

Paul Martin makes no sense to me

[Knight 1,290]

Burke was the GM of the 2010 team who were extremely close to a gold medal, so he's earned another shot at doing it his way. Not that I would necessarily say that about a player (Ryan), but he's got a tendency for bluntness.

 

Also he improved Toronto drastically, finally giving us a young core who are competent, which we hadn't had since the pre-lockout days. His personality and clash with new management is what got him fired, not his lack of performance. 

[8Ovechkin8 262]

Burke was the GM of the 2010 team who were extremely close to a gold medal, so he's earned another shot at doing it his way. Not that I would necessarily say that about a player (Ryan), but he's got a tendency for bluntness.

 

Also he improved Toronto drastically, finally giving us a young core who are competent, which we hadn't had since the pre-lockout days. His personality and clash with new management is what got him fired, not his lack of performance.

It's highly debatable that those prospects would have been put in your shelf regardless of who was at the helm. I know leaf fans don't like to admit it, but the Kessel trade did hurt the leafs more then help. Seguin and Hamilton alone would, in my opinion, would have been the better option for the leafs. In all likeliness the leafs will make the playoffs for a few years and go back to where they were before.

But I'm not looking to get into a leafs debate because that would require me to argue with people who are extremely bias.

[AwfulHomesick 148]

Team Czech Republic

 

GOALKEEPERS

Ondřej Pavelec — Winnipeg Jets
Jakub Kovar — Yekaterinburg
Alexander Salak — St Petersburg

 

DEFENSEMEN

Marek Zidlicky — New Jersey Devils
Ladislav Smid — Calgary Flames
Radko Gudas — Tampa Bay Lightning
Michal Barinka — HC Vitkovice
Luke Krajíček — Dinamo Minsk
Michal Rozsival — Chicago Blackhawks
Zbynek Michalek — Phoenix Coyotes
Tomas Kaberle — Knights of Kladno

 

FORWARDS

Jaromir Jagr — New Jersey Devils
Patrik Elias — New Jersey Devils
Tomas Plekanec — Montreal Canadiens
Ales Hemsky — Edmonton Oilers
Jakub Voracek — Philadelphia Flyers
Michael Frolik — Winnipeg Jets
Martin Hanzal — Phoenix Coyotes
Vladimir Sobotka — St. Louis Blues
Ondřej Palát — Tampa Bay Lightning
Milan Michalek — Ottawa Senators
David Krejci — Boston Bruins
Roman Cervenka — St Petersburg
Petr Nedved — White Tigers Liberec
Jiří Novotný — HC LEV Praha

Edited January 6, 2014 by AwfulHomesick

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

I always wondered how Kovar would have done if he came over to NA. Drafted by the Flyers in the 06 draft, he's put up some pretty good stats in both the Czech league and the KHL this season, but never really had any interest in coming over.

[AwfulHomesick 148]

I always wondered how Kovar would have done if he came over to NA. Drafted by the Flyers in the 06 draft, he's put up some pretty good stats in both the Czech league and the KHL this season, but never really had any interest in coming over.

Czech GM hinted that Pavelec may not start. So we might see Kovar get starts.

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

im salivating at the Pietrangelo-Doughty pairing. that just tickles me pink. 

[Guest]

That's the oldest lineup in the tournament. It has to be. Nedved (42), Jagr (41), Elias (37), Kaberle (35), Zidlicky (36), Rozsival (35)

[Higgins 3,618]

No Vrbata.. interesting.

[CoachReilly 688]

Don't like Orpik and Martin is straight up an awful selection. What happened to speed?

[Guest]

No Vrbata.. interesting.

Yeah. I find this silly. Hanzal but no Vrbata (Gretel)

[Kel 62]

I'm stoked for this tourney .

[AwfulHomesick 148]

Team Canada to be announced in 30 minutes or so on TSN, TSN.ca and TSN Radio. Anyone outside of Canada wanting to see the announcement should watch the TSN.ca stream on a mobile device. Hasn't been working on my computer.

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

As a Flyers fan and Team USA fan I'm happy Giroux isn't going, but I don't see how Canada could leave him off the roster. The only player with more points than Giroux over the past 3 years is Malkin.

[FBR 158]

So....No St-Louis..

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

Rick Nash over Giroux, Seguin etc. i dont like that at all 

[Higgins 3,618]

Nash over Thornton, Giroux, Couture and Staal. K

[Devise 4,475]

As a Flyers fan and Team USA fan I'm happy Giroux isn't going, but I don't see how Canada could leave him off the roster. The only player with more points than Giroux over the past 3 years is Malkin.

