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World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team USA

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So Justin Abdelkader and TJ Oshie are among the 9 best American forwards over the age of 23 according to US hockey leadership? LOL

This sealed it for me, no way am I watching this farce now. I'm so sick of them forgoing skill on the 4th line for players who are "grinders", "gritty", "insert meaningless adjective here" types. They do this **** at the WJC almost every year (and it costs us) and now they're doing it at the Olympics/World Cup as well, I'm tired of it.

Maybe one day US hockey will come to the realization that it's actually possible to select players for your 4th line who are both skilled and play a two way game, but this probably won't happen in my lifetime.
 
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Justah Faulifin said:
So Justin Abdelkader and TJ Oshie are among the 9 best American forwards over the age of 23 according to US hockey leadership? LOL

This sealed it for me, no way am I watching this farce now. I'm so sick of them forgoing skill on the 4th line for players who are "grinders", "gritty", "insert meaningless adjective here" types. They do this **** at the WJC almost every year and it costs us and now they're doing it at the Olympics/World Cup as well, I'm tired of it.

Maybe one day US hockey will come to the realization that it's actually possible to select players for your 4th line who are both skilled and play a two way game, but this probably won't happen in my lifetime.
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only 1 name out of 16 is a surprise.

Oshie was on the 2014 squad remember that? also, he single-handedly helped us beat Russia in the round-robin with his sick ass shootout skills.

come back from the ledge and stop overreacting. nothing to go nuts about with one player out of 16 who really wasn't figured to make the team.

Abdelkader will not make or break this team, if anything he shakes up the core of USA Hockey after the lack of heart in that bronze medal game and a reward for answering the bell for USA Hockey over the years.
 
Justah Faulifin said:
So Justin Abdelkader is among the 9 best American forwards over the age of 23 according to US hockey leadership? LOL

This sealed it for me, no way am I watching this farce now. I'm so sick of them forgoing skill on the 4th line for players who are "grinders", "gritty", "insert meaningless adjective here" types. They do this **** at the WJC almost every year and it costs us and now they're doing it at the Olympics/World Cup as well, I'm tired of it.

Maybe one day US hockey will come to the realization that it's actually possible to select players for your 4th line who are both skilled and play a two way game, but this probably won't happen in my lifetime.
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I just saw that you had Tortorella as your coach, so no surprise then.
 
AmericanDream said:
only 1 name out of 16 is a surprise.

Oshie was on the 2014 squad remember that? also, he single-handedly helped us beat Russia in the round-robin with his sick ass shootout skills.

come back from the ledge and stop overreacting. nothing to go nuts about with one player out of 16 who really wasn't figured to make the team.

Abdelkader will not make or break this team, if anything he shakes up the core of USA Hockey after the lack of heart in that bronze medal game and a reward for answering the bell for USA Hockey over the years.
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In a vacuum Oshie is a somewhat defendable selection, but when directly compared to his competition for a right wing spot, that's definitely not the case. Plain and simple Oshie was selected ahead of multiple right wingers who are far more deserving to be on this squad based on present performance. Even at Oshie's best there's no way I'd take him over a couple of the RW's that were left off, and especially not now that he's producing less.

Oshie has lived off the merit of that shootout in Sochi long enough, that performance glosses over the fact that he's pretty much a no show every year in the playoffs. So apart from the shootout (and shootouts in general) he has proven to be anything but clutch in the big moments. And for me the bigger issue isn't that Oshie is on the team, it's the fact that US hockey deemed him worthy of one of the initial 9 forward slots, like he's somehow that deserving or important to the team, it's asinine.

As for Abdelkader... well there's really nothing to be said for that. The US might be thin at left wing with Gaudreau, Saad, Galchenyuk and Trocheck all being in the NA U-23 player pool, but they're not "that" thin. Why would anyone with a brain want him on this squad over JVR? I mean even in a 4th line role, I take JVR over him all day. It's not even a question for me. Don't get me wrong, Abdelkader is a solid NHLer, but he doesn't come close to being international quality for a team as strong as the US.
 
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Justah Faulifin said:
Oshie is a somewhat defendable selection I suppose, but even then he is on the decline and was always overrated in my eyes (a no show every year in the playoffs, apart from that shootout he has proven to be anything but clutch). The bigger issue isn't that he's on the team, it's that US hockey deemed him worthy of one the initial roster slots, like he's somehow that important or deserving, it's asinine.

