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bighurt2222 12-16-2003, 07:40 PM Hey Guys,
With the WJC tournament quickly approaching, I was wondering what players we should be keeping an eye on. Of course there are some obvious choices: FLEURY, OVECHKIN, CROSBY, etc. But...who else do you think have a chance to make some noise?
Thanks in advance
Conando 12-16-2003, 07:52 PM Ryan Suter, but that's just me.
BCCHL inactive 12-16-2003, 08:11 PM I wouldn't list Crosby as an "obvious choice". I remember when Spezza made it as a 16 year-old....he scored a bunch of points at the selection camp, and was the focus of all the hype (along with Bouwmeester) and expected to lead the team.....he played on the 4th line.
I'm not saying Crosby won't have an impact on this tournament, because it could happen. He just is not an "obvious choice" for an impact player.
Personally, I was going to say Kyle Brodziak as a surprise...but we all know what happened there.
If I have to take one, I am going to say Nigel Dawes. This guy's offensive abilities are so underrated it's not funny.
IceMelter 12-16-2003, 08:43 PM Parise and Tambellini could make some noise on the bigger ice surface.
Slick Nick 12-16-2003, 10:14 PM Evegenii Malkin...
DR. Holiday 12-16-2003, 11:41 PM Getzlaf and A. Steward
William H Bonney 12-17-2003, 12:37 AM Patrick O'Sullivan
DutchLeafsfan 12-17-2003, 12:45 AM Alexander Steen
Jenson 12-17-2003, 01:08 AM I believe that Parise, Stewart, and Olesz all have the potential to be tournament MVPs in addition to the early favourites.
gopher 12-17-2003, 01:34 AM vanek and hopefully lange
Malkin, Barulin
Olesz, Schwarts
Edler Von Gud 12-17-2003, 02:52 AM Ilia Krikunov
Iwanna 12-17-2003, 02:56 AM definitelly Schwarz and Hudler and also Fleischmann
Bud The Spud* 12-17-2003, 04:26 AM Phaneuf
Rabid Ranger 12-17-2003, 05:09 AM Patrick O'Sullivan
Good call. Other players from the U.S. squad I consider potential "impact" players for this tourney:
Ryan Suter
Danny Richmond
Zach Parise
Al Montoya
Ryan Kesler
helicecopter 12-17-2003, 06:08 AM I would say Malkin and Schwarz
leafaholix* 12-17-2003, 06:16 AM Robert Nilsson.
Hopefully the WJC is a turning point to a poor SEL season.
cagney 12-17-2003, 07:20 AM Good call. Other players from the U.S. squad I consider potential "impact" players for this tourney:
Ryan Suter
Danny Richmond
Zach Parise
Al Montoya
Ryan Kesler
I'd say that James Wisniewski will probably have a bigger chance to be an impact defenseman than Danny Richmond. He's been better than Richmond in the OHL this year and he has a lot more experience in the international arena and more experience with the other players on Team USA.
Outside of that, I expect big things from Pat Eaves. He is often the best player on any US team he plays for in international competition. Him and O'Sullivan are dynamite together.
bighurt2222 12-17-2003, 08:54 AM I wouldn't list Crosby as an "obvious choice". I remember when Spezza made it as a 16 year-old....he scored a bunch of points at the selection camp, and was the focus of all the hype (along with Bouwmeester) and expected to lead the team.....he played on the 4th line.
I'm not saying Crosby won't have an impact on this tournament, because it could happen. He just is not an "obvious choice" for an impact player.
Personally, I was going to say Kyle Brodziak as a surprise...but we all know what happened there.
If I have to take one, I am going to say Nigel Dawes. This guy's offensive abilities are so underrated it's not funny.
Great call on Dawes. The guy gets knocked because of his size all the time. He has so much talent and he's so fun to watch play. I hope he has a good tourney and finally gets some respect that he deserves.
ahmon 12-17-2003, 02:07 PM Go kesler Go!!!
PanthersRule96 12-17-2003, 02:11 PM Hey Guys,
With the WJC tournament quickly approaching, I was wondering what players we should be keeping an eye on. Of course there are some obvious choices: FLEURY, OVECHKIN, CROSBY, etc. But...who else do you think have a chance to make some noise?
Thanks in advance
Parise and Stewart and Malkin and Steen and Vanek
Mark Pavelich 12-17-2003, 02:14 PM If I have to take one, I am going to say Nigel Dawes. This guy's offensive abilities are so underrated it's not funny.
I agree, this guy has overcome so much the only thing that will eventually stop him from the NHL is the Rangers inability to develop players.
Brock 12-17-2003, 02:19 PM I wouldn't list Crosby as an "obvious choice". I remember when Spezza made it as a 16 year-old....he scored a bunch of points at the selection camp, and was the focus of all the hype (along with Bouwmeester) and expected to lead the team.....he played on the 4th line.
I'm not saying Crosby won't have an impact on this tournament, because it could happen. He just is not an "obvious choice" for an impact player.
Personally, I was going to say Kyle Brodziak as a surprise...but we all know what happened there.
If I have to take one, I am going to say Nigel Dawes. This guy's offensive abilities are so underrated it's not funny.
Not to mention that TSN usually angles itself to "the little guy" in order to market that one player to keep an eye on.
Tootoo last year, Brandon Reid a few years ago off the top of my head.
Dawes is an excellent choice for someone to get a lot of exposure due to this tournament.
Another for Canada that I think will really show what he's worth is Mike Richards.
