WJC: 2023 Team USA Roster Talk

[Rob]

I would be very surprised if it isn’t a Canada v USA final.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Shame Casey didn't make the cut but he is an 04, his time should come.

 

[FLYguy3911]

So Casey wasn't a lock because he was on the PK in practice?

Think they are making a mistake there but Mittelstadt made the most of his limited opportunity.

 

[hockey20000]

best of luck american friends iexpect to see you in the final

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Excited to watch them solely for Hutson.

 

[Dominance]

Shame Casey didn't make the cut but he is an 04, his time should come.

Shame-us Casey

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

So Casey wasn't a lock because he was on the PK in practice?

Think they are making a mistake there but Mittelstadt made the most of his limited opportunity.

Haha my bad. One would normally assume 3rd pair and 1st PK means they are safe. Unfortunately the person who reported got the order of the pairs wrong.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

"Goalies will be Trey Augustine (2023) for USA and Patriks Berzins (2023) for Latvia. #WorldJuniors"

 

[Rob]

I see Trey Augustine is committed to Michigan State. They usually don’t get top prospects.

 

[William H Bonney]

Embarrassing effort to open the first 20 of the tournament. Individualistic, selfish play. Sloppy turnovers. Lack of urgency. Coaching staff also to blame, but they need to wake them up at intermission.

 

[William H Bonney]

I see Trey Augustine is committed to Michigan State. They usually don’t get top prospects.

They used to but it's been a tough run of things for them the past decade-plus. They've been good so far this season, so hopefully it's a sign of them reestablishing their program.

Augustine is interesting but not too surprising. He grew up close to their campus, he's familiar with their new coach (Nightingale) from the NTDP, and he knows he'll step right into their starting role as their current starter Dylan St. Cyr is gone after this year.

He's a big addition for their program. And I love seeing a top guy go to a program where he'll be challenged to be the top guy night in and night out, rather than the current trend of these prospects all herding into programs like Michigan and limiting their development opportunities. The Spartans just landed another big recruit in Maxim Strbak (on the Slovakian team at the WJC), too, so they've got some nice momentum going.

 

[Dominance]

I would love it if Team USA fell flat on its face but realistically, and especially after this group wasn’t challenged in the pre-tournament games, this kind of early adversity is ideal.

 

[William H Bonney]

Luke Hughes playing with his head up his ass.

 

[SK94]

D is already getting a bit exposed.

 

[William H Bonney]

The amount of different, often competing perspectives and positions Dave Starman can take in one game is truly impressive.

 

[Mathieukferland]

The amount of different, often competing perspectives and positions Dave Starman can take in one game is truly impressive.

It’s a shame Ray Ferraro can’t occupy his position now that he’s in the USA full time

 

[William H Bonney]

This game is a good reminder that the exhibitions don't mean anything.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

The US coach seems like he coaches single A hockey the way he rolls through the lines, so he doesn't make any parent mad.

Whomever controls the D feels like they just play them based on age first and then if they're both 19, goes by skill after that.

 

[ORRFForever]

I would love it if Team USA fell flat on its face but realistically, and especially after this group wasn’t challenged in the pre-tournament games, this kind of early adversity is ideal.

I hope Canada gets this kind of challenge in the Round Robin.

Getting a scare in the RR is NEVER a bad thing.

 

[William H Bonney]

Jesus, Starman just compared Gauthier to John LeClair. They're nothing alike beyond being Americans who are left handed forwards.

 

[William H Bonney]

Nothing positive about that performance other than they got the win and it was good to face some adversity early on to hopefully make the team hungry and humble.

They need to be better in all facets but the thing that concerned me the most was all of the careless turnovers by the defensemen. Blind drop passes, blind clearing attempts through the scoring areas in their own zone, and soft chips along the boards. Ufko and Hughes were particularly egregious.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Better in the 3rd period. But some real lackadaisical passing and bad turnovers throughout the game.

 

[The Puckhound]

how were Cutter Gauthier and Cooley today?

 

[William H Bonney]

how were Cutter Gauthier and Cooley today?

No one was good today but Cooley was more noticeable. Gauthier was the quietest guy on that line, although he had a couple of nice scoring chances. Hit the post once on a partial breakaway after being sprung by Cooley.