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World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team USA

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jasonfilatov said:
First 16:

Backes
Carlson
Faulk
Johnson
Kessel
McDonagh
Kane
Oshie
Pacioretty
Pavelski
Parise
Schneider
Shattenkirk
Suter
Wheeler
Quick

Next 7:

Bishop
Byfuglien
Fowler
Kesler
Ryan
Stepan
van Riemsdyk
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lol USA Hockey.. Galchenyuk is better than 80% of the players on that list. He's even better than Pacioretty this year.
 
jasonfilatov said:
Patrick Kane was one of the best players on our team in Sochi and the best in the Canada game.
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Kane was the best at stick handling and skating around guys, to ultimately accomplish nothing. He was also great at missing on penalty shots.
If we wanted that again, we should have put Trevor Lewis back on the team.

If you care at all about results, then no. He wasn't even close to the best. I'll write the tournament admin to see if we can get a medal for effort, though. Then I'm sure he'd do great.


Guys, he's having a great year in the NHL. That doesn't mean he played well in a tournament 2 years ago. If you really want, I'll elevate him to PraxAir, but other than that, y'all trippin'. Dustin Brown had more goals than him, and he was benched half the time.
 
FishMonger said:
I can still never forgive Kane for absolutely sucking in Sochi. I simply cannot.

I've been hurt too many times (yes, once is too many). Replace him with a rusty propane tank, I don't care, as long as it's made in America.
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Kane was saddled with Kesler pretty much the entire tournament. The few shifts he got with Pavelski he looked really good.

Hopefully they learn their lesson and actually give Kane an offensive center to play with this time around.
 
FishMonger said:
Kane was the best at stick handling and skating around guys, to ultimately accomplish nothing. He was also great at missing on penalty shots.
If we wanted that again, we should have put Trevor Lewis back on the team.

If you care at all about results, then no. He wasn't even close to the best. I'll write the tournament admin to see if we can get a medal for effort, though. Then I'm sure he'd do great.


Guys, he's having a great year in the NHL. That doesn't mean he played well in a tournament 2 years ago. If you really want, I'll elevate him to PraxAir, but other than that, y'all trippin'. Dustin Brown had more goals than him, and he was benched half the time.
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Who exactly played well for the US in Sochi? Please don't say Kessel, I'm talking about playing well in games that actually mattered.

The whole team was **** in every game that mattered, no reason to single out Kane.
 
STC said:
Who exactly played well for the US in Sochi? Please don't say Kessel, I'm talking about playing well in games that actually mattered.

The whole team was **** in every game that mattered, no reason to single out Kane.
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You can't forget though that Quick was fantastic in the semifinal.
 
My thoughts on the first 16 players named to the squad:

Goalies: Quick, Schneider, Bishop

  • They went with the three obvious, and correct, choices. The easiest group to decide for this team, but it's still USAH, so I'm somewhat surprised they didn't screw it up.
  • This is a very, very strong group of goalies.
  • I imagine Quick is in line to start given his pedigree.
  • Potential options ineligible thanks to the NA U23 Team: Gibson, Hellebuyck
  • It would have been interesting to see what they would have done with Gibson/Helly if the U23 team didn't exist. I'd venture to guess one of them would have made the team.

Defense: Suter, McDonagh, Carlson, Byfuglien
  • Suter, McDonagh, and Carlson are elite, #1 d-men on their teams, and all have international pedigrees. They were always locks for the team and obvious choices.
  • I didn't expect to see Byfuglien on the initial list of players. Not that he doesn't deserve to make this team, but that he was named this early as he's never played for Team USA and I'm sure he's been asked many times. But it makes sense. He brings a lot of offense from the back end, he brings a lot of size, and he's one of the most physical d-men in the NHL.
  • Surprised to not see Justin Faulk on the initial roster. He always answers the call for USAH and he's a #1 d-man with elite offensive ability. I hope he's not being overlooked just because he's on a bad Carolina team. I can't imagine he's left off the team in the end though and that's all that matters.
  • Potential options for last three spots: Faulk, Shattenkirk, Yandle, Krug, Leddy, Fowler, E. Johnson, Orpik
  • Potential options ineligible thanks to the NA U23 Team: Jones, Trouba, Gostisbehere
  • My guesses: Faulk, Shattenkirk, Fowler

