Fantilli signing in Columbus. It’s almost scary how favored we are going to be. Anything less than gold is a complete disaster. Have never been this loaded before.
WJC: 2024 Team USA Roster Talk
- Thread starter William H Bonney
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William H Bonney
Registered User
Yeah, we would have been a gold medal favorite even if we lost some guys like we should have. The fact that they're all available again while the main competition is losing their top guys would make this the biggest WJC failure in USAH history if they don't win gold. Choking is a USAH specialty though.
clevelandcane
Registered User
Anyone who thinks a gold is assured is taking too much for granted. One dumb penalty, one hot goalie and you're done. Seems like the US should be favored but nothing is assured.
Deep Blue Metallic
Bo knows hockey.
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Surprises can happen in this or any other hockey tournament, and there is always the possibility of injuries, etc. to diminish the anticipated roster. But this will arguably be the most talented WJC team the US has ever assembled, with an NCAA championship winning coach to guide it.
No sensible observer should ever *expect* gold, but guarded confidence is entirely justified.
No sensible observer should ever *expect* gold, but guarded confidence is entirely justified.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Yeah I mean you guys are in a position that Canadian teams have been in a few times. Absolutely loaded up. Nothing is ever a lock in a short tournament with teenagers but anything short of a Gold and everyone is going to be rightfully disappointed. That isn't the case every single year.
TheGroceryStick
Registered User
US will have a stronggg team - alot of em will be ready to peak at the WJC, whereas Canada might be on that lull yr.
WarriorofTime
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In what is ultimately at the end of the day a single game knockout tournament (the Group Stage is basically just a warm-up), anything can happen.
Gold Standard
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I don't see Fantilli being that much of an impact player to start. and even if he sticks with the CBJs he'll be loaned out for the tournament. He should have just went back for another year at Michigan.
Regardless I see a GMG for Canada and the US on Jan 5.
No chance of us getting Bedard. But Wright and Fantilli?- there is a chance.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
I think it is a little crazy to not think Fantilli would be an impact player at this tournament honestly. I would also put the chances of him being loaned back at like under 10% and I think that is being generous.
Gold Standard
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I wasn't talking about Fantilli not being an impact player at the WJC. I think he would be. I was talking about him not being an impact player in the NHL that it would preclude him from being loaned out for the tournament.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
SanDogBrewin
Righteous bucks!
LoL David Quinn would a great choice for coach of this squad.
ORRFForever
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^^ Too many "double negatives", GS. I don't understand. ^^
My thoughts...
There is a 2/3rds chance Fantilli plays at the WJR's.
There is a 50/50 chance Wright plays at the WJR's.
There is a 10% chance Bedard plays at the WJR's.
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WarriorofTime
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I would put Bedard at closer to 2 %. Fantilli I would put around 25 %. He can’t go back to college, his elc is going to run. He could play in the AHL but I think he likely will stick. His physical traits are all where they need to be for the NHL and adjusting to the speed and processing of the game is likely well served in the NHL. If he’s not ready then I agree he could be loaned out to the WJC. Shane Wright I could see playing in this thing, unless they determine he can’t go to the AHL in which case I think Seattle likely keeps him in the NHL.
The forward group definitely has the skill and power. At least 9-10 players who can lead the tournament in scoring.
I don't recognize as many names on the defence, there's no McAvoy or Hughes on the defence. I know Hutson can move the puck, but I don't see an all-around stud.
I don't recognize as many names on the defence, there's no McAvoy or Hughes on the defence. I know Hutson can move the puck, but I don't see an all-around stud.
William H Bonney
Registered User
Vanbiesbrouck is so bad he'll probably go to Quinn for the WJC when he's inevitably fired by the Sharks.
This team could be outrageously loaded offensively. Two of the best full lines the USNTDP has ever seen, some elite puck moving defenseman in Hutson and Casey, and plenty of depth. Our potential third line would be a good first line in a lot of past years. We could field a 5th line that would work as a 2nd line and still leave off guys like Quentin Musty.
Gauthier - Cooley - Snuggerud
Leonard - Smith - Perrault
Brindley - Nazar - McGroarty
Howard - Stramel - Moore
Whitelaw - Sawchyn - Eiserman
Musty, Hagens
The D group is a little weaker overall but will be very mobile, with some game breaking offensive players:
Hutson - Chesley
Cleveland - Casey
Leddy - Rinzel
Healey, Fischer, Brzustewicz
Goalies should also be improved.
Augustine
Oke
Fowler
Some really tough choices to be made, especially for the last few forward spots.
