World Junior Roster

[shep]

Ok, let me get my bias out: I'm a Sioux fan, went to school here for 7 years, I love the Green and Sioux hockey, have season tix etc.

Yet I must ask:

Why, oh why, was Brian Lee chosen to sit on the bench? WHY? The US D was weak most of the tourny and you're telling me there is NO better D-Man in the country than a kid who sits on the bench?

A little help.

[The Sicatoka]

I believe your answer is in today's [url="http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=79708

[Diggler]

If true, that is quite the compliment to Lee because despite what many people here said, Suter was named to the All-Tournament team so he must have been pretty good during the tournament. If Lee can be like Suter in two years, he'll be doing pretty darn well.

[shep]

I believe your answer is in today's [url="http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=79708

[Kermit]

I'm just not sure how much "experience" a kid can get by watching and seldom playing. I'm not an expert, but it seems to me you play to win TODAY and if you want to play for TOMORROW, worry about that tomorrow!

That's just me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's room on the roster for 7 defensemen. Most teams won't play more than 6, and it's not unusual to shorten the bench to 4-5 guys in many situations. Now, if you're picking the roster and you're down to the #7 defenseman, a consideration may be to find a young player who will accept the role and who may benefit by practicing and being around the team for a couple of weeks.

You can argue that the USA defense would have been improved by having better players in the 1-6 slots, but changing the #7 defenseman won't change the outcome of anything.

[NDFlyer]

Brian Lee SHOULD have been playing a regular shift. He could not have done worse than Ryan Suter or Jeff Lykens. There were other very young kids playing regular shifts but they were forwards and I know that defense is a very difficult position for a young player at any level when you make the jump up. Still, though, as Shep suggests, this is a team sport. The idea is to put together a team which has the best chance of winning. This tournament should not exist just so some kid gets to skate around with the big boys for a few days and sit on the bench and observe.

Team USA Grades:

Drew Stafford & Phil Kessel A + These guys came to play every night. Skated hard; showed heart, desire and a will to win. Stafford has as hard and accurate shot as anyone. Kessel was all over the ice trying to get something going on every shift. He had more than one good game. Look beyond the stats for one minute. Box scores mean nothing if you don't do the little things which win hockey games.....such as fighting for loose pucks, making simple plays with the puck, and fulfilling your checking assignments.

Other forwards: C

Defensemen: D - Terrible performance when we needed it the most, especially from Lykens and Suter. I don't care what accolades Suter received. He coughed up the puck and missed checks at the most inopportune times. As far as J.L. is concerned, well, his play last night says it all.

Montoya: C In order for USA to win a medal he needed to be outstanding. he wasn't. But I do not blame him. I blame the overall defense.

[shep]

Brian Lee SHOULD  have been playing a regular shift.  He could not have done worse than Ryan Suter or Jeff Lykens.  There were other very young kids playing regular shifts but they were forwards and I know that defense is a very difficult position for a young player at any level when you make the jump up.  Still, though, as Shep suggests, this is a team sport.  The idea is to put together a team which has the best chance of winning.    This tournament should not exist just so some kid gets to skate around with the big boys for a few days and sit on the bench and observe.

Team USA Grades:

Drew Stafford  &  Phil Kessel    A +  These guys came to play every night.  Skated hard;  showed heart, desire and a will to win.  Stafford has as hard and accurate shot as anyone.  Kessel was all over the ice trying to get something going on every shift.    He had more than one good game.  Look beyond the stats for one minute.    Box scores mean nothing if you don't do the little things which win hockey games.....such as fighting for loose pucks,  making simple plays with the puck, and fulfilling your checking assignments.

Other forwards:  C

Defensemen:  D -    Terrible performance when we needed it the most,  especially from Lykens and Suter.  I don't care what accolades Suter received.  He coughed up the puck and missed checks at the most inopportune times.  As far as J.L. is concerned, well, his play last night says it all.

