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Okay it's been building for some time, but looking in the Norwegian Olympic thread had me at the brink of depression. So what to do... Go into denial!!! Not a word on you-know-what we managed to **** up. Only discussion on how the team would look if we had tickets to Sochi.
My first draft is looking something like this:
Goalies(x3):
Frederik Andersen, Anaheim Ducks/Norfolk, NHL/AHL, 24
Patrick Galbraith, Karlskrona, Allsvenskan, 27
Simon Nielsen, Lukko, SM-Liiga, 27
Backs(x7):
Mads Bødker, Yuzhny Ural Orsk, VHL, 26
Jesper B. Jensen, Rögle, Allsvenskan, 22
Philip Larsen, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, 24
Stefan Lassen, Graz 99ers, Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 28
Markus Lauridsen, Lake Erie Monsters, AHL, 23
Oliver Lauridsen, Adirondanck Phantoms, AHL, 24
Daniel Nielsen, Hamburg Freezers, DEL, 33
Forwards(x13):
Patrick Bjørkstrand, Medvescak Zagreb, KHL, 21
Mikkel Bødker, Phoenix Coyotes, NHL, 23
Mads Christensen, Eisbären Berlin, DEL, 26
Lars Eller, Montreal Canadians, NHL, 24
Morten Green, Schwenninger Wild Wings, DEL, 32
Jannik Hansen, Vancouver Canucks, NHL, 27
Nicholas Hardt, Jokerit, SM-Liiga, 25
Julian Jakobsen, Hamburg Freezers, DEL, 26
Jesper Jensen, Karlskrona, Allsvenskan, 26
Nicklas Jensen, Utica Comets, AHL, 20
Morten Madsen, Hamburg Freezers, DEL, 26
Frans Nielsen, New York Islanders, NHL, 29
Peter Regin, New York Islanders, NHL, 27
On the goalie site of things the only real question mark is the thirds goalie. Simon Nielsen is a clear favorite, but it's not like he has played a lot this year. Actually just looking at eliteprospects it looks like he's just played one game for Lukko and let in 9 goals. Is that right? Either way that might spark some question whether to look other ways. Sebastian Dahm would be the safe bet if you'd want a third goalie you feel safe to use. But you could argue you'd might do more good taking Georg Sørensen. I'd also not completely rule out Peter Hirsch. In any scenario where Galbraith and Andersen isn't an option you'd look for someone to play one hell of a game. One game wonder thy name is Peter Hirsch I see the argument for all three but I'd go with Simon Nielsen.
On the defensive site I'd go:
Philip Larsen-Daniel Nielsen
Jesper Jensen-Oliver Lauridsen
Stefan Lassen-Markus Lauridsen
Mads Bødker
I'm not all that into having our two right handed d-men in the same pair but seeing as they'd be our first PP-pairring and all it just seems more natural. Besides it gives us a clear cut d-pair to put into offensive zone stars when points are on the line at the end of the game.
Mads Bødker or Emil Kristensen as the last guy? I went with Bødker because of two small things. A) I think the element of mobility he could add, is an aspect to the game the others D-men could lack. So he gives the coach another tactical card on the hand. B) Presence. He's not quite veteran presence but he's been on these trips with these guys quite some times before and he's played this year in Russia. He might add some stability and calmness to a group of D-men where there's still some new faces(Lauridsens brothers and partly Jesper Jensen). His size could be a problem.