As for Abdelkader, there's really nothing to be said for that. The US might be thin at left wing with Gaudreau, Saad, Galchenyuk and Trocheck all being in the NA U-23 player pool, but they're not "that" thin. I'd take JVR him all day, even in a 4th line role, all day. It's not even a question for me.

Heart and character are great, but talent is better.
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Oshie was one of the most heavily marketed American hockey players after the Olympics and among people who don't regularly watch or keep up with hockey he still has notoriety,. If he wasn't in the initial he wouldn't be in the final either, he's good publicity for people who only watch hockey once every 4 years "OOH yeah! I remember! Tj Oshie! Go USA!"
 
Team USA shows it has learned nothing by that Abdelkader inclusion. It's the canary that's died in the mines.

Aside from that team USA's wingers are up there with the big boys, but tbh center is where they're going to die. Kesler and Pavelski aren't in their prime anymore. Do they match against Backstrom and the Henriks? No. And I won't even start about how USA compares to Canada's center depth. The under 23 roster is lousy and not helping anyone and team USA could really use an Eichel and probably even Matthews RIGHT NOW. Maybe the next Olympics? If it happens?
 
When will Team USA get competent minds to run their teams?

Justin Abdelkader?!?!

Thats Fonzie Tortorella for ya.
 
Wisp said:
Team USA shows it has learned nothing by that Abdelkader inclusion. It's the canary that's died in the mines.

Aside from that team USA's wingers are up there with the big boys, but tbh center is where they're going to die. Kesler and Pavelski aren't in their prime anymore. Do they match against Backstrom and the Henriks? No. And I won't even start about how USA compares to Canada's center depth. The under 23 roster is lousy and not helping anyone and team USA could really use an Eichel and probably even Matthews RIGHT NOW. Maybe the next Olympics? If it happens?
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So, Henrik Sedin is in his prime but Pavelski isnt? Have you checked their ages and production?
 
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SanDogBrewin said:
Big bonus Bylsma is not coaching. Lombardi went with NA ice lineup. Glad Kesler and Buff are on the team. After what Abdelkader did at the 2014 WC he shouldn't be on the team.
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I was surprised Yandle was left off the way Lombardi pushed for him for the Sochi team. He'll probably still end up on the team when the next group is selected.
 
Wisp said:
Team USA shows it has learned nothing by that Abdelkader inclusion. It's the canary that's died in the mines.

Aside from that team USA's wingers are up there with the big boys, but tbh center is where they're going to die. Kesler and Pavelski aren't in their prime anymore. Do they match against Backstrom and the Henriks? No. And I won't even start about how USA compares to Canada's center depth. The under 23 roster is lousy and not helping anyone and team USA could really use an Eichel and probably even Matthews RIGHT NOW. Maybe the next Olympics? If it happens?
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wtf??? really????
 
SanDogBrewin said:
Big bonus Bylsma is not coaching. Lombardi went with NA ice lineup. Glad Kesler and Buff are on the team. After what Abdelkader did at the 2014 WC he shouldn't be on the team.
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The hit he made on Sobotka will be legal in the World Cup... It will be played on NA ice, with NHL rules and not the IIHF.

Also a part of Abdelkader's selection comes down to this. They have picked him and he has answered on the bigger ice, but he is more ideally suited for this ice surface. I really doubt there will be a ton of anger once the games actually take place. He will be hard on the D and good in front of the net along with one of their better PK guys. He is really good at all those things and extremely solid defensively in terms of a two-way game. His evolution over the last two years can be overlooked but he has been excellent for a while now in terms of what he does.
 
kingsfan28 said:
I was surprised Yandle was left off the way Lombardi pushed for him for the Sochi team. He'll probably still end up on the team when the next group is selected.
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Don't see them taking all of Yandle, Buff and Shattenkirk/Faulk. So in my opinion Yandle is the big loser there yet again in my opinion. We will see if a big playoff run improves his case, I doubt he has that in him.

