World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team North America

[Theokritos]

In addition to the additional competition, I think fans would be excited by having a pseudo national team in an event that is not for national teams. It's change so by default it's good, and it would surely earn the NHL much more money as fans clamour to see these much more competitive teams. Think about it, if ten different teams contribute to an NHL leftover team and they win, that's ten fanbases that are sure to celebrate their new champion.

Just think of the glory in having a shared Stanley Cup win together with 9 other teams. Ten arenas with banners saying "Stanley Cup Winner 2016"... What's not to like about it?

 

[FiLe]

How lucky for me that supporting other tournaments and hating this tournament are not mutually exclusive. Additionally, as has once again been laid out for you repeatedly, the success of this tournament could directly impact the Olympic tournament as stated by Daly himself, thus greatly limiting my opportunity to support that tournament.

This, so much. It's not like us who are in opposition think that there isn't room in the world for a tournament like this. On the contrary, we happen to think that there's plenty of room for this and the existing tournaments. It's the NHL bigwigs who don't seem to agree with this sentiment, since they view this as something they could conveniently use to get rid of olympic participation.

If I knew that NHLers are going to Pyeongchang, I could pretty much tell the people looking forward to this, "have fun with the show, see you in 2018".

But sadly, the reality could be that if enough people tune in and the opposition sits idly by, there will be no 2018, at least in the manner we'd like. Therefore, I see it fit to remind whoever I can, whenever I can, what a sham I think this is.

 

[leafsfuture]

My only prediction:

Team North America Youngstars will have the hardest working team in the tournament.

 

[Sweetpotato]

It's a really interesting tournament IMO but I feel for the players and fans of nations that don't get to contribute, it cheepens the competition, however I really like the young stars option and I think a good idea would be to have the young stars of the top 4 teams from the world juniors instead of NA and Europe that way it's still countries rather than continents.

 

[GordonGraham]

Tentative plan by the way is for Team Europe and North America Youngstars to hold World Cup camp in Quebec City and Montreal next Sept

 

[Addison Rae]

Bo is going to be on this team, IMO.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Bo is going to be on this team, IMO.

Who? Beau Bennett? He'll be 24 in a little over a month, therefore he doesn't qualify.

N. American players who will be 23 years old or younger as of Oct. 1, 2016.

 

[xxxx]

I think he means Horvat

 

[1Gold Standard]

I think he means Horvat

Didn't think of him. The Pitt avatar threw me. I guess I'm lucky I didn't tee off on the guy. If I actually cared for this tournament I probably would have.

but Horvat looks as though he's primed to have a big year. good for him...although I couldn't care less really about this idiotic tournament format.

 

[Hardyvan123]

Didn't think of him. The Pitt avatar threw me. I guess I'm lucky I didn't tee off on the guy. If I actually cared for this tournament I probably would have.

but Horvat looks as though he's primed to have a big year. good for him...although I couldn't care less really about this idiotic tournament format.

Yes I think Horvat will get consideration and for those that don't want to watch...then simply don't

 

[NewHabsEra*]

Huberdeau RNH Mackinnon

Drouin McDavid Galchenyuk

Saad Monahan Gaudreau

Jenner Couturier Eichel

extra: Domi Larkin

Hamilton Jones

Rielly Ekblad

Beaulieu Trouba

extra: Murray Dumba

Gibson Subban

extra: Fucale

 

[Sebastian Svechnikov]

Huberdeau RNH Mackinnon

Drouin McDavid Galchenyuk

Saad Monahan Gaudreau

Jenner Couturier Eichel

extra: Domi Larkin

Hamilton Jones

Rielly Ekblad

Beaulieu Trouba

extra: Murray Dumba

Gibson Subban

extra: Fucale

not bad, don't see Eichel playing bottom pairing or wing though. I think Hanifin and Hellebuyck will make this team too

 

[Burnaby_Joe*]

Bo is going to be on this team, IMO.

I doubt it.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

I wonder if Parayko makes this team

 

[JackSlater]

I am surprised that McLellan was named coach. Cooper is split somewhat evenly between being a Canadian and American coach, and he's been very successful recently. Good with young players too. Good for Canada though as McLellan looks like a prospect to coach the big boy team at some point, so this gimmick team could represent a decent development opportunity.