In case of more than one injury there's a whole tier of players where I'm not quite sure where I stand but just throwing some names out there: Michael Eskesen, Simon Grønvaldt, Kasper Jensen, Philip Hersby, Rasmus Nielsen, Philip Bruggisser and Mads Bech Christensen. All of this is just in the case that Jesper Duus is in fact NOT ready to play 30 min a game
On the forward side:
Mads Christensen-Frans Nielsen-Mikkel Bødker(First offensive line)
Morten Madsen-Lars Eller-Jannik Hansen(Decoy shut-down/energy line)
Nichlas Hardt-Peter Regin-Julian Jakobsen(Second offensive line)
Morten Green-Patrick Bjørkstrand-Nicklas Jensen(Weird fourth line but some veteran presence, a talented sniper and a center with a good year in the KHL might do some damage)
Jesper Jensen
How to mix this in a way that makes sense? I've focused on being strong down the middle. Centers are and have earlier been a super important spot for us, and that's what hurting Patrick Bjørkstrand in this first draft. You could easily end up shuffling the cards halfway through game 1, but I see these lines fitting somewhat with what I've heard described as this new philosophy of the team with more heavy forechecking and more speed.
There's also the element, that I'd really like to create some lines that were obvious to throw out in the last minutes of the game(Eller-line D-zone starts, Frans Nielsen-line O-zone stars) without having to rearrange the lines for the purpose.
Jesper Jensen over Frederik Storm and Morten Poulsen? Well I'm going completely on numbers this year and past experiences.
Ehlers, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Kim Staal(It's never off the table - you know it! ), Kiril Starkov, Lasse Lassen, Anders H. Poulsen, Felix Scheel, Jannik Karvinen, Steffen Frank, Thomas Spelling, Nicolai Meyer and Morten Andreasen could be brought in the the conversation as reserves.
Team Canada had 6 official reserves last time around so here's Team Denmarks:
Sebastian Dahm, Emil Kristensen, Mads Bech Christensen, Morten Poulsen, Jesper Jensen and Kim Staal.
Preliminary roster would include those mentioned above and no one else. I'm not a big believer of bringing in young guys that might become a part of the teams future. That "might" has to be out of the question before I'd risk the "noise" and lower quality in training in exchange for investing in experience for a future player.
This is here and now, so nothing to guess about. Who would you pick - and in which lines would you pick? Today. Right now. Go! Or just, you know... just poor out your thoughts of imaginary problems, unreal decisions or fictional dilemmas for this hypothetical Olympic team. As the saying goes: Never let a good discussion be ruined by reality or facts!
(Jebus that felt good to get off the chest )
My first draft is looking something like this:
Goalies(x3):
Frederik Andersen, Anaheim Ducks/Norfolk, NHL/AHL, 24
Patrick Galbraith, Karlskrona, Allsvenskan, 27
Simon Nielsen, Lukko, SM-Liiga, 27
Backs(x7):
Mads Bødker, Yuzhny Ural Orsk, VHL, 26
Jesper B. Jensen, Rögle, Allsvenskan, 22
Philip Larsen, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, 24
Stefan Lassen, Graz 99ers, Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, 28
Markus Lauridsen, Lake Erie Monsters, AHL, 23
Oliver Lauridsen, Adirondanck Phantoms, AHL, 24
Daniel Nielsen, Hamburg Freezers, DEL, 33
Forwards(x13):
Patrick Bjørkstrand, Medvescak Zagreb, KHL, 21
Mikkel Bødker, Phoenix Coyotes, NHL, 23
Mads Christensen, Eisbären Berlin, DEL, 26
Lars Eller, Montreal Canadians, NHL, 24
Morten Green, Schwenninger Wild Wings, DEL, 32
Jannik Hansen, Vancouver Canucks, NHL, 27
Nicholas Hardt, Jokerit, SM-Liiga, 25
Julian Jakobsen, Hamburg Freezers, DEL, 26
Jesper Jensen, Karlskrona, Allsvenskan, 26
Nicklas Jensen, Utica Comets, AHL, 20
Morten Madsen, Hamburg Freezers, DEL, 26
Frans Nielsen, New York Islanders, NHL, 29
Peter Regin, New York Islanders, NHL, 27
On the goalie site of things the only real question mark is the thirds goalie. Simon Nielsen is a clear favorite, but it's not like he has played a lot this year. Actually just looking at eliteprospects it looks like he's just played one game for Lukko and let in 9 goals. Is that right? Either way that might spark some question whether to look other ways. Sebastian Dahm would be the safe bet if you'd want a third goalie you feel safe to use. But you could argue you'd might do more good taking Georg Sørensen. I'd also not completely rule out Peter Hirsch. In any scenario where Galbraith and Andersen isn't an option you'd look for someone to play one hell of a game. One game wonder thy name is Peter Hirsch I see the argument for all three but I'd go with Simon Nielsen.
