2014 Winter Olympic Hockey

[Patty16]

Pominville is faster than he looks (he's smooth, so he doesn't look like he's busting ass even when he's moving as fast as someone who isn't as smooth), and I suspect the same of Ryan, too.

I would think Pominville would do well on big ice.

 

But I guess I wouldn't pick him for the team either.

 

I still don't think Miller deserves to be the third goalie. Howard shouldn't even be on the team.

Pominville is faster than he looks (he's smooth, so he doesn't look like he's busting ass even when he's moving as fast as someone who isn't as smooth), and I suspect the same of Ryan, too.

 

He is smooth but isnt really fast or agile. He just isnt a high level international player. He wasn't really even considered. That said he's a really good NHL player.

 

 

Also, I'm not sure what RW I would sit in place of Pommer

Edited January 2, 2014 by Patty16

[apuszczalowski]

I would think Pominville would do well on big ice.

 

But I guess I wouldn't pick him for the team either.

 

I still don't think Miller deserves to be the third goalie. Howard shouldn't even be on the team.

Assuming this is a mistake, cause I believe Howard is the 3rd goalie

 

Ryan Miller (if Yahoo fantasy hockey is correct) has the 6th highest sv% in the entire NHL for GT who have played 1,000minutes or more. Note Ben Scrivens will hit 1,000 minutes very soon dropping Miller to 7th.

1a) Ben Scrivens (946mins) .936%

1) Ben Bishop (1774mins) .935%

2) Josh Harding (1667mins) .933%

3) Tuukka Rask (1869mins) .932%

4) Jonathan Bernier (1650mins) .931%

5) Carey Price (1898mins) .930%

6) Ryan Miller (1674mins) .927%

 

The only American on that list higher is Ben Bishop I believe.

I don't think Canada has announced their team yet, but of the rumored goalies, only one appears on that list, Price, unless Bernier makes it as the #3 with the starter rumored to be Luongo

[darksabre]

Assuming this is a mistake, cause I believe Howard is the 3rd goalie

 

I haven't seen anything that confirms this. Seems like everyone has Howard and Quick slotted 1 and 2.

[Trettioåtta]

I haven't seen anything that confirms this. Seems like everyone has Howard and Quick slotted 1 and 2.

 

Burke/Poile said Howard is third and Miller and Quick are top two

[dudacek]

The burnside and Allen articles linked above pretty clearly state it's Quick/Miller then Howard clearly in the three spot.

Starting spot was Quick's to lose; Miller proved he could be that guy when Quick went down; next month will tell.

[darksabre]

Burke/Poile said Howard is third and Miller and Quick are top two

The burnside and Allen articles linked above pretty clearly state it's Quick/Miller then Howard clearly in the three spot.

Starting spot was Quick's to lose; Miller proved he could be that guy when Quick went down; next month will tell.

 

Thanks guys.

 

I would expect Miller to jump Quick. I just think that's how things are going this year.

[HopefulFuture]

Gold - USA (Miller steals the show)

Silver - Russia (home turf is home turf)

Bronze - Sweden (Always a good showing from the Swede's)

 

Canada gets bounced this tourney!

[dEnnis the Menace]

I foresee Miller as 1 then Quick, especially based on level of play now, and how Miller stole the show 4 years ago.

[darksabre]

I think Miller steals the show, but still only ends up with Silver because they Canadians are ridiculous. And then we never get to hear the end of "Miller is average" for the rest of our lives. <_<

[TrueBlueGED]

They didnt like his skating..... same as pommers. If anyone has played on Olympic ice you know just how much more room there is and the importance of mobility.

 

And yet, they had no trouble selecting Orpik on D.

[apuszczalowski]

I haven't seen anything that confirms this. Seems like everyone has Howard and Quick slotted 1 and 2.

