Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Canada's B Team
(Inspired by discussions here)
Looks solid, no?
Smyth-Lecavalier-St.Louis
Carter-Savard-Cammalleri
B.Richards-Spezza-Doan
Penner-Sharp-Gagne
Bouwmeester-Green
Regehr-Phaneuf
Robidas-Mitchell
Roloson
Giguere/Mason
Carter-Savard-Cammalleri
B.Richards-Spezza-Doan
Penner-Sharp-Gagne
Bouwmeester-Green
Regehr-Phaneuf
Robidas-Mitchell
Roloson
Giguere/Mason
Looks solid, no?
# posted by Matt @ 11:00 am 
Comments:
In with a sniff at a medal, I'd guess. Goaltending's likely a bit a of a weak link unless Roloson or Giguere recreate the springs of '06 or '07. Other than Canada 1, that's possibly the most complete group of forwards you'd see in the tournament.
Did I miss anyone? I guess I take Stamkos as the #13 F, and Orpik as the #7 D, but I'm *sure* I've totally forgotten someone.
Well Gagne injured himself as soon as you thought about him. What about Briere? Wait- he saw Gagne injure himself and decided it looked fun.
I'd put Stamkos above Spezza, bumping him down and Sharp to 13th F. I like how Fisher doesn't even make the B team.
Honestly, I forgot about Fisher. If I'm taking anything resembling a role player, I'm taking him from the Western Conference, where his accomplishments are against, on average, better teams and players.
Hadn't thought of Bourque, but that ain't bad... I probably take him ahead of Gagne or Stamkos.
I was mostly joking about Fisher, as the obsession with him making the team was just bizarre. Unless Canada's trying to make Princess Leia an honorary Canadian.
Whoops! OK, I take Vlasic instead. Since I'm playing Green and Phaneuf for entire PPs, I don't think I'll take Souray or Campbell.
I also think I need to make room for Weiss. Gagne, Stamkos: you're cut.
I will maintain until the end of time that Canada would have won gold in '98 if Kariya hadn't been cheapshotted by Gary Suter (though Mario's cancer, and Sakic's foot injury, didn't help either). From 95 to 98, he really was that good.
But, I don't think he scares anyone any more.
I don't mind Vlasic at all. Todd McLellan doesn't seem to either, since he plays him with Rob Blake against the best EV comp.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why Bouwmeester and Green were left off the squad.
Bouwmeester is a better all-around defenseman than almost any player in the world and Green would be perfect as a #7 defenseman and powerplay specialist.
I also agree with the earlier comments about Mike Fisher. I have no idea why people are so obsessed with him. He had no business even being in the discussion, let alone on the squad.
That team could handle the Americans pretty well, no? I think the only advantage for the US would be in goal.
Yeah, that B team would be in the running for a medal along with Canada A, Russia and Sweden.
Wouldn't it also make for a better tournament if Canada were allowed to field 2 - or frankly 3 or 4 - teams?
I mean, don't most of the Five-Ring Circus sports nobody cares about, like, well, all the rest of them, allow nations to field more than one entry?
Canada V.4 would still be better than whatever cannon fodder gets served up the first few games against Canada V.1.
I'm late to the party, but I would probably start cam ward with roloson as a back up. The only other change I would make is substituting the soft jason spezza for a better checking centre like jordan staal. Or, perhaps, move doan to centre and add nathan horton.
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In with a sniff at a medal, I'd guess. Goaltending's likely a bit a of a weak link unless Roloson or Giguere recreate the springs of '06 or '07. Other than Canada 1, that's possibly the most complete group of forwards you'd see in the tournament.
Did I miss anyone? I guess I take Stamkos as the #13 F, and Orpik as the #7 D, but I'm *sure* I've totally forgotten someone.
Well Gagne injured himself as soon as you thought about him. What about Briere? Wait- he saw Gagne injure himself and decided it looked fun.
I'd put Stamkos above Spezza, bumping him down and Sharp to 13th F. I like how Fisher doesn't even make the B team.
Honestly, I forgot about Fisher. If I'm taking anything resembling a role player, I'm taking him from the Western Conference, where his accomplishments are against, on average, better teams and players.
Hadn't thought of Bourque, but that ain't bad... I probably take him ahead of Gagne or Stamkos.
I was mostly joking about Fisher, as the obsession with him making the team was just bizarre. Unless Canada's trying to make Princess Leia an honorary Canadian.
Whoops! OK, I take Vlasic instead. Since I'm playing Green and Phaneuf for entire PPs, I don't think I'll take Souray or Campbell.
I also think I need to make room for Weiss. Gagne, Stamkos: you're cut.
I will maintain until the end of time that Canada would have won gold in '98 if Kariya hadn't been cheapshotted by Gary Suter (though Mario's cancer, and Sakic's foot injury, didn't help either). From 95 to 98, he really was that good.
But, I don't think he scares anyone any more.
I don't mind Vlasic at all. Todd McLellan doesn't seem to either, since he plays him with Rob Blake against the best EV comp.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why Bouwmeester and Green were left off the squad.
Bouwmeester is a better all-around defenseman than almost any player in the world and Green would be perfect as a #7 defenseman and powerplay specialist.
I also agree with the earlier comments about Mike Fisher. I have no idea why people are so obsessed with him. He had no business even being in the discussion, let alone on the squad.
That team could handle the Americans pretty well, no? I think the only advantage for the US would be in goal.
Yeah, that B team would be in the running for a medal along with Canada A, Russia and Sweden.
Wouldn't it also make for a better tournament if Canada were allowed to field 2 - or frankly 3 or 4 - teams?
I mean, don't most of the Five-Ring Circus sports nobody cares about, like, well, all the rest of them, allow nations to field more than one entry?
Canada V.4 would still be better than whatever cannon fodder gets served up the first few games against Canada V.1.
I'm late to the party, but I would probably start cam ward with roloson as a back up. The only other change I would make is substituting the soft jason spezza for a better checking centre like jordan staal. Or, perhaps, move doan to centre and add nathan horton.
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