Eligible Canadians not at the WJC

Okay by my count I was just wondering who the Canadians were that are in the NHL. Off the top of my head I'm thinking Gagner, Toews, Staal. Is that it? If not help me with who else it is, thanks

James Sheppard is with Minnesota, David Perron is with St. Louis, and Milan Lucic is with Boston.

David Perron, Milan Lucic, and James Sheppard as well.

EDIT: Oh for the love of...

Perron I believe as well.

Non-NHL guys

MacLean, Ellerby, Pietrangelo, Esposito, Hamill, Wishart.

Think you covered most of the NHLers.

Non-NHL:

DiDomenico, QMJHL leading scorer currently.

Ryan White would have been a good fit on this team.

I forgot the obvious one, Irving.

Think you covered most of the NHLers.

Non-NHL:

DiDomenico, QMJHL leading scorer currently.

He wasn't even invited to camp.

Last year's QMJHL MVP Mathieu Perreault was cut.

Non-NHL guys

MacLean, Ellerby, Pietrangelo, Esposito, Hamill, Wishart.

Birth rates dropped drastically in Canada about 19 years ago...

Birth rates dropped drastically in Canada about 19 years ago...

BA-zing;)

BA-zing;)

It was just there. I couldn't stop myself. Greater powers were obviously at work.

It was just there. I couldn't stop myself. Greater powers were obviously at work.

:biglaugh:Well played.

Birth rates dropped drastically in Canada about 19 years ago...

http://www.uncrate.com/men/images/2007/03/children-of-men.jpg

http://www.uncrate.com/men/images/2007/03/children-of-men.jpg

Good movie. That single scene with Owen's character dodging bullets in the city ruins was a masterpiece.

Perron I believe as well.

Non-NHL guys

MacLean, Ellerby, Pietrangelo, Esposito, Hamill, Wishart.

I too am pretty puzzled at the non-NHL guys that arent there. Esposito well there's something wrong with that boy so its not him I'm thinking of. It's Hamill. Since this is such an offensively starved team.

Also I was a little stunned not to see Pietrangelo not even invited. He may not be quite at the Doughty/Stamkos level but am I the only one that thinks his offense from the backend would be welcomed?

I too am pretty puzzled at the non-NHL guys that arent there. Esposito well there's something wrong with that boy so its not him I'm thinking of. It's Hamill. Since this is such an offensively starved team.

Also I was a little stunned not to see Pietrangelo not even invited. He may not be quite at the Doughty/Stamkos level but am I the only one that thinks his offense from the backend would be welcomed?

Yeah, I wanted Maclean there too.

I don't mind the guys that got a try out and didn't make the team but I wish we could use the NHL players.

Ganger is not even playing in Edmonton tonight.. we could have used his skillz. (What a diff from last year when he was not productive at all)

Toews and Gagner would sure help a lot..

But on the flip side, the Americans are also without a lot of good players.

Erik Johnson
Patrick Kane
Peter Mueller

I believe all of them are eligible?

I believe all of them are eligible?Yup, they're all born in '88.

While probably not legally feasible, I'd like to see some sort of rule regarding the release of junior-eligible NHL'ers. There'd have to be limits of course, cuz Crosby being forced to participate in last year's WJC would just be crazy talk. Maybe something like you have to have a full NHL season under your belt to be exempt, or average a minimum of 10 minutes per game and 80% of your team's GP or something like that. There's no reason why guys like Lucic, Perron and Sheppard especially shouldn't be on the team. Two weeks in a starring role on a grand stage? C'mon.

While probably not legally feasible, I'd like to see some sort of rule regarding the release of junior-eligible NHL'ers. There'd have to be limits of course, cuz Crosby being forced to participate in last year's WJC would just be crazy talk. Maybe something like you have to have a full NHL season under your belt to be exempt, or average a minimum of 10 minutes per game and 80% of your team's GP or something like that. There's no reason why guys like Lucic, Perron and Sheppard especially shouldn't be on the team. Two weeks in a starring role on a grand stage? C'mon.
In other words, mandatory conscription for junior-aged players in the NHL? I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that wouldn't go over very well with anyone outside of junior hockey fans.

