Tanner: Team Finland: Finland Eviscerated By North America, Who Are a Threat to Win World Cup

How fun was it to see Eichel score with assists coming from Matthews and McDavid? When will we ever get the chance to see that combination again outside the World Cup format?

How fun was it to see Eichel score with assists coming from Matthews and McDavid? When will we ever get the chance to see that combination again outside the World Cup format?
- mjones242

Gonna be a good test for them tonight.

When are you going to move on from this?
Hall is not on this team because he is less of a complete player then O'Reilly. Team Canada doesn't have to take someone just because he's a great scorer. They have a roster full of great scorers. They need someone who is going to check their ego and do what is necessary for the team to play a relatively flawless game, no matter what role they're asked to play.
And I guess Bouwmeester looked really out of place, eh? He really got beat badly on that one play where the Czech's scored that nice goal.
...oh, wait. They didn't score any goals?!?! Hmmm. I guess Canada's defense did just fine then, didn't they?

How fun was it to see Eichel score with assists coming from Matthews and McDavid? When will we ever get the chance to see that combination again outside the World Cup format?
- mjones242

No this is probably a one-off. I can't believe how awesome of a line that is.

When are you going to move on from this?

Likely never.


Hall is not on this team because he is less of a complete player then O'Reilly.

That is a ridiculous assertion.


Team Canada doesn't have to take someone just because he's a great scorer. They have a roster full of great scorers. They need someone who is going to check their ego and do what is necessary for the team to play a relatively flawless game, no matter what role they're asked to play.
And I guess Bouwmeester looked really out of place, eh? He really got beat badly on that one play where the Czech's scored that nice goal.
...oh, wait. They didn't score any goals?!?! Hmmm. I guess Canada's defense did just fine then, didn't they?
- Tonybere

And just because they beat an inferior team doesn't mean taking worse players won't hurt them later against good teams.

If anyone other than Mike Babcock suggested putting Bouwmeester on this team they would have got roasted.

As much as those kids looked great, energetic, fast, skilled, etc. Pekka Rinne looked just awful! I predict Nashville to win the Central but they'd better get better goaltending than that

Hall is not on this team because he is less of a complete player then O'Reilly.

That is a ridiculous assertion.

Why? Because you say it is? Sorry. That doesn't mean much to me.

I'll try this one more time.

It's not about having the team with the best players. It's about having the best team.

Hall is not on this team because he is less of a complete player then O'Reilly.

That is a ridiculous assertion.

Why? Because you say it is? Sorry. That doesn't mean much to me.

I'll try this one more time.

It's not about having the team with the best players. It's about having the best team.
- Tonybere

Taylor Hall - as I posted in great depth the other day - is a legit top line all-round player in the NHL. He is a top scorer over the last 3 years and has just 25 or so less points that Crosby over that time. (5v5).

He also drives possession (meaning he makes other, worse, players on his team beter).

He is sound defensively, but the other team rarely has the puck when he's on the ice anyways.

All around, Taylor Hall should have been one of their first picks - he's every bit the player Stamkos, Tavares and Seguin are.

Also, he's one of the fastest skaters in the NHL - maybe the fastest - and Team Canada is a relatively slow team.

As much as those kids looked great, energetic, fast, skilled, etc. Pekka Rinne looked just awful! I predict Nashville to win the Central but they'd better get better goaltending than that
- LeftCoaster

I agree with you here. Nashville should be the best team in hockey, but their goaltending isn't going to do them any favors. If they get a goalie, I'll say they are the Stanley Cup favorite.

They are a fun team to watch play for sure. Speed and skill is a joy to watch.

One issue though with this statement.

"If a team puts up a 55% corsi rating, they will rarely lose."

LA Kings last year registered a 56.25CF% last year at 5 on 5 play. They lost 28 games last year.

They are a fun team to watch play for sure. Speed and skill is a joy to watch.

One issue though with this statement.

"If a team puts up a 55% corsi rating, they will rarely lose."

LA Kings last year registered a 56.25CF% last year at 5 on 5 play. They lost 28 games last year.
- MJL

This is the same guy who said scoring a goal on the power play is "automatic." So, yeah, consider the source.

Taylor Hall - as I posted in great depth the other day - is a legit top line all-round player in the NHL. He is a top scorer over the last 3 years and has just 25 or so less points that Crosby over that time. (5v5).

He also drives possession (meaning he makes other, worse, players on his team beter).

He is sound defensively, but the other team rarely has the puck when he's on the ice anyways.

All around, Taylor Hall should have been one of their first picks - he's every bit the player Stamkos, Tavares and Seguin are.

Also, he's one of the fastest skaters in the NHL - maybe the fastest - and Team Canada is a relatively slow team.
- JTanner

Use of the term rarely, is again an exaggeration.

Is it a possibility that some players don't want to play in the World Cup?

He is sound defensively, but the other team rarely has the puck when he's on the ice anyways.

- JTanner

The other team had the puck 48.3% of the time last year (according to CORSI anyway). Nearly half the time = "rarely" to you?

Use of the term rarely, is again an exaggeration.
- MJL

I'm thinking he's not so sure what the term means.

