WC: Team Canada 2024

ORRFForever

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Oct 29, 2018
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The tournament has been terrific and a LOT of fun. The crazy part : I ALMOST missed it.

In early May, I received an invitation from P-Diddy to go to his "May 2024 Freak Off" - 2 weeks of fun, sun and NDA's in Florida. I was headed for the airport when @jj cale convinced me to stay in Canada and watch the World Championships instead.

In hindsight, I feel I made the right choice.
 
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jj cale

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Jan 5, 2016
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On the eve of the game I think you won't see any changes in the lines or defense pairings.I think the staff is comfortable with them as they are now to start the game tomorrow. It's the quarters so not the best time to try and get Bedard going but they might tinker a little bit with him in game but I think hes going to get the ice time he has been getting last few games which is limited. He will have to get himself going and make the most of his ice time. Binnington has looked fine the last few games so hopefully he keeps that up.

I hope the refs are onto the holding and obstruction down low that the non favoured teams usually engage in at this tournament to frustrate the big dogs and keep good opportunities to a minimum so as to give them their best chance to keep it close until late in the game. It's a time honoured tactic here and can be very effective especially if you have been getting good goaltending which if I am not mistaken the Slovaks have been getting.

Game on tomorrow, let's see how it goes.
 

MeHateHe

Registered User
Dec 24, 2006
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The tournament has been terrific and a LOT of fun. The crazy part : I ALMOST missed it.

In early May, I received an invitation from P-Diddy to go to his "May 2024 Freak Off" - 2 weeks of fun, sun and NDA's in Florida. I was headed for the airport when @jj cale convinced me to stay in Canada and watch the World Championships instead.

In hindsight, I feel I made the right choice.
On the other hand, I hear the Chinese food was being delivered.
 

JackSlater

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Apr 27, 2010
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Now that I've finished the Canada Czechs game, I have to say that Canada's inability to really shut things down is a bit concerning. I would think that the team should be able to get by Slovakia but they seem to consistently do a good job of denying chances, and then allowing a killer chance that often ends up in the net. Binnington has just been ok for me, in terms of looking at the Olympics I wouldn't say he's improved his stock. That can change a bit in the coming games,

Bedard is the main draw in the tournament for me this year. His opportunities have dwindled but I understand what the coaching staff is thinking. They are going with lines that are playing better and Bedard is a somewhat awkward fit with how the Canadian forwards on this team play. His game has warts but he's easily the most dynamic talent on the team, so you'd hope that he figures it out and gives the team a different dimension. I'm happy that Cozens has provided a case of a young guy playing great hockey and making some noise heading into the next season and a half before the Olympics.
 
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WhiskeyYerTheDevils

yer leadin me astray
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Apr 27, 2005
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On the eve of the game I think you won't see any changes in the lines or defense pairings.I think the staff is comfortable with them as they are now to start the game tomorrow. It's the quarters so not the best time to try and get Bedard going but they might tinker a little bit with him in game but I think hes going to get the ice time he has been getting last few games which is limited. He will have to get himself going and make the most of his ice time. Binnington has looked fine the last few games so hopefully he keeps that up.

I hope the refs are onto the holding and obstruction down low that the non favoured teams usually engage in at this tournament to frustrate the big dogs and keep good opportunities to a minimum so as to give them their best chance to keep it close until late in the game. It's a time honoured tactic here and can be very effective especially if you have been getting good goaltending which if I am not mistaken the Slovaks have been getting.

Game on tomorrow, let's see how it goes.
Bedard strikes me as a big game player, I think he'll rise to the occasion. He just has to be more patient and be smarter about knowing when to take chances and when to simplify. I'm sure he'll figure it out.
 
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ORRFForever

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Florida is really taking it to the Rangers - first time I've seen a team do that this post season.
 

MeHateHe

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Dec 24, 2006
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For the ninth straight tournament, Canada will play for a medal. All you doomsayers from the first few pages may want to reflect on that.

Who am I kidding, none of those guys have read anything other than what they wrote since the third page.
 
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NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
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For the ninth straight tournament, Canada will play for a medal. All you doomsayers from the first few pages may want to reflect on that.

Who am I kidding, none of those guys have read anything other than what they wrote since the third page.

I mean, I thought this team was better on paper than last year's team.

I was actually quite pleased with it.
 

MeHateHe

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Dec 24, 2006
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I didn't hear we had won gold.
Every year it's the same thing. Shoulda brought this guy, and that guy is going to cost games and the goalie is terrible and the defence all suck and blah blah blah.

Canada sends decent teams to this tournament and they're all competitive. There are never any guarantees in one-off tournament hockey, so the most important thing is that you send competitive teams. As it happens, this is one that is most competitive on paper. It's a little tiring.
 
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ORRFForever

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Every year it's the same thing. Shoulda brought this guy, and that guy is going to cost games and the goalie is terrible and the defence all suck and blah blah blah.