While probably not legally feasible, I'd like to see some sort of rule regarding the release of junior-eligible NHL'ers. There'd have to be limits of course, cuz Crosby being forced to participate in last year's WJC would just be crazy talk. Maybe something like you have to have a full NHL season under your belt to be exempt, or average a minimum of 10 minutes per game and 80% of your team's GP or something like that. There's no reason why guys like Lucic, Perron and Sheppard especially shouldn't be on the team. Two weeks in a starring role on a grand stage? C'mon.

Definitely not legally feasible, as the owners of the NHL would have to propose and pass a rule removing their right to choose. Besides it wouldn't be fair to the players who made it to the NHL. Imagine you've finally made it to the big show, and you have to take time off from your season to go play for free and risk injury. Not to mention while those players were away from their teams it would create opportunities for other players to audition for their job.

Definitely not legally feasible, as the owners of the NHL would have to propose and pass a rule removing their right to choose. Besides it wouldn't be fair to the players who made it to the NHL. Imagine you've finally made it to the big show, and you have to take time off from your season to go play for free and risk injury. Not to mention while those players were away from their teams it would create opportunities for other players to audition for their job.

Exactly. I enjoy following this tournament, but I really have a hard time understanding why so many people make it out to be such a huge deal. Every one of the kids involved, especially on the Canadian and American teams, dream to one day play in the NHL. The only reason why a spot on the WJC team is coveted is because it is a solid indicator that the player is progressing well enough to eventually fulfill his dream. To suggest that kids currently playing in the NHL should or might want to take a few weeks off to play in what really is a meaningless tournament is just completely ridiculous. I guarantee you that every player on every WJC team would happily leave his team if he were beckoned to play for an NHL club.

I know it'll never happen, and for guys like Toews and Kane it shouldn't. What bothers me is the guys that are either struggling badly and could really use a chance to dominate (Staal), or are getting bottom-six minutes (Lucic). And we are just talking a couple of weeks here. The WJC's are absolutely huge in Canada, they really do mean a lot. And I'm willing to bet that a lot of these kids in the position of those I mentioned (not playing a lot), would love to get the chance to rep their country, whcih I'm sure they dreamed of doing. And about crushing their dream of palying in the NHL, THAT'S completely ridiculous. Missing a couple weeks out of what will surely be long careers to play in a personally meaningful tournament that could really help their confidence and development, and help them live out a childhood dream isn't a big deal.

I know it'll never happen, and for guys like Toews and Kane it shouldn't. What bothers me is the guys that are either struggling badly and could really use a chance to dominate (Staal), or are getting bottom-six minutes (Lucic). And we are just talking a couple of weeks here. The WJC's are absolutely huge in Canada, they really do mean a lot. And I'm willing to bet that a lot of these kids in the position of those I mentioned (not playing a lot), would love to get the chance to rep their country, whcih I'm sure they dreamed of doing. And about crushing their dream of palying in the NHL, THAT'S completely ridiculous. Missing a couple weeks out of what will surely be long careers to play in a personally meaningful tournament that could really help their confidence and development, and help them live out a childhood dream isn't a big deal.

I respectfully disagree. Now obviously, neither of us are in a position to make a definitive statement here because we really don't know what's running through these kid's minds, but to me, playing for a junior team (regardless of how prestigious the tournament) is a HUGE step down from playing in the NHL. If these kids were good enough to make the NHL in the first place, they stand nothing to gain from dominating the junior ranks. If anything, the chance of injury or even the chance of them playing in the WJCs and NOT dominating would be incentive enough for me to stick with my employer, train and play in my world class facility and collect my big, fat paycheck.

Call me crazy...

