Mark H.

It's double digits lower than both Price & Luongo. What was the Alex Auld saga? Price: .928 Luongo: .922 Smith: .910 Holtby: .910 Darn it, I don't know why I said Alex Auld, I meant Corey Schneider.

You have evidently forgotten Ryan Miller carrying his team to a silver medal in 2010. He'd definitely be my choice in net for the Americans. What both Scrivens & Jones did in Quick's absence this season in pretty telling for how much it's LA's team D that contributes to goaltender success there. I'm not sure if you're being serious or not, but no, Holtby should not be on Team Canada. but to be completely fair to LA, Martin Jones absolutely stoned the Wheat Kings in the WHL on more than one occasion. He was the only reason the Hitmen won some of those playoff rounds so him coming into LA and doing the same wasn't really a surprise because I saw him play that way in jrs even though I hate to admit he was any good. Holtby didn't deserve to be on team canada either. For all people crap on Luongo he's always been a goaltender who can carry a team. He got that rep as a choker but it's not deserved, the entire canucks team are soft chokers. Price wins a ton of games in Montreal on a roster that isn't all that great so to me he's another guy who is capable of carrying a team. Smith I am not sold on but I understand wanting a more veteran guy as their third guy. He's a goaltender who carry a team SOME OF THE TIME. At other times the team appears to lose confidence in his ability. The whole Alex Auld saga wasn't just a coaching issue.

He's been on fire lately. He has a .949 S% in the last month and has stolen six wins for them in that time. The Sabres are a middle of the road AHL team without him. Who is Mr. Meltdown? It can't be any of the guys on the Olympic team if Holtby has been better than him this season. Mr. Meltdown = Luongo. I just don't have confidence in him as a goaltender. Holtby has stolen playoff games for the Caps...his SV% is right in line with the three 'tenders chosen for the team. Similar to Price, he's averaging 30+ shots per game. Luongo and Fleury 25 - 26.

You have evidently forgotten Ryan Miller carrying his team to a silver medal in 2010. He'd definitely be my choice in net for the Americans. What both Scrivens & Jones did in Quick's absence this season in pretty telling for how much it's LA's team D that contributes to goaltender success there. I'm not sure if you're being serious or not, but no, Holtby should not be on Team Canada. Oh yes, Miller. He hasn't been great of late...not that I've watched all that many Sabres games. Holtby > Mr. Meltdown

If you look at all the goaltenders going to the Olympics, Jonathan Quick is probably the only one capable of carrying a team. By that I mean the way guys like Brodeur, Kiprusoff, and Hasek used to do it. Does anyone else think Brayden Holtby should be on Team Canada?

Is Pavelec overrated or just playing against good teams more often than he did the previous two seasons? I think it's a little of both. I find overrated goaltenders to be a major problem in the NHL...starting with the guy out in Vancouver.

IMO, it's just like the Bombers last season. Talent is deficient, but the HC sure ain't helpin' either. When they played in the East, a north-south system and consistent play from Pavelec kept them mostly in the playoff hunt. You need more than that to win in the West.

My OP was partly in reference to Lawless basically throwing Buck under the bus in a recent column...wrote about his deficiencies like they were some kind of surprise. I'm too lazy to go digging for the link.

Bogosian is that steady stay at home guy with some offensive upside, that every team needs. Keep in mind, a guy like Adam Foote used to be a mainstay on team Canada.

I find it ironic that Dustin Byfuglien has become a scapegoat for what ails the Jets. He's an offensive-minded turnover prone defenseman who's capable of playing great hockey. That's not going to change... Suddenly it's a problem that he doesn't fit into Noel's system? Who ever thought he was going to change his style of play and 'fit in?'

Started a 'Jets' topic in general discussion...

I quit after they told me I wasn't allowed to touch home. That seems like a bit of an overreaction... Too many years just playing pick up, I guess.

I quit after they told me I wasn't allowed to touch home.

Both sides of the argument are true...it's a matter of perspective.

I for one, thought Burke would be a good head coach. But I guess not every coordinator is.

I'd put that as Problem #1B. His biggest problem was a completely delusional approach to roster management (QB and free agency in particular). Huffer & Trestman wouldn't have made the playoffs with that sad sack line-up. Well, maybe they'd have coached them into the semis, but theres no way in hell they'd post a winning record. Yet Lapolice coached them to a grey cup game... Not buying that the roster was THAT far gone that a good coach couldn't have squeezed something out of it because we saw Lapo get something out of those guys, even if not for a long time and I don't think Lapo was all that great of a coach. Buck was mostly healthy, so he got at least average Quarterback play. They still had Labatte...OL was better. Outstanding talent on the DL, who were the real difference makers in the East final. The Hammy never had a prayer against that front in those conditions. ST's generated plenty of big plays that season. So I beg to differ on your talent comparison.

It's funny how often a football article is written along the same lines as what is currently being discussed here. Here's a nugget from today's freep: "Too many times in 2013, this team was defeated before it stepped on the field, due to superior tactical coaching by its opponents." ~Doug Brown~

Yep, you can't even get an Argos' beer cup. The only sign that there's an Argo game on as you approach the facility is the few fans that sport Argo gear.

I remember Don Matthews going for two when kicking a convert would have tied the game. He decided to go for the win right then and there...and lost.

- people don't blitz in pre-season games - import tackles who can actually play are very rare - let's recycle some more kickers...to gain two net yards on each kick off

You want to be very careful with that...they might blitz...

I should clarify: I'm referring to 2nd and two or 2nd and three. I can see why teams would run some shotgun in that scenario. And dare say a regular FB isn't coming back any time soon. But I agree that it's a good option and could even help the ratio.

There must be a reason why teams hand off five yards deep on short yardage. Maybe it's because shotgun is used 99% of the time in the CFL. When you do line up under centre, the D knows a short yardage play is coming. IMO it's like running the ball every time you have two tight ends out there. After a while it works against you.

Merry Christmas! If you don't have to travel East...be thankful!

They have better Canadian content than some other teams...with decent scouting down south they could do pretty well. People keep waiting for Glenn to turtle when he gets pressured. But he's one of the best in the league at reading and reacting to blitzes. If the guys they drafted with bum knees and concussion issues return to the peak of their careers, you could have a discussion on that point. In reality, no chance. The Bombers' Canadian content has just as many and maybe more question marks. The safety position, the need for two American OL with an already challenged ratio, not the greatest talent at centre / guard, lack of depth behind Henoc Muamba.