WJC: 2022 Team USA Roster Talk

[AB13]

This is going to be one of our weaker rosters, but I don't think the other teams are without questions. Russia didn't select all their best players. Their defense looks quite weak. Finland is usually the least talented of the big five, and they lost their top center. Sweden might have one of their better teams of recent years, but their team looks very top heavy. I'm not convinced their depth guys are better than ours, so if our top picks outplay their top players, we could have the better team. And while Canada has the best roster on paper, that defense looks really weak for a Canada defense. Outside of Power and the small and unproven Zellweger, I don't think any of those guys make it for Canada in a normal year.

I think this year will be a weaker year than usual for everyone, so while we can complain about our roster, it's not as if the other rosters are so great either. I wouldn't put us any higher than third favorite, but it won't be too big of a surprise if we end up winning.

It's a slightly weaker team than usual on paper for Sweden I think. It's considerably worse than in 2020 and about on par with last year. The defensemen especially are of a much lower tier. I do agree that the team is top heavy. Holtz, Eklund and Wallstedt should be among the best players in the tournament and could still carry us far despite lesser depth.

 

[Canada4Gold]

It's a slightly weaker team than usual on paper for us. It's considerably worse than in 2020 and about on par with last year. The defensemen especially are of a much lower tier. I do agree that the team is top heavy. Holtz, Eklund and Wallstedt should be among the best players in the tournament and could still carry us far despite lesser depth.

(wrong thread)

 

[AB13]

(wrong thread)

I realize this is definitely the wrong thread to say last year was bad.

 

[NA Hockey]

This is going to be one of our weaker rosters, but I don't think the other teams are without questions. Russia didn't select all their best players. Their defense looks quite weak. Finland is usually the least talented of the big five, and they lost their top center. Sweden might have one of their better teams of recent years, but their team looks very top heavy. I'm not convinced their depth guys are better than ours, so if our top picks outplay their top players, we could have the better team. And while Canada has the best roster on paper, that defense looks really weak for a Canada defense. Outside of Power and the small and unproven Zellweger, I don't think any of those guys make it for Canada in a normal year.

I think this year will be a weaker year than usual for everyone, so while we can complain about our roster, it's not as if the other rosters are so great either. I wouldn't put us any higher than third favorite, but it won't be too big of a surprise if we end up winning.

I mean I agree with a lot of what you said above, but Guhle for Canada should be a stud. He was on the team last year so to say that in a normal year he wouldn't make it, is just false as he was a contributor on the team last year as an underager.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I mean I agree with a lot of what you said above, but Guhle for Canada should be a stud. He was on the team last year so to say that in a normal year he wouldn't make it, is just false as he was a contributor on the team last year as an underager.

Point taken, but I don’t rate Guhle. I question his puck game, and I don’t think he’s too good defensively either. I know he’s a first round pick and returner, so there’s some pedigree that the others don’t have, but I feel like on a real strong Canada defense he’d be a snub, at least on merit.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

And while Canada has the best roster on paper, that defense looks really weak for a Canada defense. Outside of Power and the small and unproven Zellweger, I don't think any of those guys make it for Canada in a normal year.

What do you mean by they wouldn't make it for Canada in a normal year? Guhle was literally on last year's team. The QMJHL may be viewed lesser than other junior leagues, but Cormier has 90 points in his last 65 games there. Lambos was just drafted in the first round, where many think he should've went a little higher, and O'Rourke, Seeley, and Sebrango are CHL veterans who would've made arguably most other country's rosters as well.

I don't understand how you can call Canada's defense "really weak" when they have last year's 1st overall pick, 2 other 1st round picks, and 2 2nd round picks. Is there any other country in the tournament that can say that? It may not have the 1-2 combo of Sanderson and Hughes, but they look deeper than the Americans blue line.

 

[All Mighty]

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

What do you mean by they wouldn't make it for Canada in a normal year? Guhle was literally on last year's team. The QMJHL may be viewed lesser than other junior leagues, but Cormier has 90 points in his last 65 games there. Lambos was just drafted in the first round, where many think he should've went a little higher, and O'Rourke, Seeley, and Sebrango are CHL veterans who would've made arguably most other country's rosters as well.

I don't understand how you can call Canada's defense "really weak" when they have last year's 1st overall pick, 2 other 1st round picks, and 2 2nd round picks. Is there any other country in the tournament that can say that? It may not have the 1-2 combo of Sanderson and Hughes, but they look deeper than the Americans blue line.

I already explained about Guhle. I'm not going to argue that one further. That may be a minority opinion, but I stick by that Guhle probably is like 8 or 9 on a strong Canada defense. I thought he was a liability last year, and shouldn't have been a first round pick.

