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World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team USA

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Hoping the top 6 consists of Kane, Pavelski, Kessel, Pacioretty, TJ, Wheeler. A ton of speed and firepower with that top 6.
 
Parise-Pavelski-Kane
Pacioretty-Johnson-Kessel
Okposo-Stepan-Wheeler
van Riemsdyk-Kesler-Oshie
Abdelkader

McDonagh-Faulk
Suter-Carlson
Martinez-Byfuglien
Yandle

Schneider
Bishop
Quick
 


Team USA still has 7 roster spots to fill and Ben Bishop was stretchered off the ice tonight with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. I really hope it was only bad in appearance, but we may need to name a new goalie as well.

Here's what I had back in the beginning of March. Potential players still in the playoffs include Tyler Johnson, Phil Kessel, David Backes, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Paul Stastny. No one on the World Championship team should be a consideration.

My current guesses on who USAH will choose:

C - Tyler Johnson
C - David Backes (toss-up with Stastny)
W - Phil Kessel
W - Kyle Okposo
D - Justin Faulk
D - Kevin Shattenkirk
D - Cam Fowler
G - Ryan Miller (*if Bishop can't go)

If it weren't for the U23 team, most of these players would likely be left off though. Eichel, Gaudreau, and Galchenyuk would all almost certainly be on this squad, and others like Larkin, Gostitsbehere, Jones, etc. would be heavily in contention. One of Hellebuyck or Gibson would also probably get the call for Bishop if it came to that. A real shame, that U23 team.

Who do you all have for the final 7 roster spots (+ replacement option in goal)?
 
Last edited:
William H Bonney said:


Team USA still has 7 roster spots to fill. Also, Ben Bishop was stretchered off the ice tonight with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. I really hope it was only bad in appearance, but we may need to name a new goalie as well.

Who do you all have for the final 7 roster spots (+ replacement option in goal)?

Here's what I had back in the beginning of March. The majority of the players in consideration for the final roster spots are done auditioning with the exception of Tyler Johnson, Phil Kessel, David Backes, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Paul Stastny. No one on the World Championship team should be a consideration.

My current guesses on who USAH will choose:

C - Tyler Johnson
C - David Backes (toss-up with Stastny)
W - Phil Kessel
W - Kyle Okposo
D - Justin Faulk
D - Kevin Shattenkirk
D - Cam Fowler
G - Ryan Miller (*if Bishop can't go)

If it weren't for the U23 team, most of these players would likely be left off though. Eichel, Gaudreau, and Galchenyuk would all almost certainly be on this squad, and others like Larkin, Gostitsbehere, Jones, etc. would be heavily in contention. One of Hellebuyck or Gibson would also probably get the call for Bishop if it came to that. A real shame that U23 team is.

So, who do you have?
Click to expand...





Tyler Johnson
Phil Kessel
Kyle Okposo
David Backes
Kevin Shattenkirk
Justin Faulk
Nick Leddy
Craig Anderson(If Bishop is hurt long term)

The Abdelkader selection is still baffling. Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri, JVR, Cam Atkinson, Kyle Okposo, Phil Kessel all should have been ahead of him on the depth chart for wings. Will never understand that selection. Niskanen is pretty highly regarded now and has become an excellent defenseman. Wouldn't surprise me if he got selected over someone like Faulk.
 
vogeezy said:
Personally I think Cam Atkisnsom would be better than Abdelkader. Just saying.
Click to expand...

I think the question is, what decent US forward ISN'T better than Abdelkader. Atkinson, Kessel, Palmieri, Okposo, Johnson, Ryan, Coyle, Kreider are all better and any one of them should have been selected over him. Hopefully Abdelkader gets scratched for the games but Torts will sing his praises and a really good forward will get scratched because of it
 
Backes-Pavelski-Kane
Parise-Stepan-Wheeler
Pacioretty-Johnson-Kessel
Abdelkader-Kesler-Okposo

Suter-Faulk
McDonagh-Carlson
Leddy-Byfuglien

That's how I would roll the lines. I like Backes with Pavelski and Kane - he and Pavelski are interchangeable at C - because he provides physical presence and thrives in the dirty areas, giving our two most prolific scorers the space they need. Second unit is made up of good cycle players who are sound in their own end and third line would get Ozone starts and be a nightmare on the rush.

I like Byfuglien and Leddy for the third pair behind two rock solid first pairs.
 
I love Nick Leddy as much as anyone, but zero chance he makes this team over Shattenkirk.

Final d spot should come down to - Niskanen, Fowler, Leddy, and Andy Greene. All solid options who can move the puck.
 
AmericanDream said:
I love Nick Leddy as much as anyone, but zero chance he makes this team over Shattenkirk.

Final d spot should come down to - Niskanen, Fowler, Leddy, and Andy Greene. All solid options who can move the puck.
Click to expand...

My guess is final spot comes down to Leddy, Fowler and Yandle. Once they add Faulk and Shattenkirk, they'll have 4 RH defensemen and doubtful they add more than that so they can be pretty balanced when it comes to LH and RH defensemen. I wouldn't mind Krug getting a look but probably won't happen.
 