Watching Yandle get targeted in the post-season last year probably didn't help his chances. I can tell you one coach that will attack him without mercy if he is on our team is Babcock. He loves going after Yandle with his changes, he targeted him like crazy when the Wings played Phoenix a couple years in the playoffs, because he sucks at the whole defending part of the equation of his position. You saw other coaches do this last year... He is also so far from a Torts player it would stun me if he was there.
 
Wisp said:
Team USA shows it has learned nothing by that Abdelkader inclusion. It's the canary that's died in the mines.

Aside from that team USA's wingers are up there with the big boys, but tbh center is where they're going to die. Kesler and Pavelski aren't in their prime anymore. Do they match against Backstrom and the Henriks? No. And I won't even start about how USA compares to Canada's center depth. The under 23 roster is lousy and not helping anyone and team USA could really use an Eichel and probably even Matthews RIGHT NOW. Maybe the next Olympics? If it happens?
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I really hope you're not serious...

I totally get that some of the initial roster choices are questionable, but come on. At least we won't have Bylsma running the show.
 
How are people questioning picks like Oshie or Abdelkader. They are great two way players. If the USA just brought a bunch of 'skill' they would just get dummied by Canada. They need some checkers. You don't want games to be 7-4, you want them to be 3-2, it gives you guys your best chance. Honestly you guys scare me most for that reason. Depth, two way play, and John Quick is the scariest thing to Canada IMO.

I gotta say though as a Flame fan, not having Gaudreau on team USA is pretty lame. I honestly believe he's a top 5 talent in the NHL and not having to face Kane on line one and Gaudreau on line two for one more tournament is okay with me :)
 
Doubtful that he gives a **** but I love that they sort of dissed Kessel by not naming him on the initial roster.

I assume he will be on the team, I just think it's funny.
 
Wisp said:
Team USA shows it has learned nothing by that Abdelkader inclusion. It's the canary that's died in the mines.

Aside from that team USA's wingers are up there with the big boys, but tbh center is where they're going to die. Kesler and Pavelski aren't in their prime anymore. Do they match against Backstrom and the Henriks? No. And I won't even start about how USA compares to Canada's center depth. The under 23 roster is lousy and not helping anyone and team USA could really use an Eichel and probably even Matthews RIGHT NOW. Maybe the next Olympics? If it happens?
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Pavelski is 7th in the entire NHL for points. Ahead of such noted scrubs as Crosby, Ovechkin, Giroux, both Sedins, Stamkos, Malkin, Backstrom, and Getzlaf. 7th in goals in the NHL too, ahead of everyone in the same list, except for Ovechkin. Plays defense at a Selke level, or near Selke at the very least, and is tied for 4th in the NHL for +/-.

But yes, you're right. He's obviously old and washed up, and is now a completely terrible player since he's passed the magical 30 year old mark. Really, there's no way Team USA should have picked someone as abjectly terrible as Pavelski, and there's no possible way he can perform anywhere near as well at C as even the 4th lines from the other WC teams. Truly, a dark day in US hockey, that such a terrible player was picked.... :help:


Seriously, get a grip, dude. You couldn't have been more completely wrong if you had tried. :shakehead You do, you know, actually WATCH the NHL, right? Cause it sure doesn't seem like it.
 
Generational Player said:
Doubtful that he gives a **** but I love that they sort of dissed Kessel by not naming him on the initial roster.

I assume he will be on the team, I just think it's funny.
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Whats to "love" about that?

Only reason Kessel is not on the team is that Tortotella hate the Penguins above all things. He wouldnt even have picked geno or sid on the team if he coached russia or Canada.

Thats the sole reason for this joke.
 
Abdelkader pick shows that they value players going to the World Championships after a long NHL season. @AmericanDream, I have a feeling that you are not very surprised about this selection, I know I'm not.

He showed up when a lot of other guys could have, and USA Hockey rewarded him for that. I have absolutely no complaints about his inclusion, he'll get minimal minutes and wont make or break the tournament.
 
deakka said:
Whats to "love" about that?

Only reason Kessel is not on the team is that Tortotella hate the Penguins above all things. He wouldnt even have picked geno or sid on the team if he coached russia or Canada.

Thats the sole reason for this joke.
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I think it's more of a one dimensional forward that is not producing. What does Kessel have going for him then on a Torts kind of roster?
 
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