Subject: Canada Senior NT Discussion

Let's complete the review with CF. This is a really interesting position and latest CL drop mix things up a little bit.

OK,
2. Hudson Young.
1. Sorry Frenette, I love you, but Young is our future, our hope, he's my #2, but above you. You're #1, but in second position. Kind of.
Anyway what a pair of forwards! A dream Skipman has let go 5 seasons ago and I'm pretty sure he regrets it

Too bad Young is probably on his last CL4 season, I'd expect him to drop CL3 next season. And Frenette will get old pretty soon. Let's enjoy while it lasts though, since before Gauthier in 3 seasons, it's nothing worth mentionning.

3. This is bad. I had Wesley Howard, but his CL dropped, to 2.

So did Jair James , dropping to CL 3, pretty early. With Bobby Holmes and Nathan Jobson , it's 3 guys, 2 spots. Which one should leave? Or we keep all 3 and fire Howard? All of them are L though, Howard is R at least, I don't want to go with only Frenette as R and Young U, wouldn't backfire at some point. Any thoughts here?

Kenny retires. Thanks for his contribution. Kidd might stay as potential SF, to be seen

So that's it I guess, I covered all positions. There is still almost a week to vote. If you make the right choice and vote for me, at least you know what you'll get

I'd be comfortable with a U, R and some Ls. You're fine so long as one of Frenette or Young are healthy. Which, given the medical facilities of their teams, shouldn't be much of a concern.

on key games, they might have to play together, but energy will become a challenge if they have to play qualification games in VH just because we don't have other R available. I'd really prefer going with 2 R (including Frenette), 2L and 1 U (Young).

If Bobby Holmes and Gary Kidd could be trained as SF, that would make things easier. They would both be selected as SF.

We would have (by order of importance):
3 GK (Todd, Salmon, Hines)
5 SD (Gagne, McDermott, Roberge, Monington, Breton)
6 CD (Lai, Grebe, Patry, Borden, McRorie, Arsenault)
5 SM (Gable, Gow, Gwinett, Martin, Dawdy)
6 CM (McKenzie, Vernon, Tery, Malcolm, Caroll + Quirk next season)
2 SF (Kidd, Holmes)
5 CF (Frenette, Young, Jobson, Howard, James)

Total 31 players this season (32 next), 3 empty spots just in case.
Not selected, but close:
SD: Wade Bourgeois
SM: Reynaldo Koyle

Additions:
CD: Ethan Arsenault
CF: Jair James , Hudson Young and Nathan Jobson .
CM: Nolan Quirk (next season)
SM: Ivan Gow
SF: Kidd and Holmes would need to train SF

Out from current team:
CD: Sammy Chagnon, replaced by Arsenault
CF: Brody Kenny, too old
CM: Merola, dropped to CL 2 at 24, prefer plan the future with Quirk
SM: Reynaldo Koyle, needed to cut one for Gow, it's him
SF: Stan Burnett, not good enough

Please make the case the case for them if you feel they shouldn't be removed, or if other better players should join instead. The only thing I'm not sure if for CF. With 2 SF, I don't think we need 5, maybe 4 would be enough and keep another empty spot in case (e.g. to select Pete Brooks as soon as next season).

It appears I'm now in charge, thanks everyone.

You know my plan, I'll make changes related to players by Wednesday or Thursday. So if you have something to add or any comment, please post them quickly (= today or tomorrow), or it will be too late.

I've seen we still need 3 friendlies. I've posted invites (or reported since I assume TMO had already sent some as well) for March 7th and 28th to several senior and U20 teams. I hope I'll heard back soon. If not until end of this week, I've seen a few U17 that are still free.

However, we don't have any game on Apr. 25th. I went through any single NT in senior, U20 and U17 and everybody is already booked, so our guys will rest on this day.

Finally, no rush, but if someone is interested in being assistant, please drop me a line. That would be nice to have someone who has never been involved, but any help would be welcome obviously.

How many empty spots do you think I should keep? I currently have 32 players in the roster. I can't remove Koyle from the lineup, I feel I might need him. I I add Bourgeois, it would be 33. Only 2 empty spots. But at the same time, there aren't much players we would like to save if a team goes inactive... Thanks for your thoughts.

I'm content with 2 empty slots. The senior team isn't as critical for saving players on inactive teams as the U20 and U17 are.

Agree with canucks357, 2 is enough.

OK Bourgeois is in. 2 empty spots, we're good for now. From what I see, next season, I would add 2 players: Nolan Quirk and Pete Brooks . But there is still plenty of time for that

Removing...?

Also, I hope when you signed up you consider this a two-season tenure position.

I haven't removed anybody for him, he takes an extra spot since I had some spare.
I went according to plan, are out:

CD: Sammy Chagnon, replaced by Arsenault
CF: Brody Kenny, too old
CM: Merola, dropped to CL 2 at 24, prefer plan the future with Quirk
SF: Stan Burnett, not good enough

Except Koyle, who's still in. I planned to have 31 players, but I kept Koyle and added Wade Bourgeois, that's why we currently have 33, which should be full roster for the season.

As of today, I definitely hope it's a 2 season tenure. Actually, you can find comments in my previous messages for prospects who will join in 2 seasons (e.g. Darrick Connely, Terrence Jean and Maximo Bridges). Though I have no idea if I would still be manager at that time!

For now, players have been selected for a 2 seasons plan, and according to the plan Brooks and Quirks who are 20 this season will join the squad next season to bring the roster to 35. I might remove a guy then from those I haven't cut this season, but they might be useful until then for energy management.

I've assigned numbers to players. Nothing final, but roughly 1 to 11 are 1st squad, 21-31 are second squad; 41 and up are substitutes.

Well done. I was asking who'd be out next year.

Good question. I actually bought time on this one

First NT game as manager for me tomorrow. We play the Netherlands, so it should be early. It also means we might see Reinier Thelen in action. They have a new manager and there's no recent activity on their NT forum, so we have no clue how they'll end up playing ; but everything is all set on our end.