World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team North America (Part II)

[McDavidbowie]

I love Ghost but he needs to sit a game. We had way too many D jumping up last game and it gave Europe a ton of odd man rushes.

He was trying to do too much, but I think he will do great in the tournament.

 

[Scotty B]

True Hockey Fan View Post
well, some people (not me) questioned their motivation, they highly doubted a team of americans and canadian could come together as a team and play motivated and with their best. They were wrong. Obviously and it's been nonsense for me everytime I hear that. They are flying out there like if it was Stanley Cup finals. I think even Team Europe is gonna susprise, and I think the surprise may come as soon as their next game against Sweden. Not saying they will win, but they're gonna be one tough opponent. People need to realize that Europe has players from 7 or 8 countries, whereas Team NA has players from US and Canada, coutries that player very similar system and style of game. Europe needs a bit time to get going. Nothing would give me as much pleasure as watching those HF experts be in shock if Europe actually beat Sweden with a real great game, haha.

Team Europe is over the hill and too slow. Methinkst they coulda used that Ehlers kid...Their backs are against the wall, they're feeling butt hurt and are anxious to prove they belong. But unless Halak stands on his head, don't think any of that will matter. 3kr will have them for breakfast...as will the rest.

As for Team North America? Sure they're fast and supremely talented, but they showed chinks in their armor last game. They're turnover prone, they have the feel of an All Star Team. They seem to think that they're the Harlem Globetrotters, and everybody else is the Washington Generals ( to be fair, Team Euro ARE WASHINGTON GENERALS! ) Nuge , Druoin and MacK looked really good last game ( actually MacK could do a bit better ). Johnny Hockey looked sublime. Larkin's a keeper, no more pine time for him. Matthews looked good. Ekblad was both good/very good and bad. Jones is erratic and mistake prone( time to sit that kid ). The rest, talented as they are, need to clean things up a bit. Cause they can be even BETTER! And they will need to find their A game against the teams in their very tough group, who will punish their impudence/feast on those turnovers, if'n they don't clean things up!

 

[Silver91]

This team is so fun to watch. It's amazing to see all the skill on display, and as weird as it is to feel, I am actually rooting for them ahead of of Canada even though Canada is definitely the heavy favourite (mostly because of bias with Matthews and Rielly).

One thing that really intrigues me isn't even about this year's tournament, it's 4 years from now, assuming the WC becomes a 4-year tradition again. Imagine a fully developed trio of McDavid-Matthews-Eichel leading the team up front. It's possible that all 3 are amongst the NHLs top 10 forwards by that point and still under 24. There's obviously going to be guys moving up to the "senior" teams, but that team might be favourites when the next one rolls around.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Eichel needs to be moved off the top line, he's the type of player that needs the puck. I think he'd be much better off playing with Scheifele and Saad, where he can be the go to puck carrier and playmaker.

Reward Matthews, who has been arguably the teams best forward behind Gaudreau and Mackinnon, and is a much quicker puck mover than Eichel and might have the best hands in tight on the team. He's been forcing turnovers and making plays all over the place, you want a guy like that with a duo like McJohnny

Gaudreau - McDavid - Matthews
Drouin - RNH - Mackinnon
Saad - Eichel - Scheifele
Larkin - Couturier - Trochek

I'd also sit Gostisbehere. He made a lot of individual plays where he tried to beat guys 1v1 or 1v2 instead of passing off to the open man. The team has enough offense, and while I believe he's actually decent in his own end, he hasn't played as much of a team game that this tournament will demand. The D need to stay committed to the philosophy of giving it to the forwards as quickly as possible.

Gaudreau and McDavid don't work either. They both keep making pretty passes that fail and turn the puck over. I don't know about handiness but I'd try below. Eichel never struck me as someone particularly skilled at carrying the puck and driving the play by himself, but then again I haven't watch him play a ton. I think you need to make that top line with McDavid as the focal point, most teams will be prepping for that to be the case and spread out the talent the best you can on the other two lines.

Scheifele - McDavid - Matthews
Drouin - RNH - Mackinnon
Gaudreau - Eichel - Saad
Larkin - Couturier - Trochek

McDavid works best with people who make space and can help him win in the corners. You keep that second line intact the entire tournament they are golden.

