I would rather have Carlson. I would rather have Paul Martin as well. Yandle would scare me. USA is talented but certainly not as talented as others. They will need defensive responsibility. They will need to win some low scoring games.
- PhillySportsGuy

I'd take Yandle over both. Neither Carlson or Martin are exceptionally good defensive players and the level that they are better than Yandle, is, IMO marginal.

I find it really telling when the two biggest backers of Yandle are the two GM's that won recent Stanley Cups(Lombardi & Bowman) and the guy most critical is a blowhard whose own track record-outside of winning with Murray's team-is mediocre.

The fact that a coach who has had two of the 5 best players in the world on his roster and has won 3 playoff rounds in the last 5 years won't play him is actually a huge selling point in his favor, to me.

What about Carle? He was a major snub from the Olympic team.
- PLindbergh31

So was Mike Knuble. They could use his speed.

I'd take Yandle over both. Neither Carlson or Martin are exceptionally good defensive players and the level that they are better than Yandle, is, IMO marginal.

I find it really telling when the two biggest backers of Yandle are the two GM's that won recent Stanley Cups(Lombardi & Bowman) and the guy most critical is a blowhard whose own track record-outside of winning with Murray's team-is mediocre.

The fact that a coach who has had two of the 5 best players in the world on his roster and has won 3 playoff rounds in the last 5 years won't play him is actually a huge selling point in his favor, to me.
- Jsaquella

Poile didn't want him either. I would have taken him, but I'm not sure I would have put him in my top 6.

So was Mike Knuble. They could use his speed.
- PhillySportsGuy

Knuble is retired.

Poile didn't want him either. I would have taken him, but I'm not sure I would have put him in my top 6.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yep. The guy who has been an NHL GM for 30 years and has never won anything...I'm going to side with Lombardi & Bowman again.

They aren't playing on a soccer field sized rink! It's bigger, but that just means there more room to cover on defense as well. Skating is an asset, but it can also leave you further out of position.
- PhillySportsGuy

It's 15 feet wider, I believe (200 x 100) (think it was on NHL.com).

I want someone that has the speed to catch up to wingers streaking down the wing. Yandle has that speed. And he is one of the better passers and skaters of Americans. No reason he should be left off. Not with the bigger rink. Not with a pylon like Orpik.

It's 15 feet wider, I believe (200 x 100) (think it was on NHL.com).

I want someone that has the speed to catch up to wingers streaking down the wing. Yandle has that speed. And he is one of the better passers and skaters of Americans. No reason he should be left off. Not with the bigger rink. Not with a pylon like Orpik.
- Moose_15

I think you're overvaluing speed a bit. Positional play is equally important.

It's 15 feet wider, I believe (200 x 100) (think it was on NHL.com).

I want someone that has the speed to catch up to wingers streaking down the wing. Yandle has that speed. And he is one of the better passers and skaters of Americans. No reason he should be left off. Not with the bigger rink. Not with a pylon like Orpik.
- Moose_15

Part of my issue is, if you're going to trash the guy's defense, don't take guys who are only marginally better than he is. Martin and Carlson are competent, Fowler is inconsistent in his own end, Orpik is not an especially good skater who may have issues on the bigger ice. The only guys I'd take before him are Suter, McDonagh & Shattenkirk.

I think you're overvaluing speed a bit. Positional play is equally important.
- PhillySportsGuy

I think you're overvaluing speed a bit. Positional play is equally important.
- PhillySportsGuy

Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precautions.

--Sun Tzu (The guy who literally wrote the book on warfare.)

of course, this is all in jest.

You had me up until then. Theres a reason the top scoring american dman is not on team USA.
- PhillySportsGuy

I'm guessing if Yandle was part of the NDTP at one time or was a US based college player (instead of playing in the Q for a year), he'd have been on the team.

Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precautions.

--Sun Tzu (The guy who literally wrote the book on warfare.)

of course, this is all in jest.
- Moose_15

This isn't 'Nam. There are rules!

This isn't 'Nam. There are rules!
- PhillySportsGuy

Part of my issue is, if you're going to trash the guy's defense, don't take guys who are only marginally better than he is. Martin and Carlson are competent, Fowler is inconsistent in his own end, Orpik is not an especially good skater who may have issues on the bigger ice. The only guys I'd take before him are Suter, McDonagh & Shattenkirk.
- Jsaquella

How is Justin Faulk? I haven't watched much of him. There wasn't any disagreement about him being on the team.

I'd like to think Holmgren looked this every time everyone in that room had an idea:


- Moose_15

too bad Homer didn't punch Barkan in the head

So.

How does this bumhole know the Yotes offered Handle for JVR straight up? That's what I want to know.

too bad Homer didn't punch Barkan in the head
- nastyflyergirl

what is the context of this .gif?

This isn't 'Nam. There are rules!
- PhillySportsGuy

My point is that speed allows a player to attack--whether that's transitioning through the zone or a dman attacking a puck-handling forward coming down the wing. And while positioning can be trained, speed can't.

If my choices were a faster player with decent positioning and a slower player with better positioning, I'd take the faster guy on the bigger rink, and the slower guy on the smaller rink.

So.

How does this bumhole know the Yotes offered Handle for JVR straight up? That's what I want to know.
- Giroux_Is_God

He didn't/doesn't. The starting point might have been JVR. But that's not a deal that would have been done one for one.

The price of Yandle was going to be Couturier or Schenn +++.

Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly: On the day the Flyers traded James van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs for Luke Schenn, the Coyotes offered them Keith Yandle. It was the same deal the Maple Leafs got.

You're GM is on bathsalts. That is all
- Mapleleafs_91

If you believe Tim Panaccio YOU are on bath salts.

How is Justin Faulk? I haven't watched much of him. There wasn't any disagreement about him being on the team.
- PhillySportsGuy

He's going to be pretty good.

Logs a lot of minutes for Carolina as a 21-year-old. No problem with him making the team. (I'd still prefer E. Johnson & Yandle over him) but I'm okay with him being there.

He didn't/doesn't. The starting point might have been JVR. But that's not a deal that would have been done one for one.

The price of Yandle was going to be Couturier or Schenn +++.
- KGBflyers10

Precisely.

This actually infuriates me.

what is the context of this .gif?
- KGBflyers10

Barkann tried to make a joke about a fire alarm.

Homer wasn't having any of it.

- johndewar

Mark it a zero.

too bad Homer didn't punch Barkann in the head
- nastyflyergirl

Too bad we can't each punch Barkann in the head.