Commandant

A look at the Draft Eligibles who caught my eye (or had some hype) and what they did in the tournament. http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/01/05/top-shelf-prospects-the-2013-draft-eligibles-at-the-wjc/

Pretty good night for our prospects. Kristo with a goal and assist. Macmillan with an assist. Dietz with a goal and assist (and a +3) Vail with two helpers. Cichy with a helper. and the aforementioned Hudon with 2 goals and an assist in his first game back after the injury. Bozon with 1 assist (still playing).

On the current Canadian defence Rielly, Murphy, Ouellette, Reinhart, Hamilton, these guys are all very good skaters. Even Wotherspoon and Harrington are decent skaters. I don't think that was as big an issue as you are making it out to be. As for the rest of those guys, you are talking about 17 year olds..... Pulock, Petan, Shinkaruk, Domi, etc.... in what is traditionally a 19 year olds tournament. The Finnish team is a good example of how these talented underage prospects don't often do well in these tournaments. As is the way a guy like Nathan MacKinnon has played. Those 17 year olds are never the prototype to replace 18 and 19 year olds in this tournament. It doesn't work at that level which is a step up from what they face in major junior.

I don't see anything in Nash that would make him a big loss to the Habs... not with all the young D we have in Hamilton, plus guys like Nygren, Bennett, Thrower and Dietz in the pipeline. He was a project who didn't work out... oh well.

Dumba had a really bad pre tournament camp. Pulock is too young IMO for this type of responsibility, (Especially since you've made Murphy your 7th Dman and PP specialist)... PP specialist would be the only role I'd feel comfortable with Pulock in. Pouliot has the same issues, I don't see him as adding anything to this team. I don't think the Canadian team picked the wrong guys... I just think they had a Brutal Game and were poorly coached (Murphy shouldn't have got the icetime he did). It happens in these one game eliminations.... sometimes you come out flat. Its like an NHL team, even the best team isn't gonna go 82-0. The first place team loses 25-30 games per year. Unfortunately Canada's brutal game happened at the worst possible time. I really don't think this was a roster issue, just something that happened Full credit to the US who are also a talented club, and were the best club on the ice on this day. Canada beat them the first time though.... who knows who wins in a 7 game series, or over 82 games. But this was a case of any given game.

He didn't roll the four lines today.

Canadian Defence is brutal.

I like Collberg, but more shots is usually better, even if its less goals in a short tournament like this.

How you can even compare a 4.25 million defenceman to one who was a cap hit of 7.142 million is insanity.

The NHLPA and NHL could have started the season with a one year agreement that there would be no strike. The NHL didn't even think to ask about pursuing this option. The NHL knew the only leverage they have is missed paycheques and a lockout, and thats the route they took.

The World has noticed the Tournament http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/31/the-world-has-noticed-the-world-junior-hockey-championships/ Max's Quick Review so far. http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/31/2013-iihf-world-junion-hockey-championship-quick-review/

9 yards short but the Vikes make the playoffs.

Phil Housley is dumb. You can't give your four lines all equal ice time at Even Strength, you gotta play your stars more. Way too much Hartman and Pieleta and Vesey and those grinders.

Mitch with an rant on all the lockout coverage in the media. http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/30/quiet-the-lockout-talk-im-trying-to-watch-hockey/

Pleks is out 1 week, per Raymond Lavoie

Galchenyuk with 1 assist today in the loss. Housley insists on rolling all 4 lines equally at ES, and not line matching at all. ... Its like house league, your turn, you go next. Unless he gets a PK or PP. Its kinda ridiculous coaching.

This young team can't compete with a Marlies team that features Keith Aucoin, Mike Kostka, Paul Ranger, Ryan Hamilton, Mike Zigomanis, etc.... The only true prospects on the Marlies who are having good games right now are Kadri and Frattin.... the rest of the guys who are killing Hamilton are all AHL journeymen and vets (something Hamilton didn't sign enough of).

Baseball players get 47% of revenue. And 9 different teams have won the last 12 world series, with no team winning more than 2. Not exactly the non-competitive, salaries out of control league you paint it as.

Last but not least…. Team Canada http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/24/wjc-preview-who-to-watch-team-canada/

A Big WJHC Preview Games to Watch http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/22/2013-iihf-u20-world-championship-the-must-see-games-of-the-preliminary-round/ Pool A Previews Czechs, Swiss, Latvia http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/23/wjhc-who-to-watch-czech-republic-germany-and-latvia/ Sweden http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/23/wjhc-who-to-watch-team-sweden/ Finland http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/23/wjhc-who-to-watch-team-finland/ Team USA http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/24/wjhc-who-to-watch-team-usa/ Team Russia, Slovakia and Germany http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/24/who-to-watch-wjc-russia-slovakia-and-germany/

Reffing at the World Juniors, and how to deal with it. http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/12/21/iihf-refereeing-same-as-it-ever-was-so-deal-with-it/

McGowan will probably never be "healthy"

People can whine about penalties all they want... but this is the way IIHF hockey is called, always has been. You either learn to be disciplined, or you end up in the box... simple as that. Canada will have to learn some discipline.

Hudon was among Canada's top 2-3 forwards today. Canada as a whole took WAY TOO MANY penalties. Malcolm Subban looked weak on at least 1, maybe 2 of the goals. Galchenyuk is WOW vs Sweden in the 2nd period... no points... but WOW on the chances. Collberg no points either, looking good too.... not like Galchenyuk, but still looking good.

Collberg had a great performances compared to all other 17 year olds in the tourney. He didn't have a great performance compared to all players in the tourney. Yes 7 points in 6 games is good and compares well with those guys. Drouin MIGHT be a better NHL player than Strome/Schiefele once he gets stronger and gains experience. He's not better than them RIGHT NOW. Just like Crosby was not as good as Jeff Carter, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Patrice Bergeron in 2005. He's the best NHLer, but wasn't better than them in December 2004/January 2005. I think if Yakupov isn't among the best players in this tournament, it will be seen as a disappointment for him. Nothing that should impede his NHL career, but it will be a disappointment.