Canada's Juniours to date

[seventeen]

Just wondering what everyone's opinion of the Canadian teams players are, as prospects? If you could have any 5 players on that team, who would you choose? Excluding Crosby, because he'd be on everyone's list anyway (and Fleury, just because we're not counting goaltenders).

I like the following (based only on their play to date). Phaneuf, Richards, Stewart, Paille and Seabrook.

The big line has not impressed me. Both Getzlaf goals were a bit lucky. The first was going wide and bounced in off the Swiss goalie and the second was due to a great pass by the Swiss defenseman. Getzlaf didn't even get the puck upstairs on his second goal. I know I'm being picky, but there's nothing like good habits and going high when in tight is a great habit. (Refer to Crosby's goal late in the game, and Dawes' goal on the backhand). That doesn't mean I don't like Getzlaf, I think he'll be very good. I wouldn't be surprised if Paille is better, though. What a rock, and with good hands to boot. If Gainey wanted to make a smaller deal for a potential power forward, perhaps he should look to Buffalo for Paille. Richards has been very smart, shifty and strong. Better than Carter to this point. Seabrook has just been very solid. Not flashy, but absolutely no mistakes that I saw, and has shown good judgement. Phaneuf wasn't that good today, but was excellent against Finland. I keep seeing forwards bounce off him, even when they take a run at him. Stewart is a good combination of size, speed, hitting and hands. Florida has a good one there.

[Ice Cold]

Totally agree with you, seventeen. Maybe my expectations for the first line trio were a bit high, but I find myself generally unimpressed with them. Burns has shown some flashes but I still get the impression that he's a floater, and Getzlaf gives me even more of that impression. For such a "big line", I have yet to see any one of them use their size to get around a defenseman on a rush to the net. Particularly in our second game, Getzlaf failed to get around the Dman twice if I remember correctly, and Burns failed to do so once (a penalty was called against the D though). In contrast, our miniscule Crosby has an almost Koivu-like ability to use his "size" to outmuscle his opponents each time he steps on the ice, something that I have just not seen from our big guys. And wow, what a horrible game the first line played against the Ukraine! My Dad thinks they simply turned off the jets, but I doubt it. They were really trying to hit, and thats not something that you do after turning off the jets.

But if I could just choose 5, I think I would go with Richards, Tambillini, Stewart, Belle and Talbot/Paille, I think with the nod going to Paille over Talbot since he plays a harder game. I would love to have Belle on my team, I think of all the players on the team he has the most potential to work with. And even though I can't choose Crosby, I just have to say that he is way too much of a competitor to fail at any level. Against the Ukraine, I saw him getting frustrated when he or his teammates had poor shifts. He's got the rare qualities that can make him a true superstar. I'm rooting for him.

[blny]

Big game right now. Wish I could find an online radio broadcast . FYI, we have the ref we had in the game against Sweden. Thomas Andersson. He called a pretty good game that day. Hopefully it'll be the same today.