WJC: 2016 — USA Roster Talk

[tfantasy]

Debrincat gonna make the team and have a big tourney in my opinion

 

[Morry83]

Whether it was warranted or not, I'm still shocked by the Tuch omission.

 

[AmericanDream]

People laugh at guys like Eansor, Turgeon, Bittner, Bjork, etc. but you can put them into positions of responsibility on the 4th line and they will get the job done. Players like Garland and Bracco can't/won't fill that role and won't be on this team's top 6. It's a math issue.

I am ok with a grind line with some skill I can live with that if we go 3 high end lines of scoring power it makes a big difference if we do a top six or bottom 6 or top 9 and bottom 3..I don't want to see a bunch of grinders for the sake of it with all this talent available.. if something makes sense and we have a line that is familiar with each other then fine but otherwise I want skill in the top 9 with some firepower is what we need

 

[nelsojc]

I am ok with a grind line with some skill I can live with that if we go 3 high end lines of scoring power it makes a big difference if we do a top six or bottom 6 or top 9 and bottom 3..I don't want to see a bunch of grinders for the sake of it with all this talent available.. if something makes sense and we have a line that is familiar with each other then fine but otherwise I want skill in the top 9 with some firepower is what we need

Teams have started to move fully away from a grind line or bottom 6 with two way players that have less elite skill. This is really dumb if that is what USA is going for...the reason why Canada won the world juniors last year was because of their skill all way the way down their lineup.

 

[Bridgeman]

I am ok with a grind line with some skill I can live with that if we go 3 high end lines of scoring power it makes a big difference if we do a top six or bottom 6 or top 9 and bottom 3..I don't want to see a bunch of grinders for the sake of it with all this talent available.. if something makes sense and we have a line that is familiar with each other then fine but otherwise I want skill in the top 9 with some firepower is what we need

American Dream is Hanifin going to be on this roster or what? I'm sure he would love to win s gold medal with this group!

 

[Breakers]

Teams have started to move fully away from a grind line or bottom 6 with two way players that have less elite skill. This is really dumb if that is what USA is going for...the reason why Canada won the world juniors last year was because of their skill all way the way down their lineup.

Frederick Gauthier with Lawson crouse and Nick Ritchie is the EXACT definition of a grind line.

 

[nelsojc]

Frederick Gauthier with Lawson crouse and Nick Ritchie is the EXACT definition of a grind line.

Sure...they happen to be big and can hit but all three of those guys are pretty damn skilled and can put the puck in the back of the net.

 

[Halfy]

Sure...they happen to be big and can hit but all three of those guys are pretty damn skilled and can put the puck in the back of the net.

Gauthier was brutal offensively

 

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Gauthier was brutal offensively

Crouse wasn't exactly an offensive dynamo last year either.

 

[nomorekids]

Teams have started to move fully away from a grind line or bottom 6 with two way players that have less elite skill. This is really dumb if that is what USA is going for...the reason why Canada won the world juniors last year was because of their skill all way the way down their lineup.

You're saying this like year after year this is some winning formula for Canada. It worked last year, but how many years did it NOT work? It's not always the way to win in a tournament like this, as proven by the Americans a few years ago where they had a defined defensive\checking line.

 

[Breakers]

Sure...they happen to be big and can hit but all three of those guys are pretty damn skilled and can put the puck in the back of the net.

Frederick Gauthier as a 19 year old couldn't put up PPG numbers in the pure offense QMJHL. Nor could he the year before. This guy has 3rd or 4th line center written all over him.

In 2 WJC he had 1 assist.

Even grinders have skill it is just isn't defined as offensive skill.

But that line was a grinder line, and the USA needs one too to be successful, as those depth forwards are usually better in the defensive zone, and kill penalties.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

In my opinion, TeamUSA is making the same mistakes as Canada did in recent years i.e.: taking role players for the bottom 6. Happened in 2013 with one of the best rosters available and we got smoked in Russia

Just my opinion though

 

[w e l o s t b o y s]

In my opinion, TeamUSA is making the same mistakes as Canada did in recent years i.e.: taking role players for the bottom 6. Happened in 2013 with one of the best rosters available and we got smoked in Russia

Just my opinion though

The roster isn't even out yet

 

[izzy]

I don't understand how Garland doesn't get there... He couldn't be having a better year.

