If he were Canadian he would be an automatic to go because Canadians aren't in the AHL at 19 years old. If Ziba was in the CHL for the last 2 years or whatever, he'd be there. Sweden should calm down, they aren't owed anything here.

fully understand why they're mad though. Don't think Ziba would put them over a Canada or Russia though with their two big D out.

Yeah, that's true.

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GO WINGS!

12 team H2H dynasty, most categories under the sun, incl. hits/blocks. Main team, farm

C: Kopitar Backstrom Stepan Cammalleri Little Bolland Laich Johnson
LW: Parise Lupul Erat McDonald Martin Silfverberg Nyquist Schwartz Morin Nieto Conacher
RW: PKane Doan Pominville Nash Clowe Lupul Rinaldo Stafford Rattie Stone Chiasson Ritchie
D: Green Suter Seabrook Dillon Beauchemin Schenn Letang Schultz Hamilton McNabb Rielly Harrison
G: Bryzgalov Pavelec Holtby Neuvirth Nihlstorp Lack CalPickard Andersen Stalock Sateri Eriksson
IR: Halak

Wrote this in the ramblings comments in response to Late Round Gem who said he shouldn't go:


...
Late Round Gem wrote:
"Zibanejad
Zibanejad scored the OT gold medal goal, what more does he have to accomplish at the junior level? Having him continue to refine his pro game is the right decision for the Sens. If Nugent-Hopkins had done the same I would bet dollars to doughnuts that the Oilers would keep him in the AHL this year as well.

Nuge - fair amount of North American pro experience, short on these types of pressure packed games
Zibanejad - the opposite

It's crazy to think that a professional hockey team would purposely hold a player out so their home country has a better chance of winning. This tourney happens every year, the stink of a poorly developed lottery pick lasts far longer than one year of disappointment."



My response:
How long is the tournament? I highly doubt that playing in it will impede his development or disrupt the refinement of his pro-game. I disagree with your stance. If he's not playing in the NHL, let him represent his country and have some fun with peers before the game becomes more and more a business. This is like telling a kid that he can't go to his grade 12 prom because he is smart enough to be in university (even though he isn't yet), and because he went to the prom in grade 11, where he ended up losing his virginity to the prom queen, Kate Upton (the female equivalent to winning the World Juniors in freaking overtime no less).

Let the young man play.

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" You said you don't give a f*ck about hockey. I've never heard anyone say that before."

I don't think that's a fair analogy. A fair analogy would be making a university kid go back to high school for a two-week Mathlympics even though he should be sticking with his university math classes (in order to succeed in them and learn). As opposed to CHLers who are only missing high school classes to attend the Mathlympics at another school.

He'll miss about 12 AHL games which is a lot considering he's only played 16. Like BM said tonight, it would be like starting over once he came back from the tournament. Also, I have no doubt the NHL will be back by the so it doesn't matter as Sweden would have let him go for that.

And Zibanejad gets about $13,000 for not going so I'm sure he's not going to pout.

He's not an over-ager, which is the only way I can see that logic making sense, so I'm not a fan of your analogy.

Any other analogies?! Reese and Bomm I'm looking at you guys! Let the battle of the analogies begin!

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" You said you don't give a f*ck about hockey. I've never heard anyone say that before."

It's kind of sad really. Sad for Mika and sad for Sweden. He can put on a brave face and say that it was his and his agent's decision, but who is he really kidding? No way ANY 19 year old hockey player DOESN'T want to suit up for a short tournament representing his country with his buddies that he won gold at the year before. Russia (location) be damned, tournaments reek of awesomeness!

Nothing to prove at this level? What about leading Sweden to ANOTHER gold medal? That might show the Sens that this kid has leadership abilities and you know, just might give him even more confidence in himself as an offensive player.

