WJC: 2021 Team USA Roster Talk

[All Mighty]

 

[bsu]

Faber played great, LaCombe was shakey. good moves.

 

[William H Bonney]

We should dominate this game, but more than anything I hope we see some improved habits in a few key areas:

• Breakout support by forwards. Lots of folks pointed it out, but the defense struggled at times on the breakout because they had little forward support and the passes had to travel too far to be consistent.
• PP entries and setup. The PP really struggled to get set up in the zone and seemed surprised they weren't facing a passive box from Russia. I hope to see a more intentional approach tonight.
• Forecheck. The US forecheck was very good against Finland in the exhibition, but they left a lot to be desired against Russia, especially after Russia struggled so much against Canada's forecheck in the exhibition.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

I have significant doubts that we have a d group that will allow us to make any real noise this year. They look horrific again tonite.

 

[William H Bonney]

How many posts was that? 6?

 

[William H Bonney]

I have significant doubts that we have a d group that will allow us to make any real noise this year. They look horrific again tonite.

Who knows yet if we have the horses but this is some drastic hyperbole.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I have significant doubts that we have a d group that will allow us to make any real noise this year. They look horrific again tonite.

What do you base this on? The team was in the offensive zone 95% of the period.

 

[Jaykay]

Thought Zegras and Boldy were both good that period, Kaliyev and Caufield not so much.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Passing much better. Much more aggressive forecheck.

 

[bland]

you shouldn't presume people are bringing up his play because who he was drafted by. He's the number 1 center he needs to do more than skate fast or do little things he has to generate offense.

That said it was one game against a very good team but you shouldn't just assume people who are both Anaheim fans and USA fans are just hate him bc he's a kings prospect. I could care less

Turcotte has created 7 or 8 quality chances in 7 periods while being terrific in transition and winning the vast majority of his loose puck battles. His work in the dots has been comical. He isn't setting the ice on fire, but that isn't his game either.

Team USA seems like they have such poor chemistry, very little puck support in both end zones. Multiple guys are going to the same spots instead of setting up a second pass. Point men are struggling to get pucks thru because the forwards are doing a poor job of creating lanes. Its just poor coaching and poor execution.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

I have significant doubts that we have a d group that will allow us to make any real noise this year. They look horrific again tonite.

Hope US hockey always looks this horrible.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Turcotte has created 7 or 8 quality chances in 7 periods while being terrific in transition and winning the vast majority of his loose puck battles. His work in the dots has been comical. He isn't setting the ice on fire, but that isn't his game either.

Team USA seems like they have such poor chemistry, very little puck support in both end zones. Multiple guys are going to the same spots instead of setting up a second pass. Point men are struggling to get pucks thru because the forwards are doing a poor job of creating lanes. Its just poor coaching and poor execution.

What are you basing this on? The Russian game I assume?

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Said this in the GTD a few times but I'd like to see Brisson replace Kaliyev on the 1st line. He has speed and skill, Kaliyev should be used as a specialist not 1st liner

 

[StIvany4Norris]

Understand the hype on Knight and his ability to bounce back etc.

But Wolf should be the starter until there's a reason for him not to be

 

[kilowatt]

Yeah, I don't think Kaliyev belongs on the top line either at this point. Keep him on the powerplay, but not against other teams' top lines. He looks very slow and isn't finding the open space that he usually does.

Conversely, keep that top defensive pair together. I know I'm a Kings homer, but Faber has looked great.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Yeah, I don't think Kaliyev belongs on the top line either at this point. Keep him on the powerplay, but not against other teams' top lines. He looks very slow and isn't finding the open space that he usually does.

Conversely, keep that top defensive pair together. I know I'm a Kings homer, but Faber has looked great.

Faber's stock has gone up the most thru the first 2 games

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Understand the hype on Knight and his ability to bounce back etc.

But Wolf should be the starter until there's a reason for him not to be

I'd like to see Wolf play against Sweden too, but they'll probably give Knight a chance to bounce back...that said I bet he has a short leash

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Understand the hype on Knight and his ability to bounce back etc.

But Wolf should be the starter until there's a reason for him not to be

Wolf with the shutout.

He should be the starter...we’ll see if they go back to Knight or not.

 

[William H Bonney]

Can't really read much into a game that lopsided, but some of the things I liked:

• Berard has been a buzzsaw so far. Really playing well and adds a lot of piss and vinegar to the 3rd line. We needed some unheralded guys to step up after we lost so many forwards, and Berard has risen to the challenge.
• Faber is playing pretty well and has cemented a top 4 role going forward. He made some fantastic passes tonight.
• Colangelo was skating really well tonight after looking overwhelmed against Russia. Definitely earned himself some more minutes.
• Farinacci was excellent on face-offs tonight and involved in front of the net a lot. A lot of the shine wore off of him after he was injured his entire draft year, but his versatility is really key for that 3rd line.
• Zegras and Boldy were excellent again. Zegras has been an elite player for years, but he's still improving a lot. His shot, two-way play, and physicality have improved since last season.

What I'd like to see improve:

• Caufield is forcing it. He's trying to be too cute and precise and it's leading to him mishandling it a bit or missing the net.
• I've liked the way Brink is showing up for the most part as he's been involved in the play quite a bit and making things happen, but his finish on plays has been letting him down. He's missing open nets, flubbing the pass after a nice move, etc. If he can clean that up, it'll go a long way to cementing some depth scoring.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You can't learn anything from a game like this.

This was a training match. Austria must've been the worst team we've played in years at this tournament. We had more goals than they had shots. Thats embarrassing for the standard of this tournament when teams like Austria and Germany provide full game PP's for the opponent.

I'll credit the players in doing their job. I'm not going to praise them much for dominating terrible players but that was a very well played game, regardless. The only critique was that I thought our finishing was actually really poor. We probably should've had about 20 goals, but some of that was due to good goaltending.

All the defensemen were good, in my opinion. Faber was probably the best of them. I think Kleven was probably the weakest of them. I thought Thrun also made some bad decisions in the offensive zone. But we aren't talking about anything too bad from any of them. Offensively, Turcotte, Zegras, and Boldy dominated. I thought Berard also was really strong.

The two players who need to pick it up are Kaliyev and Brink. It's the same thing with both of them. Great ability to put up points with time and space. Low motor, slow, weak. In Kaliyev's case, probably out of shape. Lazy penalty at the end from Kaliyev. I didn't think that anyone could take Kaliyev's top six spot once our forward depth got worse with some of the players who weren't on this roster. If anyone took Kaliyev's spot, I thought it could be Brink. But if they both continue to play poorly, I think Brisson is a player who has the skill to move up into the top six. I like how he played today. And Berard is also putting himself into that conversation.

 

[bsu]

Faber's stock has gone up the most thru the first 2 games

For sure he gives me josh morrissey vibes.

 

[bland]

What are you basing this on? The Russian game I assume?

Prior to tonight's game obviously!

 

[bsu]

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Just a small thing I noticed, but why are Caufields shifts so long. He seems to stay out forever, perhaps pressing? He's talented enough to let the game come to him.

 

[bsu]