WC: 2019 US Roster Discussion Part II

[William H Bonney]

I may be in the minority, but I thought Ryan did a good job as the F3 for Kane and DeBrincat, allowing them to dangle while doing the dirty work. Similarly, Kreider with Eichel works a lot as well, just finding someone for the other wing. What has hurt is Larkin's lingering LBI, I agree this was the most like himself he's seemed, and that they have some guys who are just don't seem to mesh. Keller has driven me nuts most of the games going back to the tune-up where he's relying on his stickhandling time after time and that well is dry. He's not shooting the way he can, and he's not moving the puck back to open teammates. Instead he's diving into traffic or turning away from high danger areas.

Short answer: I'd like to see Blashill figure out forward pairs (Kane-DeBrincat, Eichel-Kreider) that work and shuffle around those, at least for the first two lines.

I don't think the center matters all the much with Kane or DeBrincat as all of ours are defensively responsible which is what you'd want with those guys, but it's not acceptable for those wingers to have at least 4 different centers out there with them in a span of like 20 minutes.

I don't really care what the lines are, just build combinations that amplify their individual strengths, which the coaches haven't done so far. It's like when they had the JVR - Hughes - Keller line forever, which was an awful combination. You had two guys that like to handle the puck, looking to set up a shooter, and a guy that just sits in front of the net, who's worthless there without someone shooting the puck. That line needed an obvious shooter, they had one deserving of a promotion (Vatrano) but wouldn't slot him in there, and they only went away from that line due to the Gaudreau injury.

 

[Nexon]

Too early to say. We could still finish #1-4 in our group, although #2/3 is our likely destination.

In Group B, it's not much different. There's still a lot of possibilities in play.

Barring any upsets in the games in parentheses, we should have these rankings headed into the final round robin game:

Group A

1. Finland - 16 points (plays France)
2. Canada - 15 points (plays Denmark)
3. USA - 14 points
4. Germany - 12 points

In the final round robin game, we have these matchups:

• Finland vs Germany
• Canada vs USA

Group B

1. Russia - 18 points (plays Switzerland)
2. Czechs* - 15 points
3. Sweden* - 15 points (plays Latvia)
4. Switzerland - 12 points (plays Russia)

*Czechs beat Sweden, so they have the tie-breaker.

In the final round robin game, we have these matchups:

• Russia vs Sweden
• Czechs vs Switzerland

Things are really tight right now and the top 4 teams in each bracket play each other in their last games, so things will shift around drastically if there's an upset. Finland probably takes the #1 seed, but it's not like Germany can't beat them. If Sweden beats Russia, the top 3 spots in that group will come down to goal differential in the games those 3 played against one another.

Nice analyze but I think it comes down to overall GD.

 

[William H Bonney]

Nice analyze but I think it comes down to overall GD.

What's going to come down to overall goal differential?

 

[Nexon]

What's going to come down to overall goal differential?

I mean their final GD against all teams in group determine final ranking in group. Not just those
top 4 teams scored against each other.

 

[William H Bonney]

I mean their final GD against all teams in group determine final ranking in group. Not just those
top 4 teams scored against each other.
View attachment 229313

That's not how it works. If two teams in the same group are tied in the final standings, their head-to-head matchup determines who gets the higher seed. So in your picture, Russia would get the #1 seed over the Czechs (if those were the final standings) because Russia beat the Czechs - their respective goal differentials would be irrelevant. If three or more teams in the same group are tied in the final standings, the tie breaking gets more complicated, where the first 3 steps only consider the games played against one another in the tied group, and goal differential comes into play after the first step is exhausted:

Step 1: Taking into consideration the games between each of the tied teams, a sub-group is created applying the points awarded in the direct games amongst the tied teams from which the teams are then ranked accordingly.
Step 2: Should three or more teams still remain tied in points then the better goal difference in the direct games amongst the tied teams will be decisive.
Step 3: Should three or more teams still remain tied in points and goal difference then the highest number of goals scored by these teams in their direct games will be decisive
Step 4: Should three or more teams still remain tied in points, goal difference and goals scored then the results between each of the three teams and the closest best-ranked team outside the sub-group will be applied. In this case the tied team with the best result (1. points, 2. goal difference, 3. more goals scored) against the closest best ranked-team will take precedence
Step 5: Should the teams still remain tied, then the results between each of the three teams and the next highest best-ranked team outside the sub-group will be applied.
Step 6: Should the teams still remain tied after these five steps have been exercised then Sport considerations will be applied and the teams will be ranked by their positions coming into the Championship (seeding).

