Pokulok invited to WJC tryout

[www.thestar.com]

"Hockey Canada has invited 34 players — four goaltenders, 12 defencemen and 18 forwards — to the junior team's selection camp starting Dec. 11 in Vancouver. Twenty-two will be named Dec. 16 to the team that opens the 2006 tournament against Finland on Dec. 26 in Vancouver.

Five players from U.S. colleges have been invited, which is the most in years from the NCAA ranks: forwards Toews, Dan Bertram (Boston College), Kris Chucko (Minnesota), Andrew Cogliano (Michigan) and defenceman Sasha Pokulok (Cornell). Usually, one or two college players are invited."

I guess if he makes the team, he won't be in Estero.

Pokulok being selected to the WJC tryout is quite a surprise. I'm guessing he was selected because of his high draft position and not his play this season. The other defenders are a notch above him, so I don't expect him to get selected unless he really turns heads and turns his play around.

That said, I hope he does, and I wish him all the luck!

Goes to show how much of a surprise he is that TSN.ca does not show his profile but the other 11 defenceman's:

[www.tsn.ca]

I guess they haven't watched him play this year. The guy was barely moving last weekend.

[Q]Suprise Wrote:
I'm guessing he was selected because of his high draft position and not his play this season.
[/q]
That's known as the Jessiman effect.

who knows, this could be good in a few ways: (1) he wakes up, plays well as we know he can and makes the team, or (2) plays as he has been, embarrasses himself in front of his countrymen. which in turn lights a fire under his ass, sparking himself back into previous form. of course, there are a plethora of unknowns in play here … but here's hoping the end result is the same.

Excellent analysis. Is there any chance Pokoluk has some nagging injury that has affected his skating? No inside knowlege, just wondering.

Just as, perhaps, a couple other defensemen may have an unreported, untreatable arm spasm (privacy rules and all keep others from knowing) that cuts in when puckhandling while crossing in front of McKee?

At 6'5" 230 pounds, Sasha could be the most physical D-man on the camp roster. I hope he goes in and uses some physical play to earn a spot on the roster.

He indicated that he put on 20+ pounds this summer, but kept his body-fat % constant. Yikes!