What do I mean about the other players? Canada usually has like 4-5 guys on their defense that either have played NHL games, were very close to playing NHL games the year of the tournament, or will play NHL games the following season. This year its Power, and then five guys who probably won't play NHL games next year. Maybe Zellweger does, but I'm skeptical he'll do so in his D+2, considering how small he is and that he's a very late birthday for his draft. I'm not even suggesting its a weak defenseman age group for Canada. You can look to that Drysdale and Clarke, quite clearly two of the three best defensemen in my opinion, aren't on the team. But the group picked for this tournament is a lot weaker on defense than usual. Making most other rosters is not the standard Canada evaluates their defenseman by. On paper, almost all of their players every year would make all the other rosters.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

What do you mean by they wouldn't make it for Canada in a normal year? Guhle was literally on last year's team. The QMJHL may be viewed lesser than other junior leagues, but Cormier has 90 points in his last 65 games there. Lambos was just drafted in the first round, where many think he should've went a little higher, and O'Rourke, Seeley, and Sebrango are CHL veterans who would've made arguably most other country's rosters as well.

I don't understand how you can call Canada's defense "really weak" when they have last year's 1st overall pick, 2 other 1st round picks, and 2 2nd round picks. Is there any other country in the tournament that can say that? It may not have the 1-2 combo of Sanderson and Hughes, but they look deeper than the Americans blue line.

I'd say the U.S. blueline is comparable.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It never made much sense to put them together just because they were the two returners that played the most. Kleven and Faber meshed a lot better at the NTDP. It looks like they are starting with a very balanced set-up with the pairs 1-3. I'm skeptical of that approach. I'd put Sanderson with Hughes and Kleven and Faber. The third pair can be Morrow, and then the winner of Peart/Kaiser. I don't think Moore is actually going to play much, if Hughes plays the right side. I suspect we'll see the pairs a little more stacked once we get to the games. We aren't going to be rolling four pairs in important games.

 

[Dominance]

Makes sense to split Sanderson and Hughes up. I know as a TC fan I would much prefer them on a single pairing, rather than one being on the ice for 75-80% of the game.

This is going to be one of our weaker rosters, but I don't think the other teams are without questions. Russia didn't select all their best players. Their defense looks quite weak. Finland is usually the least talented of the big five, and they lost their top center. Sweden might have one of their better teams of recent years, but their team looks very top heavy. I'm not convinced their depth guys are better than ours, so if our top picks outplay their top players, we could have the better team. And while Canada has the best roster on paper, that defense looks really weak for a Canada defense. Outside of Power and the small and unproven Zellweger, I don't think any of those guys make it for Canada in a normal year.

Clarke should be here, and the all-LHD factor is exploitable, but the defense is at least average for us beyond that.

Power is last year’s first overall pick, which is very rare to see at this tournament, and showed out at the WC last year against men. He has as good or better a case than anyone for the title of best defenseman at the tourney.

Guhle will be dominant defensively this year, as his combination of size and skating is about as good as you get at this level and he blends aggressiveness with good positioning very well. I think he will put to rest any of your doubts about his puck skills a few weeks from now. He’s very likely not a 40+ point scorer in the NHL, but he distributes the puck very well at the junior level.

Zellweger has been on a meteoric development path the last two seasons. He’s as unproven at this level as Hughes. Fox-like in that you may see the height and numbers and come for the offense, but leave more impressed by the defense.

Lambos is showing why he should not have fallen out of the top-15 this year. Watch the Ice play and he’s involved in everything. Skating, size, puck skills, positioning - he’s a sure-fire top-4 guy in the NHL and is an upper-echelon player in this tournament.

Likely behind those four, O’Rourke and Sebrango have a season of professional hockey in them and are as steady as they come. They’re not going to wow anyone, and they more than likely project as third pair guys at the NHL level, but I am confident they can shut down any line they may face.

I doubt Cormier or Seeley will see much ice, but I have no problem seeing either on any pairing. They’re at least the level of the kind of 19 year old, elite junior-level players Canada selects every year.

 

[Dominance]

I'd say the U.S. blueline is comparable.

I never have a good read on some of the later-pick NCAA blueliners the US brings along. Can you provide a short scouting report on Moore & co.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I'd say the U.S. blueline is comparable.

This I would agree with. That said, I think they are the two best blue lines in the tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Guhle will be dominant defensively this year, as his combination of size and skating is about as good as you get at this level and he blends aggressiveness with good positioning very well. I think he will put to rest any of your doubts about his puck skills a few weeks from now. He’s very likely not a 40+ point scorer in the NHL, but he distributes the puck very well at the junior level.

Zellweger has been on a meteoric development path the last two seasons. He’s as unproven at this level as Hughes. Fox-like in that you may see the height and numbers and come for the offense, but leave more impressed by the defense.

Lambos is showing why he should not have fallen out of the top-15 this year. Watch the Ice play and he’s involved in everything. Skating, size, puck skills, positioning - he’s a sure-fire top-4 guy in the NHL and is an upper-echelon player in this tournament.

