Hockey Canada yesterday named the 22 players that will represent Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial U-18 tournament in the Czech Republic later this month.
To the surprise of nobody who follows the WHL, the team that a famous person once dubbed "Team Ontario" cut 7 of the 11 WHLers trying out, leaving just four western boys on the team - defencemen Myles Bell (Regina Pats), Ryan Murray (Everett Silvertips) and Duncan Siemens (Saskatoon Blades), and forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels).
The head coach is from the OHL. Even better, there are THREE players on the team from the OHL team he coaches. He's got almost as many of his own players on that team as he does from the entire WHL. That better be one hell of an OHL team he has there. They finished 2nd last overall in the OHL last year so I doubt it.
Four of the WHL cuts - forwards Michael St. Croix, Ty Rattie, Adam Lowry, and Colin Smith - had better seasons points-wise last year than all but two of the nine OHL forwards who did make the team. Heck, they even took a forward who played Jr A in Ontario last year ahead of any of those WHL guys. St. Croix lead his WHL team in scoring last season but apparently he's not better than a kid who played Jr A.
Team Ontario, indeed.
9 comments:
"a famous person once said". Thanks for the chuckle.
Totally agree. I've watched both Adam Lowry and Reece Scarlet play lots last year and I am having a hard time with the final roster. Hockey Canada better watch themselves as far as the politics in hockey goes. Why can't the best kids make these teams? Hockey Canada's credibility just went down in my opinion. it doesn't stop there though. Even at the provincial levels as long as you know the coaches real well or have had something to do with the program in previous years you can bet your kid will make the program.
Ryan Murray has been named captain! He showed leadershipin the U 17 where it is the true oportunity for the biys to show themselves! They are told the more they winthe more reps from their team will be asked to the tryouts. It has a lot to do with the bigger picture. The tournament is a very short stint and many will not attend due to playoffs in April so others will still have the opportunity
I think Hockey Canada needs a complete shake down and overhaul. Need new faces directing our hockey programs. Get a guy like Wayne Gretzky to direct our hockey programs. Set out goals for our national teams. Our countries are catching up to us and as we saw in the World Juniors and in the Olympics the US are getting pretty close.
Trav, Wayne Gretzky is from Ontario. That really wouldn't fix anything.
Also, Wayne Gretzky hasn't given a crap about hockey in Canada for a long time.
Hey Alan would you be complaining if it was the other way around and they picked all WHL kids even though the Ontario kids had better stats?
If the coach was from the WHL and picked all WHL kids despite some OHL kids with better stats, yes I would.
I hate to see deserving kids get shafted by bias or politics regardless of which league is doing it.
Alan, this crap has happened before with OHL coached squads. Kyle Beach brought it to the front and everyone pooh poohed him. He was right on point. After doing poorly Brent Sutter restored Canada's hockey glory by using a few more deserving WHL kids, but not 4 to 13. Can you imagine the squealing there would have been and only 4 OHL kids taken, on any Canada squad? Hockey Canada should have it's butts kicked and needs a complete overhaul. When several marginal OHL kids are taken over WHL kids with better stats and better ability, it STINKS! Beach was right and has been vindicated!
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