There's also separate ranking criteria for the SFs, where the remaining 4 teams are re-ranked to determine the SF matchups.

 

[Nexon]

I get it now. Thanks.

 

[AmericanDream]

Eichel's post game interview...lol...that hair is near carrot top level shit!

 

[AmericanDream]

Gaudreau and Werenski back in on Tuesday, simply zero excuses to come out flat against Canada - too much on the line now.

 

[SK94]

It is pretty weird situation if losing means we get Czechs and not Sweden. But you always want see victory and specially against Canada.

 

[William H Bonney]

Eichel's post game interview...lol...that hair is near carrot top level ****!

What are you talking about??



If we're going to have interventions, can we do it with USAH? Why, why do we continue to wear these versions of our jerseys?

They're abominations.

If we're ever wearing anything other than our 1960 or 1980 jerseys, we're doing it wrong.

 

[Nexon]

What are you talking about??



If we're going to have interventions, can we do it with USAH? Why, why do we continue to wear these versions of our jerseys?

They're abominations.

If we're ever wearing anything other than our 1960 or 1980 jerseys, we're doing it wrong.

I can imagine he will choose rather not coming next year, if people roast him like this

 

[AmericanDream]

It is pretty weird situation if losing means we get Czechs and not Sweden. But you always want see victory and specially against Canada.

I am just happy as hell the names we have on this roster. It is not an easy tournament to get up for, you typically are playing against aggressive but inferior opposition in hostile grounds..getting familiar with each other takes time and a luxury we never have. I want this team to win the Gold and I think they have the talent to at least get there, but year after year of watching not even B level squads representing us, I am not going to talk much shit about these guys. They care, they are here and trying to win for their country. We might not like how they play or look on the ice at all times, as the bigger ice can simply eat teams up unaccustomed to it. I do not want to play either the Czechs or Sweden, they both will be nightmare scenarios, but this team has the talent to overcome either team..I would rather say we haven't seen our best yet instead of peaking early then fading away like we see all the time.

 

[AmericanDream]

What are you talking about??



If we're going to have interventions, can we do it with USAH? Why, why do we continue to wear these versions of our jerseys?

They're abominations.

If we're ever wearing anything other than our 1960 or 1980 jerseys, we're doing it wrong.

yeah I don't get it either, at least rock a retro 96' World Cup jersey, those are freaking glorious as well...and we know the results we got from them there..

 

[AmericanDream]

and I would like all your posts, but standing up for Jack Hughes in his own thread, I have lost those privileges...

 

[SK94]

I am probably only one but i actually want Czechs rather than Switzerland. I believe this team beat Czechs but Sweden and Russia really scares me. You never know what Russia brings but potential is always massive.

 

[William H Bonney]

I can imagine he will choose rather not coming next year, if people roast him like this

I don't know. If the Sabres organization doesn't start doing more to support Eichel, he may have to keep coming to this tournament to just get an opportunity to play with better players than he normally gets

 

[Chainshot]

I don't know. If the Sabres organization doesn't start doing more to support Eichel, he may have to keep coming to this tournament to just get an opportunity to play with better players than he normally gets

Nah, he'll finally just get pissed at the inept ownership and management and ask to be traded to a team moving in the right direction. That's my fear at least.