Yandle>Fowler=Leddy

IMO.

Fowler has almost the defense of Leddy but some kind of X factor offensively, even though he doesn't seem to be able to get points all that much nowadays.

Yandle should be the first choice though.
 
Here is my US Team if I got to select it:

Tyler Johnson, Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, Phil Kessel, Kyle Okposo, Max Pacioretty, Kyle Palmeiri, Zach Parise, Joe Pavelski, Bobby Ryan, Derek Stepan, James Van Riemsdyk, Blake Wheeler

Dustin Byfuglien, John Carlson, Justin Faulk, Ryan McDonagh, Matt Niskanen, Kevin Shattenkirk, Ryan Suter

Ben Bishop, Jonathan Quick, Cory Schneider

The Americans have already named Justin Abdelkader and TJ Oshie but I think they are mistakes in that better players are available.
 
CH said:
Here is my US Team if I got to select it:

Tyler Johnson, Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, Phil Kessel, Kyle Okposo, Max Pacioretty, Kyle Palmeiri, Zach Parise, Joe Pavelski, Bobby Ryan, Derek Stepan, James Van Riemsdyk, Blake Wheeler

Dustin Byfuglien, John Carlson, Justin Faulk, Ryan McDonagh, Matt Niskanen, Kevin Shattenkirk, Ryan Suter

Ben Bishop, Jonathan Quick, Cory Schneider

The Americans have already named Justin Abdelkader and TJ Oshie but I think they are mistakes in that better players are available.
Click to expand...


Agreed on Abdelkader but I am okay with Oshie. He isn't a great player but he's a pretty good one and a pretty good goal scorer and should be on this team. 2 players I don't want on the team are Ryan Kesler and Bobby Ryan. Both were underwhelming this season, especially Ryan. 4 goals and 9 assists in final 3 months of the season. Kesler only makes this team cause of the overall lack of center depth among players 23 and older. Backes will probably be the last center named but both him and Kesler can be thankful for the u23 NA squad cause one of if not both of them would not make it if Galchenyuk and Eichel were eligible.


How I think the final roster ends up:

Kane-Pavelski-Kessel
Pacioretty-Johnson-Wheeler
Parise-Kesler-Okposo
Abdelkader-Backes-Oshie
Stepan

Suter-Byfuglien
McDonagh-Faulk
Fowler-Shattenkirk
Carlson

Quick
Bishop
Schneider

I'd prefer Yandle or Leddy over Fowler but got a feeling they'll select Fowler.
 
JTD said:
Agreed on Abdelkader but I am okay with Oshie. He isn't a great player but he's a pretty good one and a pretty good goal scorer and should be on this team. 2 players I don't want on the team are Ryan Kesler and Bobby Ryan. Both were underwhelming this season, especially Ryan. 4 goals and 9 assists in final 3 months of the season. Kesler only makes this team cause of the overall lack of center depth among players 23 and older. Backes will probably be the last center named but both him and Kesler can be thankful for the u23 NA squad cause one of if not both of them would not make it if Galchenyuk and Eichel were eligible.


How I think the final roster ends up:

Kane-Pavelski-Kessel
Pacioretty-Johnson-Wheeler
Parise-Kesler-Okposo
Abdelkader-Backes-Oshie
Stepan

Suter-Byfuglien
McDonagh-Faulk
Fowler-Shattenkirk
Carlson

Quick
Bishop
Schneider

I'd prefer Yandle or Leddy over Fowler but got a feeling they'll select Fowler.
Click to expand...

Disagree on Kesler. He scored 20+ goals, 50 + points, and is a Selke finalist. He also was on fire as the season concluded and had a good playoff. He very much deserves to make this team. Agreed on Ryan. I think the ship has sailed where he's concerned with USA Hockey.
 
Rabid Ranger said:
Disagree on Kesler. He scored 20+ goals, 50 + points, and is a Selke finalist. He also was on fire as the season concluded and had a good playoff. He very much deserves to make this team. Agreed on Ryan. I think the ship has sailed where he's concerned with USA Hockey.
Click to expand...

He was okay in the playoffs, 4 points in 7 games. He's obviously good defensively. Hopefully the late season Kesler shows up cause they'll need his line to generate a lot of offense to go with their defense. Would have been nice to roll 4 true scoring lines but Abdelkader will probably kill a lot of the offense on the 4th line
 
Can't wait to see this team in action. T.Johnson, Kessel, Backes are all having good/great playoffs, I expect them to be on this team, deservedly.
 
ZoneEntry67 said:
Why would there be doubt about Kessel? Dude is a playoff performer and was arguably the only other forward besides Kane who seemed remotely dangerous against Canada in Sochi.
Click to expand...

he wasn't on the first names of players selected for this team. Pretty odd considering only Kane has more points than him as an American over the past 5 years...had to be some doubt in his play as he was not having a good beginning to the season after a down last year as well.
 
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