[Douglas]

Has anyone mentioned how awful Jovo has looked in his last couple of outings? If he makes the team over Redden I'm gonna spew.

[Lizard King]

Has anyone mentioned how awful Jovo has looked in his last couple of outings? If he makes the team over Redden I'm gonna spew.

I hope Jovo doesnt make the team, every time he suits up for Canada he gets hurt his first shift and then he's gone! :lol: At this point Id rather have Redden as well. :thumb:

[lilbones]

I think everybody can agree that a winning team needs some sort of mix on it...Canada could put four lines of the best offensive players in the world, but that will not get it done...you need to find the guys that can score, say, 25-30 in a regular nhl season, but can also excel in different situations, defencive situations, and yes, the defencive-zone faceoff is important...you need a balance, i wouldn't advocate two full lines of grinders, but as you recall in the world cup, draper played a huge role, as well as thornton's line where he adopted a defencive role flanked by smyth and doan...and they ended up scoring the winning goal.

and yes, jovo has a lot to prove, he has a tenuous grasp on the seventh d-spot pre-season as of now i'd say...

but the real question is, what happens if sidney crosby is top 10 in league scoring when the team is announced...that would be a hotly contested issue.

[cferneyh]

I think everybody can agree that a winning team needs some sort of mix on it...Canada could put four lines of the best offensive players in the world, but that will not get it done...you need to find the guys that can score, say, 25-30 in a regular nhl season, but can also excel in different situations, defencive situations, and yes, the defencive-zone faceoff is important...you need a balance, i wouldn't advocate two full lines of grinders, but as you recall in the world cup, draper played a huge role, as well as thornton's line where he adopted a defencive role flanked by smyth and doan...and they ended up scoring the winning goal.

So, do you want a third line of guys who know how to score (Thornton, Smyth, and Doan) but can adjust to different roles, or do you want role players who don't score?

Look at the forwards for Team Canada in 2002:

Fleury, Theoren
Gagné, Simon
Iginla, Jarome
Kariya, Paul
Lemieux, Mario
Lindros, Eric
Nieuwendyk, Joe
Nolan, Owen
Peca, Michael
Sakic, Joe
Shanahan, Brendan
Smyth, Ryan
Yzerman, Steve

Peca is the one "role" player there. Every one of those other guys knows - or at some point of their career, knew - how to put the puck in the net.

Personally, I'll take the offensive stars who are skilled enough to adjust to the team's needs on a shift to shift basis than the role player who can only do one thing.

[lilbones]

ya i dont suggest a fourth line of kris draper, martin lapointe and keith primeau or anything as extreme as that...
i just mean the roles must be clearly defined...such as thornton-doan-smyth, and sometimes you have to look a tad bit beyond the scoring leaders.

there's a fine balance, but as most anybody who's watched hockey would agree, you start with skill...and then look for the will and determination..........

[Lizard King]

If you dont think heart counts for anything..

:lol: :lol: I agree with both sides, but if I had to choose, Id take the point-getter over the "character guy" but I still think you need a balanced team to really be successful. Looking back at some of the great teams of the past and recent cup winners, there is good balance of great scorers, great passers and character or role guys. But Ive always thought the one thing any successful team needs is a great goalie, that can make all the difference. A not so strong team with a great goalie can still win, a good team with a terrible goalie doesnt stand a chance, especially in the NHL playoffs and national team tourneys, like the olympics.

[lilbones]

RUDY, RUDY, RUDY!!!

(it had to be chanted)...can i have a slow, momentum building clap now? anybody?

[j-monster]

This goes back to my original point... Canada's skilled players not only know how to score, but they are capable of doing the little things... and they usually do them right when the chips are down. Not to say the players from other countries can't do it... but the Canadian players do it more consistently and with more heart and determination than the other countries, and that's why I think they'll take gold again.

[chicagoblackhawks77]

Primeau is a bum. Why does he keep getting invited?

Primeau is the biggest looser in the league; even bigger than lindros. The wings did not win one until they dumped his ass.

Mick

[chicagoblackhawks77]

ya i dont suggest a fourth line of kris draper, martin lapointe and keith primeau or anything as extreme as that...
i just mean the roles must be clearly defined...such as thornton-doan-smyth, and sometimes you have to look a tad bit beyond the scoring leaders.

there's a fine balance, but as most anybody who's watched hockey would agree, you start with skill...and then look for the will and determination..........

Even as a hawks fan, I have to say Draper is one of the most under-rated players in the league. That line would be solid, but, take out primeau and throw in say, Bob Probert ala nhl 95.