Islanders at World Championships, says something

So lets see who we have involved and whom we do not. Who is not says something about the organization...

Playing- Tavares- Canada , Franz- Denmark, Streit- Swiss, KO- USA

NOT- Matt Moulson...are you kidding me? Now, I haven't seen anything about him being invited and turning it down, so I'm going to assume a now 3 times 30 goal scorer and finalist for the Lady Bing was not invited, but looking at whom is on Canada's team...really? You don't have room for Matt Moulson? These are Canada's forwards

Evander Kane Winnipeg (NHL)
10 Corey Perry Anaheim (NHL)
14 Jordan Eberle Edmonton (NHL)
15 Ryan Getzlaf Anaheim (NHL)
16 Andrew Ladd Winnipeg (NHL)
20 John Tavares NY Islanders (NHL)
24 Jamie Benn Dallas (NHL)
26 Teddy Purcell Tampa Bay (NHL)
37 Ryan O'Reilly Colorado (NHL)
41 Alexandre Burrows Vancouver (NHL)
53 Jeff Skinner Carolina (NHL)
81 Patrick Sharp Chicago (NHL)
93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Whom would I take Moulson over...Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins- only on team because they are 1- Edmonton Oilers and 2- because they can be key players for Canada in two Olympics from now. Neither will make the next Olympic team, but can be key players in the next one so they will look to feed them experience. Eberle belongs on the team over RNH, but Moulson's resume is stronger than both...at this stage.

Obviously, Lowe is calling the shots for Team Canada.

Purcell- nice season with 26g and young, but not MM's resume. It isn't like Purcell is playing with a bunch of stiffs in TB. Yes, MM plays with JT, but Purcell gets plenty of time with the likes of Marty St.L and their 91.

O'Reilly- really? In as many NHL seasons he's never topped 20 goals. I know he's a center like RNH

Skinner- had a down year after his rookie of the year season. Yes, he missed time, but he also didn't play on Staal's line all year either.

Canada often uses the WHC to get younger guys experience for Olympics down the road, but MM has earned a spot on that roster. For him not to be there is a joke. I'm well aware of the bigger ice surface that the "speed" of the international game, but Moulson is plenty fast enough to get to the front of the net and do damage. Plus, he's going to have instant chemistry with JT...granted JT can play with anyone.

As for team USA, let me say that there is something very telling...take a look at the

This is the "advisory team" that makes up team usa hockey teams...

U.S. Men’s National Team Advisory Group
Stan Bowman, Chicago Blackhawks
Brian Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs
Paul Holmgren, Philadelphia Flyers
Dean Lombardi, Los Angeles Kings
David Poile, Nashville Predators
Ray Shero, Pittsburgh Penguins
Dale Tallon, Florida Panthers
Don Waddell, Pittsburgh Penguins

Don Waddell...crappy GM in Atlanta now the Penguins head of scouting, but wasn't there until the last 3 years. Even HE is on it but not an American born GM such as Garth Snow. I think that says a TON about how the Isles management is viewed by the rest of the hockey community.

Oh and Coach Overspeed is the coach of Team USA... ROTFLMAO. Looks like Burke took a real liking to him in Toronto. What a joke. That makes Two former Isles coaches who have helmed Team USA...Lavvy and Overspeed.

JT can play with anyone, but can Moulson play without JT? Seems like we may never really know.

I have written about Moulson not being on Team Canada and the reasons why for well over a year now. Canada doesn't want one-dimensional players. Moulson doesn't fit the mold. Canada wants guys that will throw body checks, will play in all zones, can skate. Teddy Purcell does that. Alex Burrows does that. Moulson doesn't.

Eberle is on the team ahead of Moulson because Eberle is a better player. And if you don't think so, you clearly saw very little of him this season. He's better offensively and he's far better all-around. It has nothing to do with a bias or what team he plays for. Eberle is a special player. He's on a different level than Moulson is. So if you're looking for weak links on Canada's roster to replace with Moulson, that's one of the last names that should be brought up.

I am curious to see how Nino plays.

SO IS HE

When Moulson hits another opponent with his body, he'll get consideration.

Or his purse...

Touchee!