Montoya:  C      In order for USA to win a  medal he needed to be outstanding.  he wasn't.    But I do not blame him.  I blame the overall defense.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with Kermit and NDFlyer.

Did I read that right, that Suter made the all tourny team? I would say that almost EVERY Canadian D man had a better tourny than Suter. Everyone.

If Lee is on the team, play him (and as noted above there were good reasons for that) but don't just flap him around in meaningless games.

[Kermit]

Brian Lee SHOULD  have been playing a regular shift.  He could not have done worse than Ryan Suter or Jeff Lykens.  There were other very young kids playing regular shifts but they were forwards and I know that defense is a very difficult position for a young player at any level when you make the jump up. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe Lee should have played. That's debatable. I think he would have adjusted pretty well, but who knows. I think some of the criticism of Suter is over the top. He probably tried (and was asked) to do too much, but there's no question he was the top defenseman on this team.

[Kermit]

Team USA Grades:

Drew Stafford  &  Phil Kessel    A +  These guys came to play every night.  Skated hard;  showed heart, desire and a will to win.  Stafford has as hard and accurate shot as anyone. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think Stafford was outstanding. I sure wish the Sioux had wing like him. Oh yeah..

So is this a sign of things to come for Drew? Or are we going to see a post-WJC letdown?

[ScottM]

Except for the dumbass penalties Stafford took at times, I think he had a pretty nice tourney. I would hope that he maintains that fire and performance as the Sioux head down the stretch.

Suter was a disappointment, to say the least, IMO.

[shep]

[

So is this a sign of things to come for Drew? Or are we going to see a post-WJC letdown?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[DMT]

After reading this in the Forum yesterday, I kind of questioned Lee being picked (and Goligosky for that matter).

For the Pittsburgh Penguins scout and more than 300 other NHL representatives on hand (they're the guys wearing black leather jackets), the World Junior Hockey Championship is a "worthwhile" event. But it won't heavily impact the stock of most professional prospects.

Take Team USA defenseman Brian Lee, for example. Although the 17-year-old has played more cautiously and, well, defensively in the tournament than he does when roaming the blue line for Moorhead High School, he's still expected to be chosen on the first day of the 2005 NHL Draft -- should the current lockout not prevent the event.

"I don't think it makes any difference at all. I really don't," said Grillo, who runs the Minnesota Hockey Camps in Nisswa and has 16 years of NHL experience, including stints as Director of Pro Scouting for the Minnesota North Stars and as Executive Vice President and Director of Player Personnel for the San Jose Sharks.

"I think it's something that happens over time. When (Team USA's) Alex (Goligoski) plays for the Gophers and (coach Don) Lucia, he knows what the coaches want out of him and they turn him loose and he's fun to watch. And I think Brian's a similar style player. I look for big things from those kids."

The Penguins chose Goligoski in the second round of the 2004 draft following his senior year at Grand Rapids (Minn.) High School.

Like Lee, he has a reputation for being an offensive defenseman and has had few scoring chances in Team USA's dump-and-chase system.

"They're not playing free enough," Grillo said of Lee and Goligoski. "They're not loose, they're not free. It's tough to play when you're a finesse player and you're worried about making a mistake. I like to see players player free and confident, and express their ability, especially those that have a lot of ability and (Lee is) one of those players."

Why select "offensive defenseman" if you are not going to let them play there game?

[sagard]

After reading this in the Forum yesterday, I kind of questioned Lee being picked (and Goligosky for that matter).

Why select "offensive defenseman" if you are not going to let them play there game?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the scout was defending his draft pick. Goligoski will do fine eventually at higher levels than NCAA play. The primary difference to me was the WJC he could get by the first forechecker, but then the next player would be on him. In NCAA hockey, he seems to gets by the first forechecker and has more space to make better plays and decisions. His game is fantastic on the big sheets and with more exposure to higher competition he will improve.