WJC: 2024 Team USA Roster Talk

[donjohnson]

Augustine
Fowler
Oke

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?

While I know Augustine is "the guy" for USA, don't be surprised if Oke is in a really good place leading into the World Juniors this year. He's been stuck on the bench behind Tristan Lennox the last two years playing 1 out of 3 games yet he's made the World Juniors each of the last two years. The Saginaw team is going to be loading up this year since they're hosting the Memorial Cup and Oke is going to have every opportunity to show what he can do on a night-in, night-out basis. He's either going to show that he should have been playing more (and challenge for the World Junior starter) or he's going to show that Saginaw needs to bring in another goalie and he won't even make the World Junior team. I'm sure his wins will be up (because we'll be able to score more goals) but his GAA needs to be down in that 2.75-2.85 range to show that he's really putting up good numbers in the offensive heavy OHL.

 

[Lartsaman]

You americans are getting just sick lineup. You might be the best competitor to challenge Sweden for gold.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

While I know Augustine is "the guy" for USA, don't be surprised if Oke is in a really good place leading into the World Juniors this year. He's been stuck on the bench behind Tristan Lennox the last two years playing 1 out of 3 games yet he's made the World Juniors each of the last two years. The Saginaw team is going to be loading up this year since they're hosting the Memorial Cup and Oke is going to have every opportunity to show what he can do on a night-in, night-out basis. He's either going to show that he should have been playing more (and challenge for the World Junior starter) or he's going to show that Saginaw needs to bring in another goalie and he won't even make the World Junior team. I'm sure his wins will be up (because we'll be able to score more goals) but his GAA needs to be down in that 2.75-2.85 range to show that he's really putting up good numbers in the offensive heavy OHL.

Thanks for the heads up on Oke. Was wondering about the status of his game. Thought with so many goalies being drafted an NHL club might spend a late round pick on him.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

^^ 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.

I see it more as 20%, 30%, 0%.

 

[ORRFForever]

I see it more as 20%, 30%, 0%.

Fair enough.

 

[donjohnson]

Thanks for the heads up on Oke. Was wondering about the status of his game. Thought with so many goalies being drafted an NHL club might spend a late round pick on him.

I thought the same thing but I think he still just hasn't played enough to show what abilities he has. His rookie (17yo) year he played quite a bit for the injured Lennox but the team (especially defense) was garbage and while he had a lot of good games, he was hung out to dry all the time and his numbers were high. He was in the Top10 of central scouting and made the Red Wings main camp so the scouts obviously like him but I'm guessing he needs to show he can do it night in and night out.

He's a fan favorite in Saginaw and everyone seems to think he's got the chops to take us to a title this year and if he does, he'll get drafted next year or someone will sign him before that. Probably not the Wings since they took Augustine but I still think he'll get invited to a camp this fall especially if he shows well in the Showcase in a week or two.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Cooley isn't going pro?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

^^ 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.

I do think Wright has a good chance to be released to play, I don't see him forcing his way onto the Kraken.


But I'd be very surprised if Fantilli played after leaving college. And I would be absolutely shocked if Bedard went back. He couldn't have less to prove/accomplish at that level.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Cooley isn't going pro?

The mess in Arizona made him wait.

 

[William H Bonney]

Sounds like Cooley to the NHL is gaining steam again. Would obviously be a huge blow to the team but him being available was a huge and unexpected boon as players of his caliber very rarely play at the WJC at 19. They'd still have gold medal expectations without him.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Sounds like Cooley to the NHL is gaining steam again. Would obviously be a huge blow to the team but him being available was a huge and unexpected boon as players of his caliber very rarely play at the WJC at 19. They'd still have gold medal expectations without him.

Arizona might also loan him. Wouldn’t expect it, but wouldn’t rule it out before we see how NHL ready he is.

 

[William H Bonney]

Official.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Good for him.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Arizona might also loan him. Wouldn’t expect it, but wouldn’t rule it out before we see how NHL ready he is.

Not sure. Guenther played 33 games for the Coyotes last year and was still released to play for Canada.

 

[ORRFForever]

While I know Augustine is "the guy" for USA, don't be surprised if Oke is in a really good place leading into the World Juniors this year. He's been stuck on the bench behind Tristan Lennox the last two years playing 1 out of 3 games yet he's made the World Juniors each of the last two years. The Saginaw team is going to be loading up this year since they're hosting the Memorial Cup and Oke is going to have every opportunity to show what he can do on a night-in, night-out basis. He's either going to show that he should have been playing more (and challenge for the World Junior starter) or he's going to show that Saginaw needs to bring in another goalie and he won't even make the World Junior team. I'm sure his wins will be up (because we'll be able to score more goals) but his GAA needs to be down in that 2.75-2.85 range to show that he's really putting up good numbers in the offensive heavy OHL.

GREAT avatar.

 

[donjohnson]

GREAT avatar.

Thanks...always used to pop the collar like 20 years ago and so DonJohnson became my screenname on the Saginaw message board...kept it going on here too

 

[Rabid Ranger]

If there's a year we could weather a player of Cooley's caliber missing it might be this one. This will be a loaded forward group.

 

[William H Bonney]

If there's a year we could weather a player of Cooley's caliber missing it might be this one. This will be a loaded forward group.

This group isn't as deep as the 2017 team that weathered a ton of guys lost to the professional ranks or injuries and still won gold, but it's a very deep group. If they don't win gold there will be bigger issues at play than losing Cooley.

 

[ORRFForever]

Thanks...always used to pop the collar like 20 years ago and so DonJohnson became my screenname on the Saginaw message board...kept it going on here too

When we were kids, we ALL wanted to be HIM.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Left sided defense looks like by far our biggest problem going into this season. If we can answer those questions before the tournament starts, I’ll feel very good about our chances, with or without Cooley.

 

[WarriorofTime]

The defensive defensemen group is lousy. Back to back poor years that have graduated from USNDTP. Could potentially be the doom in a single elimination tournament.

 

[William H Bonney]

USAH is posting highlights to their YouTube from each game. It's largely just the goals from both teams with a few other moments (i.e., nice saves) occasionally sprinkled in.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

The defensive defensemen group is lousy. Back to back poor years that have graduated from USNDTP. Could potentially be the doom in a single elimination tournament.

I feel like that's a general growing weakness across the sport. Real solid defensive defenseman are becoming scarce, especially for the age group born after 2000.

 

[montreal]

USAH is posting highlights to their YouTube from each game. It's largely just the goals from both teams with a few other moments (i.e., nice saves) occasionally sprinkled in.

i've got several vids on my channel though heavily focused on the 2 Hab prospects Hutson and Fowler, there's also a number of clips on the '24 and '25 draft eligibles.

 

[Mathieukferland]

I feel like that's a general growing weakness across the sport. Real solid defensive defenseman are becoming scarce, especially for the age group born after 2000.

Because in general attributes like positioning, angles, and puck battles take second place to rush leading, first pass, and blue line walking for defenseman in evaluations these days. If you look at the best hermitic defensemen in the NHL, most of them were drafted outside the first round like Pelech, Weegar, Toews, Slavin etc (McAvoy might be the one exception and even he has several defenders taken before him)