 

[SK94]

I don't know. If the Sabres organization doesn't start doing more to support Eichel, he may have to keep coming to this tournament to just get an opportunity to play with better players than he normally gets

I feel sorry for him. Now Botterill hired Ralph Krueger. Organization is lost. And after all some Sabres fans seriously blames Eichel.

 

[William H Bonney]

It's hard to get too worried about the QF matchup. You're going to face a good team regardless and you're going to face a team that will have a massive advantage regardless. They all prepared for this tournament on big ice for over a month while our players just showed up.

The question is can we elevate our game when the stakes get higher? You have to win a lot of close games in this tournament regardless of how good you are on paper.

Look at Sweden last year. They won gold but had to squeak by in a lot of games: 3-2 over the Czechs, 4-3 in OT over Slovakia, 3-2 over Latvia, 3-2 over Switzerland. Or the year before when they also won gold: lost in the shootout to Russia, lost to the US, beat Latvia 2-0, beat Denmark and Slovakia each 4-2, eked by Switzerland in the QF, and Canada in the shootout for gold.

It takes a lot of bounces and good fortune to win the tournament. The question is can we show more consistent effort, and especially better starts, to make more of our own good fortune going forward?

 

[Nexon]

I am probably only one but i actually want Czechs rather than Switzerland. I believe this team beat Czechs but Sweden and Russia really scares me. You never know what Russia brings but potential is always massive.

I dont think it matters that much, this team has quality to beat anybody on hot day, but is also incosistent enough to lose against any other quarterfinalist but Germany. Tough call, if this team want gold medal way leads through Sweden or Russia at some point anyway.

 

[William H Bonney]

I feel sorry for him. Now Botterill hired Ralph Krueger. Organization is lost. And after all some Sabres fans seriously blames Eichel.

I've watched a ton of Sabres games since they drafted Eichel, especially this past year as I also wanted to see Dahlin and Mittelstadt. Eichel is easily one of the most underrated stars in the league. It's amazing how little respect he gets from the talking heads, especially the ones that act like he "finally" broke out. He literally has had to do everything on his own. He had zero supporting cast his first three seasons and this past year was the first time he got even a little bit of talent to play with, and it's easily still the worst supporting cast any top center plays with in the league. That's not to say he doesn't have areas to improve, consistency being the biggest one, but if he had half the supporting cast most other top players get, the talking heads wouldn't shut up about the type of points he'd be putting up.

 

[Chainshot]

I feel sorry for him. Now Botterill hired Ralph Krueger. Organization is lost. And after all some Sabres fans seriously blames Eichel.

Hiring Phil was the worst thing Botterill has done and that's a long, long list. There is hope Krueger is better.

Most are pretty clear that it's ownership and then a succession of inexperienced, unguided GM's.

Back now to Team USA talk, will Gaudreau and Werenski be in for the game vs. Canada or is that speculation at this point?

 

[Nexon]

Werenski

should otherwise, there is no point in his coming, he would be a risk to play in QF because nobody knows his current shape.

 

[William H Bonney]

Hiring Phil was the worst thing Botterill has done and that's a long, long list. There is hope Krueger is better.

Most are pretty clear that it's ownership and then a succession of inexperienced, unguided GM's.

Back now to Team USA talk, will Gaudreau and Werenski be in for the game vs. Canada or is that speculation at this point?

Gaudreau is all speculation. He's supposedly "day-to-day" but it's been 4 1/2 days since he was injured against Great Britain and he's missed 2 1/2 games in that time. Hopefully the plan was just to let him take the extra time rest and get back to 100% before Canada and the QFs as we'll need him in those games.

The issue with Werenski is he's not even in Slovakia yet. He's set to arrive on Monday and we play Canada Tuesday, so he should be good to go. In today's game, Gord Miller and Ray Ferraro claimed he was there and just not playing, which was factually incorrect, like a lot of the things they've said this tournament.

 

[AmericanDream]

IF as reported Gaudreau comes back, how do you guys want to see the lines on Tuesday?? Blashill especially worked the blender today which I think he has to cut the f*** off to give these guys a chance at chemistry and cohesion...