Centers: Pavelski, Stepan, Kesler

  • USAH has a lot of depth to choose from at all positions except center. I wouldn't have named three centers already, but they'll likely end up taking more than four forwards that can play center in the end.
  • Pavelski is elite. I got a good laugh out of someone suggesting he's not in his prime.
  • I'm fine with the Kesler decision. He's lost a step offensively but he can still bring offense, he's elite defensively, and he's one of the best at the face-off dot. He'll be able to play pretty much anywhere in the lineup.
  • Tyler Johnson's slow start this year probably cost him an early spot. Hopefully he heats up and gets back on track.
  • The U23 team really screws the team here. Not that these guys would be ready to be the difference yet (not saying they couldn't be either), but the U23 team takes away Eichel, Larkin, and Trocheck as options. Eichel would absolutely make this team, and Larkin possibly as well.
  • Potential options for last 1/2 spots: Dubinsky, Backes, Coyle, Stastny, Johnson, Bjugstad
  • Potential options ineligible thanks to the NA U23 Team: Eichel, Larkin, Trocheck
  • My guesses: Johnson, Backes

Wingers: Abdelkader, Kane, Oshie, Pacioretty, Parise, Wheeler

  • Kane, Wheeler, Pacioretty, and Parise were all obvious.
  • Hate the Abdelkader choice. Not because he can't/won't have an effective role on this team, but why now? As long as a no more of these types follow suit, I'm ok with it, even if I don't agree with it. It's USAH, Dean Lombardi, and John Tortorella, we knew this was coming. As long as they don't double down with Dustin Brown and Ryan Callahan I can suffer it.
  • The Oshie choice surprised me. I knew he'd be in heavy contention for the team, but didn't expect him to be an initial selection. Would have preferred to see Okposo here at this point.
  • Really hurts to lose Gaudreau and Saad to the U23 team. What a stupid idea format by the NHL.
  • I think USAH will choose five natural centers (just as they did in Sochi), so I imagine there's only two natural winger positions open.
  • Potential options for the last two spots: Okposo, Nelson, Foligno, Van Riemsdyk, Kreider, Kessel, Ryan, Palmieri, Atkinson
  • Potential options ineligible thanks to the NA U23 Team: Gaudreau, Saad, Galchenyuk, Miller
  • My choices: Okposo, Ryan

My guess as of now at the final roster:

Forwards (x13):

Zach Parise* - Joe Pavelski* - Patrick Kane*
Max Pacioretty* - Ryan Kesler* - Blake Wheeler*
Bobby Ryan - Tyler Johnson - Kyle Okposo
Justin Abdelkader* - David Backes - T.J. Oshie*
Derek Stepan

Defense (x7):

Ryan Suter* - Dustin Byfuglien*
Ryan McDonagh* - John Carlson*
Cam Fowler - Justin Faulk
Kevin Shattenkirk

Goalies (x3):

Jonathan Quick*
Cory Schneider*
Ben Bishop*

It's always comical though reading the overreactions in these international tournament threads. This team, regardless of what the final roster ends up being, will be gold medal contender, as will the teams from Canada, Russia, Sweden, and Finland. It will be a massive disappointment if they don't medal. On paper Canada will be the prohibitive favorite as always. How it shakes out is why they play the games.
 
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Love the breakdown William. Had to bring Kesler, if for nothing more than how much you know he dislikes Canada and loves to put on the US sweater. He'll be at his best.

The only thing I really disagree with is leaving out Kessel. I get that he's not having the best season, and the US is going with that two-way grind 'em out attack again, but you're going to need to score goals against the big boys. Kessel is a dangerous weapon, and we don't have the luxury of possessing many.
 
William H Bonney said:
Zach Parise* - Joe Pavelski* - Patrick Kane*
Max Pacioretty* - Ryan Kesler* - Blake Wheeler*
Bobby Ryan - Tyler Johnson - Kyle Okposo
Justin Abdelkader* - David Backes - T.J. Oshie*
Kyle Palmieri
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Great post but you're missing Derek Stepan here.
 
KittysGotClaws said:
Love the breakdown William. Had to bring Kesler, if for nothing more than how much you know he dislikes Canada and loves to put on the US sweater. He'll be at his best.

The only thing I really disagree with is leaving out Kessel. I get that he's not having the best season, and the US is going with that two-way grind 'em out attack again, but you're going to need to score goals against the big boys. Kessel is a dangerous weapon, and we don't have the luxury of possessing many.
Click to expand...

Kessel will make it over Bobby Ryan, don't think that is even debatable. I want both Ryan and Kessel here so hopefully we get every proven scorer we have ever had here..:laugh:
 
also, great thing that Tyler Johnson is heating up - maybe not being named for the first 16 will continue to motivate him as he is clearly a top 3 center for the US. I would be floored if he isn't on this squad as his skillset, playoff experience, and amount of times he has played for the US will bring him in the fold.

he has looked like the old Tyler Johnson the past 7-10 games, damn glad to see!
 