 

[AmericanDream]

American Dream is Hanifin going to be on this roster or what? I'm sure he would love to win s gold medal with this group!

From my expert inside knowledge.. Yes.

 

[Zaddy]

Tkachuk-Matthews-Roslovic
Milano-Schmaltz-Boeser
Connor-White-DeBrincat
Bellows-Dvorak-MacInnis

should be the U.S.A's line combos, IMO.

The first line has instant chemistry from their days with the USNDTP.

Similar reasoning with Schmaltz-Boeser on the second line - instant chemistry. Milano adds another explosive element on that off wing, and his hands, Schmaltz' playmaking, and Boeser's shot, which might be the best outside of the NHL, should combine to form a deadly offensive assault.

Connor and White provide enough two-way ability to compensate for DeBrincat, while also adding significant offensive punch in their own right. White has been very much a playmaker, among the best in the NCAA, with BC thus far, and should enjoy playing with two excellent shooters in Connor and DeBrincat.

Bellows might be a bit of a shock, but it's always nice to get the future stars a little experience, plus he'll be insulated by two older guys that can do a lot of the heavy lifting on a dangerous fourth line. Dvorak might be underutilized on the fourth line, but I suspect that he's going to get plenty of time on special teams.

Let me know if I've made any egregious omissions and/or errors.

I really like that forward group and those lines. That's probably the best possible lineup IMO.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

Camp Roster:

FORWARDS

Kieffer Bellows 6-1 (185) 195 (88) 6/10/98 L Edina, Minn. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) 2016 Draft Eligible
Paul Bittner 6-4 (193) 202 (92) 11/4/96 L Crookston, Minn. Portland Winterhawks (WHL) CBJ ('15, 2nd rd., 38th ovr.)
Anders Bjork 5-11 (180) 183 (83) 8/5/96 R Mequon, Wis. University of Notre Dame (HEA) BOS ('14, 5th rd., 146th ovr.)
Brock Boeser 6-0 (183) 192 (87) 2/25/97 R Burnsville, Minn. University of North Dakota (NCHC) VAN ('15, 1st rd., 23rd ovr.)
Alex DeBrincat 5-7 (170) 161 (73) 7/29/98 L Farmington Hills, Mich. Erie Otters (OHL) 2016 Draft Eligible
Ryan Donato 6-1 (185) 181 (82) 4/9/96 L Scituate, Mass. Harvard University (ECAC Hockey) BOS ('14, 2nd rd., 56th ovr.)
Christian Dvorak 6-0 (183) 187 (85) 2/2/96 L Palos, Ill. London Knights (OHL) ARZ ('14, 2nd rd., 58th ovr.)
Scott Eansor 5-8 (173) 168 (76) 1/3/96 L Englewood, Colo. Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) Free Agent
Ryan Hitchcock 5-10 (178) 170 (77) 3/30/96 L Manhasset, N.Y. Yale University (ECAC Hockey) Free Agent
Clayton Keller 5-10 (178) 170 (77) 7/29/98 L Swansea, Ill. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) 2016 Draft Eligible
Auston Matthews 6-0 (183) 199 (90) 9/17/97 L Scottsdale, Ariz. ZSC Lions (National A-Swiss) 2016 Draft Eligible
Ryan MacInnis 6-4 (193) 185 (84) 2/14/96 L St. Louis, Mo. Kitchener Rangers (OHL) ARZ ('14, 2nd rd., 43rd ovr.)
Sonny Milano 5-11 (180) 185 (85) 5/12/96 L Massapequa, N.Y. Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) CBJ ('14, 1st rd., 16th ovr.)
Nick Schmaltz 6-0 (183) 172 (78) 2/23/96 R Verona, Wis. University of North Dakota (NCHC) CHI ('14, 1st rd., 20th ovr.)
Matthew Tkachuk 6-1 (185) 188 (85) 12/11/97 L St. Louis, Mo. London Knights (OHL) 2016 Draft Eligible
Colin White 6-0 (183) 183 (83) 1/30/97 R Hanover, Mass. Boston College (HEA) OTT ('15, 1st rd., 21st ovr.)