 

[Plastic Joseph]

Generational types....just when you thought it couldn't get any less credible around here.

Matthews is a very average 1st overall pick, which is a very great thing to be. Not much different than Stamkos, Tavares, Kane, Hall, MacKinnon, Ekblad etc who all showed superstar potential at the same age.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Drouin - McDavid - MacKinnon
Eichel - RNH - Gaudreau
Larkin - Scheifele - Matthews
Saad - Couturier - Miller

Seems to be the new lineup

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Drouin - McDavid - MacKinnon
Eichel - RNH - Gaudreau
Larkin - Scheifele - Matthews
Saad - Couturier - Miller

Seems to be the new lineup

 

[Draw Me a McElephant]

Gaudreau and McDavid don't work either. They both keep making pretty passes that fail and turn the puck over. I don't know about handiness but I'd try below. Eichel never struck me as someone particularly skilled at carrying the puck and driving the play by himself, but then again I haven't watch him play a ton. I think you need to make that top line with McDavid as the focal point, most teams will be prepping for that to be the case and spread out the talent the best you can on the other two lines.

Scheifele - McDavid - Matthews
Drouin - RNH - Mackinnon
Gaudreau - Eichel - Saad
Larkin - Couturier - Trochek

McDavid works best with people who make space and can help him win in the corners. You keep that second line intact the entire tournament they are golden.

I think these lines would be perfect. McDavid and Gaudreau are the two most talented players on this team and should both be the go-to guy on their own line. Matthews strikes me as a very well rounded player that would mesh well with anyone. The order of the lines doesn't matter as they'd just be rolling them anyway.

 

[djpatm]

I liked RNH play last game and totally wouldn't mind seeing him with Gaudreau. Kinda wish they'd move Eichel away from Johnny though. Give Johnny and RNH the "worst" forward on the team and I bet they excel.

Someone who knows his place and will set up the other two instead of an Eichel who will try and do it himself.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Gaudreau and McDavid don't work either. They both keep making pretty passes that fail and turn the puck over. I don't know about handiness but I'd try below. Eichel never struck me as someone particularly skilled at carrying the puck and driving the play by himself, but then again I haven't watch him play a ton. I think you need to make that top line with McDavid as the focal point, most teams will be prepping for that to be the case and spread out the talent the best you can on the other two lines.

Scheifele - McDavid - Matthews
Drouin - RNH - Mackinnon
Gaudreau - Eichel - Saad
Larkin - Couturier - Trochek

McDavid works best with people who make space and can help him win in the corners. You keep that second line intact the entire tournament they are golden.

I think they worked just fine. Created tons of chances, just couldn't bury one. I don't recall these turnovers you are mentioning.

 

[Mehar]

If this North American team faces Canada or USA in the Final- the same anthems will be playing in the end. That would be great to watch (LOL). I still maintain that Slovakia and Switzerland should be the two other teams besides Europe or North America.

Anyways, if any American players on the NA Team want to switch to play for Team Canada going forward in future tournaments- they should be given that option, and fast tracked for Canadian Citizenship. These American players on the NA Team are essentially playing with a Future Team Canada Roster.

 

[Sky04]

Drouin - McDavid - MacKinnon
Eichel - RNH - Gaudreau
Larkin - Scheifele - Matthews
Saad - Couturier - Miller

Seems to be the new lineup

I like the idea of scheifele back at center with those 2 wingers, very balanced and could eaily out beast the other lines. 2nd line is also a great balance in terms of playstyle.

That 1st line though seems like they'll be playing at a different speed than everyone else this tournament

 

[stokes84]

Mackinnon has been the best player in this team by a lot, so if your goal is to get McDavid going, this makes sense.

 

[NikoEhlers]

This is the team I will be tuning in to watch, the young guns looks motivated too so it will be great

 

[ijuka]

Drouin - McDavid - MacKinnon
Eichel - RNH - Gaudreau
Larkin - Scheifele - Matthews
Saad - Couturier - Miller

Seems to be the new lineup

McDavid and friends goes on. Still no physical presence with him but I don't think that Drouin-MacKinnon can possibly keep McDavid cold. I am still surprised that they removed RNH from there, that line functioned so well together.


