U18: 2024 Team USA

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Should have a chance at Gold. This isn't our strongest team, but neither was last year's team. Potential call-ups bolded. Secondary scoring and goaltending are the two big weaknesses going in.

Eiserman-Hagens-McKinney
Plante-Bednarik-Ziemer
Stiga-Potter-Van Vliet
McMorrow-Baker-Pardue
Humphreys

Skahan-Hensler
Hutson-Trethewey
Lapointe-Emery
Whipple-DRM

Kempf
Boettiger
Parsons

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[Pavel Buchnevich]

Some tweaks I’d make from the above.

Eiserman-Hagens-Bednarik
Plante-Stiga-Ziemer
Potter-Van Vliet-Humphreys
McMorrow-Baker-McKinney
Pardue

Skahan-Hensler
Hutson-Emery
Lapointe-Trethewey
Whipple

Kempf
Parsons
Quinlan

I think Eiserman and Hagens have to play together. They need someone though that can do the dirty work. The other thing you have to balance is that the second line needs that also. You could place Ziemer in that spot, but I have a wild idea to stack the first line. I think it could work partly because I think Stiga can probably drive the second line with the help of Plante. And Ziemer has good chemistry with Plante also, so I could see those three working. If it does, you can stack the first line. Third line would be the three MSU guys. Humphreys needs players to create space for him, and Van Vliet will do that with his size and skating, while the U17 Potter will do that with his skating and motor. Line 4 I feel almost has to have McMorrow and Baker because they are good grinder types and every team needs that. The U17 McKinney could definitely help the team in a 4th line role, even if he could also play higher. I think Pardue would fit a 13F role well because he can fit many roles, if needed.

I’d pair Skahan and Hensler together as a shutdown pair. They’ve played some together, and I think it’d work. I think Hutson and Emery could work. Hutson needs someone a little bigger than him that plays a little more defensive. The U17 Trethewey probably deserves a promotion. I’d pair him with Lapointe who is very mistake free and low event for the bottom pair. Whipple can be the 7D. He’s not that good, but can play a regular shift.

Goaltenders are going to either lose it for us or win it. If they don’t play terribly, I think we’re the favorite. If not, we could definitely be beaten by Sweden and potentially also Canada. Kempf has to be the guy, but he’s also a little shaky. Parsons hasn’t had a good season. I think the U17 Quinlan has become the #1 guy for that team, so he can be promoted to give us a third goalie, but I wouldn’t trust him yet. Parsons is probably still the #2, as bad as he’s played this season.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Seems like a strong team. Probaly gonna be Sweden vs USA in the finals again, starting to be some rivaly beetween the americans and the swedes!

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Starting to get an idea of what the lineup might look like. LVV still injured, so I figure he slots in as the 3C, McMorrow goes down to the 4th line, and probably Vansaghi moves to 13F with Pardue demoted. Or if LVV doesn't return in time, this could be the forwards.

Defense probably won't change, and Hutson will return at some point and make that 8. Goaltenders might add one more for a 3rd goalie when 17's the season ends. No sense doing it now. All of this could change if someone like Connelly can be added

 

[William H Bonney]

The nightmare season for Parsons has not let up. Good lord has he been awful tonight. Their chances to win gold are not zero percent if the staff continues to give him so many games, but they're not too far above zero percent.

Dude looks like a baseball infielder with the extended yips. Normally this type of season performance leads to a demotion to the U17s.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The nightmare season for Parsons has not let up. Good lord has he been awful tonight. Their chances to win gold are not zero percent if the staff continues to give him so many games, but they're not too far above zero percent.

Dude looks like a baseball infielder with the extended yips. Normally this type of season performance leads to a demotion to the U17s.

They should swap him and Quinlan.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Edmonton Oil Kings defenseman Blake Fiddler played for Canada White in the World Hockey Challenge but also attended USA Hockey festivals in the past. Any chance he gets a shot or will he play for Canada in the future?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Edmonton Oil Kings defenseman Blake Fiddler played for Canada White in the World Hockey Challenge but also attended USA Hockey festivals in the past. Any chance he gets a shot or will he play for Canada in the future?

It won't be for this tournament, but he might have a choice to make during the summer which country he wants to play for at the Hlinka.

 

[WarriorofTime]

It won't be for this tournament, but he might have a choice to make during the summer which country he wants to play for at the Hlinka.

Hlinks doesn't lock you into anything, same as the Hockey Canada U17 thing. Only IIHF play locks you in. If he doesn't play at next year's IIHF U18, he could stay open and from there we'll see if he makes a team at older ages and picks one way or the other.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Looking at the OHL, with Sarnia and Windsor missing the playoffs is there room for defenseman Lukas Fischer or forward AJ Spellacy on this team?