Gauthier - Cooley - Snuggerud
Leonard - Smith - Perrault
Brindley - Nazar - McGroarty
Howard - Stramel - Moore
Whitelaw - Sawchyn - Eiserman
Musty, Hagens
The D group is a little weaker overall but will be very mobile, with some game breaking offensive players:
Hutson - Chesley
Cleveland - Casey
Leddy - Rinzel
Healey, Fischer, Brzustewicz
Goalies should also be improved.
Augustine
Oke
Fowler
Some really tough choices to be made, especially for the last few forward spots.
Deep Blue Metallic
Bo knows hockey.
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Postulates
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Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Not sure this has been mentioned anywhere or at least recently, but the left-defense depth flat out sucks.
The one's named to the WJSS roster were Buium, Dorrington, Duke, Hutson, Fischer, Fortsecue, Livanavage, and Schulz
If we take 8 hypothetically, 4 are going to have to be left-handed. Can't go 5 RHD and 3 LHD. It has to be more conventional. We tried unconventional last year. Didn't work. And it can't be all small defensemen either. We tried the smallboyz defensemen approach last year too, and they got destroyed with their D-zone coverage by Canada last year in the SF.
Hutson is a lock, and he's very good, but after him, there's probably not a defenseman there that ordinarily makes a USA WJC team. That's a big problem.
And with Hutson and Casey as locks, it doesn't eliminate Livanavage and Duke, but it eliminates both making it. You can't have 4 defensemen 5'10 or shorter. I can't see all the young guys making it either. We know how much that one year difference makes a difference usually for players at this tournament.
I think we are looking at Jackson Dorrington making this team. Logically, it seems hard to come up with scenarios where he doesn't make it. He's going to be a 19 year old, and he's a defensive defenseman with decent size, something we need. Schulz and Fortsecue are hard no's for me. Schulz is a complete plug. Fortsecue would look like a plug as an 18 year old at this tournament. I'm not convinced either about him as an option his 19 year old year, but that's a discussion worth having a year from now.
Truthfully, I wouldn't take Duke. He's maybe a little underrated and should've been drafted, but a 5'9 defensive defenseman. Sorry, this isn't the NTDP anymore. This is big-boy hockey best on best at the U20 level. Sure, a lot of these guys are still juniors, but they are all pro-level juniors.
Logically then, 2 for 3 spots between Buium, Fischer, and Livanavage. Not inspiring, at all. If I had to choose between those 3, I'd probably say Buium and Livanavage. You can take 3 small defenseman, as long as Livanavage isn't paired with Casey or Hutson. If we got a bigger right-shot defenseman on the 4th pair, we can throw Livanavage onto that pair. Fischer dropped off significantly at the end of last season. I think he'd struggle at this tournament next year, and I don't exactly trust Buium playing WJC in his draft-year. He's a young '05. I think though Buium is most likely of those 3. Remember, his college coach next year is also coaching the team, so that's a big point in his corner.
There's always a wildcard option who can make their way into the picture that wasn't on the camp roster. For me, it's Will Skahan. We could benefit so much from a 6'4 defenseman that can defend on that left side. I think it's definitely worth it. Invite him in December, if he starts the season well. Have seen some other suggestions like Cole Hutson and Brady Cleveland. Cole Hutson has no place on this roster. He'll make this team eventually in future years, but we don't need a 17 year old small defenseman for this roster. Cleveland is a hard, hard no. He was terrible this season. He was 7th defenseman on the NTDP this season for a reason. He'd be worse than Schulz.
Hopefully: Hutson, Skahan, Dorrington, Buium
Acceptable: Hutson, Dorrington, Buium, Livanavage
The latter puts a lot of defensive responsibility on Buium I'm not sure he's ready for. We'll see. I'm worried about this being our undoing either way.
The one's named to the WJSS roster were Buium, Dorrington, Duke, Hutson, Fischer, Fortsecue, Livanavage, and Schulz
If we take 8 hypothetically, 4 are going to have to be left-handed. Can't go 5 RHD and 3 LHD. It has to be more conventional. We tried unconventional last year. Didn't work. And it can't be all small defensemen either. We tried the smallboyz defensemen approach last year too, and they got destroyed with their D-zone coverage by Canada last year in the SF.
Hutson is a lock, and he's very good, but after him, there's probably not a defenseman there that ordinarily makes a USA WJC team. That's a big problem.
And with Hutson and Casey as locks, it doesn't eliminate Livanavage and Duke, but it eliminates both making it. You can't have 4 defensemen 5'10 or shorter. I can't see all the young guys making it either. We know how much that one year difference makes a difference usually for players at this tournament.
I think we are looking at Jackson Dorrington making this team. Logically, it seems hard to come up with scenarios where he doesn't make it. He's going to be a 19 year old, and he's a defensive defenseman with decent size, something we need. Schulz and Fortsecue are hard no's for me. Schulz is a complete plug. Fortsecue would look like a plug as an 18 year old at this tournament. I'm not convinced either about him as an option his 19 year old year, but that's a discussion worth having a year from now.
Truthfully, I wouldn't take Duke. He's maybe a little underrated and should've been drafted, but a 5'9 defensive defenseman. Sorry, this isn't the NTDP anymore. This is big-boy hockey best on best at the U20 level. Sure, a lot of these guys are still juniors, but they are all pro-level juniors.
Logically then, 2 for 3 spots between Buium, Fischer, and Livanavage. Not inspiring, at all. If I had to choose between those 3, I'd probably say Buium and Livanavage. You can take 3 small defenseman, as long as Livanavage isn't paired with Casey or Hutson. If we got a bigger right-shot defenseman on the 4th pair, we can throw Livanavage onto that pair. Fischer dropped off significantly at the end of last season. I think he'd struggle at this tournament next year, and I don't exactly trust Buium playing WJC in his draft-year. He's a young '05. I think though Buium is most likely of those 3. Remember, his college coach next year is also coaching the team, so that's a big point in his corner.
There's always a wildcard option who can make their way into the picture that wasn't on the camp roster. For me, it's Will Skahan. We could benefit so much from a 6'4 defenseman that can defend on that left side. I think it's definitely worth it. Invite him in December, if he starts the season well. Have seen some other suggestions like Cole Hutson and Brady Cleveland. Cole Hutson has no place on this roster. He'll make this team eventually in future years, but we don't need a 17 year old small defenseman for this roster. Cleveland is a hard, hard no. He was terrible this season. He was 7th defenseman on the NTDP this season for a reason. He'd be worse than Schulz.
Hopefully: Hutson, Skahan, Dorrington, Buium
Acceptable: Hutson, Dorrington, Buium, Livanavage
The latter puts a lot of defensive responsibility on Buium I'm not sure he's ready for. We'll see. I'm worried about this being our undoing either way.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Overall team
Gauther-Cooley-Snuggerud
McGroarty-Smith-Nazar
Hagens-Stramel-Eiserman
Leonard-Lund-Brindley
Finley-Moore
Hutson-Rinzel
Skahan-Chesley
Dorrington-Casey
Buium-Brzustewicz
Augustine
Fowler
Oke
The forwards are going to be hard to pick. Huge names aren't going to make it. I'm thinking Perreault and Howard are vulnerable right now. There's only so much small-skilled players, especially ones without great skating, that you can fit onto a team like this. Obviously you could easily give them the spots of Hagens and Eiserman, say those guys aren't ready next year, and it makes it a lot easier to pick. I think Quinn Finley is sneaking onto this roster too, which complicates it. He's a lot better than most people realize.
Defense as I already mentioned is very difficult to situate what happens on that left-side, so I won't touch on it much more. Getting the pairings right is key. They never could with the 2004 NTDP age group, and it's going to be a lot of the same players. Please no more Hutson-Chesley. Doesn't work. Goalies are pretty easy to pick. Fowler has a small chance to unseat Augustine, and 3rd is a long ways behind the first two, and is there for the experience. Only goalie wrinkle I can think of is what if Dylan Silverstein returns this year, and plays well. I've read speculation he has concussion issues. If he's ready to return to start next season and take that BC job, is he swapping in for Fowler's spot on the team or do they both make it with Silverstein as the 2 and Fowler the 3?
Gauther-Cooley-Snuggerud
McGroarty-Smith-Nazar
Hagens-Stramel-Eiserman
Leonard-Lund-Brindley
Finley-Moore
Hutson-Rinzel
Skahan-Chesley
Dorrington-Casey
Buium-Brzustewicz
Augustine
Fowler
Oke
The forwards are going to be hard to pick. Huge names aren't going to make it. I'm thinking Perreault and Howard are vulnerable right now. There's only so much small-skilled players, especially ones without great skating, that you can fit onto a team like this. Obviously you could easily give them the spots of Hagens and Eiserman, say those guys aren't ready next year, and it makes it a lot easier to pick. I think Quinn Finley is sneaking onto this roster too, which complicates it. He's a lot better than most people realize.
Defense as I already mentioned is very difficult to situate what happens on that left-side, so I won't touch on it much more. Getting the pairings right is key. They never could with the 2004 NTDP age group, and it's going to be a lot of the same players. Please no more Hutson-Chesley. Doesn't work. Goalies are pretty easy to pick. Fowler has a small chance to unseat Augustine, and 3rd is a long ways behind the first two, and is there for the experience. Only goalie wrinkle I can think of is what if Dylan Silverstein returns this year, and plays well. I've read speculation he has concussion issues. If he's ready to return to start next season and take that BC job, is he swapping in for Fowler's spot on the team or do they both make it with Silverstein as the 2 and Fowler the 3?
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