Taylor Hall - as I posted in great depth the other day - is a legit top line all-round player in the NHL. He is a top scorer over the last 3 years and has just 25 or so less points that Crosby over that time. (5v5).

He also drives possession (meaning he makes other, worse, players on his team beter).

He is sound defensively, but the other team rarely has the puck when he's on the ice anyways.

All around, Taylor Hall should have been one of their first picks - he's every bit the player Stamkos, Tavares and Seguin are.

Also, he's one of the fastest skaters in the NHL - maybe the fastest - and Team Canada is a relatively slow team.
- JTanner

I don't know, James. There seems to be information that both you and I are lacking that the brain trust for Canada (you know, the guys that REALLY know all the relevant information) seem to have.
I don't by any means dislike or disrespect Taylor Hall. I'm just saying that if he were truly "every bit the player Stamkos, Tavares and Seguin are", he would be on the team.
And when it comes to the selection of O'Reilly over Hall, I was intrigued by what the (all-mighty) stats show. Which is that they are very similar players, by the numbers. What stands out to me is that O'Reilly can be counted on to take important draws (53% career) and in 120 more games than Hall he has half as many giveaways and twice as many takeaways. Also, he is better in shootouts (34.5% vs 25%).

I don't know, James. There seems to be information that both you and I are lacking that the brain trust for Canada (you know, the guys that REALLY know all the relevant information) seem to have.
I don't by any means dislike or disrespect Taylor Hall. I'm just saying that if he were truly "every bit the player Stamkos, Tavares and Seguin are", he would be on the team.
And when it comes to the selection of O'Reilly over Hall, I was intrigued by what the (all-mighty) stats show. Which is that they are very similar players, by the numbers. What stands out to me is that O'Reilly can be counted on to take important draws (53% career) and in 120 more games than Hall he has half as many giveaways and twice as many takeaways. Also, he is better in shootouts (34.5% vs 25%).
- Tonybere

I think he probably should have made the team (as a depth player).

But he is definitely not in the category of those 3. No way.

Canada has plenty of goal scoring. RoR brings a more complete game. Team Canada knows this. Hell, they played RoR in place of the NHL leader in points over the past 5 years. That should show you what they were looking for at that position.

Bouwmeester was part of the Sochi team that put on the most dominant defensive performance in the history of the game. It is not a stretch to see them bring him back.

I think he probably should have made the team (as a depth player).

But he is definitely not in the category of those 3. No way.
- prock

I don't know if I'd said depth player, maybe over guys like Perry and Marchand, but I don't think it's some apocalypse-inducing mistake that he didn't make the team.

Of course, should they lose, Tanner will likely blame the whole thing on Bouwmeester, Weber, and the lack of Taylor Hall.

I don't know if I'd said depth player, maybe over guys like Perry and Marchand, but I don't think it's some apocalypse-inducing mistake that he didn't make the team.

Of course, should they lose, Tanner will likely blame the whole thing on Bouwmeester, Weber, and the lack of Taylor Hall.
- jmatchett383

Well I agree Bouw shouldn't have made the team. There are better options. I don't think Hall should make it ahead of Corey Perry, but Marchand, yeah.

I never said you said depth player. I am saying that. He wouldn't crack the top 3 lines, for sure.

Canada has plenty of goal scoring. RoR brings a more complete game. Team Canada knows this. Hell, they played RoR in place of the NHL leader in points over the past 5 years. That should show you what they were looking for at that position.

Bouwmeester was part of the Sochi team that put on the most dominant defensive performance in the history of the game. It is not a stretch to see them bring him back.
- Aetherial

This

b) experience is overrated and that NHL coaches do not play or trust their young players enough

This is flawed logic. You're taking a fact and twisting it into a pre-determined agenda rather than taking the fact and making an objective assessment.

90% of these players ARE trusted by their coaches, play in the top 6 fwds and top 4 D pairs. They play 1st unit PP. They kill penalties. A good chunk are actually 1st liners who are looked to by their coaches to lead.

All this proves is that this group of players is very talented and was underestimated by the media and the public. NHL coaches know what they have and trust these players.

Hey Tanner. This isn't Miles Davis.



For future reference: Smooth jazz is a popular genre of music that grew out of jazz[1] and is influenced by rhythm and blues, funk, rock and roll, and pop music styles (separately, or, in any combination).[citation needed] Musicians such as Kenny G., Ramsey Lewis, David Koz, and Spyro Gyra have had hits with instrumental recordings, while singers such as Anita Baker, Sade, Sting and Norah Jones have found success with vocal releases. George Benson remains a popular Smooth Jazz artist as both a singer and guitar player. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smooth_jazz

This
- nbboy

That

They are a fun team to watch play for sure. Speed and skill is a joy to watch.

One issue though with this statement.

"If a team puts up a 55% corsi rating, they will rarely lose."

LA Kings last year registered a 56.25CF% last year at 5 on 5 play. They lost 28 games last year.
- MJL

the Kings missed leading the NHL in wins by 2 games. There's being a stickler and then just being over-the-top about it.