Or are the players from the NTDP and USHL better options?

 

[William H Bonney]

Looking at the OHL, with Sarnia and Windsor missing the playoffs is there room for defenseman Lukas Fischer or forward AJ Spellacy on this team?

Or are the players from the NTDP and USHL better options?

Spellacy is not good enough.

I haven't seen much of Fischer. He's tried out for USAH teams a bunch and never made it, so I highly doubt he's going to displace anyone they already have available.

 

[WarriorofTime]

06 American CHLers kinda stink. With how bad the 07 USNDTP has been this year, Travis Hayes could be a nice boost next season if available. Third Hayes brother (all from Michigan) to play in the OHL. Oldest Avery won an OHL Championship with Peterborough as an overager last season, second brother Gavin was on the USNDTP team this season (Hawks 3rd round pick) and Avery is one of the better performing rookies. There's a fourth brother who is an 09 playing as well.

It's pretty rare for Americans to go to the CHL anymore. USA Hockey has done a nice job of keeping kids home and NCAA is just too good an opportunity to pass up for most, imo. We'll see amongst the 08s that get cut from USNDTP Camp if any go that route.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Lineup the last game before Worlds. Hutson the only one still missing. Will he make it back in time? I’m thinking if he’s not been replaced yet it might be because they expect he will. A guy on a bad USHL team could be his replacement. Probably would be Kleber, but the team needs an OFD a lot more than a DFD.

They also might add a third goalie. Is it Heil (please no) or one of the 3 U17’s (likely Quinlan)? Whoever it is might end up as the second goalie because Parsons can’t stop a puck this year.

The actual lineup looks okay. Skahan-Hensler is the actual first pair there. DRM-Emery second and then Laurila-Whipple. I’d put Lapointe in DRM spot, drop DRM down a pair, and then have Laurila as the 7. Very unlucky LVV gets demoted again to a spare after coming back from injury. I suspect he’ll move up again. We need that extra scoring punch. McMorrow has no business in the top 9 over him. Move him down to 4LW and then you can debate between Pardue/Vansaghi/Baker for 4RW (I’m okay with either Pardue/Baker, not Vansaghi). Doesn’t seem like we’re getting Connelly. If we were, why not demote someone else by now to get them extra TOI?

 

[WarriorofTime]

So Mooney and McKinney are the callups from the U17 team this year?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Connelly appears

 

[WarriorofTime]

Do USHL teams just not care about the playoffs or what

 

[William H Bonney]

Good for Connelly. He's made mistakes but he's from all intents and purposes done the work, and he's a top tier talent.

I wonder if this becomes more common for American players. More and more top Canadians have been heading to the USHL and they have all been getting released for the U18s. That makes it hard for the USHL pretend like American players should be off limits.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Good for Connelly. He's made mistakes but he's from all intents and purposes done the work, and he's a top tier talent.

I wonder if this becomes more common for American players. More and more top Canadians have been heading to the USHL and they have all been getting released for the U18s. That makes it hard for the USHL pretend like American players should be off limits.

Probably tendered players getting it as part of their conditions. Still a bit odd. Essentially telling their teammates “you guys figure this round out, I’ll be off in Europe on holiday and be back if you haven’t been eliminated”

 

[William H Bonney]

Probably tendered players getting it as part of their conditions. Still a bit odd. Essentially telling their teammates “you guys figure this round out, I’ll be off in Europe on holiday and be back if you haven’t been eliminated”

Yeah, but I get it. It's a tough spot for the players as they want to play in both. Hard to ask a guy to turn down the U18s, though.

 

[JiggsNY]

I don't mind it. TheUSHL, despite it's growth, is much more a league geared towards being a development path, whereas the CHL is much more of it's own product. If these kids want to represent their country it's nice there is the flexibility to allow it. Makes it a more attractive option for kids.

 

[William H Bonney]

Cole McKinney is back on the NTDP U17 roster while Mooney is still on the U18 roster. Not surprised as he wasn't noticeable while playing up.

And presumably that's the roster spot for Connelly.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

They should've kept McKinney. He's better than all the bottom line guys anyway. Does all they do defensively and also has more offensive potential.

But they didn't seem to want to demote many guys this year. I would've demoted Vansaghi, who I feel does nothing other than some physical play and board battles.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

 

[WarriorofTime]

Why a special announcement? Is it not always the U18 NDTP team coach?

 

[SK94]

Boys are on their way to Finland so is final roster listed somewhere?