DEFENSEMEN

Louie Belpedio 5-10 (178) 194 (88) 5/14/96 R Skokie, Ill. Miami University (NCHC) MIN ('14, 3rd rd., 80th ovr.)
Will Borgen 6-2 (188) 195 (88) 12/19/96 R Moorhead, Minn. St. Cloud State University (NCHC) BUF ('15, 4th rd., 92nd ovr.)
Brandon Carlo 6-5 (196) 195 (88) 11/26/96 R Colorado Springs, Colo. Ti-City Americans (WHL) BOS ('15, 2nd rd., 37th ovr.)
Ryan Collins 6-4 (193) 204 (93) 5/6/96 R Bloomington, Minn. University of Minnesota (Big Ten) CBJ ('14, 2nd rd., 47th ovr.)
Casey Fitzgerald 5-11 (180) 185 (84) 2/25/97 R North Reading, Mass. Boston College (HEA) Free Agent
Brandon Fortunato 5-10 (178) 148 (67) 6/7/96 L Albertson, N.Y. Boston University (HEA) Free Agent
Chad Krys 5-11 (180) 183 (83) 4/10/98 L Ridgefield, Conn. U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) 2016 Draft Eligible
Charlie McAvoy 6-0 (183) 205 (93) 12/21/97 R Long Beach, N.Y. Boston University (HEA) 2016 Draft Eligible
Zach Werenski 6-2 (188) 214 (97) 7/19/97 L Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. University of Michigan (Big Ten) CBJ ('15, 1st rd., 8th ovr.)


GOALTENDERS

Brandon Halverson 6-4 (193) 179 (81) 2/29/96 L Traverse City, Mich. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) NYR ('14, 2nd rd., 59th ovr.)
Alex Nedeljkovic 6-0 (183) 190 (86) 1/7/96 R Parma, Ohio Flint Firebirds (OHL) CAR ('14, 2nd rd., 37th ovr.)
Luke Opilka 6-1 (185) 192 (87) 2/27/97 L St. Louis, Mo. Kitchener Rangers (OHL) STL ('15, 5th rd., 146th ovr.)
Tyler Parsons 6-1 (185) 180 (82) 9/18/97 L Chesterfield, Mo. London Knights (OHL)

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/201...t=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

 

[William H Bonney]

No Kyle Connor is the biggest surprise to me.

 

[Let Blaine Die]

No Kyle Connor is the biggest surprise to me.

Also no Caleb Jones. Another surprise.

 

[w e l o s t b o y s]

a lot of young guys

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

No Kyle Connor is the biggest surprise to me.

I'm really surprised about him. I also expected Roslovic to be there, too.

 

[kyle44]

No Jack Roslovic either...

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Connor is the biggest omission to me. Then Roslovic and Fischer.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Connor, Roslovic, Tuch would be a pretty good line.

Watched Hitchcock this weekend and he stood out in a good way, but this is not the best collection of U20 talent available to Team USA.

 

[86Habs]

In my opinion, TeamUSA is making the same mistakes as Canada did in recent years i.e.: taking role players for the bottom 6. Happened in 2013 with one of the best rosters available and we got smoked in Russia

Just my opinion though

Back in the day (well, until last year and excluding the lock-out team of 2013), Canada would sometimes take up to 7 "role" players to this tournament - generally a defensive/checking line, and an energy/grind line. And the 13th forward was generally a versatile guy, with a bias towards being a bottom six type of player. This approach worked for several years in the 1990s when Canada had a significant edge in size and physicality, but the impact wore off when other countries caught up and begin having more depth on the roster in terms of offensive skill..not to mention the silliness of this approach to building a roster for international ice.

In my opinion last year's Canadian approach was the correct one - really only Gauthier and Crouse could be considered pure role (i.e., defensive) players, whereas Ritchie was a very skilled offensive player who: 1) happens to bring a significant physical presence; and 2) couldn't keep up skating-wise with McDavid on the 2nd line, which is where he initially slotted in. So an enormous 4th line was built that was a hybrid checking/energy line. We won't have the same luxury this year as our team is shaping up to be quite small. However, Hockey Canada's approach to building rosters for the World Juniors, World Championships, and Olympics now seems to be aligned and is a recipe for success, IMO.