On the defensive site I'd go:
Philip Larsen-Daniel Nielsen
Jesper Jensen-Oliver Lauridsen
Stefan Lassen-Markus Lauridsen
Mads Bødker
I'm not all that into having our two right handed d-men in the same pair but seeing as they'd be our first PP-pairring and all it just seems more natural. Besides it gives us a clear cut d-pair to put into offensive zone stars when points are on the line at the end of the game.
Mads Bødker or Emil Kristensen as the last guy? I went with Bødker because of two small things. A) I think the element of mobility he could add, is an aspect to the game the others D-men could lack. So he gives the coach another tactical card on the hand. B) Presence. He's not quite veteran presence but he's been on these trips with these guys quite some times before and he's played this year in Russia. He might add some stability and calmness to a group of D-men where there's still some new faces(Lauridsens brothers and partly Jesper Jensen). His size could be a problem.
In case of more than one injury there's a whole tier of players where I'm not quite sure where I stand but just throwing some names out there: Michael Eskesen, Simon Grønvaldt, Kasper Jensen, Philip Hersby, Rasmus Nielsen, Philip Bruggisser and Mads Bech Christensen. All of this is just in the case that Jesper Duus is in fact NOT ready to play 30 min a game
On the forward side:
Mads Christensen-Frans Nielsen-Mikkel Bødker(First offensive line)
Morten Madsen-Lars Eller-Jannik Hansen(Decoy shut-down/energy line)
Nichlas Hardt-Peter Regin-Julian Jakobsen(Second offensive line)
Morten Green-Patrick Bjørkstrand-Nicklas Jensen(Weird fourth line but some veteran presence, a talented sniper and a center with a good year in the KHL might do some damage)
Jesper Jensen
How to mix this in a way that makes sense? I've focused on being strong down the middle. Centers are and have earlier been a super important spot for us, and that's what hurting Patrick Bjørkstrand in this first draft. You could easily end up shuffling the cards halfway through game 1, but I see these lines fitting somewhat with what I've heard described as this new philosophy of the team with more heavy forechecking and more speed.
There's also the element, that I'd really like to create some lines that were obvious to throw out in the last minutes of the game(Eller-line D-zone starts, Frans Nielsen-line O-zone stars) without having to rearrange the lines for the purpose.
Jesper Jensen over Frederik Storm and Morten Poulsen? Well I'm going completely on numbers this year and past experiences.
Ehlers, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Kim Staal(It's never off the table - you know it! ), Kiril Starkov, Lasse Lassen, Anders H. Poulsen, Felix Scheel, Jannik Karvinen, Steffen Frank, Thomas Spelling, Nicolai Meyer and Morten Andreasen could be brought in the the conversation as reserves.
Team Canada had 6 official reserves last time around so here's Team Denmarks:
Sebastian Dahm, Emil Kristensen, Mads Bech Christensen, Morten Poulsen, Jesper Jensen and Kim Staal.
Preliminary roster would include those mentioned above and no one else. I'm not a big believer of bringing in young guys that might become a part of the teams future. That "might" has to be out of the question before I'd risk the "noise" and lower quality in training in exchange for investing in experience for a future player.
This is here and now, so nothing to guess about. Who would you pick - and in which lines would you pick? Today. Right now. Go! Or just, you know... just poor out your thoughts of imaginary problems, unreal decisions or fictional dilemmas for this hypothetical Olympic team. As the saying goes: Never let a good discussion be ruined by reality or facts!
(Jebus that felt good to get off the chest )