I haven't seen anywhere that said Howard was anything but the third

I believe it was on Monday, when they made the announcement that the US team would be named at the end of the Winter Classic game, there was a leak that said Howard was named as the 3rd, and it was already known that Miller and Quick were the top 2

 

I think Miller steals the show, but still only ends up with Silver because they Canadians are ridiculous. And then we never get to hear the end of "Miller is average" for the rest of our lives. <_<

I would say they are definitly the favorites going in, but their weakness is in net and it can cost them. Luo is looking like the starter, and even he didn't play great playing on his home ice the last time out in the olympics. Other Canadian goalies look like Price, Brodeur again, and Bernier. I say just for the nostalgia, bring Brodeur to be the #3 so he can have one more olympics before retiring

[josie]

I haven't seen anywhere that said Howard was anything but the third

I believe it was on Monday, when they made the announcement that the US team would be named at the end of the Winter Classic game, there was a leak that said Howard was named as the 3rd, and it was already known that Miller and Quick were the top 2

This is what I have heard as well, mostly from Detroit media personalities. I can't quote them because frankly, none of it is official. Helene St. James is the most trustworthy account I have heard/read. General consensus seems to be Miller 1 and Howard bumped to 3. Given how lackluster/injured his season has been, it's not a surprise.

[26CornerBlitz]

NHL players react to Team USA snubbing them from Olympic roster

 

Traditionally, the announcement of any Olympic hockey team is almost as much about who wasn’t taken as who was.

 

And after Team USA was named yesterday, the most obvious missing names at forward were the Ottawa Senators’ Bobby Ryan, the No. 3 U.S. goal scorer in the league, and the New York Islanders’ Kyle Okposo, who has the second-most points among Americans.

 

Ryan had a host of reporters around him on Thursday, particularly after it came out that Brian Burke, who had drafted him, questioned his intensity during the selection committee meetings.

[Patty16]

And yet, they had no trouble selecting Orpik on D.

 

Less talent overall on D, and Orpik does well enough on the big ice. Was fine in Van '10

[Trettioåtta]

And yet, they had no trouble selecting Orpik on D.

 

The article linked above shocked me by how much homerism there is. Poile pushing for Jones, Lombardi for Yandle etc. It didn't seem like an unbias selection, and I think the USA will suffer.

 

I too would question Quick's ability. He has had two mediocre seasons (and has been pretty awful so far this year) and two great post-seasons. If i was in charge and had to pick between Miller, who is having a great season and has a proven MVP olympic record, and Quick, i would pick Miller for fear of which Quick showed up

[Eleven]

Well if the argument against Ryan is he "lacks intensity" then the same argument clearly applies to Pommer. He's not exactly going to go flying into the corners with reckless abandon... he's not the kind of guy who ends a game with a tooth missing or a black eye...

 

I can see that I'm clearly in the minority on this board in that I just don't think Pommer is nearly as good as others around here think he is. He puts up scoring numbers, yes. But IMHO he is the equivalent of an NBA spot up shooter. He doesn't create his own opportunities and without time and space he isn't very effective. And, if you want to play a hard forechecking game and want fowards who consistently win puck battles in the corners... that... ain't... Pommer.

 

Keep in mind that it's the Olympics. Pommer's forechecking is just fine; excellent, in fact. He's not great in the corners, but he's not horrible, either. Olympic teams don't need black eye/missing tooth guys.

 

 

He is smooth but isnt really fast or agile. He just isnt a high level international player. He wasn't really even considered. That said he's a really good NHL player.

 

 

Also, I'm not sure what RW I would sit in place of Pommer

 

Watch him go around Alfie again and tell me he's not fast. He changes gears almost imperceptibly, is all.

 

Now, who to sit in his place, that's a good argument.

 

The goalies IMPO would be Miller, Quick, Bishop. It gives you the opportunity to bring Bishop to the show and if he can continue to play well he can be your guy in another 4 years and have some experience.

 

Absolutely. Instead, they worried about hurting Jimmy's feelings, it seems.

[LGR4GM]

Keep in mind that it's the Olympics. Pommer's forechecking is just fine; excellent, in fact. He's not great in the corners, but he's not horrible, either. Olympic teams don't need black eye/missing tooth guys.

