WJC: 2024 Team USA Roster Talk

[Joe Zanussi]

He sure looks like he’ll make it now.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Perreault is a lock for this team, not sure what the issue is a few pages back with people being unsure.

The issue is that there are a million first round pick forwards, most of them being wingers, and almost all of them are playing well. He’s also younger than most of them, and being younger usually works against a player for this team.

I think Perreault makes it, but it might be as a 13th or 14th forward.

 

[MTU34]

Ignore the order of the top 3 lines. Any of them could end up being the go to scoring line

Mcgroarty-Brindley-Snuggerud
Howard-Gauthier-Nazar
Perreault-Smith-Leonard
Moore-Stramel-Nelson

Two of: Kaplan/Adams/Lund/Hagens

Hutson-Chesley
Skahan-Casey
Buium-Rinzel
Fischer-Brzustewicz/Pohlkamp

Augustine
Fowler
Oke

 

[sigx15]

Ignore the order of the top 3 lines. Any of them could end up being the go to scoring line

Mcgroarty-Brindley-Snuggerud
Howard-Gauthier-Nazar
Perreault-Smith-Leonard
Moore-Stramel-Nelson

Two of: Kaplan/Adams/Lund/Hagens

Hutson-Chesley
Skahan-Casey
Buium-Rinzel
Fischer-Brzustewicz/Pohlkamp

Augustine
Fowler
Oke

I think they'll stick with Gauthier at wing like they had him at camp this summer and Hagens will end up centering one of the top 3 lines. I wouldn't be surprised to see Gauthier moved off center at BC in the coming weeks as well

 

[clevelandcane]

I still can't see the US without Eiserman and especially Hagens.

 

[Mathieukferland]

I still can't see the US without Eiserman and especially Hagens.

Hagens is more likely to fit in a non top 6 role which I think will increase his chances to make the team, whereas Eiserman has fewer facets to his game than Hagens and will essentially need to force his way into the top 6 if he wants a spot over some pretty established older names

 

[Jaykay]

Isn't Eiserman a perfect 13th forward? Throw him on the power play and cycle him in when you need goals.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'd have Eiserman as one of the extra forwards, and Hagens one of the top 9.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

McGroarty is injured. Speculation is a broken tailbone. Hopefully it’s not that, but he might be missing this tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Without McGroarty and Cooley.

Gauthier-Hagens-Snuggerud
Leonard-Smith-Perreault
Howard-Stramel-Nazar
Moore-Lund-Brindley
Eiserman-Nelson

 

[MTU34]

Without McGroarty and Cooley.

Gauthier-Hagens-Snuggerud
Leonard-Smith-Perreault
Howard-Stramel-Nazar
Moore-Lund-Brindley
Eiserman-Nelson

I like most of this (assuming no Mcgroarty) but I wouldn’t want Stramel anywhere near a scoring line.
Howard-Nazar-Brindley
Moore-Stramel-Nelson

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I like most of this (assuming no Mcgroarty) but I wouldn’t want Stramel anywhere near a scoring line.
Howard-Nazar-Brindley
Moore-Stramel-Nelson

We need more size than that third line. Have to balance it out. After last year where we tried the smallboyz lineup and got destroyed in the SF by Canada, no lines or pairs where there’s not some sort of physical presence.

Stramel also was good at this tournament last year. Wisconsin hasn’t been a good fit. He’s showed scoring before and after, so I’m not that worried. Should’ve never went there. I don’t think we want him 1C, but he should be able to chip in 4 or 5 points.

 

[MTU34]

We need more size than that third line. Have to balance it out. After last year where we tried the smallboyz lineup and got destroyed in the SF by Canada, no lines or pairs where there’s not some sort of physical presence.

Stramel also was good at this tournament last year. Wisconsin hasn’t been a good fit. He’s showed scoring before and after, so I’m not that worried. Should’ve never went there. I don’t think we want him 1C, but he should be able to chip in 4 or 5 points.

Putting a team together where we’re putting guys in bigger roles because of size won’t work either. Besides, size doesn’t matter all that much up front as long as you’re still forechecking effectively. Nazar and Brindley can both fly and Brindley has an incredible motor. There’s enough there for that line win pucks. That line has also had a lot of success together before

 

[William H Bonney]

There is still meaningful time left for things to change quite a bit but I'd probably do something like this right now:

Forwards (x13)
Cutter Gauthier - James Hagens - Jimmy Snuggerud
Rutger McGroarty - Frank Nazar - Gavin Brindley
Gabe Perreault - Will Smith - Ryan Leonard
Oliver Moore - Danny Nelson - Isaac Howard
Cam Lund

Defense (x7)
Lane Hutson - Ryan Chesley
Zeev Buium - Seamus Casey
Paul Fischer - Charlie Leddy
Sam Rinzel