KittysGotClaws said:
The only thing I really disagree with is leaving out Kessel. I get that he's not having the best season, and the US is going with that two-way grind 'em out attack again, but you're going to need to score goals against the big boys. Kessel is a dangerous weapon, and we don't have the luxury of possessing many.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have an issue leaving Kessel at home and the decision wouldn't be that hard, though I wouldn't be opposed to him on the team either. I like Kessel, and he's obviously had a very productive career to date, but he's a one-dimensional player, and he's been trending downward these last two seasons in that dimension. He's gone from 1.08 to 0.98 to 0.75 to 0.66 points per game played these last 4 seasons.

The World Cup being on NHL ice also means it'll be harder for him to consistently apply his best skills. I'd expect we'd see the 2010 Olympics version of Kessel rather than the 2014 Olympics Kessel for this very reason.

That's not to say I expect him to be left off the team necessarily, but I don't think anyone should be shocked if it happens. I don't think he fits Dean Lombardi's vision of the team, especially with Lombardi being vocal about crafting a team with potential match-ups against Canada in mind. If it weren't for the U23 team, Kessel would probably already be out of the running for this team. He still has as good of a chance as any of the other available players, but he's not the lock he once was in his career.

jasonfilatov said:
Great post but you're missing Derek Stepan here.
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Thanks for the catch. Removed Palmieri.

AmericanDream said:
Kessel will make it over Bobby Ryan, don't think that is even debatable. I want both Ryan and Kessel here so hopefully we get every proven scorer we have ever had here..:laugh:
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My choices weren't what I think they'll do, but I'd choose Ryan over Kessel if I had to make that choice.
 
William H Bonney said:
I wouldn't have an issue leaving Kessel at home and the decision wouldn't be that hard, though I wouldn't be opposed to him on the team either. I like Kessel, and he's obviously had a very productive career to date, but he's a one-dimensional player, and he's been trending downward these last two seasons in that dimension. He's gone from 1.08 to 0.98 to 0.75 to 0.66 points per game played these last 4 seasons.

The World Cup being on NHL ice also means it'll be harder for him to consistently apply his best skills. I'd expect we'd see the 2010 Olympics version of Kessel rather than the 2014 Olympics Kessel for this very reason.

That's not to say I expect him to be left off the team necessarily, but I don't think anyone should be shocked if it happens. I don't think he fits Dean Lombardi's vision of the team, especially with Lombardi being vocal about crafting a team with potential match-ups against Canada in mind. If it weren't for the U23 team, Kessel would probably already be out of the running for this team. He still has as good of a chance as any of the other available players, but he's not the lock he once was in his career.







My choices weren't what I think they'll do, but I'd choose Ryan over Kessel if I had to make that choice.
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they simply have no love for Bobby Ryan, Bonney...and by they I mean USA Hockey. It isn't a slight to Bobby Ryan when I say Kessel will make it over him as the totem pole clearly of late has had Kessel well above Ryan. Things can obviously change but if I was to bet which name will eventually make this team, my money is on Kessel and pretty high odds imo.

love to see them both here, but doubt that will happen.
 
Alex Galchenyuk would be our second highest scoring center if he doesn't make the u-23 team...pretty funny how bad this u-23 team can really hurt this squad with Eichel, Gaudreau, Galchenyuk, Trocheck, Gibson, Jones, Larkin, etc all serious names for this team.
 
AmericanDream said:
Alex Galchenyuk would be our second highest scoring center if he doesn't make the u-23 team...pretty funny how bad this u-23 team can really hurt this squad with Eichel, Gaudreau, Galchenyuk, Trocheck, Gibson, Jones, Larkin, etc all serious names for this team.
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We're getting screwed hard at forward but it is what it is.
 
I watched the Red Wings/Jets game last night and I have to say that Abdelkader impressed the hell out of me. Threw at least 2-3 monster hits, scored a beauty rooftop goal, worked excellent behind the net and on the cycle for another assist...dude pissed off all the Jets and was a factor every time he was on the ice..If he can play like this he is Dustin Brown version 2.0 for this team and that is a great thing.
 
also of note, when you look at some of the names left off the initial 16, many of the bubble guys are on teams outside the playoffs or on the bubble.

point of this is USA Hockey can has the opportunity here to say to these guys "let's see who shows up for the World Championships" as that will give you a leg up over the competition.

Bobby Ryan, Kyle Palmieri, Phil Kessel, Brandon Dubinsky, etc...show up and earn some damn brownie points.
 
He likely should've been in serious contention for the Sochi, but I wonder if Hynes on the staff will help Greene's chances this time around.

The only thing that I think he doesn't have going for him is he isn't much better than the rest of his competition, he lacks international experience, and USA Hockey would likely go for younger guys to get them acclimated to these games before him. I guess we also get to see how much Tortorella likes him as well. He definitely got to know him pretty well during that 2011-12 playoffs considering he was always matched up against opponents top lines.

I would put him in as a serious outside shot right now, but I think it's an interesting one.
 
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