The case for Kunitz on Team Canada for Olympics

[Jims_Doors]

Here's one media members opinion on the subject that was written today.
____________

"The first line for Canada's Olympic hockey team should be Sidney Crosby, James Neal and Chris Kunitz. Three Penguins, each playing his regular position. Great quality, max familiarity.

Crosby, obviously, is a lock. Kunitz should be, too. But many otherwise knowledgeable hockey observers think Kunitz doesn’t merit consideration. Why? Because he’s not a "name player"? Kunitz was NHL First-Team All-Star just last year.

What are the criteria for picking Canada's team? Is it performance, or how you look on a hockey card?

The statistics are undeniable:

*Kunitz has 17 goals. That ranks second among Canadian-born wings and among Canadian-born players, trailing only Anaheim's Corey Perry.

*Kunitz has 31 points. That ranks second among Canadian-born wings (Perry again) and sixth among Canadian-born players.

Detractors of Kunitz say, "That's only because he's playing on a line with Sidney Crosby." How convenient.

Crosby is also Canadian, so they can play on the same line for Canada at the Sochi Olympics.

Kunitz is a straight-line player just like Crosby, a perfect fit. I see Kunitz getting a lot of points playing on Crosby's line as a good thing. A reason to pick Kunitz, not a reason to not pick him.

Yo, Canada…do you want to win, or not?"

 

[pixburgher66]

I'm alright if they don't use him MERICUH!

 

[dash]

I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of Kunitz (hair-puller), but the guy does have two Stanley Cup rings. Winning follows this guy around and he does have great chemistry with Crosby. Put it this way, I'll take a healthy Kunitz over a questionable, rusty Stamkos.

/I'm not a fan of Corey Perry either, but he did score a big goal in the gold medal game four years ago.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Here's one media members opinion on the subject that was written today.
____________

"The first line for Canada's Olympic hockey team should be Sidney Crosby, James Neal and Chris Kunitz. Three Penguins, each playing his regular position. Great quality, max familiarity.

Crosby, obviously, is a lock. Kunitz should be, too. But many otherwise knowledgeable hockey observers think Kunitz doesn’t merit consideration. Why? Because he’s not a "name player"? Kunitz was NHL First-Team All-Star just last year.

What are the criteria for picking Canada's team? Is it performance, or how you look on a hockey card?

The statistics are undeniable:

*Kunitz has 17 goals. That ranks second among Canadian-born wings and among Canadian-born players, trailing only Anaheim's Corey Perry.

*Kunitz has 31 points. That ranks second among Canadian-born wings (Perry again) and sixth among Canadian-born players.

Detractors of Kunitz say, "That's only because he's playing on a line with Sidney Crosby." How convenient.

Crosby is also Canadian, so they can play on the same line for Canada at the Sochi Olympics.

Kunitz is a straight-line player just like Crosby, a perfect fit. I see Kunitz getting a lot of points playing on Crosby's line as a good thing. A reason to pick Kunitz, not a reason to not pick him.

Yo, Canada…do you want to win, or not?"

 

[wings-pens2166]

while I can understand not wanting to have neal on the line, is there really an good reason not to pair kunitz with crosby? is there a higher scoring pair in the league...from the same country?

then again, is that necessarily a good reason to have kunitz on the team?

 

[KennyBanyeah]

while I can understand not wanting to have neal on the line, is there really an good reason not to pair kunitz with crosby? is there a higher scoring pair in the league...from the same country?

then again, is that necessarily a good reason to have kunitz on the team?

Let me ask this to Pens fans: as successful as Crosby-Kunitz have been, would you trade Kuntiz for someone like Tavares or Perry to play with Crosby heading into the playoffs?

IMO Canada needs to pick the best players and let them build chemistry.

 

[dash]

while I can understand not wanting to have neal on the line, is there really an good reason not to pair kunitz with crosby? is there a higher scoring pair in the league...from the same country?

then again, is that necessarily a good reason to have kunitz on the team?

I don't care about name recognition, popularity, or likeability, I want Canada to win gold. If I'm Yzerman, I'm taking Kunitz to Sochi (and I'm also taking PK Subban)

 

[dash]

I don't watch all that many Pens games, but does Bylsma use Kunitz to kill penalties?

 

[wings-pens2166]

Let me ask this to Pens fans: as successful as Crosby-Kunitz have been, would you trade Kuntiz for someone like Tavares or Perry to play with Crosby heading into the playoffs?

