O Canada! > Canadian > Canadian Chat > World JR hockey thread

reply to ZZZZZZZ

Re: World JR hockey thread

We were not just defeated, but crushed. Total domination by the Americans.

At least the Russians lost too...........so we play them for a bronze.

One of the best hockey powers will end up in 4th place.....unreal.
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Sarcasm is the body’s natural defense against stupidity.

Y'know what? There are a lot of good hockey players worldwide. That Swiss team that lost to the Russians in a SO was just flat out fun to watch. Small, but quick and skilled. They are lilterally at the cusp of stepping into a medal contender.

The Swedes have leaped ahead by miles in thier junior development and should be considered to be a hockey power too.

The USA has an insane population and true national leadership at USA Hockey that is developing star players. The best goalies in the OHL the last two years are both from the Pittsburgh area. The Jr. Penguins program is a co-ordinated, cohesive, single focused youth development program that is starting to pump out players at an alarming rate.
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reply to ZZZZZZZ
I read Ray Ferraro's comment about Canadian team, after 4th goal. "They are as flat as pancake"
So May be 3rd or 4th best Hockey power and USA looks to be the Best.

reply to ZZZZZZZ
They played soft, with no legs. After the second American goal I checked the final score and just stopped watching. For all the sports science that team Canada has at its disposal, they sure didn't come out of the gate.

The coaches also made the decision to start the 4th line and then play a full bench for what I saw of the first period. Why on earth would you take that strategy against a team as skilled as the Americans? They took away the greatest weapons that they have by leaving the first line on the bench. Know what is a good defence? Not letting the other team have the puck. That line would have spent more time in the offensive zone generating scoring chances.

As to this being a failing of Canada's hockey development program. No. Just no. Look at the medal history for this tournament and the under 17s. A bit too many Canadian golds to be worried, yet. At the end of the day, it is a round robin and then single elimination tournament. Play this same game 5 times over and the result may have been different.

There are some fantastic players on the Canadian team. Ones I will watch for when it comes time for them to play in the NHL. There just wasn't enough this year for Canada to coast to victory.

reply to Anav

quote:

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Lets admit it that our hockey program sucketh. If a top crop of our best juniors cant cut the mustard then our program is no better than anyone elses.

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reply to ZZZZZZZ
Had a feeling the Americans were going to walk all over us this morning. There has to be a better head coach than Steve Spott and hopefully next year we see him.

reply to ZZZZZZZ

Wow Sweden should be up 5-0..........don't think Russia even got a shot in the period.

This Forseberg kid is living up to his namesake too.............Caps got another great player.
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Sarcasm is the body’s natural defense against stupidity.

reply to ZZZZZZZ
Sometimes when you load up a team with nothing but so called talent, you forget to add heart and hence you come out flat and lose. Talent alone never wins championships. Was that the best Canadian Junior team we have ever assembled, not even close. Is it the best team would could have assembled this year, again not even close. Management was poor and lazy and picked kids based on draft position and totally forgot about heart and chemistry, so losing was a pre-ordained fact long before the tourney started.

Blake
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That makes sense LL.

reply to Link Logger
yea, i was never a big fan of this team from the get go...i only watched one game, and wasn't overly impressed from it either.

reply to ZZZZZZZ
When they lost an exhibition game to UofA I knew they were easy meat for someone else's party. UofA didn't have near the super stars, but they had far more heart and balls and really when push comes to shove, heart and balls trumps talent every time. Put a real Canadian team together of ballsy grinders who don't mind a little blood, toss in a couple of snipers and the tourney is in the bag for Canada, its the Canadian way and why we refuse to use the Canadian strength is beyond me and obviously the team's management. I'm not saying Goon Hockey, I'm saying get those guys who are willing to push their legs hard when there is nothing left in the tank, make the play so someone else can bask in the glory while they suck air for all their worth getting ready for the next shift, block the shot, finish the hit or take the hit without losing their head (ie its not the first time they have been hit and they know it won't be the last either), get up off the ice with an idea of how to get back in the play without whining to the ref. Those are the guys that win championships.

Not to blame the kids, this team's failure to produce is a product of crappy management and team selection. All that talent was lost without someone to get the puck near their net or away from our net.

Blake
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You make a valid point Link.

I remember 2 years ago when Canada blew the lead to the Russians. I remember watching the first and second period and saw how the top 2 lines were getting gassed because they were always on the ice scoring goals. Then comes the third period and a couple of quick goals by the Russians due to simple mistakes and you saw the wild swing of emotions from these kids go from high to low. The coach throws out the 4th line later in the period and you see that they were just raring to get on the ice to get some momentum back by just pure heart and effort but by then Canada was out of the game because the scoring lines were just done.

My point is that sometimes I wonder about the coaching and maybe relying on too much individual superstar power and not as a team like the Swiss and their near upset of the Russians in the quarter finals.

reply to ZZZZZZZ

Russia wins 6-5 in OT... USA-Sweden game on in 20 minutes...

"Its a new day tomorrow".

Best I could say about this year's Juniors.

2-1 USA after 2 periods....