Juniors Tournament

Juniors tourney starts Boxing day who's watching it , have watched a few of the pre tourney games team is looking good .

I look forward to this tourney every year. Next time it is in Europe I think I'll go and take it in.

Yes that would be a good reason to go and see Europe and some good hockey. The game with Sweden the other night was good , Sweden is not as strong as they were last year from what I hear. We seem to be coming together as a team as they have to mesh quick , hope the new coach can't think of his name doe's good .

Canada 7- 0 Slovakia hell of exhibition seris so far.

The best hockey starts tommorow , the NHL sucks for they have forgotten something called love of the game.

Pavolo wrote:The best hockey starts tommorow , the NHL sucks for they have forgotten something called love of the game.

good post

I hate the "run the goals up" rule that IIHL has for this tournament. We all know how good Canada can be so why do they continuously have to embarrass the other teams (and to some extent themselves) by running up the score. Before I turned off the game at 5-0, one of the play by play guys (Maguire I think it may have been) made a comment something to the effect that the score should never exceed more than a 5 goal difference if there is a high score, so for example tonights final score was 8-1 for Canada but the tournament score would have it as 6-1 in goal differential. Maybe then teams won't feel obligated to run the scoreboard. I realize the reason to have this rule is for tie breaking purposes but there are other ways to establish tie breaks so this rule could be re worked or removed all together. Just my thoughts.

What kind of lame suggestion is that Holly?

That's like telling your kids to go out and play...but don't do your best because it might embarrass someone who sucks!!!

Let them run the goals up. Let them put the second-string guys in.

When I played soccer, and we were up by more than 3 goals...our coach would flip offense & defense. Usually didn't make a difference...but it gave the players a chance to try something new.

This tournament is a WORLD level tournament. If teams are showing up and they suck so bad they can't compete...there's probably a good chance they shouldn't be there. Or...there's an incentive if they get their butts kicked around to go back and train harder.

Trying to impose a goal-lead cap at that level, is like all those crybaby educators who say that grades don't matter. Yes they do...because when you get out in the "real" world...it's do the job right or lose it. Not do the job half-ass and someone will pat you on the back and say "good job".

Oh...no, wait...there's a welfare system in place for that...never mind...bad example.

Not my suggestion so why are you blaming me, I said it was a suggestion from a TSN Commentator, Pierre Macguire, I think and if you have ever listened to some of the players after blow out games, you can hear the embarrassment in their voices for having to run the goals up. Players don't like to embarrass their own peers as it puts a mark on them for the next time and next time it won't always be the same players so it then puts a mark on the country. And if the teams who are "second" class are in these pools it is because they did extremely well in the B tournament last year so they were promoted to the A tournament and when they do poorly they are relegated back down to the B tournament. Unless you played footy at a professional level, your example of switching positions won't be a great idea of a game at the junior level as that is more of a slap in the face to the opposition than running the goals up. But again JUST MY OPINION, if I am allowed to have one.

Everyone is allowed an opinion...and I do respect anyone's opinion on any matter...even if it doesn't make sense .

But...to continue the discussion...here is what you said:
"I hate the "run the goals up" rule that IIHL has for this tournament.
We all know how good Canada can be so why do they continuously have to
embarrass the other teams (and to some extent themselves) by running up
the score."

Saying you hate it...and that the announcer supported it.

I'm not saying a team should just go out there and run the score up...what I'm saying is that the players should not be told not to.

I did play volleyball on a semi-pro level...and there were games where my team only scored one point, or where we wiped out the other team. It's part of the game...kind of embarrassing on both levels...but it IS an incentive to improve...and yes, it makes the winning team a "target" for the next matchup...but that's also a good thing. To prove that you've improved enough to overcome the challenge.

Switching offense/defense in hockey would really be a moot point. Players are switching positions all the time. But if you're up 6 goals...the coach should be teaching some new fundamentals...or training. Basically treat the game like a scrimmage from that point...and run drills within the game. Teach them to pass 3 times before making a shot. Or run outside line drills, or something like that.

But the one thing that should NEVER be encouraged for the players, is to end a game because of a score differential, or to tell them to not go out there and perform at their best. Ending a game early gives the wrong message.

For the losing team...they leave the game ashamed...that they can't even hold their own for an entire game...whereas if they at least finish the game...while embarrassed, they "didn't give up".

For the winning team...it just tells them that they should go out and slaughter whoever they face...and that if they beat another team bad enough...they get rewarded by having the game end early. Plus, they lose all the playing time they have been practicing for and paid for. Plus, what happens when they actually find an opponent who is a challenge...and now because they are used to games ending early...they can't hold their own.

On a side note...many of these players are being "scouted" by professional teams (all over the world...not just NHL). Some of the players from last year (if I remember correctly) were top draft picks for the NHL now. Allowing these players to go out and play the game...winning or losing...show quite a bit of what that player is made of, not just skill-wise...but character-wise as well. And with recent happenings such as that suspension (I'm actually not a big hockey fan, so don't know all the names) and ultimate dismissal of a player for inappropriate outbursts and comments, I think the NHL (and other leagues) would do well to monitor the character of these young players, as a player can be phenomenal in the game...but if they have no respect for anyone else...they do nothing but bring the rest of the team down.

Blow outs are boring and boring tends to lose watchers and less watchers less sponsership , less tv , less relavance . But yes I agree don't tell them not to run it up but there can be a understanding called respect . no

Telling players to not run up the score might lead them to sloppy play leading to bad habits and most importantly, when a player is not playing "all out" it often leads to injuries. As embarrassing as it may be that game is what it is. I can assure you with a pity rule or with Canada playing down to an opponents level it would not be the enormous success it is in Canada. And make no mistake this tournament is a monster success. Yesterday's game in front of more than19,000 fans was the best attended game in the history of the tournament.

Yes agree but sometimes it is pointless to run the score as you have won , what doe's it prove if you are up 5 goals 2 mins to go why .

Can someone post the results of the tourney?

The blow out has begun, 1:29 into the game and Canada has already scored. Commentators are predicting that the Canadian record of 18 goals and the Juniors record of 21 may fall in todays game. Boring.................. Just my thoughts.

15-0 is not a particularly compelling game. There really is nothing to say about that type of score. The problem is the skill discrepancy between some teams is too wide. They ought to reduce the number of teams in the tournament and not let teams this far below caliber play with the big boys.

Until they do you will see these runaway scores.

Yes it was a yawner wait tommorow may be more of a test .

Against the Germans? Maybe a little tighter a contest. Canada should rout the Germans as well.

Hope not it is boring to watch .

Was good for the first bit then got a little lopsisded , Germany was sure taking some cheap shots at our guys .

It is boring watching Canada win blowout games.

I wouldn't mind seeing them lose to Sweden or the US just to ground them a bit.

They've been very respectful of their opposition despite the monstrous gap in talent. I'd like to see them grounded but I'd not like to see them lose to gain humility...

head on down to the selkirk arena in April.. you get to watch some national midget AAA hockey.

full tournemant package for a mere $79 ( plus fees )

http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/57465/la_id/1.htm

thats 18 games of kick ass canadian hockey.. including the gold medal game...

buy early buy often

Deank wrote:head on down to the selkirk arena in April.. you get to watch some national midget AAA hockey.

full tournemant package for a mere $79 ( plus fees )

http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/57465/la_id/1.htm

thats 18 games of kick ass canadian hockey.. including the gold medal game...

buy early buy often

Hmmm...I might have to do that...I don't think I've ever seen midgets playing hockey before. Sounds like it could be fun. Is it anything like midget bowling?