I respectfully disagree. Now obviously, neither of us are in a position to make a definitive statement here because we really don't know what's running through these kid's minds, but to me, playing for a junior team (regardless of how prestigious the tournament) is a HUGE step down from playing in the NHL. If these kids were good enough to make the NHL in the first place, they stand nothing to gain from dominating the junior ranks. If anything, the chance of injury or even the chance of them playing in the WJCs and NOT dominating would be incentive enough for me to stick with my employer, train and play in my world class facility and collect my big, fat paycheck.

Call me crazy...

I definitely see your point, but it's not fully understood outside of Canada how big this tournament is in this country. And as I stated earlier, I'm not talking about guys like EJ, Toews and Kane being forced to play, just some of the guys who are not playing a very big role on the team and could probably benefit from playing against the best players in their age group in the world. It's not like they would be sent back to their junior club teams and play against CHL journeymen or anything. Seems like I'm not getting much support on my opinion, so I may just have to agree to disagree with you guys.

I definitely see your point, but it's not fully understood outside of Canada how big this tournament is in this country. And as I stated earlier, I'm not talking about guys like EJ, Toews and Kane being forced to play, just some of the guys who are not playing a very big role on the team and could probably benefit from playing against the best players in their age group in the world. It's not like they would be sent back to their junior club teams and play against CHL journeymen or anything. Seems like I'm not getting much support on my opinion, so I may just have to agree to disagree with you guys.

I just happen to believe that even the 13th forward on the worst team in the NHL has it better, and can claim a far greater degree of success, than pretty much any player in any other league/tournament/whatever in the world. I definitely acknowledge the fact that the WJCs are a different animal in Canada, and I wanted to make a point of that in my original post, but it didn't really fit in with what I was trying to say. I would be quite interested to hear the honest opinions of some of the kids you have mentioned. Something tells me the WJCs are something that are more important to the fans than to the players (when compared to the NHL), but I definitely could be wrong.

Has noone ever asked questions like these to the players affected?

who are the top players to young to make the teams that will make big contributions next year?

I just happen to believe that even the 13th forward on the worst team in the NHL has it better, and can claim a far greater degree of success, than pretty much any player in any other league/tournament/whatever in the world. I definitely acknowledge the fact that the WJCs are a different animal in Canada, and I wanted to make a point of that in my original post, but it didn't really fit in with what I was trying to say. I would be quite interested to hear the honest opinions of some of the kids you have mentioned. Something tells me the WJCs are something that are more important to the fans than to the players (when compared to the NHL), but I definitely could be wrong.

Has noone ever asked questions like these to the players affected?

Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say even the 13th forward. If a player has junior eligibility and is relegated to the press box, what's the point of wasting a year on ther entry-level deal? And the WJC's really are a big deal in Canada, and I'm sure they are with the players as well, as they grew up fans just like the rest of us. Hell, you can tell just by seeing them cry like babies when cut at selection camp, or the look on their faces when they win gold. It's almost like the Stanley Cup up here, it gets watched about as much as the NHL playoffs. And if you ask the players, I'm sure you'd just get the "safe" answer. They're not gonna come out and say "yeah, I really wish I was playing somewhere else right now," when they're still working their way in with a pro team. A guy like Toews has been there and done that, so I'm sure he'd decline if given the option. But someone like Lucic and Sheppard, IMO they'd jump at the chance. It's a great opportunity at the cost of only 2 weeks of a season in which they're barely playing anyway. A TINY snapshot of their entire career, with a memory that would last a lifetime.

who are the top players to young to make the teams that will make big contributions next year?

A lot of people this year thought a guy like Peiterangelo was going to make the team this year, but didn't even make the camp. So someone like that who was thought to be not experienced enough could be a good impact next year.

What about Bernier, he's eligible right?

I forgot the obvious one, Irving.

The most obvious one is Logan Couture.

The most obvious one is Logan Couture.

Actually, you're completely correct.

kyle beach

um, i'm not there...

something about a 'drug test'
:sarcasm: