WJC: 2023 Team USA Roster Talk

[William H Bonney]

USAH coaches always think they're the smartest guy in the room. Asinine to have the same forward lines.

 

[NewHampshire]

I’m not really worried about Augustine - despite his youth. I’m not sure why a predictable Mbereko melt down would lead to Oke getting a start or much concern between the pipes tonight...

 

[Al48]

I guess the point I was making is a ton of money and effort is spent by USA Hockey developing goaltending talent and the results aren't really there currently. To be fair though the position overall has taken a hit. You see it from the NHL level down.

Doesn’t USA Hockey have some core principal right now of having 30% (or something like that) of NHL goaltenders being USA goalies in the next 10 years? I’m guessing they acknowledge there’s an issue in development, but it seems a long ways off.

 

[William H Bonney]

Third straight game they've come out completely lifeless.

 

[William H Bonney]

Doesn’t USA Hockey have some core principal right now of having 30% (or something like that) of NHL goaltenders being USA goalies in the next 10 years? I’m guessing they acknowledge there’s an issue in development, but it seems a long ways off.

Their goal is to have American goalies play 51 percent of the minutes in the NHL by 2030.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Snuggerud looks allergic to contact.

 

[SK94]

Third straight game they've come out completely lifeless.

Everything is not right. There is not any fire in this team. Honestly this have to be the most terrible Team USA in a very long time and everything stays the same. Cooley has been so bad.

Snuggerud looks allergic to contact.

Whole team are allergic to contact. Soft as F*'k.

 

[William H Bonney]

Everything is not right. There is not any fire in this team. Honestly this have to be the most terrible Team USA in a very long time and everything stays the same. Cooley has been so bad.

Cooley is over handling the puck a lot. That line has no chemistry right now and he's trying to do it all, which is only making it worse unfortunately.

 

[SK94]

I think Augustine and Fowler are the best bets for next year.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Cooley is over handling the puck a lot. That line has chemistry right now and he's trying to do it all, which is only making it worse unfortunately.

Snuggerud looks allergic to contact.

William we need to start criticizing specific players more often

 

[William H Bonney]

Nice pass by Cooley but they got lucky that the Swiss goalie played that like he was Mbereko. That was soft

 

[Wildabeast]

Cooley is turning it up. Can't judge players off one game; he's ultra competitive.

 

[William H Bonney]

They have the lead, which is courtesy of a really soft goal against from the Swiss goalie, but it was not a good period. They were lifeless for most of it and they generated very little in the way of scoring chances, consecutive passes, or sustained offensive zone possession. They were better defensively in the sense that they didn't continually shoot themselves in the foot with careless turnovers like the first 2 games, but it's not a very talented opponent, either.

The lines need to change. There's no chemistry. And for a team who has been lifeless in their first 2 games and folded like a cheap tent in the second half of the Slovakian game, I wouldn't have been satisfied with anything but the team coming out looking to run the Swiss out of the building in the opening 20. The staff didn't have the team ready to play once again, and keeping the status quo other than 2 d pairing changes is a big reason why. Players who aren't going need to lose minutes. Players need to be put in their best positions to succeed.

 

[William H Bonney]

Cooley is turning it up. Can't judge players off one game; he's ultra competitive.

Yeah, that's one thing I always appreciate about him. Even when he's not playing well, he still competes and brings some piss and vinegar while doing it. He hasn't been good in the tournament (too much individualistic play, over handling, low percentage plays) but he's also been our only forward who's been dangerous with any regularity.

 

[NewHampshire]

I always enjoy that PP play. Underutilized.

 

[William H Bonney]

I'm not really a McGroarty fan and I thought he looked overwhelmed in the first 2 games, much like he did when he played at the U-18s as an underager. But he's been skating hard today and that was a gorgeous feed to Cooley. Hopefully he can build on the effort he's showing today.

 

[SK94]

Augustine gives a much more confidence compared to yesterday. Important goals for top line.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Yeah, that's one thing I always appreciate about him. Even when he's not playing well, he still competes and brings some piss and vinegar while doing it. He hasn't been good in the tournament (too much individualistic play, over handling, low percentage plays) but he's also been our only forward who's been dangerous with any regularity.

What about Boucher, Gauthier or Brindley?

Think all three have played well.

And Snuggerud of course.

 

[William H Bonney]

What about Boucher, Gauthier or Brindley?

Think all three have played well.

And Snuggerud of course.

Boucher has done well on the PP and not taking penalties. I think he's provided a more positive impact than most would have expected.

Gauthier has been underwhelming. I think that's because they're playing him at wing when he's light years better at center. He gets too comfortable playing a perimeter game when he's at wing. He's good enough to still put up points even when he's not at his best but they need him to be a lot better.

Brindley deserves more minutes. I'm a fan of Blake but Brindley should take his spot on that line. Brindley hasn't created a ton of offense but he's been one of the few forwards busting his ass.

Snuggerud has been okay at best but as we just saw, with his shot, it doesn't take much for him to still pot goals.

Really nice sequence there by Boucher

 

[NewHampshire]

If I have a complaint today - it’s watching players try too hard to make a special play (Hughes). Loved seeing Chesley shoot straight into the pad and set up an easy one for Boucher by keeping it simple...

 

[SK94]

Least boys started to look a bit more like they enjoyed themselves out there. Offensive lines need some adjustments but least top line got important goals. Now I want to see a last period where Swiss is not going to have anything.

 

[William H Bonney]

A better period but still a long way to go. Hopefully it's something they build on in the 3rd. Giving up that late goal was not ideal; poorly played face-off. LOL at Biasca running his mouth down by 3; if I'm the coaches, that's all I talk about it in the intermission to get them motivated.

Positives for me are Cooley is going, some depth guys like Boucher are showing up, and the defense has been much improved on limiting careless turnovers and odd man breaks (sans Ufko getting caught but thankfully he got back to likely prevent a goal on the 2-on-1 rebound shot).

I still think the forward lines need a shakeup. Reward the guys going well or busting their asses (i.e., Boucher, Brindley), put Gauthier at center on the 2nd line, and cut the minutes of some guys to try to get them to put in more effort (i.e., Lucius).

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Hughes with a much better effort tonight. Getting peart away seems to have worked.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Oh Starman went all Brian Leetch a minute ago.

 

[William H Bonney]

Hughes with a much better effort tonight. Getting peart away seems to have worked.

Yeah, Peart was a boat anchor. Why they didn't start with the Behrens - Hughes pairing from the get go was baffling.