WJC: 2022 Team USA Roster Talk

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Samoskevich-Bordeleau-Coronato
Knies-Cooley-McGroarty
Duke-Gauther-Pastujov
Berard-Stramel-Boucher
Janicke-Slaggert

Kleven-Faber
Hughes-Chesley
Hutson-Gallagher
Peart-Behrens

Silverstein/Mbereko
Fowler

Ian Moore is going to make this team, almost definitely

Hughes - Faber
Kleven - Moore
Peart - Chesley
Casey, Gallagher

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Ian Moore is going to make this team, almost definitely

Hughes - Faber
Kleven - Moore
Behrens - Chesley
Casey, Gallagher

Why almost definitely? He might. I don’t see what makes him a must add player to the roster.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Why almost definitely? He might. I don’t see what makes him a must add player to the roster.

I mean he was on the roster in December and we've lost several of the original defenseman from that team. He'd have to play himself out of a spot IMO.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I mean he was on the roster in December and we've lost several of the original defenseman from that team. He'd have to play himself out of a spot IMO.

I don’t think being on the December roster means you’re on this roster. I think there will be players not on this roster that were on that roster and not only players that opted out.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

I mean he was on the roster in December and we've lost several of the original defenseman from that team. He'd have to play himself out of a spot IMO.

Peart did the same but noticed he is not on your list, any reason?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Peart did the same but noticed he is not on your list, any reason?

Brainfart - I put Behrens in his spot on accident.

 

[MNRube]

US still has a very impressive lineup after all the opt-outs. Curious to see how many of the ‘22 draft class make the roster

 

[Larmer83]

Kleven-Faber
Hughes-Chesley
Hutson-Gallagher
Peart-Behrens

Ian Moore is going to make this team, almost definitely

Hughes - Faber
Kleven - Moore
Peart - Chesley
Casey, Gallagher

No Wyatt Kaiser?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

No Wyatt Kaiser?

He's one of the players that probably gets cut if we choose to pick more 2022 draft eligibles, so he'd be close to making it and could end up on the team, but I'd rather not include him.

 

[Wats]

Any hope Tuch makes it as a reserve/4th liner?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Any hope Tuch makes it as a reserve/4th liner?

He could, but it's unlikely.

 

[jaro]

cooley, hughes doan knies, bordeleau, nice roster

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It's going to be a pretty sick forward group.

 

[All Mighty]

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

who is all opting out for America

 

[jasonr90]

who is all opting out for America

Beniers, sanderson and Commesso I believe are confirmed so far.

Smilanic isnt back from the original team too, not sure what happened there

 

[William H Bonney]

Beniers, sanderson and Commesso I believe are confirmed so far.

Smilanic isnt back from the original team too, not sure what happened there

Chaz Lucius and Scott Morrow are also out

 

[Senator Stanley]

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

Pretty bad when you misspell both their first and last names. Shai Buium* Hopefully whomever made that isn’t with US Hockey.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[CoSi]

 

[ORRFForever]

Yikes! Hope he is okay.

 

[William H Bonney]

How would playing a few games in August matter that much to his development? Players are better off training and getting ready for their season rather than play in a watered down tournament (no Russia team, most top players opting out) in August. Watch the injuries pile up and then many will question why players opted in to begin with. BU has a new coach and the kid probably wants to catch up on classes and be ready for the BU season and probably turn pro in April - that supercedes a makeup tournament in the middle of August IMO.

Other teams are telling their prospects to skip it as well...Meanwhile, team Slovakia released the roster they’ll use at the Hlinka tournament to prepare for the upcoming World Junior Championships and neither Juraj Slafkovsky or Filip Mesar are on there which may come as a surprise to Habs fans. According to Matej Deraj, a Slovak journalist, the Canadiens want Slafkovski to focus on preparing for next season and they’ve told Mesar that they don’t recommend he plays in the tournament. Furthermore, Deraj reports that Mesar is still not sur where he’ll spend the next season as there are 3 options on the table; the American Leaugue, the Ontario Hockey League or the Swedish League (two teams are reportedly interested in having him). The young man has told the Canadiens that it’s up to them and that he'd respect their decision.

Commesso has been training and preparing for the season at BU since March. March. 3 weeks away at the WJC would have no impact on his ability to do those things. Why not do all 3 instead of just 2? Injuries are possible at any time. The fact that it's in summer has never stopped players from participating in summer evaluation camps every year where they can be injured. Yes, other players are opting out, too. Still doesn't mean it's not weird. Guys like Slafkovsky and Mesar aren't comparable to Commesso. Slafkovsky is trying out for the NHL, Commesso isn't. Mesar is deciding where to play, Commesso isn't.

 

[ORRFForever]

Commesso has been training and preparing for the season at BU since March. March. 3 weeks away at the WJC would have no impact on his ability to do those things. Why not do all 3 instead of just 2? Injuries are possible at any time. The fact that it's in summer has never stopped players from participating in summer evaluation camps every year where they can be injured.

Unfortunately, most hockey fans don't love international hockey like you and me. Suggest a player for their favourite team should play at the WJR's in August and they will immediately point to Kirby Dach - or Logan Cooley earlier today. For those fans, or the GM of an NHL team, a 1% chance of injury at the World Juniors is 1% too many.

It's too bad because I agree with you - the upside far exceeds the down and I would LOVE to see everyone play.

 

[William H Bonney]

Not a ton of info coming out of camp for a tournament where the camp is going to matter more than ever, so this hardly qualifies as an educated projection, but nonetheless:

Forward (x14):

Matt Knies - Thomas Bordeleau - Mackie Samoskevich
Brett Berard - Logan Cooley - Matt Coronato
Sasha Pastujov - Aidan Thompson - Carter Mazur
Landon Slaggert - Dominic James - Josh Doan
Red Savage - Frank Nazar

Defense (x8):

Wyatt Kaiser - Brock Faber
Tyler Kleven - Luke Hughes
Jack Peart - Ian Moore
Sean Behrens - Ty Gallagher

Goalies (x3):

Jacob Fowler
Braden Holt
Kaidan Mbereko
​

Notes:

Decimated by players who've opted out. Thankfully that's not unique to our team but we're missing the following:

- Forwards: Matty Beniers, Cruz Lucius, Tanner Dickinson, Ty Smilanic​

- Defensemen: Jake Sanderson, Scott Morrow​

- Goalies: Drew Commesso, Dylan Silverstein​

The goalies are the biggest losses. We're losing one of the best in the tournament (Commesso) and a guy who could capably replace him (Silverstein). Now we're left with a guy who'll be there (Mbereko) but isn't very good, and more unproven guys. Hopefully one of Fowler or Holt rises to the occasion. Fowler is young (not draft eligible until 2023) but I've seen him most out of the options besides Mbereko and I was impressed with him in the USHL this past season.

​

While my roster certainly won't be accurate, this team should be a medal contender at worst if they get average goaltending. The forward and defense groups are still very good and deep even with all the missing players. Anything better than average goaltending and leaving home without a medal (and not challenging for gold) would be a huge disappointment.