Likely behind those four, O’Rourke and Sebrango have a season of professional hockey in them and are as steady as they come. They’re not going to wow anyone, and they more than likely project as third pair guys at the NHL level, but I am confident they can shut down any line they may face.

I doubt Cormier or Seeley will see much ice, but I have no problem seeing either on any pairing. They’re at least the level of the kind of 19 year old, elite junior-level players Canada selects every year.

I never said these were bad prospects. Canada's best roster that doesn't make their WJC team often will produce more NHL'ers than the other teams, but I think this is a weaker group for their defense. I didn't even think about the lack of right-shots, but thats another good point. Russia has the same problem. They don't have a right-shot skater. Funny how their only right shot is their starting goalie, which is unbelievably unusual for a goalie.

I personally do not rate Guhle like most do. Aside from Zellweger, who I feel like may actually be crowded out of a good Canada team, the others are all good prospects, but I think they are very clear Camp cuts most years for Canada. A top 3 of Drysdale, Clarke, and Power is very strong, but two of those guys aren't there. I feel like maybe Canada's 4-5 in this age group is lacking a little. Some guys haven't developed as they could've like Poirier and Guhle. It doesn't help that a few 2020 draft pick defensemen like Barron and Schneider are late birthdays, as opposed to early, so they barely miss out.

And then while I think Zellweger, O'Rourke, Lambos would come close to making a strong Canada defense, I think they'd miss out. I'm not criticizing players like Sebrango, Cormier, Seeley when I say I just don't see them being part of a strong Canada defense. A weak one? Sure, but thats my point.

 

[newfy]

Makes sense to split Sanderson and Hughes up. I know as a TC fan I would much prefer them on a single pairing, rather than one being on the ice for 75-80% of the game.

Clarke should be here, and the all-LHD factor is exploitable, but the defense is at least average for us beyond that.

Power is last year’s first overall pick, which is very rare to see at this tournament, and showed out at the WC last year against men. He has as good or better a case than anyone for the title of best defenseman at the tourney.

Guhle will be dominant defensively this year, as his combination of size and skating is about as good as you get at this level and he blends aggressiveness with good positioning very well. I think he will put to rest any of your doubts about his puck skills a few weeks from now. He’s very likely not a 40+ point scorer in the NHL, but he distributes the puck very well at the junior level.

Zellweger has been on a meteoric development path the last two seasons. He’s as unproven at this level as Hughes. Fox-like in that you may see the height and numbers and come for the offense, but leave more impressed by the defense.

Lambos is showing why he should not have fallen out of the top-15 this year. Watch the Ice play and he’s involved in everything. Skating, size, puck skills, positioning - he’s a sure-fire top-4 guy in the NHL and is an upper-echelon player in this tournament.

Likely behind those four, O’Rourke and Sebrango have a season of professional hockey in them and are as steady as they come. They’re not going to wow anyone, and they more than likely project as third pair guys at the NHL level, but I am confident they can shut down any line they may face.

I doubt Cormier or Seeley will see much ice, but I have no problem seeing either on any pairing. They’re at least the level of the kind of 19 year old, elite junior-level players Canada selects every year.

Yeah calling Canadas D weak is really wishful thinking to try to make the roster look worse than it is. Guhle was really good last year and played pretty big minutes in his draft+1, on a stacked defense but this year he has the talent to be an 8 or 9 on a usual Canada roster? No chance. Power ended up Canadas number one dman at the world championships last year where they won gold. 2 steady top 3 round picks with more than a season of AHL experience each is solid back there, then a couple 1st/2nd round picks to round out the top 6.

Canadas D this year is as solid as its ever been, extremely wishful thinking to call it a weakness. They have a claim to best defense in the tournament

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yeah calling Canadas D weak is really wishful thinking to try to make the roster look worse than it is.

extremely wishful thinking to call it a weakness.

It’s an opinion. You can disagree with it, but you wouldn’t have any idea why I state what I do.

 

[Dominance]

Yeah calling Canadas D weak is really wishful thinking to try to make the roster look worse than it is. Guhle was really good last year and played pretty big minutes in his draft+1, on a stacked defense but this year he has the talent to be an 8 or 9 on a usual Canada roster? No chance. Power ended up Canadas number one dman at the world championships last year where they won gold. 2 steady top 3 round picks with more than a season of AHL experience each is solid back there, then a couple 1st/2nd round picks to round out the top 6.

Canadas D this year is as solid as its ever been, extremely wishful thinking to call it a weakness. They have a claim to best defense in the tournament

I simply don’t know enough about Moore/Faber/Morrow to make the claim with true conviction, but there’s no chance I would exchange Canada’s defense corps with that of any other country.

