The Q, historically, has been the poopty league....
- SpoiledByOil

Didn't the Q win both games of the Subway Series, something neither the O nor the WHL could do?

does anyone actually play defense in the Q?
- hiway39

the goalies are sh*t there

Look at it this way if they don't win gold you guys get to have your day and say how they would of had Nurse been picked. I am not saying he didn't deserve it as he seems to have but I don't think him not being there is going to tip the scales that much there is plenty of talent there to still win and Seriously that's all I care about the logo on the front and not the names on the back !

Don't worry boy's.........they left off the Janitor as well.

Don't worry boy's.........they left off the Janitor as well.
- The-O-G

That ought to cheer them up

Look at it this way if they don't win gold you guys get to have your day and say how they would of had Nurse been picked. I am not saying he didn't deserve it as he seems to have but I don't think him not being there is going to tip the scales that much there is plenty of talent there to still win and Seriously that's all I care about the logo on the front and not the names on the back !
- blizzzard

they have half the team they had last season and they finished 4th

How do you only invite 2 goalies to camp?

does anyone actually play defense in the Q?
- hiway39

There's not that much of a difference actually. WHL is the more defensive league, but check out these stats from 2013-2014:
QMJHL
Team average Goals per season (68 gms): 226.34
Average goals scored per QMJHL game (both teams): 6.65
Best five GAA:
2.59
2.67
2.81
2.90
2.97
Worst Five:
4.53
4.18
4.15
4.09
3.99

WHL
Team average Goals per season (72 gms): 231.45
Average goals scored per QMJHL game (both teams): 6.42
Best Five GAA:
2.15
2.34
2.47
2.50
2.68
Worst Five:
4.15
3.97
3.94
3.79
3.73

Dub is more defensive for sure but saying the Q doesn't play defense for that kind of disparity is like saying the WHL doesn't play offense for its similar disparity.

they have half the team they had last season and they finished 4th
- TheNugeIsHuge

So ? they had the Talent to win last year to. It's been how many years since the Penguins made the finals? Darnell Nurse would of been a good player to have and maybe could of ended up being one of the best D there but he is not going to be the reason Canada Wins Gold or doesn't medal. There are better players invited, might be debatable on the back end but Drouin and McDavid will have a huge impact on this team there was a reason he was taken third and Nurse 7th. I am by no means saying HE SHOULDN'T BE THERE but come on guys Canada can do fine with out him. Like I said he wasn't going to be there best player there regardless of if he was or not.

Damn! Not first! Can I still suck it to Yeti and HallFan?
- Jeropotato

Yeah, you can still suck it.

I personally don't know how much it matters who they put in the bottom 3 spots. They have 4 strong D which are going to dominate the ice time. I haven't seen a couple of these guys play but I have seen most. These are some good players. Granted we did like Nurse and I feel loyalty to him. I am still not sure he was the best pick at 7. Rist I think was the safer bet for D but I am still of a mind that the team needed Nichuskin more than any D pick.

This is going to look odd on the surface but look at our D 2 years from now when Nurse is ready and see where he fits into our team. Can he crack the lineup and if he does, can he get into the top 4? Where as a large Russian winger that could play this season, might have been enough to tilt a couple of the games we lost at the start. Long term, a big forward is what the Oilers were saying they needed/wanted and yet passed on. We picked the wrong guy.

Would have been nice to see Nurse, surprised he was left off the team.

But I am way more excited to see McDavid play. If there is a kid to tank for, its McDavid.

Yeah, you can still suck it.

I personally don't know how much it matters who they put in the bottom 3 spots. They have 4 strong D which are going to dominate the ice time. I haven't seen a couple of these guys play but I have seen most. These are some good players. Granted we did like Nurse and I feel loyalty to him. I am still not sure he was the best pick at 7. Rist I think was the safer bet for D but I am still of a mind that the team needed Nichuskin more than any D pick.

This is going to look odd on the surface but look at our D 2 years from now when Nurse is ready and see where he fits into our team. Can he crack the lineup and if he does, can he get into the top 4? Where as a large Russian winger that could play this season, might have been enough to tilt a couple of the games we lost at the start. Long term, a big forward is what the Oilers were saying they needed/wanted and yet passed on. We picked the wrong guy.
- Hall Fan

No. They did not pick the wrong guy. Where else do we get a top 2 d? And if you say trade one of our young forwards I'll punch you in the vagina!

So ? they had the Talent to win last year to. It's been how many years since the Penguins made the finals? Darnell Nurse would of been a good player to have and maybe could of ended up being one of the best D there but he is not going to be the reason Canada Wins Gold or doesn't medal. There are better players invited, might be debatable on the back end but Drouin and McDavid will have a huge impact on this team there was a reason he was taken third and Nurse 7th. I am by no means saying HE SHOULDN'T BE THERE but come on guys Canada can do fine with out him. Like I said he wasn't going to be there best player there regardless of if he was or not.
- blizzzard

you said there's plenty of talent to win. I said that there was twice the talent last year and they placed 4th. Wasn't talking about Nurse.

