Team Canada WJC Selection Camp Opens

[Brush with Greatness 0]

Well, let's see how this discussion goes. Anyways, I'm a diehard WJC, having missed very few Canada games since getting hooked courtesy of John Slaney's goal at the 91 WJC when I was only 9.

 

Anyways, what are everyone's thoughts on the team?

 

And keep in mind my opinions will be favour the western players just because I've had more exposure to them.

 

Goalies

 

Well, Marc Andre Fleury is a lock here. The backup position will be a hell of a battle between Jeff Deslauries, Maxime Daigneault, Cam Ward and Josh Harding. In a bit of a surpise no 85 born goalies are even at camp (to groom a starter for next year). So with all 4 backups 84's it's anyone's shot.

 

Deslauriers should have made the team last year. I'd consider him the favourite to backup Fleury this year. Daigneault's a good goalie but had a very shitty World Under 18 performance representing Canada a few years back which should work against him. Harding and Ward are fairly even, although I believe if Harding had Ward's team in front of him he would be much better. So I think Fleury will start with Deslauriers being the frontrunner for the backup spot at camp with Harding being the one really pushing him for that spot.

 

Defence

 

After catching the WHL AllStars take on the Russian Selects recently I'm convinced that there are at least 6 WHL defence that will make up Team Canada's D. Braydon Coburn, Dion Phaneuf and Brent Seabrook should all make the team regardless of the fact that they are all 85's. Hopefully Ian White is healthy and he should have a spot as well. Shawn Belle (who is really impressive) may be the most raw skilled defenceman at camp and his strong skating should warrant a spot on the team, even though he is another 85. The other seven guys in camp are all 84's. It's pretty much a crapshoot between them, but considering the offensive talent those first five bring I would figure that they take two defensive d-men for the 6th and 7th spots. Kevin Klein should have one of those spots for sure. The other spot goes to maybe Josh Gorges or Mike Egener. This leaves Derek Meech, Andre Benoit, Jeremy Swanson, and Bruno Gervais out.

 

Forwards

 

Sidney Crosby, Brent Burns, Jeff Carter, Eric Fehr, Anthony Stewart, Adam Henrich, Jeff Tambellini, Stephen Dixon, Ryan Getzlaf, Daniel Paille, Mike Richards, Corey Perry, and Nigel Dawes. This leaves Adam Courchaine, Marc-Andre Bernier, Tim Brent, Kyle Brodziak, Jeremy Colliton, and Maxime Talbot in the cold. I think Courchaine and Bernier could sneak on because they both can put the puck in the net maybe dropping Dixon, Dawes or Perry off. Other than that, that list of 13 forwards is fucking impressive. Little bit of everything.

 

Then again, this whole camp is usually a crapshoot and some borderline players step up their game and make the team.

 

And like last year, where we were without Jay Bouwmeester, Jason Spezza, Rick Nash and Stephen Weiss, this year we are short Nash, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Eric Staal, Nathan Horton and Patrice Bergeron.

 

What are everyone else's thoughts?

[treble 0]

I never pay enough attention to Junior hockey, so one of my favourite parts of the WJC is seeing all these players play at a high level for the first time. It's also where I learn about a lot of up and comers, as before last year I had never even heard of Fleury and look where he is now.

[CanadianChris 0]

I'm still pissed that Corey Locke of the 67s didn't make the camp. I mean, he was only OHL MVP and CHL Player of the Year last year.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

Yeah, Locke was a surpisable omission. I didn't see either of the OHL-Russian Selects games. Did Locke tank in those or what?

[CanadianChris 0]

I didn't see them, either. I think he's being partly penalized, though, because of how bad the 67s are this season. Tis a shame.

[Red Baron 0]

I think Canada has a good enough team, and I want them to win gold this year, but I just can't see that happening

[Guest AllCanadian]

Who thinks Sydney Crosby will hold up against this level of competition. Honestly I didn't think he would break out as much as he did in the Q this year. The kid just owns everyone and personally I think he might just dominate in this tourny.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

I think Crosby will definetly hold his own. My prediction is that he will be held back to start but eventually get his chance and prove that he can hold his own. Both Bouwmeester and especially Spezza, saw limited time as 16 years olds. Of course, I don't think Spezza had the talent Crosby has.