 

 

 

Watch him go around Alfie again and tell me he's not fast. He changes gears almost imperceptibly, is all.

Now, who to sit in his place, that's a good argument.

 

 

Absolutely. Instead, they worried about hurting Jimmy's feelings, it seems.

Agree on all points. The Olympics is not the Stanley Cup finals where you need to be able to play with 4 cracked ribs and blood oozing from your noose. Pominville is solid in the corners.

 

As for his speed, Pominville in a straight line isn't going to beat everyone and their mother. what he does bring is great positioning. He gets in shot lanes, takes good angles to the puck, is very aware of his surroundings and on Olympic ice that would be helpful. As for who to sit, I have to say Ryan Callahan because he has been injured numerous times and he is just a little be off. I like his game a lot but I think this year is just not his year. That being said I don't have a problem at all with the roster outside of the GT.

 

Now as for GT it looks to be political and based off of past stuff. Howard has been mediocre at best this year. He has gotten injured and he has played some very shaky games from what I have watched and monitored in the fantasy hockey department. He isn't steady and in the Olympics that spells disaster. Ben Bishop on the other hand has been unyielding in his crease, playing behind a defensively questionable team in TB but still maintaining a very high sv%.

[dEnnis the Menace]

Less talent overall on D, and Orpik does well enough on the big ice. Was fine in Van '10

 

Vancouver was NHL sized ice...not true Olympic/Euro size.

[Patty16]

Vancouver was NHL sized ice...not true Olympic/Euro size.

 

that's true. He does have decent speed however.

 

Keep in mind that it's the Olympics. Pommer's forechecking is just fine; excellent, in fact. He's not great in the corners, but he's not horrible, either. Olympic teams don't need black eye/missing tooth guys.

 

 

 

 

Watch him go around Alfie again and tell me he's not fast. He changes gears almost imperceptibly, is all.

 

Now, who to sit in his place, that's a good argument.

 

 

 

Absolutely. Instead, they worried about hurting Jimmy's feelings, it seems.

 

 

That was one time, anecdotal. He isnt a speedy player and doesn't really excel in any area enough to make him Olympic worthy.

Again, he wasn't even considered by the best hockey minds. That should tell you enough.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Patty16

[SwampD]

Can Pominville play for Canada?

[Eleven]

that's true. He does have decent speed however.

 

 

 

 

That was one time, anecdotal. He isnt a speedy player and doesn't really excel in any area enough to make him Olympic worthy.

Again, he wasn't even considered by the best hockey minds. That should tell you enough.

 

We're not going to agree on the speed issue, Ryan is the bigger omission, anyway, but I do question whether the "best hockey minds" were making the "best hockey decisions." If you have time--and you'll need it--read Burnside's very lengthy article on espn.com on the selection process: http://espn.go.com/olympics/hockey/story/_/id/10195703/how-us-hockey-team-bound-sochi-olympics-was-named

 

Can Pominville play for Canada?

 

No; he played in the WJC for the US.

[TrueBlueGED]

Whether they were the best decisions or not, it does appear the decision makers were doing a very old school analysis with a lot of scouting, who is playing well right now, and intangibles. I suppose this shouldn't be too surprising given who was involved, but I don't think it's for the better.

[SwampD]

We're not going to agree on the speed issue, Ryan is the bigger omission, anyway, but I do question whether the "best hockey minds" were making the "best hockey decisions." If you have time--and you'll need it--read Burnside's very lengthy article on espn.com on the selection process: http://espn.go.com/o...mpics-was-named

 

 

 

No; he played in the WJC for the US.

I know that he played for the US, but he has dual citizenship and chose to play for them at the time. Was that a "once you decide you are committed for life" kinda thing?

[bunomatic]

I just want to go on record that Luongo as #1 for Canada if thats the case scares the shite out of me. Much rather Miller defects to Canada to take that role. :P

 

I just can't get the image of Luongo doing the breast stroke in his crease out of my mind. I have no confidence in him.

[SwampD]

How often do they call that?

Have you already had too many?