But judging by canada's 4th place finish with the likes of RNH, Huberdeau, Scheifele, Hamilton, Mackinnon, you'd think they'd need all the help they could get

Yeah, you can still suck it.

I personally don't know how much it matters who they put in the bottom 3 spots. They have 4 strong D which are going to dominate the ice time. I haven't seen a couple of these guys play but I have seen most. These are some good players. Granted we did like Nurse and I feel loyalty to him. I am still not sure he was the best pick at 7. Rist I think was the safer bet for D but I am still of a mind that the team needed Nichuskin more than any D pick.

This is going to look odd on the surface but look at our D 2 years from now when Nurse is ready and see where he fits into our team. Can he crack the lineup and if he does, can he get into the top 4? Where as a large Russian winger that could play this season, might have been enough to tilt a couple of the games we lost at the start. Long term, a big forward is what the Oilers were saying they needed/wanted and yet passed on. We picked the wrong guy.
- Hall Fan

I was unhappy with the nurse pick at first. Still think Nichushkin was the better pick. But Nurse has seriously surprised me. He was great in the pre season and his only real question mark was his offensive game and he's now 2nd in OHL Dman scoring. Very happy with the pick now.

you said there's plenty of talent to win. I said that there was twice the talent last year and they placed 4th. Wasn't talking about Nurse.

But judging by canada's 4th place finish with the likes of RNH, Huberdeau, Scheifele, Hamilton, Mackinnon, you'd think they'd need all the help they could get
- TheNugeIsHuge

I don't think that was a talent problem as much as a goaltending problem. We will just have to see how the Goalies do this year as we seem to live or die by them.

I don't think that was a talent problem as much as a goaltending problem. We will just have to see how the Goalies do this year as we seem to live or die by them.
- blizzzard

I'm not sold on either of them. So far this year their numbers are not very good. There were seemingly better options to take to camp to check out. These guys are obviously staking their reputations on these picks. If it doesn't work out there will be even more questions than usual.

It's not just the Oilers blogger. Very prominent prospect blogger Corey Pronman said "Thought Nurse was a lock for the team. One of the more surprising moves I've seen by Hockey Canada in recent years."

Bob McKenzie: " Notable omissions that will spark conversation: Max Domi and Darnell Nurse".

TSN Poll is currently asking whether Domi or Nurse is the more notable omission.

Yahoo includes Nurse on their list of players that got "snubbed".

The Hockey Writers report Canadians are "baffled" by leaving Nurse off.

NBCsports called Nurse and Domi the biggest surprise omissions.
Not saying hockey Canada are idiots, but initial response IS that it's a head scratcher.
- Morris

Pretty crappy if it actually did involve politics.

man, i never knew hockey canada hand a anti-edmonton bias.

man, i never knew hockey canada hand a anti-edmonton bias.
- Jurco_28

I blame Kevin Lowe

Any chance that they didn't invite Nurse to the camp because they want to take a look at a better look at some other dmen before officially submitting their roster final roster on Christmas Day? I know it's a stretch in thinking this but he has had a pretty good season so far, seems odd to leave him off the team.

man, i never knew hockey canada hand a anti-edmonton bias.
- Jurco_28

I didn't either! Who said that?

Any chance that they didn't invite Nurse to the camp because they want to take a look at a better look at some other dmen before officially submitting their roster final roster on Christmas Day? I know it's a stretch in thinking this but he has had a pretty good season so far, seems odd to leave him off the team.
- nated81

This is their full camp roster. If they wanted to look at players they would have brought more players and made cuts as they typically do. They for some strange reason are going a different route. Everyone of them will be highly criticized if this does not end with gold.

Eberle left off the list again... wtf

This is their full camp roster. If they wanted to look at players they would have brought more players and made cuts as they typically do. They for some strange reason are going a different route. Everyone of them will be highly criticized if this does not end with gold.
- Iggysbff

So, what you're saying is.....Brent Sutter hates anyone associated with the Oilers?

So ? they had the Talent to win last year to. It's been how many years since the Penguins made the finals? Darnell Nurse would of been a good player to have and maybe could of ended up being one of the best D there but he is not going to be the reason Canada Wins Gold or doesn't medal. There are better players invited, might be debatable on the back end but Drouin and McDavid will have a huge impact on this team there was a reason he was taken third and Nurse 7th. I am by no means saying HE SHOULDN'T BE THERE but come on guys Canada can do fine with out him. Like I said he wasn't going to be there best player there regardless of if he was or not.
- blizzzard

Canada always has crazy depth, it's too bad for us oiler fans he's not on the team but we'll ice a team capable of winning gold. The went heavy on whl defensemen probably due to sutter but he has to be confident in who he sends out there. poopty for the oil but sutter is a great junior coach and if he gets gold then the roster doesn't matter