Goalies (x3)
Trey Augustine
Jacob Fowler
Nick Kempf

​

Notes:
- If McGroarty is not available, I'd add one of Eiserman, Adams, or Stramel.
- Give Hagens a top 6 center opportunity to start. If he's not up to the challenge, there are plenty of options to switch up the centers.
- Stramel needs to show something if he wants to be on the team. It's not enough that he's a first-round pick who's been here before when there are other guys who can play his role and are actually playing well. If he picks up his game in the next few weeks I'd have him on the team but he needs to actually do that.
- The biggest concern is LHD. Hutson is a lock and you can't leave off Buium the way he's playing, but he normally plays on the right side, where we're already loaded with options. Guys like Fischer, Duke, Dorrington, etc. are certainly options but I'm more interested in whether the staff has any RHD they're confident can play on the left.
- No Brzustewicz will probably be the biggest thing people are in a huff about. He could certainly be here but with Hutson and Casey, he's likely not a PP guy on the team, the RHD options are plentiful, and we need to take a more balanced defensive group (both in roles and body types, hence Leddy and Rinzel) than we did last tournament.
- I imagine they'll bring Oke instead of Kempf but with Augustine eligible to return next tournament, I'd rather bring along Kempf for the experience if he's still playing as well as he has been when it comes time for the team camp. For those penciling in Slukynsky, he won't be here, he was named to the WJAC team.

 

[My3Sons]

There is still meaningful time left for things to change quite a bit but I'd probably do something like this right now:

Forwards (x13)
Cutter Gauthier - James Hagens - Jimmy Snuggerud
Rutger McGroarty - Frank Nazar - Gavin Brindley
Gabe Perreault - Will Smith - Ryan Leonard
Oliver Moore - Danny Nelson - Isaac Howard
Cam Lund

Defense (x7)
Lane Hutson - Ryan Chesley
Zeev Buium - Seamus Casey
Paul Fischer - Charlie Leddy
Sam Rinzel

Goalies (x3)
Trey Augustine
Jacob Fowler
Nick Kempf

​

Notes:
- If McGroarty is not available, I'd add one of Eiserman, Adams, or Stramel.
- Give Hagens a top 6 center opportunity to start. If he's not up to the challenge, there are plenty of options to switch up the centers.
- Stramel needs to show something if he wants to be on the team. It's not enough that he's a first-round pick who's been here before when there are other guys who can play his role and are actually playing well. If he picks up his game in the next few weeks I'd have him on the team but he needs to actually do that.
- The biggest concern is LHD. Hutson is a lock and you can't leave off Buium the way he's playing, but he normally plays on the right side, where we're already loaded with options. Guys like Fischer, Duke, Dorrington, etc. are certainly options but I'm more interested in whether the staff has any RHD they're confident can play on the left.
- No Brzustewicz will probably be the biggest thing people are in a huff about. He could certainly be here but with Hutson and Casey, he's likely not a PP guy on the team, the RHD options are plentiful, and we need to take a more balanced defensive group (both in roles and body types, hence Leddy and Rinzel) than we did last tournament.
- I imagine they'll bring Oke instead of Kempf but with Augustine eligible to return next tournament, I'd rather bring along Kempf for the experience if he's still playing as well as he has been when it comes time for the team camp. For those penciling in Slukynsky, he won't be here, he was named to the WJAC team.

It's always a tough choice for these junior tournaments to decide between raw talent and role players (who themselves are quite talented if not quite the tip top echelon). The defense seems to be Hutson and Casey and then everyone else. Presumably you need one more puck mover who can help a pair in transition but the first of the other three players would be the two guys who mesh best with Hutson and Casey. Maybe the best defensive guy after that.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It's always a tough choice for these junior tournaments to decide between raw talent and role players (who themselves are quite talented if not quite the tip top echelon). The defense seems to be Hutson and Casey and then everyone else. Presumably you need one more puck mover who can help a pair in transition but the first of the other three players would be the two guys who mesh best with Hutson and Casey. Maybe the best defensive guy after that.

The defense is more talented than that. Chesley is a second round pick (could’ve easily went first) returner and good in all zones. Rinzel is a first round pick with size, skating, puck handling, physicality, and a big shot. Brzustewicz is leading OHL D in scoring I’m pretty sure. Buium has been a standout for Denver. He and Skahan are potential first round picks.

The defensive problems are more the lack of size from some players that makes it so that the selection options become limited and that LHD depth is lacking. But RHD definitely isn’t and has many good options. The defensive concerns are overblown. Last year had much bigger defensive concerns than this team has.