And a choice for outside team Canada would be Hannu Toivonen.
fredez 12-17-2003, 07:01 PM Finland = Hannu Toivonen
Sweden = Alexander Steen
Czech = Petr Vrana
Swiss = Tim Ramholt
USA = Dan Fritsche
Austria = Mathias Lange
Canada = Jeff Tambellini
fredez 12-17-2003, 07:03 PM Russia = Konstantin Barulin
Vrana, Parise, Hudler, Dawes, and Olesz
execwrite 12-17-2003, 08:11 PM Goalies often make the biggest individual impact. I'll be watching Barulin of Russia and Schwarz of the Czech team.
kobasew07 12-17-2003, 08:16 PM Jeff Tambellini => reminds me of Mike Cammalleri (same NHL team, both played for Michigan at College, good scorer)
Ryan Getzslaf => a power forward who could skate pretty well for his size, I'm pulling for him.
monster_bertuzzi 12-17-2003, 10:06 PM Ilya Krikunov
Alex Steen ... Zach Parise ... Russian Goalie Barulin....
devilman 12-19-2003, 05:33 AM Swiss Team: Patrick Bärtschi, Tim Ramholt
FiveforFighting 12-19-2003, 06:06 AM Mark Stuart a US defenseman Drafted by the Bruins and in one persons view the best d-man on the squad.
Predatore 12-19-2003, 06:31 AM For Sweden the obvious choice is Alex Steen. One of few players in this tournament that would qualify as a star in a men's league.
kremlin 12-19-2003, 09:32 AM I think Nigel Dawes will surprise many
canucksfan 12-19-2003, 10:55 AM I think Canada's impact players will be
Defence Dion Phaneuf- This guy is a beast to play against and I am going to love see him nailing people. He can also score too but his skating will be his weakness.
Forward Anthony Stewart- He may not be Canada's leading scorer but he is going to send fear into opposing team's defencemen. His forecheck is going to create a lot of scoring chances.
ajsonor 12-20-2003, 02:11 PM Thomas Vanek and Brent Burns
FlyersGuy69 12-20-2003, 07:46 PM Jeff Carter and Mike Richards
thestonedkoala 12-20-2003, 07:53 PM Burns had some great games leading up to the picking of the Canadian team. He'll look good out there. And hell I think Harding is going to be fun to watch, he beat out three other very solid goaltenders.
Epsilon 12-20-2003, 07:55 PM Burns had some great games leading up to the picking of the Canadian team. He'll look good out there. And hell I think Harding is going to be fun to watch, he beat out three other very solid goaltenders.
Harding may get in one game against a weaker team, but he certainly isn't going to be an impact player unless Fleury completely craps the bed.
thestonedkoala 12-20-2003, 07:56 PM True on that Epilson...
Heh, maybe Fleury will beg Lemeiux to play with the WJC team forever because they actually have a team in front of him.
SORRY PEN FANS!
Epsilon 12-20-2003, 07:58 PM True on that Epilson...
Heh, maybe Fleury will beg Lemeiux to play with the WJC team forever because they actually have a team in front of him.
SORRY PEN FANS!
As bad as the Pens may be, they would beat the Canadian WJC team probably 9 times out of 10.
thestonedkoala 12-20-2003, 08:00 PM Probably...they do have a lot of good youth coming through.
Hossa 12-20-2003, 08:09 PM For Canada, I don't see there being one impact player right now. Carter, Getzlaf, Stewart and Burns are all big guys who can dominate physically and offensively. But at the same time, you have Tambellini, Richards, Crosby, Dawes and so on and so forth that are smaller guys. Canada unlike in some years past, doesn't have a go-to guy on offence. That being said, I bet one of Carter, Getzlaf or Burns (the #1 line probably) will lead the team in scoring. Obviously, Fleury is Canada's impact player. Coburn is the top defenceman, but won't be considered an impact player unless he contributes offensively, which is not his style.
I think O'Sullivan, Suter and Eaves will lead the American squad, Barulin along with Ovechkin and Malkin for the Russian team. Toivenen is the key for Finland, and Steen and Nilsson are huge for Sweden. Hudler and Fleischman are the top players for the Czechs, although as for Schwarz, I'm not sure he'll get the nod over Mensator. Vrana is huge for the Slovaks and Ramholt, Bartschi and Romy are the keys for Switzerland.
Jamie 12-21-2003, 10:37 AM As bad as the Pens may be, they would beat the Canadian WJC team probably 9 times out of 10.
lol, Do you realize how big a shot that is at the Pens?
Kevin Forbes 12-21-2003, 10:41 AM Getzlaf, Barulin, Malkin, Montoya,
Crosbyfan 12-21-2003, 11:49 AM lol, Do you realize how big a shot that is at the Pens?
Have you seen the Pens?
Crosbyfan 12-21-2003, 11:57 AM Burns had some great games leading up to the picking of the Canadian team. He'll look good out there. And hell I think Harding is going to be fun to watch, he beat out three other very solid goaltenders.
Your idea of fun CAN'T be watching someone sit on a gench for 2 1/2 hours!
Kevin Forbes 12-21-2003, 11:58 AM Fleury won't play every game
leafaholix* 12-21-2003, 12:01 PM Add another name to the list... Loui Eriksson (Sweden).
Jeff Goldblum 12-21-2003, 01:25 PM I may be biased but...
I can't believe Patrik Bartschi was only mentioned once so far. This kid has been underrated since draft day. He was tied for the WJC scoring lead last year with Grigorenko I believe. I think this kid is gonna be an impact player at this tounament and for years to come.
Also Fleury!
Outside of the Pens, I think Pat Eaves will tear up the tourney.
Aver33 12-24-2003, 12:39 AM Watch for Richmond. Having seen the lad play, he can certainly skate and is good with the puck. Given more room he could make numerious deadly rushes.
Fleury will obviously be a big factor for Canada when facing stiffer competition against the other top 3 countries who are expected to compete for gold (US, Czech, Russia).
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