 

[xxxx]

you all already know this probably....but for those who don't, McLellan is going to be the coach for Team North America.

 

[Koonta]

We'll see how McDavid and Eichel do after their first season. I'm not sure if 18 year olds will be as mature as kids 5 years older than them.

People I'd add to your team: Forsberg, Landeskog (who will still be 23 in september next year)

Not North American, neither is Olli Matta.

 

[Koonta]

Mark Sheifele should be on this team. He's poised to have a breakthrough year.

 

[Zamuz]

Im guessing that I'll root this team rather than Finland

Would be funny if a "junior" team beats a team with many veteran NHL players, and probably will if you ask me.

 

[xxxx]

of course it depeneds on chemistry, their attitude and motivation. If all of those factors met, this team could beat even Russia. Good that they play 2 pre-tournament games.

What is very helpful for this team is, that there won't be only the skilled guys like McDavid, Monahan, MacKinnon, Gaudreau, or Eichel. But also some very solid defensive forwards that are also capable of scoring goals.

A line of Saad - Couturier - Scheifele could be solid both offensively and defensively.

 

[Isola]

So players born 1 Oct 1992 and later are allowed to this team?

 

[Intangiblezz]

Alex Galchenyuk (USA) - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (CAN) - Nathan MacKinnon (CAN)
Johnny Gaudreau (USA) - Connor McDavid (CAN) - Jack Eichel (USA)
Jonathan Drouin (CAN) - Sean Monahan (CAN) - Max Domi (CAN)
Brandon Saad (USA) - Sean Couturier (CAN) - Dylan Larkin (USA)
Mark Scheifele (CAN)
Jonathan Huberdeau (CAN)

Morgan Rielly (CAN) - Seth Jones (USA)
Ryan Murray (CAN) - Dougie Hamilton (CAN)
Nathan Beaulieu (CAN) - Aaron Ekblad (CAN)
Jacob Trouba (USA)
Noah Hanifin (USA)

John Gibson (USA)
Connor Helleybuck (USA)
Malcolm Subban (CAN)

14 Canadians
9 Americans

 

[MNRube]

Saad - McDavid - Yakupov/Galchenyuk*
MacKinnon - Monahan - Gaudreau
Domi - RNH - Eichel
Huberdeau - Scheifele - Larkin/Matthews**

Hanifin - Ekblad
Rielly - Jones
Murray/Beaulieu - Trouba

Gibson
Hellybyuck

*Yak looks good with McDavid and might make it on merit or a la Kunitz in Sochi.
**Bet Matthews makes it if he keeps up his pace in Zurich

Guys like Drouin or Galchenyuk aren't ideal...need raw speed and forechecker types more than another skill guy.

 

[spacemunky]

Yakupov is Russian.

 

[SOLR]

Not sure why anyone would have RNH as a the first center of the young star team. Against harder competition, RNH needs to be lower in the lineup. (RNH vs. Crosby, Toews, Malkin, Backstrom, Kopitar, are not favorable match up.) I'd much rather have Galchenyuk play in the middle overall, at least he would have a shot at competing physically, he's much harder to play against. Also let McDavid -Eichel have their Lemieux-Gretzky moment, McDavid will already be the first center by default from what I'm seeing in the early season. Huberdeau is the equivalent of a "vet" to play with the 2 phenoms. Saad is the competition there.

For these kind of world championships, pre-established chemistry matters:

1) Don't discount the possibility of MacKinnon-Drouin, even if Drouin is taking some time to get established in Tampa, the lightning is a great team.

2) Domi-Duclair if they keep playing like this are a must have duo and RNH might well be their perfect center.

3) The fourth line is an interesting question. Depends what is the mission. You could go for size with Scheifele - Monahan - Larkin or even Scheifele - Horvat - Monahan, or skill with Gaudreau etc.
Not sure exactly where Saad fits in honestly.

Huberdeau - McDavid - Eichel
MacKinnon - Galchenyuk - Drouin
Domi - RNH - Duclair
Gaudreau/Scheifele - Monahan/Scheifele - Larkin/Gaudreau
Bo Horvat / Saad / Couturier

There's probably 6 good lines competing here.



Murray- Ekblad
Rielly - Jones
Beaulieu - Trouba

Gibson