IMO Canada needs to pick the best players and let them build chemistry.

hey that's why I have the ...because I really have . I get the best players available argument. But you simply can't dismiss chemistry. And no, I don't think a couple of weeks can build the same kind of chemistry that years can.

and to answer the question, no, I don't think I would trade kunitz for those guys to play with crosby heading into the playoffs. now if they can add one of them to play on a line with corsby and kunitz, well then

 

[dash]

When I think back to 2010, Crosby didn't have that great of a tournament (yet he'll be remembered forever for sniping the golden goal). As fantastic of a player as he is, I really believe he needs a certain kind of linemate to gel with and Kunitz obviously works well with Sid.

/Maybe we should get the advanced stats guys on the case.

 

[Darkstone42]

Let me ask this to Pens fans: as successful as Crosby-Kunitz have been, would you trade Kuntiz for someone like Tavares or Perry to play with Crosby heading into the playoffs?

IMO Canada needs to pick the best players and let them build chemistry.

I wouldn't as the manager of an NHL team, but that's as much a money issue as anything. We can retain Kunitz longer for less than Perry or Tavares, and he produces enough that I don't imagine there being a very big increase in production for those extra dollars.

Kunitz is decent defensively, though, and can play a grinder/agitator role with high skill to boot. He's a decent penalty killer when used in that capacity as well. I don't bring Kunitz onto Team Canada necessarily to specifically play with Crosby, but I bring him on in a lower-line role, and if the chemistry with Crosby proves to be too much to break up, I put him on Crosby's line.

 

[esls79]

He's a convicted hair puller. I'd rather have the hair pullee Brent Burns on the team than the hair puller in Kunitz.

 

[pixburgher66]

Sid isn't easy to play with. The dude is crazy good, but needs the right guys on this wing. Kunitz is that guy. Been playing together for four+ seasons now, I wouldn't dismiss that. What was the best line, arguably, for CAN in Vancouver? The Sharks line. I wouldn't put Neal on the line with them, because I'm not sure I'd put Neal on the team. Kunitz scores. A lot. He deserves a look. That said, please don't.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Fine by me, just take him instead of Tavares. I mean his team stinks & he only has 34 points.

 

[dash]

Fine by me, just take him instead of Tavares. I mean his team stinks & he only has 34 points.

Oh no sir, Tavares will also be in Sochi.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Oh no sir, Tavares will also be in Sochi.

To be honest dash I do hope he makes Team Canada. It's sad for me to say, but winning a Gold Medal in the Olympics might be his biggest highlight as a professional with the way the Islanders are run.

 

[thedddd]

As crazy as this sounds his only world championship experience was in 2008 when they played in Canada. So has he every truly played any time on the larger ice surfaces? Not sure if the game he plays would work well on the larger rinks?

But with that said chemistry with Crosby does help.

The question about Shorthanded time he never kills penalties, he might be out at the very end only.

 

[DragonfromTO]

When I think back to 2010, Crosby didn't have that great of a tournament (yet he'll be remembered forever for sniping the golden goal). As fantastic of a player as he is, I really believe he needs a certain kind of linemate to gel with and Kunitz obviously works well with Sid.

/Maybe we should get the advanced stats guys on the case.

From 2009-present Crosby has played 1460 minutes with Kunitz and 1155 minutes without Kunitz. With Crosby and Kunitz on the ice together 5 on 5 the Penguins have scored 1.48 goals/20 minutes. With Crosby on the ice 5 on 5 without Kunitz the Penguins have scored 1.541 goals/20 minutes. So I'm not sure that there's a particularly strong argument for offensive chemistry.

The big difference has actually shown up at the other end of the ice. With Crosby and Kunitz together 5 on 5 the Penguins have allowed 0.644 goals/20 minutes, while with Crosby on without Kunitz 5 on 5 the Penguins have allowed 1.125 goals/20 minutes.

 

[pixburgher66]

From 2009-present Crosby has played 1460 minutes with Kunitz and 1155 minutes without Kunitz. With Crosby and Kunitz on the ice together 5 on 5 the Penguins have scored 1.48 goals/20 minutes. With Crosby on the ice 5 on 5 without Kunitz the Penguins have scored 1.541 goals/20 minutes. So I'm not sure that there's a particularly strong argument for offensive chemistry.

The big difference has actually shown up at the other end of the ice. With Crosby and Kunitz together 5 on 5 the Penguins have allowed 0.644 goals/20 minutes, while with Crosby on without Kunitz 5 on 5 the Penguins have allowed 1.125 goals/20 minutes.

This season has been a bit of a different story...but that's probably because they're finally consistent linemates without someone *looks at Sid* being hurt all the time.

 

[element1286]

Guess it depends who would be bumped off the roster to make this happen. For arguments sake isn't the point to make the best team, not just an all star team?