I guess he'll somehow get some confidence playing less minutes in the SECOND best league in the world right now after the KHL. He's got 7 points in 16 games for heaven's sake! Wouldn't it be better if he were to go away, dominate for the Swedes and then come back to the AHL to finish on a high note...or if we're lucky, try to make the NHL when the players eventually come crawling back in January?

Boo to the Sens management who made this decision. Will it retard Zibanejad's development? Likely not, but hey it's not like we'll ever know!

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12 Team "Experts" Roto representing Dobberhockey 2nd
G,A,PPP,+/-,SOG,Hits,Blocks,Wins,GAA,SV% - Keep 4
4C-Kopitar,M.Koivu,Stepan,Matthias,Prospal
4L-Marleau,Steen,M.Foligno,N.Foligno,Morrow,Umberger
4R-Hossa,Hornqvist,Little,Alfredsson,Oshie
6D-Byfuglien,Phaneuf,Doughty,J.Johnson,Burns,Wideman, Kostka,Methot
2G-M.Smith,Backstrom,Reimer

12 Team Salary Cap Roto Dynasty 3rd (G,A,Pts,FPts,DPts,Pim,SOG,H,BS,W+OTL+SO,GAA,SV%)
12F-Ovechkin,Kopitar,P&E Kane,Kessel,Ryan,M&N Foligno,Ennis,Hodgson,Killorn,Horton,Wolski,Morrow ,Bonino
6D-Subban,J.Johnson,Carle,Wizniewski,Franson,Spurgeon ,Kostka,M.Fraser
2G-Rask,Anderson,Emery
Farm-Markstrom,Scrivens,Brunner,Nyquist,G.Bourque,B.Con nolly,T.Barrie,Brennan,Barberio,Orlov

I understand what you're saying here but I don't think he would dominate (I mean be a top scorer) at the WJC, especially if they didn't give him top ice time. At their summer camp they played Karlsson and Forsberg the most, and Zibanejad was on the second line for the most part. Ziba isn't like a Kuznetsov who dominated last year. Like I said though, I understand your points and they're definitely fair. It's a tough call all around IMO.

I'm right there with ya, Comish. I just don't see how missing 3 weeks of pro hockey to play against the top competition in the world (at his age level) would hurt his development. If he had to sacrifice a year or pro-hockey to do so, yea, I get it. To me he's missing out on "big game" atmosphere and learning to calm the nerves and such. That's what gets recognized - showing up in the playoffs. Yea, he's played before but never hurts to get more! It's only 3 weeks....

__________________
10tm Dynasty Lg - $70M CAP
G A PTS +/- PIM PPP SOG W GAA SV% SO

C: J. Carter, H Sedin, E. Staal
RW: P. Kane, Stewart
LW: Semin, Couture
D: Pietrangelo, Hamhuis, Subban, Carlson
G: Lundqvist, Price
UTIL: Plekanec, Ennis, Perron, D. Brown


Farm
D: B. Smith, Morrow
F: Brassard, Williams, Niederreiter, Little, Okposo, Whitney, Nyquist, Kesler
G: S. Mason, Ward

Prospect:
F - Z. Kassian, Spooner, Kuznetsov, Tatar, Teravainen, Stone, Connolly
D - Matt Dumba

It's not about hurting his development per-say, it's about delaying his development. He'll get actual playoff experience this season as Binghamton is almost the best team in the AHL right now.

The same thing happened last year having to travel across the ocean for the WJC, then the season went to shit when he returned. The Sens are not very happy with how his Swedish team fared last year and how they treated Z and all their players. They went through 3 head coaches and didn't give Z or their other young players consistent ice time. They didn't get control over him last year, so they are using their control to their full advantage this year.

I'm just not sure some people realize the difference between a WJC in Russia and a WJC in Canada or the US. It's just going to be way less physical and slower. That is not something a guy learning an intense, quick, pro game really needs. Wouldn't hurt, but the pros outweigh the cons to stay.

Like I said though, you can make good argument for both sides. I'm sure they debated it for a while.