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WC: 2015 — Team USA

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William H Bonney said:
Brandon Dubinsky said no. Sigh.
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Hope he enjoys watching the World Cup from his couch then. He can invite Foligno, JMFJ, and all the other Blue Jacket ingrates who said no to the Worlds. They can all drink Coors Light and eat Cheetos while more deserving and/or more patriotic players represtent their country.
 
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PaulieVegas said:
Hope he enjoys watching the World Cup from his couch then. He can invite Foligno, JMFJ, and all the other Blue Jackets ingrates who said no to the Worlds. They can all drink Coorls Light and eat Cheetos while more deserving and/or more patriotic players represtent their country.
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I'm all for USAH holding declined invites (without good reason) against fringe players like Dubinsky when choosing the Olympic/World Cup teams. Foligno is a different case. Read up on the health battles his daughter has faced and I fully understand why he would want to be home with his family. Who knows why JJ declined. If he's mad about Sochi he needs to get over it as he didn't deserve to be there. If he wants a break because of all his personal issues with his parents and his bankruptcy, I get it. In the grand scheme of things the ship has sailed anyway on JJ making the best of Team USA.

I wish they all wanted to play but perspective matters.
 
William H Bonney said:
I'm all for USAH holding declined invites (without good reason) against fringe players like Dubinsky when choosing the Olympic/World Cup teams. Foligno is a different case. Read up on the health battles his daughter has faced and I fully understand why he would want to be home with his family. Who knows why JJ declined. If he's mad about Sochi he needs to get over it as he didn't deserve to be there. If he wants a break because of all his personal issues with his parents and his bankruptcy, I get it. In the grand scheme of things the ship has sailed anyway on JJ making the best of Team USA.

I wish they all wanted to play but perspective matters.
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Fair enough about Foligno, I did read the article. Still, I can't help but wonder if the fact his Dad is Canadian, his brother plays for Canada, and his Mom reportedly begged his brother to play for Canada makes him wonder if he made a mistake. And now that it's too late and he's stuck playing for USA, he'd rather play for no one than continue to "betray" Canada. Just a thought.

I think that for bubble players, playing in the Worlds should be taken into consideration in determining whether they make a best-on-best roster. There are guys who can skip the Worlds every year (Kane, Parise for example) and still make an Oly/World Cup roster. And there are guys who no matter how often they play in the Worlds (Taylor Chorney anyone?) won't make a best-on-best. But the bubble players like Dubinsky should be playing or risk not making the best-on-best team. Guys like Umberger and Tim Connolly should not be surprised when they don't get invited to orientation camps the year after turning down the Worlds.

JJ is (perhaps) unlikely to ever make a USA best-on-best roster ever again, so if he doesn't want to represent the USA in the Worlds anymore, I guess it makes sense. Still, this was the one guy who used to be willing to step up and represent his country no matter what. And if he's so buttsore about not making the Sochi roster that he's going to hold a grudge and refuse to represent his country any more, then eff him.
 
Now that the playoffs are set here's my overly optimistic roster to start:

James van Riemsdyk - Joe Pavelski - Cam Atkinson
Nathan Gerbe - Mark Arcobello - Jimmy Hayes
Matt Nieto - Jack Eichel* - Tommy Wingels
Jimmy Vesey* - Dylan Larkin* - Steve Moses*

Andy Greene - Justin Faulk*
Torey Krug - Justin Braun
Mike Reilly* - Connor Murphy

Cory Schneider
Alex Stalock

*Indicates already committed

Players that have already declined invites:
  • Nick Foligno - He didn't give a reason but I'm sure it has a lot to do with spending time with his young daughter who has battled serious health issues since birth.
  • Jack Johnson - He didn't give a reason but it's probably related to his fallout with his parents after they torpedoed his finances. He could also be bitter about not making the Sochi team.
  • Brandon Dubinsky - He said he wants to rest.

Other potential targets:
  • Jeremy Morin - I can't imagine he's asked unless the declined invites start rolling in.
  • Scott Gomez - I'd like to see a veteran like him play on what will be a young team but would he play?
  • Brian Gionta - Same with Gomez. I'd like to see him as a veteran on the youth laden team but would he play? Maybe if his brother was also asked the incentive would be there.
  • Stephen Gionta - See brother Brian.
  • Jake Gardiner - There are other players I'd rather see but I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the team.
  • Al Montoya - He's an UFA but he could be the worst case scenario option.
  • Keith Kinkaid - Schneider's backup in NJ would be another option.

Players that I think will decline invites:
  • Zach Bogosian - He hasn't played in this tournament in 6 years and he's always battling injuries.
  • Dustin Brown - He's played a lot of hockey the last few years and he had a terrible season. I imagine he'll take all of the recovery time he can get and he also has 4 young kids.
  • Jonathan Quick - He's played a lot of hockey the last few years and he's in line to have a very short summer next season due to the World Cup and possibly playoffs. He also has 2 young kids.
  • Patrick Eaves - He's an UFA and he's had terrible luck with injuries. He'll definitely get a contract in the NHL but with his history I doubt he risks that for this tournament.
  • Tim Stapleton - He's an UFA from the KHL and his girlfriend just gave birth to their first kid less than 2 months ago.
  • Phil Kessel - Not a good year for him and with the hoopla that surrounds the Maple Leafs I imagine he'll want to get away from hockey for awhile. He always turns down his invites for this tournament as well.
  • Alec Martinez - If there were a King to play, I think it could be Alec and he'd be great on the big ice. I'm not hopeful on him either just given the amount of games he's played the last few seasons (plus, he had a concussion not too long ago) but I'd be happy if he accepted.
  • Alex Goligoski - I'd love for him to play but he hasn't played the last few times and he's a veteran where USAH has trended young in this tournament. I'm hopeful either Andy Greene or Goligoski plays but I haven't seen anything on Alex whereas Greene said 10 days ago he hadn't heard from USAH (not surprising that early on) but that if asked he would talk to the Devils about it which makes me think he's interested.
 
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Jon Merrill could easily fill one of the D positions, although he was banged up a couple days ago so might say no. I would love to see Kinkaid be an option as well.

I guess Stephen Gionta wouldn't be bad on the big ice in a fourth line role, but I think you can find better.
 
I'm sure will slam the Hendricks selection but it makes sense as he's a veteran and a PKer, both which will be needed on such a young team. Now, if 10 more Hendricks types follow, then I'll get the disdain.
 
William H Bonney said:
I'm sure will slam the Hendricks selection but it makes sense as he's a veteran and a PKer, both which will be needed on such a young team. Now, if 10 more Hendricks types follow, then I'll get the disdain.
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Agreed. Put him on the 4th line and he'll be fine. Good "protection" for what will be a very young forward group as well.
 
@Real_ESPNLeBrun

JVR says he was invited to worlds by Team USA but hasn't decided yet. Depends on health issues, he said

@reallisa

Not surprisingly [Dustin] Brown won't be going to Prague

@TGfireandice

Cory Schneider indicated he might know more about Team USA's plans for world championships later today.

@reporterchris

Phil Kessel won't be participating in the world hockey championship.
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The Schneider update is...weird.
 
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