 

I love Giroux. He can go on some hot and cold stretches like any elite hockey player for sure but for me the reason he didn't make this roster and my own personal Team Canada roster is because I feel Giroux best plays the game in a top six role. I don't see him on Canada's top six. Hell I barely see Giroux in the top nine. Not because he is a bad player, but because he simply didn't fit.

 

Once the decision for Team Canada came down to rolling the top nine with the three duos of Crosby/Kunitz, Toews/Sharp and Getzlaf/Perry you end up slotting in players that fit best with those type of players. Giroux can score but he is far more of a playmaker and the roster simply had enough of those type of players. Guys like Nash, Carter, Marluea finish better, in the case of Nash hit a lot better and fit those roles better than a player like Giroux does. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe a guy like Duchene gets more minutes but the younger guys like him scream to me fourth line players on this roster. I don't know if Giroux would be as successful in a role like that for one, or if he would welcome it. Just my thoughts of course. 

 

If I had to do forward line projections I'd say it shakes out like this

 

Kunitz - Crosby - Stamkos

Sharp - Toews - Nash

Benn - Getzlaf - Perry

Marleau - Tavares - Carter

Bergereon - Duchene

Edited January 7, 2014 by Devise22

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

with that being said. Switch Nash with Carter. Nash has not at all played well this year. Sure he had a concussion but upon return, he has not played well at all. Boy if Canada shits the bed...

[Victor 10,993]

Marluea

[Devise 4,475]

with that being said. Switch Nash with Carter. Nash has not at all played well this year. Sure he had a concussion but upon return, he has not played well at all. Boy if Canada shits the bed...

 

If Canada shits the bed you can't really blame it on fringe players that likely wouldn't of played in the top six anwyays. I love guys like Giroux, St. Lous etc. But Canada still brought it's best players. Crosby, Stamkos, Toews, Price, Doughty, Keith. If we shit the bed it's because those guys don't perform. Plain and simple. And if those guys can't perform? Giroux or St Louis or Seabrook or any of them wouldn't have done any better. Toews/Crosby/Stamkos are higher than any FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY player on the list of top players in the entire world if we are being honest. 

[Victor 10,993]

The censor never fails to bring a smile to my face. Praise Damien.

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

If Canada shits the bed you can't really blame it on fringe players that likely wouldn't of played in the top six anwyays. I love guys like Giroux, St. Lous etc. But Canada still brought it's best players. Crosby, Stamkos, Toews, Price, Doughty, Keith. If we shit the bed it's because those guys don't perform. Plain and simple. And if those guys can't perform? Giroux or St Louis or Seabrook or any of them wouldn't have done any better. Toews/Crosby/Stamkos are higher than any FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY player on the list of top players in the entire world if we are being honest. 

while that is true. but obviously if a team loses, it always isnt because of the best players fault. Crosby has been getting two points a game, true but if his team loses and he gets these two points and plays his game finishes even or even a plus, is it his fault the team loses? no its the support players. I just believe Duchene, Giroux, Thornton, Seguin are better support than Nash. 

[Guest]

Couture is surprised he got left off.

 

1. He is injured.

2. His season is god, but not great.

3. Not surprised, always found him kind of whiny.

[CoachReilly 688]

I love Giroux. He can go on some hot and cold stretches like any elite hockey player for sure but for me the reason he didn't make this roster and my own personal Team Canada roster is because I feel Giroux best plays the game in a top six role. I don't see him on Canada's top six. Hell I barely see Giroux in the top nine. Not because he is a bad player, but because he simply didn't fit.

 

Once the decision for Team Canada came down to rolling the top nine with the three duos of Crosby/Kunitz, Toews/Sharp and Getzlaf/Perry you end up slotting in players that fit best with those type of players. Giroux can score but he is far more of a playmaker and the roster simply had enough of those type of players. Guys like Nash, Carter, Marluea finish better, in the case of Nash hit a lot better and fit those roles better than a player like Giroux does. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe a guy like Duchene gets more minutes but the younger guys like him scream to me fourth line players on this roster. I don't know if Giroux would be as successful in a role like that for one, or if he would welcome it. Just my thoughts of course. 

 

If I had to do forward line projections I'd say it shakes out like this

 

Kunitz - Crosby - Stamkos

Sharp - Toews - Nash

Benn - Getzlaf - Perry

Marleau - Tavares - Carter

Bergereon - Duchene

 

I think that second line makes a lot of sense as Sharp and Toews have been dynamite together and Nash is somewhat similar to Hossa in terms of style of play.