 

[newfy]

It’s an opinion. You can disagree with it, but you wouldn’t have any idea why I state what I do.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion for sure, but if it isnt a very good one expect it to get called out on here. Guhle literally played top 4 min last year on a stacked Canada defense and played well. But you think hes an 8 or 9 guy on a usual Canada defense? Theres no logic there, unless you think hes noticeably worse now than he was last season?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion for sure, but if it isnt a very good one expect it to get called out on here. Guhle literally played ice top 4 min last year on a stacked Canada defense and played well. But you think hes an 8 or 9 guy on a usual Canada defense? Theres no logic there, unless you think hes noticeably worse now than he was last season?

You didn’t call out my opinion. You tried to interpret the reason I gave the opinion I did. I have no issue discussing the merits of the point, but you wouldn’t know why I think what I do. I’m correcting your comment on that.

 

[Canada4Gold]

I simply don’t know enough about Moore/Faber/Morrow to make the claim with true conviction, but there’s no chance I would exchange Canada’s defense corps with that of any other country.

Faber is really good. I expect him to be USA's 2nd best overall defenseman behind Sanderson. Hughes is going to be really good as well and will be USA's best D next year if he's not in the NHL, but Faber is really really good so I'm giving him the edge with him being a year older. I'd likely put him on par with Guhle.

 

[newfy]

You didn’t call out my opinion. You tried to interpret the reason I gave the opinion I did. I have no issue discussing the merits of the point, but you wouldn’t know why I think what I do. I’m correcting your comment on that.

Youre right I dont know and would love to hear actually reasoning for it. The only explanation that is obvious is wishful thinking.

Youre saying Guhle is worse this year than last year despite being a year older with a tournament's experience under his belt. Do you actually think thats true?

 

[57special]

Makes sense to split Sanderson and Hughes up. I know as a TC fan I would much prefer them on a single pairing, rather than one being on the ice for 75-80% of the game.

Clarke should be here, and the all-LHD factor is exploitable, but the defense is at least average for us beyond that.

Power is last year’s first overall pick, which is very rare to see at this tournament, and showed out at the WC last year against men. He has as good or better a case than anyone for the title of best defenseman at the tourney.

Guhle will be dominant defensively this year, as his combination of size and skating is about as good as you get at this level and he blends aggressiveness with good positioning very well. I think he will put to rest any of your doubts about his puck skills a few weeks from now. He’s very likely not a 40+ point scorer in the NHL, but he distributes the puck very well at the junior level.

Zellweger has been on a meteoric development path the last two seasons. He’s as unproven at this level as Hughes. Fox-like in that you may see the height and numbers and come for the offense, but leave more impressed by the defense.

Lambos is showing why he should not have fallen out of the top-15 this year. Watch the Ice play and he’s involved in everything. Skating, size, puck skills, positioning - he’s a sure-fire top-4 guy in the NHL and is an upper-echelon player in this tournament.

Likely behind those four, O’Rourke and Sebrango have a season of professional hockey in them and are as steady as they come. They’re not going to wow anyone, and they more than likely project as third pair guys at the NHL level, but I am confident they can shut down any line they may face.

I doubt Cormier or Seeley will see much ice, but I have no problem seeing either on any pairing. They’re at least the level of the kind of 19 year old, elite junior-level players Canada selects every year.

Lambos fell because his D year was injury filled, and a Covid affected season made it hard to get a gauge on his progress. Both he, Cormier and Zellweger might've made Clarke superfluous, but I'd sure rather have Clarke than Cormier. I can understand them wanting ROR, Sebrango, and Hunt(who was on the team till he was injured) over Clarke if they were looking for solid rather than risky back end play.

The more I think about it, omitting Clarke from even attending camp is pretty sketchy. As much as I like ROR, Lambos, and Hunt as a Wild fan, it'd be hard to argue that Clarke could've replaced one of them(or Seeley/Sebrango/Cormier) and the team would be the better for it. How many defensive guys do you need?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Youre right I dont know and would love to hear actually reasoning for it. The only explanation that is obvious is wishful thinking.

Youre saying Guhle is worse this year than last year despite being a year older with a tournament's experience under his belt. Do you actually think thats true?

Guhle worse than last year? No, I never said that. I simply don’t rate him like most do. I could pick out a player on each team that I think is overrated. I absolutely do not think he’ll be one of the best defenseman at this tournament and I thought he was more of a liability last year than you state.

 

[William H Bonney]

Smart. 2 anchors on your top pairs.

 

[Get North]

I'd say the U.S. blueline is comparable.

It is. Sanderson, Hughes, and proven returnees in Faber + Kleven. They could make that a top 4 and lean on them for 40-50 minutes. Of course Canada has the big dog, Owen Power but if the other guys don't step up it's tilting to USA's favour.

If there ever is a match-up it will be in the medal rounds.