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WJC: 2020 Team USA Roster Talk

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Luckily I’m not picking the team, so no one has to worry but if it were me, sending this squad this is the lineup I’d send (hoping Farabee gets released):

Farabee- Turcotte- Caufield
Robertson- Zegras- Wahlstrom
Kaliyev- Drury- Brink
Beecher- Pivonka- Janicke
Boldy

Miller- Emberson
Samuelsson- Regula
York- Wilde
Jones

Knight
Wolf
Saville

00- 12
01- 11
 
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William H Bonney said:
He's 8th in TOI/G for Flyers forwards and the context of the minutes matters as he's largely playing on the top line and PP1. There's a big difference between "play[ing] 4th line minutes" (he's not) and playing on the 4th line (he's not). As a rookie, he's naturally going to miss some shifts in key situations such as defensive zone draws or while protecting a lead and when he struggles like he did in their recent game against Washington (his lowest TOI thus far), he'll sit and learn in a way a veteran wouldn't, which drags down his TOI/G. But if Farabee is still playing ~15-16 minutes a game with PP time, he's not going to the WJC. If Patrick comes back in the next 4 weeks, that will obviously shift TOI around (even though it's not like Patrick is some star player at this point), but it shouldn't knock Farabee out of their top 9 options (Giroux, Voracek, JVR, Couturier, Konecny, Lindblom, Hayes, Patrick, Farabee).

If Farabee is actually on the 4th line and playing scrub minutes, by all means I hope the Flyers make him available. But 14 games into his NHL career, there's no sign of that happening.
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I was trying to figure out why you'd you were saying 8th among forwards and I was saying 9th, and I noticed that Myers was being listed as a RW for some reason, so you are right. And if Farabee remains with his current role and minutes, I don't think the Flyers will be sending him down or to the World Juniors.

Maybe things change when Patrick returns or maybe since Farabee is a 19 year old forward in his first year of pro hockey he'll start struggling, and his role will be decreased. I wouldn't expect him to play for this team, but I also wouldn't rule it out. He's eligible to play in the AHL so there's no need to keep him on the NHL team at any given time and it's not as if he's one of the main forwards on the team, like Hughes is on New Jersey.

William H Bonney said:
They're not clamoring for PP types as Miller, York, Jones, and Harris are all very good PP options, and as with most teams, there's likely to only be 2-3 spots in total for defenseman on the PP. Plus, the staff didn't see Wilde as a PP guy at the WJSS, so I don't think that's his path to the team. The reality is Wilde struggled at the WJSS, didn't flash much offensive talent there, still struggled defensively and with turnovers, and while it's a small sample size, the WJSS is going to matter a lot more for him than it would for others with all the time he's missed. His only real saving grace is that he's a RHD, but I think he's a clear 3rd best option in that area right now behind Emberson and Regula. It's way too early to say if we'll have a top five defenseman until the tournament is in progress, but I don't think Wilde has shown he's capable of being that guy anyway, so I don't see the relevance.
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I would think that we aren't taking all three of York, Jones and Harris, who are smaller left shot types that aren't going to play shutdown roles. I also don't consider Miller to be a good PP option. He's not going to ruin the PP, but I wouldn't consider him on a team like this or in the future in the NHL as more than a 4th type of defensemen option for the PP. This is an all-star caliber of team. He might play PP at Wisconsin because they don't have the talent that this team has, but I think this team should expect to have better PP options.

And you are probably right that Wilde isn't viewed as a PP guy by USAH and they don't regard him like most do, but I would have to think that if he's playing regularly in the AHL and is able to play well, it's hard to leave a player like that off the team. It's one thing to ignore the kid if he's playing well in junior hockey, but if he's doing it in the AHL and performing at a high level as a PPQB, I think he'll find his way into the mix. It's not as if Emberson and Regula are such terrific prospects. I think most would comfortably regard him as a better prospect.

But we'll see. Obviously it's no sure thing he makes the team due to the injuries, his play at the WJSS and the fact that USAH is not a big fan of his, but I think some of those players you listed are definitely not making the team, players such as Stastney and Krygier. I think it would be exceedingly stupid for Wilde to not at least be at the pre-tournament camp, if he's playing well in the AHL.
 
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The only other thing I want to mention is that while I think Harris is going to be close to making the team, I don't think he has much of a realistic path to making it. I feel like Johnson should definitely have a spot on the team. I know he's probably on the bubble for a spot, but if its close, take two returning defensemen. It'll help out the team a lot next year.

If you are taking Johnson and York, that probably leaves one spot for Jones and Harris. And I don't know how Jones could possibly be left off the team. In my opinion, he's the most in-form defensemen on the team, and honestly might be our best defensemen. Right there, you have five spots for left-shot defensemen taken up. If we are taking seven defensemen, that leaves two other spots.

Harris is having a good season, but I feel like it's probably just the wrong year for him to be in contention for the team. Another year he might've made it, but this year he probably is the odd man out on a lot of fronts. I guess its possible that you satisfy the requirement of taking those five left-shots and also find room for Harris, but do we want 1 right-shot? And even if lets say Wilde is out of contention, and it's a battle between Harris, Regula and Emberson for two spots, I'm struggling to find where Harris separates himself here. If its close, it makes sense to take the right-shot, especially considering there's already five left-shots.
 
