I didn't think Matthew Tkachuk would make it directly into the NHL this year, so I was wrong there. I have doubts that Clayton Keller makes it next year, but as I have said I have been wrong before.
As it stands currently, this team will again have strong forward depth and solid goaltending to pick from. The defense will be a motley crue like this year but lacking a stud horse in McAvoy. I don't know if Farance and Gildon can step up in time to be assets here, but as it stands this defense will have some concerns.
Here is my 23 man roster for next years team:
Joey Anderson
Kieffer Bellows
Logan Brown
Trent Frederic
Max Jones
Clayton Keller
Patrick Harper
Casey Mittelstadt
Kailer Yamamoto
Ryan Poehling
Vanya Lodnia
William Lockwood
Timmy Gettinger
Ryan Lindgren
Adam Fox
Chad Krys
Cam Dineen
Luke Martin
Andrew Peeke
David Farrance
Jake Oettinger
Joseph Woll
Cayden Primeau
Kieffer Bellows - Clayton Keller- Joey Anderson
Casey Mittelstadt - Logan Brown - Kailer Yamamoto
Patrick Harper - Ryan Poehling - Vanya Lodnia
Max Jones - Trent Frederic - William Lockwood
Timmy Gettinger
Ryan Lindgren - Adam Fox
Chad Krys - Luke Martin
Cam Dineen - Andrew Peeke
David Farrance
Again, this team like the one we just witnessed will be carried by their depth on offense and in the net. A guy like Gettinger barely has a shot at this team as a 6
'6 monster with a decent scoring touch (ppg so far). Kid belongs here but with Max Jones pretty much locked in, not sure how much snarl they want to go with. Names like Gerlach and Robertson are the non traditional CHL guys playing well, and Lodnia and Chmlevelski are right there as potential first round picks. Add to the mix Norris, Barratt, Reedy, and Mishmash and you have once again a crowded group.
Riley Tufte - well I don't know what to say about this kid as any player that gets 1 assist in 16 college games as a first round pick has a mountain of climb ahead. I am not saying it can't be done, but this has ben a disastrous season for the kid who had such high hopes. If he starts to put things together he can easily be a December camp add.
The two names I think will make a world of a difference for this team will be Mittelstadt and Yamamoto. Both electric players that could have easily made this team. Both will be counted on pretty heavily and both should add much needed firepower to this team.
The forwards are yet again pretty loaded with Keller and Brown down the middle. Thats as elite as it gets. Add Poehling and Frederic and you could have 4 first round picks at center.
Defensively is a wait and see approach again. See who starts to step up end of this season, names like Gleason, Dineen, and Greenway have absolute legit shots at big roles here. This will be a true team effort on the blueline with no true minute eater. It will be a tough time of repeating as champs with this group at defense with no Foote in the mix.
Overall they are easily a medal favorite, ad if they get the picks right with minimal snubs, they have enough firepower and goaltending to get them to the final 4...we will know more in a few months but this group is looking scary good again and should challenge. I don't really see a 2000 being added to camp, but maybe 1 or 2 sneaks in as barely any 99's from the USNDP has a shot at this team currently.