 

Some people are saying that he should stand out comparing Alex Ovechkin's (who was playing a year before his draft eligible year) 6 goals in 6 games performance last year and saying that because Crosby is more skilled he should fare just as well or better. The thing to remember is that Ovechkin is an 85 (who if he had been born about 3 days earlier would have qualified for this past years NHL draft), playing mostly against 84's and 83's last year. Crosby will be an 87 playing against mostly 85's and 84's.

[Guest AllCanadian]

I think the main concern might be the physical aspect. The Q is a soft league compared to the OHL and the DUB. Obviously I super skilled player can avoid getting grinded down but the US and Sweeds are usually really physical teams.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

But they will be playing on the larger international ice surface too. That fact really hurt Spezza as a 16 year old because of his weak skating but favoured the swift Bouwmeester. With all of Crosby's talents it should also favour him. And yes, the Q is a softer league but on the same token Crosby is going up against the best defensman pairing/defensive forwards night in night out. Despite the league being softer, the top checkers in the league are still strong checkers. Since his strong start the kid has gotten a lot of special attention from opposing teams and it hasn't affected his game at all.

[Brush with Greatness 0]

Well, the Nats made their final cuts today. The makeup of the team looks like this:

 

GOALTENDERS:

Marc-Andre Fleury, Sorel PQ (Pittsburgh NHL)

Josh Harding, Regina SK (Regina WHL)

 

Good for Harding, he was probably the most talented goalie in camp other than Fleury but still had to work to beat out Deslauriers for the backup spot. Sort of sucks for Deslauriers. Too years in a row that he is the odd man out in net.

 

 

DEFENSEMAN:

Shawn Belle, Edmonton AB (Tri-Cities WHL)

Braydon Coburn, Shaunavon SK (Portland WHL)

Josh Gorges, Kelowna BC (Kelowna WHL)

Derek Meech, Winnipeg MB (Red Deer WHL)

Dion Phaneuf, Edmonton AB (Red Deer WHL)

Brent Seabrook, Tswwassen BC (Lethbridge WHL)

Kevin Klein, Kitchenen ON (Guelph OHL)

 

The big four 85's are there (Belle, Coburn, Phaneuf and Seabrook) as expected, along with Klein and Gorges. Only surprise was the omission of Ian White, who I guess they weren't sure would be ready (he is just recovering from a broken ankle). That opened up one more spot and they took the other little d-man in camp besides White, Derek Meech.

 

FORWARDS:

Brent Burns, Ajax ON (Minnesota NHL)

Jeremy Colliton, Blackie AB (Prince Albert WHL)

Nigel Dawes, Winnipeg MB (Kootenay WHL)

Ryan Getzlaf, Regina SK (Calgary WHL)

Sidney Crosby, Cole Harbour NS (Rimouski QMJHL)

Stephen Dixon, Halifax NS (Cape Breton QMJHL)

Maxim Talbot, St-Bruno PQ (Gatineau QMJHL)

Jeff Carter, London ON (Sault Ste. Marie OHL)

Daniel Paille, Welland ON (Guelph OHL)

Tim Brent, Cambridge ON (Toronto OHL)

Michael Richards, Kenora ON (Kitchener OHL)

Anthony Stewart, Toronto ON (Kingston OHL)

Jeff Tambellini, Port Moody BC (Michigan CCHA NCAA)

 

From my original predictions Eric Fehr, Adam Henrich, and Corey Perry are out and in there places are Jeremy Colliton, Maxime Talbot, and Tim Brent. It's obvious Canada feels they have enough offence as Colliton, Talbot and Brent don't have the offensive upside of Fehr, Henrich and Perry but bring more to the table defensively. Watching the games against the OUA the commentators highlighted the leadership that Talbot and Brent bring which also probably played a part in them being named to the team. That Richards-Stewart-Dawes line looks pretty awesome if they keep it together.

 

One of the most exciting part about this team is that 13, count them, fucking 13 guys (in italics) are eligible to return next year. The 85's on this years team are also not just bit players but should have large roles. In comparison, last year they only had four guys eligible to come back (Fleury, Paille, White and Pierre-Marc Bouchard). This also means they have a young team but experience shouldn't be a problem because most of them have played in Under-18's and what not. If this squad captures the championship this year I see definite potential for them to defend it next year. Add to that, a NHL lockout would mean that Nathan Horton and Patrice Bergeron would both be back as well.