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WC: 2021 USA Roster Talk

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By the way, I don't think it unfair that the USA can play any American hockey player it chooses for their national squads. I'm saying it's unfair because of the built in advantage that the great number of professional teams and NCAA teams in the USA provide. We are seeing more second generation hockey players in the NHL than ever before. A great one on the way in Ottawa for instance, Josh Norris.
 
canuck2010 said:
By the way, I don't think it unfair that the USA can play any American hockey player it chooses for their national squads. I'm saying it's unfair because of the built in advantage that the great number of professional teams and NCAA teams in the USA provide. We are seeing more second generation hockey players in the NHL than ever before. A great one on the way in Ottawa for instance, Josh Norris.
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You can't expect U.S. Hockey to stop being aggressive - it's not going to happen.

What we need is for Hockey Canada to start being aggressive instead of just assuming playing for Canada will be the carrot. If a quality player has any chance of playing for Canada, go after the player. Be proactive instead of reactive.

Over the years, I've seen Hockey Canada ASSUME players will play for Canada only to have them play for someone else. Work with Canadian players (who play in the U.S.) to ensure their kids are involved in Canadian hockey. God knows Sweden does it.

I promise you, if Brad Lambert had an American dad instead of a Canadian one, he'd be playing for US Hockey.

Either do all that or push for the IIHF to have stricter rules.
 
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canuck2010 said:
By the way, I don't think it unfair that the USA can play any American hockey player it chooses for their national squads. I'm saying it's unfair because of the built in advantage that the great number of professional teams and NCAA teams in the USA provide. We are seeing more second generation hockey players in the NHL than ever before. A great one on the way in Ottawa for instance, Josh Norris.
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P.S. I was not trying to be harsh with you, C2010.

I have been frustrated with Hockey Canada for a long time because of how slow, lazy and reactive they can be.

It's just like all the young Black Canadians playing basketball. Get those amazing young athletes on the ice instead of on the courts. It's not like Hockey Canada doesn't have the resources.

We've bought in so deeply to growing the game internationally, it's hurt us at home.
 
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William H Bonney said:
Since the AHL playoffs are off, I would imagine young guys like Zegras, Boldy, York, Rathbone, Kaliyev, Turcotte, etc. are all heavily in play.
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Only the AHL's Pacific division is holding any kind of playoffs, and it's a very abbreviated version. So that would only affect Zegras, Turcotte, and Kaliyev from your list. The heavy majority of AHL teams will be finished by the end of this upcoming weekend.
 
ORRFForever said:
You can't expect U.S. Hockey to stop being aggressive - it's not going to happen.

What we need is for Hockey Canada to start being aggressive instead of just assuming playing for Canada will be the carrot. If a quality player has any chance of playing for Canada, go after the player. Be proactive instead of reactive.

Over the years, I've seen Hockey Canada ASSUME players will play for Canada only to have them play for someone else. Work with Canadian players (who play in the U.S.) to ensure their kids are involved in Canadian hockey. God knows Sweden does it.

I promise you, if Brad Lambert had an American dad instead of a Canadian one, he'd be playing for US Hockey.

Either do all that or push for the IIHF to have stricter rules.
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What's the carrot that Hockey Canada is going to be able to use to convince a dual-citizen to suit up for Canada, especially if that kid was born and raised in the U.S.?

Also, how much more strict can the eligibility requirements be? As is, you have to jump through a fair number of hoops.
 
SK94 said:
Yeah, i guess after all these years i am starting to speculate about guys like Blackwell from the start.
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This is just a very challenging event for USA Hockey to get buy in for. Every so often we get what I would consider a medal caliber team but most often it's a bunch of cast offs. I mean, are they really going to hold this over the heads of players that will end up on say the Olympic team? No. We don't have that luxury.
 
It looks like we have R. Boucher, Garland, and Labanc so far. Three smallish, offensive minded forwards that have their limitations. Not a bad starting point. Let's hope it's up hill instead of down hill from here!
 
Rabid Ranger said:
What's the carrot that Hockey Canada is going to be able to use to convince a dual-citizen to suit up for Canada, especially if that kid was born and raised in the U.S.?
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You're taking what I said out of context - it was a criticism of Hockey Canada not US Hockey.
 
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Rabid Ranger said:
Also, how much more strict can the eligibility requirements be? As is, you have to jump through a fair number of hoops.
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As far as changing IIHF rules, TBH, I don't know the rules well enough to make suggestions - I was just commenting in response to C2010's concern.

But, as a Canadian, I feel Hockey Canada should be more aggressive - like the U.S.

Again, if Brad Lambert's dad was American, U.S. Hockey would have been wining and dining this kid since he was 14, trying to get him to do what it takes to sign up. I wish Canada had taken the same approach instead of waiting until it was too late, then making a limited effort.

Having said that, most Canadian fans disagree with me - Jack Slater is one; this discussion started long ago. They don't agree with Hockey Canada being more aggressive. They have a "He's a Fin, let him plays for the Fins approach".

Not me! I say, "Do what it takes to get the best players."
 
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I've taken this discussion off on a tangent by replying to the post, so I will drop out and let the discussion get back to the WC players.
 
ORRFForever said:
You're taking what I said out of context - it was a criticism of Hockey Canada not US Hockey.
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I'm not taking it out of context. You are saying Hockey Canada should be more aggressive in targeting duals and reaching the hearts and minds of these kids and their parents. What is the carrot to do that?
 
Rabid Ranger said:
I'm not taking it out of context. You are saying Hockey Canada should be more aggressive in targeting duals and reaching the hearts and minds of these kids and their parents. What is the carrot to do that?
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I like to think Hockey Canada itself is the carrot.
 
ORRFForever said:
I like to think Hockey Canada itself is the carrot.
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I think for some it is. Hockey Canada is still the gold standard for international hockey as far as I'm concerned. However, the gap has closed, in particular at the junior level. That said, I question how much patriotism plays a role here. I think loyalty is in play, but is it to a country or a program that has helped to facilitate a player's professional career? That's why the USNTDP>top tier NCAA program is such a powerful tool.
 
Rabid Ranger said:
I think for some it is. Hockey Canada is still the gold standard for international hockey as far as I'm concerned. However, the gap has closed, in particular at the junior level. That said, I question how much patriotism plays a role here. I think loyalty is in play, but is it to a country or a program that has helped to facilitate a player's professional career? That's why the USNTDP>top tier NCAA program is such a powerful tool.
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Fair enough.

I'm just saying Canada should make more of an effort pursuing dual citizens - I find the effort they make lacking.
 
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