Or his purse...

I would rather MM work on his skating during the off season than anything else. The body checking controversy will only become an issue to me if it still happens when we make the playoffs. I am not holding my breath with regards to the last statement.
As to the purse, I think Grabner has a bigger one.

Moulson is the least of our worries.........by far.

Is J Bailey causing havoc at World Championships

Is he even there

Agreed. I don't give much thought to Moulson, although it is annoying how the Isles are overhyping his nomination for two awards. For the Islanders, Moulson is a key player. For Team Canada, is he good enough to be there? Yeah he is. But he is the type of player they want being all offense and brings nothing else to the table? No.

Don't know if anyone caught the exhibition game between Sweden and USA the other day. US won 3-2 and Okposo scored a goal on his own rebound and assisted to Jim Slater's 1-0 after a nifty toe drag move. Nice to see KO perform at an international stage as well.

Most important player on the roster not named JT...If he ever fulfills his true potential, it would do wonders for this most recent rebuild.

Most important player on the roster not named JT...If he ever fulfills his true potential, it would do wonders for this most recent rebuild.

They would finish 26th instead of 27th in the NHL

Can anyone explain to me

1- how Nate Thompson is on Team USA @ Worlds
2- How is he an alternate captain
3- how he actually managed to score a key goal v. Canada.

This is NATE Thompson, right?

I have written about Moulson not being on Team Canada and the reasons why for well over a year now. Canada doesn't want one-dimensional players. Moulson doesn't fit the mold. Canada wants guys that will throw body checks, will play in all zones, can skate. Teddy Purcell does that. Alex Burrows does that. Moulson doesn't.

Eberle is on the team ahead of Moulson because Eberle is a better player. And if you don't think so, you clearly saw very little of him this season. He's better offensively and he's far better all-around. It has nothing to do with a bias or what team he plays for. Eberle is a special player. He's on a different level than Moulson is. So if you're looking for weak links on Canada's roster to replace with Moulson, that's one of the last names that should be brought up.

RNH--- great pathetic turnover led to a shortie v. USA.

I know how Canada runs things. They see these two from Edmonton getting on their team in 6 years or so for the big Olympics so they are going to feed them as much international experience as they can swallow.

I'm not saying they aren't good. I'm saying that aren't, at this stage of their career, head and shoulders above Moulson. Yeah...top picks in the draft...Moulson only scores goals... Seems to me these two need to do alot more before they are guaranteed spots on Canada's roster.

Doesn't bother me that Moulson isn't on Canada. Every year they have to leave off deserving players because they are so deep and Moulson will never make an Olympic team while these two very likely can in 6 years. But they aren't that far above that they are rating PP time over guys like Sharp, Toews and others. They aren't playing that well. In fact, Kane on the wing is outplaying both of them badly so far.

You are referring to RNH, and I never said a word about RNH. RNH probably shouldn't be there and is only there to be groomed. I did not and am not disputing that.

However, Eberle IS head and shoulders a better player than Moulson. Eberle creates his own scoring chances, Moulson does not. Eberle is a superior playmaker to Moulson. Eberle doesn't need a center like Tavares to produce because he's never played with a player like that on the pro level. Eberle single handedly gave Sam Gagner his NHL career back this season. And we're only talking about offense. Eberle is a well rounded player who was groomed by Team Canada to play in all zones as a U18 player, U20 player, and now at the WHC. He is a better offensive player than Moulson and a more well-rounded player than Moulson with much better skating ability. Oh, and by the way, he's 21 years old. That isn't head and shoulders better? If Eberle played on JT's right wing they would both be 90 point players. I watched Eberle A TON this year. It isn't debatable, sorry. The skating, skill, playing in all zones makes him a better package.

To say Eberle is better than Moulson isn't a knock on Moulson. I am not saying that there isn't a bias against Moulson because clearly there is. Botta has been trying to do some digging to find out why. My best guess is because he doesn't throw body checks and doesn't work hard in the defensive zone. Nobody is saying he has to be Ryan Callahan or Matt Martin, but there is a lot of room for improvement there.

Your gripe is warranted, you're just picking the wrong player in Eberle to focus on.