As for the other lines... Well, it remains to be seen. That second line just might get Eichel going whereas the third and fourth line seem to be looking to take on defensive duties.

 

[Shady Machine]

AS A PROSPECT, I know it's a hard concept to understand but as a prospect (meaning before the guy is 25 and we know what he is like how we know what Toews is now), Matthews is a far better prospect than Toews was. Which is why Toews went 4th overall in an only okay draft year and Matthews went first overall in a fantastic draft year.

As for his closest comparable if he ends up living up to his potential I'd say Matthews is most similar in playing style as Malkin so far, imo.

Obviously, with knowing what Toews has become, if you gave me the option to trade Matthews for a 19 year old Toews right now I would do it, because potential is just potential. Matthews potential right now is most similar to Malkin / Tavares / Stamkos when they were drafted. He would however have been taken ahead of the aforementioned three if all of them were eligible in the same year as 18 year olds.

And if I get one response to this from someone saying "SO YOU MEAN MATTHEWS IS BETTER THAN TAVARES?! haha IDIOT" i'm going to never visit this site again. use your ****ing intelligence please, I know you have it somewhere, that's obviously not what i'm saying.

2006 was average? Backstrom, Toews, Kessel in the top 5 plus 'disappointments' in Johnson and Staal at 1 and 2. I'd say that top 5 rank pretty high relative to at least recent memory.

 

[Scotty B]

Drouin - McDavid - MacKinnon
Eichel - RNH - Gaudreau
Larkin - Scheifele - Matthews
Saad - Couturier - Miller

Seems to be the new lineup

Seems daft, both Drouin and McD want and need the puck on their stick, but there's only one puck...The ONLY line that seemed perfect was RNH Drouin and MacK ...who all seemed to compliment each other, why not leave that line alone?...Scheifele is probably a better fit for McD as he creates space for him , is good in the greasy areas and protects the puck well...Didn't he fire the puck off the post TWICE playing with McD in game one?

 

[Aladyyn]

I liked RNH play last game and totally wouldn't mind seeing him with Gaudreau. Kinda wish they'd move Eichel away from Johnny though. Give Johnny and RNH the "worst" forward on the team and I bet they excel.

Someone who knows his place and will set up the other two instead of an Eichel who will try and do it himself.

Which is the exact opposite of how Eichel's been trying to play on this team?

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I'd go with

Larkin McDavid Matthews
Drouin RNH Mackinnon
Gaudreau Sheifele Eichel
Saad Couturier Trochek

 

[ps241]

Well, we were progressing towards reasonable analysis of this team and starting to build unity.

Can we avoid the madhouse?

Perhaps but I think you would be wise to build a bomb shelter to hedge your bets.

 

[Auston Marlander]

I'd go with

Larkin McDavid Matthews
Drouin RNH Mackinnon
Gaudreau Sheifele Eichel
Saad Couturier Trochek

Looks good, althought I do like the idea of Sheifele and Matthews together. Either Larkin or Gaudreau on the other wing works.

 

[snipes]

Perhaps but I think you would be wise to build a bomb shelter to hedge your bets.

Yeah, the madhouse is inevitable in these parts on game day.

 

[Irishguy42]

Drouin - McDavid - MacKinnon
Eichel - RNH - Gaudreau
Larkin - Scheifele - Matthews
Saad - Couturier - Miller

Seems to be the new lineup

I like the looks of that.

Top-6 is full-blown offense, and the Bottom-6 can cycle and handle defensive responsibilities, while remaining potent offensively.

 

[scout97]

drouin - mcdavid - mckinnon
gaudreau - matthews - eichel
larkin - RNH - scheifele
saad - couturier - trocheck/miller

rielly - ekblad
murray - jones
ghostisbehere - parayko
trouba

 

[portamoral]

gaudreau-scheifele-mackinnon
larkin-mcdavid-matthews
drouin-RNH-eichel
saad-couturier-trochek

rielly-ekblad
murray-jones
trouba-parayko