 

[Eye of Ra]

There is still meaningful time left for things to change quite a bit but I'd probably do something like this right now:

Forwards (x13)
Cutter Gauthier - James Hagens - Jimmy Snuggerud
Rutger McGroarty - Frank Nazar - Gavin Brindley
Gabe Perreault - Will Smith - Ryan Leonard
Oliver Moore - Danny Nelson - Isaac Howard
Cam Lund

Defense (x7)
Lane Hutson - Ryan Chesley
Zeev Buium - Seamus Casey
Paul Fischer - Charlie Leddy
Sam Rinzel

Goalies (x3)
Trey Augustine
Jacob Fowler
Nick Kempf

​

Notes:
- If McGroarty is not available, I'd add one of Eiserman, Adams, or Stramel.
- Give Hagens a top 6 center opportunity to start. If he's not up to the challenge, there are plenty of options to switch up the centers.
- Stramel needs to show something if he wants to be on the team. It's not enough that he's a first-round pick who's been here before when there are other guys who can play his role and are actually playing well. If he picks up his game in the next few weeks I'd have him on the team but he needs to actually do that.
- The biggest concern is LHD. Hutson is a lock and you can't leave off Buium the way he's playing, but he normally plays on the right side, where we're already loaded with options. Guys like Fischer, Duke, Dorrington, etc. are certainly options but I'm more interested in whether the staff has any RHD they're confident can play on the left.
- No Brzustewicz will probably be the biggest thing people are in a huff about. He could certainly be here but with Hutson and Casey, he's likely not a PP guy on the team, the RHD options are plentiful, and we need to take a more balanced defensive group (both in roles and body types, hence Leddy and Rinzel) than we did last tournament.
- I imagine they'll bring Oke instead of Kempf but with Augustine eligible to return next tournament, I'd rather bring along Kempf for the experience if he's still playing as well as he has been when it comes time for the team camp. For those penciling in Slukynsky, he won't be here, he was named to the WJAC team.

fantastic team!

 

[donjohnson]

I know USA is infatuated with Fowler and Augustine but Oke has been killing it in Saginaw since returning from injury. I'm obviously the biased Saginaw fan but maybe it's time to finally give him a shot...there's obviously a reason he's been picked the last 2 years, now his OHL numbers are finally proving out now that he's the everyday goalie here.

https://x.com/jeffbosty/status/1726090830279053695?s=20

 

[mphmiles]

How confident is everyone that Hagens makes the team? I think he should, particularly because despite his age, I think he's defensively responsible enough, (And I love the idea of putting him between a couple goal scorers with size like Gauthier and Snuggerud) but we know how team selection usually goes, and I'm having a hard time seeing USAH select a double underager.

 

[mphmiles]

Also, I think you take Brzustewicz, at least as an extra on D. Yes, he's another offensively minded RD, but he's played on the kill for both Kitchener this year and USA in the past.

Wheeler and Pronman also pitched the idea of moving Casey to the left to try to balance out the pairs a little more, and I like that idea.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I know USA is infatuated with Fowler and Augustine but Oke has been killing it in Saginaw since returning from injury. I'm obviously the biased Saginaw fan but maybe it's time to finally give him a shot...there's obviously a reason he's been picked the last 2 years, now his OHL numbers are finally proving out now that he's the everyday goalie here.

https://x.com/jeffbosty/status/1726090830279053695?s=20

He has a shot at being the third goalie. Might be the favorite even. He’s made the team the last few years due to there being almost a complete lack of options, and then some unexpected absences.

The reason not to take him is that he’s not going to play and you might wanna give a younger goalie a shot at the experience that can return next year. It’s no insult in saying he won’t play as the other two are arguably the two best goalies at the tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

How confident is everyone that Hagens makes the team? I think he should, particularly because despite his age, I think he's defensively responsible enough, (And I love the idea of putting him between a couple goal scorers with size like Gauthier and Snuggerud) but we know how team selection usually goes, and I'm having a hard time seeing USAH select a double underager.

Hagens has been dealt with differently by USAH through the years. A lot like Matthews, Eichel, and Hughes. He didn’t earn a spot on the team from his showing in the summer, but played well and got some time in prime time spots in the lineup, including as a center for those two.

It’s not a guarantee he makes it. It helps that Cooley is almost certainly a no, and it’s not looking good for McGroarty, but he’s looking likely. More so than Eiserman, if they had to choose between one of the two.

 

[TLEH]

I mean if you're giving me the choice between taking Eiserman or Stramel as a 13th forward. I know who I am taking. But I am assuming Stramel makes it due to his performance at the tournament previous.

 

[sigx15]

I know USA is infatuated with Fowler and Augustine but Oke has been killing it in Saginaw since returning from injury. I'm obviously the biased Saginaw fan but maybe it's time to finally give him a shot...there's obviously a reason he's been picked the last 2 years, now his OHL numbers are finally proving out now that he's the everyday goalie here.

https://x.com/jeffbosty/status/1726090830279053695?s=20

I think infatuation is a strong word, especially to use in regards to Fowler who wasn't an NTDP kid who's had about as good of a last 24 months as you possibly could as a goalie. Oke has been great since coming back from injury but Fowler and Augustine have been very good themselves the past 6 games. Augustine has a .933 save pct and Fowler has a .932 save pct the last 6 games. Fowler has about as good of numbers as you'll see for a 18 year old freshman, he's having a pretty special season

Im on board with not seeing Oke left off this team though. Augustine has been hot and cold in international games and Fowler doesn't have a ton of experience internationally either. I'd rather see Oke in the 2nd or 3rd spot there rather than Kempf with the NTDP

 

[WarriorofTime]

I'd always rather just bring the three best than bring along a guy to play 1 period against Slovakia or whatever because he might be on the team next year.