Asunto: U18 Canada National Team

The U-18 should absolutely be used as a farm team.

The very top prospects who we anticipate will make the senior squad someday should make this team even if they are not the best players available.

Of course, as charredmonkey points out, the senior squad can't absorb that many newcomers per year, so obviously, we should surround the top prospects with the top OR 18 year olds to give the team the best chance at winning each game.

Exactly!

If the very top prospects can't crack the lineup by the time they reach 17, then they really aren't the very top prospects.

In my opinion the starting lineup should consist mainly of 17 and 18 year olds with perhaps some phenomenal 16 year olds should they exist. The very top 15-16 year old prospects obviously still get added to the team and are given some occasional friendly games to grow their chemistry for the following seasons. But unless their OR warrants them a spot on the starting lineup, waiting a year hardly causes them significant prejudice and allows the team to perform at the best of it's ability.

I agree with you. I think everyone is saying close to the same thing, but taking a prospect onto the U18 team becasue he is 6/6 over a 5/6 guy is not the way to go necessarily. If we have 4 top prospects a year graduate to the senior team, and players last for 6 years (20-26) that is 24 players, which is enough for a team. It shuold be obvious who the top 3-5 prospects are, and then the rest of the team would be the best overall players left. A player that is 6/6 and 15th on the overall list at 30 should not make the team over a 5/6 or even a 4/6 player who is in the top 10 overall becasue that 6/6 player will never be good enough to crack the senior team. So we shoul djust take the 5/6 or 4/6 player who will play on a top line and help the 3-5 great prospects we have at 6/6 on those lines. That is my opion anyways. Ice the best roster, which will include our best 6/6 prospects.

I think we are saying the same thing.

We should have the creme de la creme of prospects that will almost assuredly make the senior team one day (regardless of whether they will start now - so, playing friendlies, as you suggest) surrounded by the best players in the here and now.

No need to sacrifice wins for exp for youngsters. A balance can surely be struck.

This means we shouldn't rule out 4/6 18 year olds who are great now.

We are indeed almost saying the same thing. To elaborate my position, I would pick a 15 year old with very strong starting OR and qualities but with bad longevity. I believe there should be three classes of players for the U18:

1. Top prospects. The ones almost guaranteed to make the senior team.

2. Short term prospects. Players with moderate to no hope of reaching the senior squad but with the ability of playing an important role for the U18 and perhaps U20 squads.

3. Best of the rest. The best players available left to complete the roster.

I think everyone is in agreement with the 1st and 3rd categories, the best prospects get selected and the holes are filled with the best players available. The difference between running the U18 as a farm team or as a national team is in the second category. As a farm team the second category is mostly overlooked and the players in it considered as filler when needed. I propose that we consider the players in the second category to be as important as the top prospects. They won't reach the senior team but by adding them early and growing their chemistry they can play an essential role for the U18 team and perhaps even the U20.

I find it more important to keep in mind the future of the U18 roster than the senior team roster when selecting players for the U18 roster.

I'm in full agreement.

I was more of the opinion to use this as farm at first but your arguments are very solid and I too agree with you guys. If a player is going to make the senior team, they'll need to be top players anyway and will make the U18 and U20 on their own merit anyway.

Good work explaining your positions!

Canada has a really impressive pipeline of centre men:

20 year old Kane Beaudouin 92% EQ
17 year old Steve Cochran 98% EQ
16 year old Bennett Carson 94% EQ
15 year old Leon Cyr 96% EQ
(I know there are others, but these guys (IMO) are the best)

All of these players train in top facilities and have good CL's. With these four up and coming, it will be very difficult for any centre's to make the Senior Team in the future. My advice to anyone with a top Canadian prospect that can train at centre or wing would be to go with a winger. deadrick did this a few seasons back with Taylor Godley , who is 18 with a 97% EQ at centre. Taylor Godley will break into the Senior starting lineup sooner, and have a longer career with the NT as a result.

Having an argument while all thinking roughly the same thing: [x]

Hahaha

But as Chinook said, good job explaining it so well!

I think the only thing that is going to be different depending on who's the GM is the number of players from each of these categories. I might prefer taking a chance on some additional prospects while someone else might decide to take a few more «win now» solid 18 years old.

i really like your logic. i'm voting for you if you're running

I agree. The team need some good player with almost no chance to be in the senior team. Because the will help to build the structure of the team and because they are good. The U18 team need results to progress and build chemistry faster. It won't be possible without that kind of player.

Moreover, keep in mind that a 6/6 can drop at every time.

Thank you. And yes I am running.

Where are you running to? I must say, your typing accuracy while running is quite spectacular