Team Canada slammed Finland 6-3 a day ago at the WJC. Finland couldn’t hang with Mason McTavish (1g,2a), Connor Bedard (1g,1a), and Tyson Foerster (1g,0a).
Foerster built off his strong game from a few days ago, and yielded another good game. His skating is noticeable (In a good way), and he had longer strides to develop more separation. I guess all he needed was some confidence. When he doesn’t overthink his skating, he drives or powers to the net where he makes his bread and butter. Foerster has worked hard this Summer with a skating coach Slava in Voorhees, NJ, and this is the one area that he has worked that hardest. He knows what could possibly hold him back from the next level.
The young prospect in Foerster is enthused with confidence, and it’s oozing through his smile. Shooting the puck is his strength and that’s what he’s been doing more of as the WJC tournament has progressed. It paid off in a big way with this second goal of the tournament on the Power Play nonetheless coupled with 14:35 of ice time. Foerster is a first shot mentality player that is something most rave about, so it is good to see him back firing away with confidence.
Personally, I hope Foerster challenges for spot at Flyers Training Camp in the Fall. It’s time to take the gloves off some of these young prospects, and push some of these veterans aside. Especially in a figuring out year for the Flyers. Some of these spots that would be held by the veterans, should now be held by the youth of young prospects for the Flyers who are on the cusp of making the NHL permanently. There is absolutely nothing to lose.
Elliot Desnoyers
Desnoyers just hasn’t found his niche in the first four games of the tournament. He logged 8:39 of ice time, as compared to Forester’s 14:35 of ice time. To make matters worse for Desnoyers, he has been relegated to the fourth line. He just doesn’t look confident, and this is abnormal for him. Desnoyers is working his way back from an injury that he did have surgery for this past season.
Much like Foerster, Desnoyers is used to making quick decisive decisions with the puck, and I just haven’t seen that crispness yet from him. Again it’s only four games, but some were against lower level teams (Latvia, Slovakia, Czechia), so I personally was expecting more. Hopefully he finds his rhythm in the Quarterfinals that begins today.
Emil Andrae (The Captain)
Andrae is now the 4th leading scorer of the tournament with seven points (3g,4a).
He really put forth another good game against Germany at the WJC. He finished the game with two assists, and logged the third most ice time of any player with 21:02. That’s what Andrae does, he logs minutes. Andrae would be coveted by most nations as he eats minutes, regardless of his size.
He only stands at 5’9 and only weighs 176 pounds, but he is still a talented left-handed shot defenseman. His hockey IQ has vastly improved from the prior year with HV71. Andrae found his niche and became a versatile player that has impeccable gap control, and he showcased that for Sweden a day ago.
Brian Zanetti
Zanetti did not play in yesterday’s game for Switzerland as they beat Austria 3-2 to make the Quarterfinals.
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He has to be hurt, and I mentioned this a few days ago when he only logged 2:49 of ice time against Germany.