krsmith17 7,191 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Hicketts has "low skill"? Are you kidding me? He was Canada's best player in the tournament, granted on a weak Canadian team. But Saarijarvi isn't even close to Finland's top player in my opinion. Hicketts had 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) in 5 games and Saarijarvi has 3 points (all assists) in 6 games, not including the game that is currently going on now. In junior, Hicketts plays in the lower scoring league, and is still over a point per game defenseman and is top 3 in the league in points per game for defensemen with 30 points in 29 games. Saarijarvi has 19 points in 28 games, which is still pretty good. Hicketts is a year older but he also put up virtually the exact same points last year with 64 points in 62 games, which again was the top 2 or 3 in points per game for a defensmen. And yes, Hicketts also does have the intangibles, which almost seems like you were kind of mocking... Nonetheless, Hicketts is a much better all around hockey player than Saarijarvi at this point and I believe that if either can translate their game to the big's, it's definitely Hicketts... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacksoni 418 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 joesuffP no skill? Yes he is a hobbit, but even the layman can see Hicketts can play. I already mentioned he has the ability to take a spot on the Wings right now, if it was down to skill. There's a reason why the team scouts decided to pick him up. Unfortunately it's not just about skill, especially if you are a defenseman. Weight and beef is used all the time in the shifts. It will be interesting to see what will happen to him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DatsyukianDekes 2,428 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 I don't think Hicketts was Canada's best player, in fact he was pretty bad on the PK and had some awful turnovers against Finland. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joesuffP 1,746 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 I don't think many scouts would agree with you that Hicketts is a much better hockey player than Saarijarvi. I'm not saying Hicketts is a bad hockey player, it's just Saarjarvi is a much more promising prospect and is more likely to have an impactful NHL career. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toby91_ca 620 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 I'm not sure I'd bet much money on either one of them having a successful NHL career Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krsmith17 7,191 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Who was Canada's best player then? The only other player that came close in my opinion was Strome. Marner was very underwhelming all tournament until the last game / game and a half. Konecny was pretty good but only had 2 points the whole tournament. Hicketts was at his best on the PK, so I'm not sure where you're getting that. I don't have any stats to back this up, but he had to have been in the top few shot blockers in the tournament. I remember one penalty kill in particular in which he blocked 3 shots within 20-30 seconds... No you're right, you didn't say Hicketts is a bad hockey player, you just said he has a low skill level... I agree Toby, I don't think either have a great shot at making the NHL, based on size. My point is that Hicketts, in my opinion, has a better shot than Saarijarvi. I thought that was a bad pick in last years draft, I hope he proves me wrong, but so far I haven't been overly impressed... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miksteri 55 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 I don't think Hicketts was Canada's best player, in fact he was pretty bad on the PK and had some awful turnovers against Finland. 2 goals were defleced into canadas goal off of Hicketts, which is unusual. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matt198913 932 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Tie game with 6 seconds left Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Both PP goals by insane wristers not bad such a great game and and the atmosphere is amazing. Suck it NHL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miksteri 55 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 FINLAND! wins it in overtime! 1 frankgrimes reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 S U O M I S U O M I S U O M I Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miksteri 55 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Kasperi (son of sami) Kapanen scores the winner Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Kasperi (son of sami) Kapanen scores the winner unreal that composure with the puck, sad that this tournament is over now Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GMRwings1983 8,794 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 I'm pretty sure my grandmother could have done better than Russia's goalie did on that goal. That was simply awful. unreal that composure with the puck, sad that this tournament is over now That's on the goalie. Can't give up a wraparound of all things. That only works in a video game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 4 guys of the finish team are going to be draft eligible Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miksteri 55 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Anyone saw the way the russian captain got ejected from the game? what an ahole... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyqvististhefuture 1,002 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Who was Canada's best player then? The only other player that came close in my opinion was Strome. Marner was very underwhelming all tournament until the last game / game and a half. Konecny was pretty good but only had 2 points the whole tournament. Hicketts was at his best on the PK, so I'm not sure where you're getting that. I don't have any stats to back this up, but he had to have been in the top few shot blockers in the tournament. I remember one penalty kill in particular in which he blocked 3 shots within 20-30 seconds... No you're right, you didn't say Hicketts is a bad hockey player, you just said he has a low skill level... I agree Toby, I don't think either have a great shot at making the NHL, based on size. My point is that Hicketts, in my opinion, has a better shot than Saarijarvi. I thought that was a bad pick in last years draft, I hope he proves me wrong, but so far I haven't been overly impressed... Think neither will probably have an impactful career .... If hicketts tries to play physical he won't last long in the league with his size Haven't seen saarijarvi much but he impressed me today and i can see him being a good ppl specialist someday ... Maybe a rafalski/enstrom type ? We'd be lucky if he could fetch us 25-40 pts someday Only time will tell with the both of them , but I think I'd keep saarijarvi considering he's also just recently started playing the position and could get better.... As fun as these tournaments are also reminds me of the daigles,Jason doig, Christian dube and some past guys growing up who had good junior careers and tournaments and vanished If Someone wants Joe hicketts in a package deal for a good dman we throw him in Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frankgrimes 1,836 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 Canadas best player? I think that was Strome by a mile. Marner had an outstanding 3 period against the Fins but that's about it, Virtanen had point in the whole tournament. USA is an easy choice Austin Mathews, Sweden I would say Soderstrom. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miksteri 55 Report post Posted January 5, 2016 This is the way finns celebrated winning the WJC... btw, its like -20C but its not a problem if youre drunk enough... https://www.instagram.com/p/BALFwrnzFoK/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joesuffP 1,746 Report post Posted January 6, 2016 Just watching a replay cause I was at work all day. What did the Russian captain get his original penalty for before he freaked out and got ejected Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DatsyukianDekes 2,428 Report post Posted January 6, 2016 Who was Canada's best player then? The only other player that came close in my opinion was Strome. Marner was very underwhelming all tournament until the last game / game and a half. Konecny was pretty good but only had 2 points the whole tournament. Hicketts was at his best on the PK, so I'm not sure where you're getting that. I don't have any stats to back this up, but he had to have been in the top few shot blockers in the tournament. I remember one penalty kill in particular in which he blocked 3 shots within 20-30 seconds... No you're right, you didn't say Hicketts is a bad hockey player, you just said he has a low skill level... I agree Toby, I don't think either have a great shot at making the NHL, based on size. My point is that Hicketts, in my opinion, has a better shot than Saarijarvi. I thought that was a bad pick in last years draft, I hope he proves me wrong, but so far I haven't been overly impressed... Strome and Konency were both way better. Not Konency's fault the coach didn't play him he was really really good energy for us and scored some beauts. Solid play defensively as well. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krsmith17 7,191 Report post Posted January 6, 2016 I'll give you Strome, but I definitely wouldn't say he was "way" better... Strome and Hicketts were far and away Canada's two best players in my opinion. I'd probably give Hicketts the slight edge, but I'm not going to argue with anyone that says Strome had the edge. Anyway, great tournament overall, but I was not overly impressed with any Red Wings prospects... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RusDRW 155 Report post Posted January 6, 2016 Anyone saw the way the russian captain got ejected from the game? what an ahole... I can understand him honestly. Marner did almost the same against Finns. In third periods of the last three games against Canada, Sweden and Russia Finns were magically given a plenty of PP opportunities.In these games PP time was 88-22 in favor of Finland. I've never seen such a lopsided officiating ay WJHCs in Europe. 2 DatsyukianDekes and Andy Pred 48 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy Pred 48 337 Report post Posted January 6, 2016 after watching the comp thru out i tend to feel that alot of these players that hadnt been drafted will be hearing their names called up in Buffalo come june. great comp and some real high end talent on show. How low do we need to be to get Laine or Puljujarvi? both big kids and righty's to boot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miksteri 55 Report post Posted January 6, 2016 I can understand him honestly. Marner did almost the same against Finns. In third periods of the last three games against Canada, Sweden and Russia Finns were magically given a plenty of PP opportunities.In these games PP time was 88-22 in favor of Finland. I've never seen such a lopsided officiating ay WJHCs in Europe. But somehow its ok when the refs rape finland? Anyone remember the sochi olympic game fin-russia final where russian coach got banned from the final game and he shouldnt have even been allowed in the fkin building but he was seen in the rafters talkin to the mic giving orders to his ASSistant coaches but somehow everyone was ok with that. And thats not the only time Finns have been raped by the refs in international hockey... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