Canada sends decent teams to this tournament and they're all competitive. There are never any guarantees in one-off tournament hockey, so the most important thing is that you send competitive teams. As it happens, this is one that is most competitive on paper. It's a little tiring.
I agree, 100%.

As a Canadian, I grew tired of the bitching (NOT directed at any one poster(s)) long ago. Before every tournament, Canadian posters whine our team sucks and everyone else is going to crush us. You can set your watch by it. I find it painful.

I mean, I thought this team was better on paper than last year's team.

I was actually quite pleased with it.
Me, too.

For the ninth straight tournament, Canada will play for a medal. All you doomsayers from the first few pages may want to reflect on that.

Who am I kidding, none of those guys have read anything other than what they wrote since the third page.
It's the Canadian way. As I've said MANY times before, it could be the Canadian Globe Trotters vs the Washington Generals and Canadian posters would say we suck, everyone else is better and we are going to lose. I find it painful - and I'm Canadian.
 
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JackSlater

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Apr 27, 2010
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I mean, I thought this team was better on paper than last year's team.

I was actually quite pleased with it.
I think most people were. This team is more talented than plenty of Canadian teams that have gone to this tournament recently, including multiple that won the tournament.

I am surprised that the coaching staff mixed things up at forward as much as they did, but credit to them. The team is better with Bedard showing some spark and providing more versatility in the attack. He does need to avoid bad penalties though.

Switzerland is a very winnable game for Canada but not a cake walk. Looking forward to seeing how they do. Discipline will be key.
 
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ORRFForever

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Congrats to our kids. Another medal is likely. I think a GMG appearance is also likely.

The game was stressful - Slovakia was terrific.

Team Canada did a nice job picking in 2024.
 
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FDBluth

Registered User
Jul 2, 2004
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Kelowna, BC
Now that I've finished the Canada Czechs game, I have to say that Canada's inability to really shut things down is a bit concerning. I would think that the team should be able to get by Slovakia but they seem to consistently do a good job of denying chances, and then allowing a killer chance that often ends up in the net. Binnington has just been ok for me, in terms of looking at the Olympics I wouldn't say he's improved his stock. That can change a bit in the coming games,

Bedard is the main draw in the tournament for me this year. His opportunities have dwindled but I understand what the coaching staff is thinking. They are going with lines that are playing better and Bedard is a somewhat awkward fit with how the Canadian forwards on this team play. His game has warts but he's easily the most dynamic talent on the team, so you'd hope that he figures it out and gives the team a different dimension. I'm happy that Cozens has provided a case of a young guy playing great hockey and making some noise heading into the next season and a half before the Olympics.
My only gripe is that he wasn't really awarded at all for being Canada's only forward scoring goals in the first few games. No first PP time, no elevated ice time, etc. Yet when he makes mistakes he's demoted to 13th forward. He really should be a top line wing--would mitigate his defensive lackings the most too by playing with better players and generally having more attacking time. How many players on this team led their NHL team in points?
 

ORRFForever

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Oct 29, 2018
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My only gripe is that he wasn't really awarded at all for being Canada's only forward scoring goals in the first few games. No first PP time, no elevated ice time, etc. Yet when he makes mistakes he's demoted to 13th forward. He really should be a top line wing--would mitigate his defensive lackings the most too by playing with better players and generally having more attacking time. How many players on this team led their NHL team in points?
NOT trying to be snarky but did you watch the tougher games?

To my eyes, he deserves to be the 13th forward.
 
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ORRFForever

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Let's see if the Oilers can make the day perfect. I doubt it. I don't see them taking out Dallas.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
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Ottawa, ON
My only gripe is that he wasn't really awarded at all for being Canada's only forward scoring goals in the first few games. No first PP time, no elevated ice time, etc. Yet when he makes mistakes he's demoted to 13th forward. He really should be a top line wing--would mitigate his defensive lackings the most too by playing with better players and generally having more attacking time. How many players on this team led their NHL team in points?

He’s taken two bad penalties in the last two games which led to momentum swinging goals against.

He often looks like the most dangerous player for Canada but unfortunately that has a double meaning at this stage.

Overall he looked better against Slovakia than in the previous three games against the top competition in the pool.
 

ORRFForever

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Oct 29, 2018
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He’s taken two bad penalties in the last two games which led to momentum swinging goals against.

He often looks like the most dangerous player for Canada but unfortunately that has a double meaning at this stage.

Overall he looked better against Slovakia than in the previous three games.
Yes. He's acted like a child when scoring did not come easy to him.

I guess he's not used to it. Lesson learned.
 

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
18,436
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My only gripe is that he wasn't really awarded at all for being Canada's only forward scoring goals in the first few games. No first PP time, no elevated ice time, etc. Yet when he makes mistakes he's demoted to 13th forward. He really should be a top line wing--would mitigate his defensive lackings the most too by playing with better players and generally having more attacking time. How many players on this team led their NHL team in points?
I agree that Bedard should have consistently been on the top PP unit. He did have time with Tavares and Dubois today and looked good. Today looked like he was trending in the right direction, in terms of both play and usage.
 
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