Dodospice said:
Luckily I’m not picking the team, so no one has to worry but if it were me, sending this squad this is the lineup I’d send (hoping Farabee gets released):

Farabee- Turcotte- Caufield
Robertson- Zegras- Wahlstrom
Kaliyev- Drury- Brink
Beecher- Pivonka- Janicke
Boldy

Miller- Emberson
Samuelsson- Regula
York- Wilde
Jones

Knight
Wolf
Saville

00- 12
01- 11
Click to expand...
Boldy as 13th forward? Bold
 
:dunno::dunno:
ASPIFC said:
Season has not been great for him. For sure he is not a lock.
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He is a lock. USA hockey looks at the big picture, and rightfully so. Are you going to focus on a 10 games sample size where he’s adjusting to a new position and a new system, and new teammates, or you you going to put most of your emphasis on track record, which includes him being a ppg player in college hockey last year, as well as out producing most of the players you have above him in every international tournament he’s ever played in? Idk seems like you might want to look at the bigger picture
 
KaprizovSaveUs said:
:dunno::dunno:
He is a lock. USA hockey looks at the big picture, and rightfully so. Are you going to focus on a 10 games sample size where he’s adjusting to a new position and a new system, and new teammates, or you you going to put most of your emphasis on track record, which includes him being a ppg player in college hockey last year, as well as out producing most of the players you have above him in every international tournament he’s ever played in? Idk seems like you might want to look at the bigger picture
Click to expand...

You pick best possible team right now. Not best team in coming years. Very simple.
 
William H Bonney said:
I think choosing which LHD make the team (not which ones play the LHD spot though) is going to be the hardest decision of them all. Miller, Samuelsson, and York are all locks and Jones, Johnson, and Harris all deserve to be there too. That would leave just one spot for a RHD (unless they go 12f and 8d, which they never do) and I think you have to take at least 2 RHD assuming you have 2 deserving choices. Johnson offers the least in the way of points of the Jones/Johnson/Harris trio, but he's also the best defensively and a potential returnee next year. This is the battle I'll be following the most.
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You probably know this, but I think Harris has played a lot on the right side at Northeastern, including through his transition to college last year.
 
ASPIFC said:
I definitely root for Bode to make it. He would be much needed righty. Hopefully good couple weeks in AHL for him and then ready for WJC camp.

Robertson-Turcotte-Caufield
Kaliyev-Zegras-Wahlstrom
Gruden-Ford-Hall
Boldy-Pivonka-Janicke
Lindmark

Miller-York
Samuelsson-Wilde
Regula-Harris
Jones/Johnson/Emberson (RH)

Spencer Knight
Isaiah Saville
Dustin Wolf
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I like it, but Kaliyev plays RW and I don't think they would want to disrupt that as that is where he has been most dangerous tearing it up in the OHL. I actually think Wahlstrom ends up being the 3rd line RW as I believe Kaliyev is actually a better all-around player and more talented offensively than Wahlstrom. Wahlstrom has an amazing shot, amazing power and release and not much else, struggles in transition and his own zone and is a bit of a one trick pony.

I also wonder whether they take Lindmark over Brink who has also had a decent season thus far as a freshman in NCAA and far more gifted offensively than Lindmark. They may take Lindmark if they think they need a 4th line grinder/pk but don't think they would take Lindmark for his versatility as a C as Gruden Ford Hall can all play C.
 
Robertson-Turcotte-Caufield
Boldy-Zegras-Kaliyev
Gruden-Drury-Wahlstrom
Beecher-Pivonka-Janicke
Brink

Miller-Emberson
York-Jones
Samuelsson-Regula
Harris

First line is fire. Turcotte does what he does disrupting and creating turnovers for two amazing goal scorers. I know Boldy hasn’t been great this season in NCAA but he’s played with Zegras for 2 years and Zegras being such an amazing playmaker can setup Boldy who has fair amount of offensive talent and Kaliyev who is a goal scoring monster. Third line should be decent defensively and all 19yos who should be strong and fourth line is a very solid in terms of all-around play (think they keep Pivonka and Janicke together as they are highly ranked ND’s first line).

Emberson stays at home while Miller can pinch (again they are familiar with each other), York and Jones is just straight up offense, Samuelsson shut down guy with Regula who can play solid RD. Extra D maybe Harris, maybe Johnson, maybe Wilde who knows. I prefer Harris because he’s such a smooth skating playmaker but anything is possible.

PP1
Kaliyev (bumper)-Turcotte (low)-Robertson (right half wall)
Caufield (left half wall)-York (point)

PP2
Brink (bumper)-Zegras (low)-Miller (right half wall)
Wahlstrom (left half wall)-Jones (point)

PK1
Pivonka-Janicke

PK2
Drury-Gruden

Man it sure would have been nice to have Hughes and Farabee on this team....
 
Last edited:
Pavel Buchnevich said:
No to Gruden. We've got many better options. He's only in contention because of his last name.
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agree 100%, not sold on Gruden, didn't like how he was 1st line LW for Hughes and Wahlstrom at NTDP but he's doing fairly well w/ London and I just think there is no doubt that he is on the team bc USAH seems to love him. Who do you like better there? Ford, Hall?
 
SpartanProdigy said:
agree 100%, not sold on Gruden, didn't like how he was 1st line LW for Hughes and Wahlstrom at NTDP but he's doing fairly well w/ London and I just think there is no doubt that he is on the team bc USAH seems to love him. Who do you like better there? Ford, Hall?
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Even if he makes the team, I can't see how Brink isn't a significant upgrade over him. I think there are a few options for that last spot, whether its Ford, Hall, Lindmark. Farabee could also be available, which would make this discussion moot altogether.
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
Even if he makes the team, I can't see how Brink isn't a significant upgrade over him. I think there are a few options for that last spot, whether its Ford, Hall, Lindmark. Farabee could also be available, which would make this discussion moot altogether.
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Yeah I'm with you, let's hope that Farabee is made available. That would be huge.

Note my projected lines is what I think they will do, not what I would prefer.
 
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Curtis Hall is going to make it, i believe. I think he can bring good depth and be a good third liner for this team.
 
Any chance Tyler Weiss makes the roster? Hes doing well at UNO this year and has history with the NTDP
 
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