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WC: 2024 Team USA

WarriorofTime said:
How does anyone determine anything?
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I would say being a productive player is key. Players producing at or close to a ppg will be desirable. Are they a line driver or benefit from others.

Also, does that player fit into the culture you want. Will that player give you his all. Is he a great teammate. Has he played for his country before. Has he played for his country before as a professional. How familiar is he with other players on this team.

Is he a smart player. Does he wear his heart on his sleeve. How versatile is this player. Does he have a current leadership role with his NHL team.

And so on and so forth.. Lots of things to look at to build a winning team like this.
 
WarriorofTime said:
Meh, if people are gonna say "can't have too much talent", stats are fair game..
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Stats on their own are really not great indicators of talent, especially when comparing across teams / systems etc.

What we know is that when he's given good players to play with, Gaudreau has put up MVP caliber seasons. That talent didn't simply vanish over the summer of 2022, he just went to a team with pretty much no offensive support (especially this past year).
 
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WhiskeyYerTheDevils said:
What we know is that when he's given good players to play with, Gaudreau has put up MVP caliber seasons.
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No, he hasn't. He has been a postseason All-Star once in his career and he had one other big season. He's never been a Hart Trophy Finalist. The further away we get from 2021-22, the less relevant it is for a player who is already 31 come August.
 
WarriorofTime said:
No, he hasn't. He has been a postseason All-Star once in his career and he had one other big season. He's never been a Hart Trophy Finalist. The further away we get from 2021-22, the less relevant it is for a player who is already 31 come August.
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He finished 4th in Hart voting twice, and his 2021-22 season was absolutely an MVP caliber performance - 115 points, 90 ESP, +64. It's also the only time in his entire career where he had 2 legit 1st liners to play with.

That talent didn't just disappear. Ask any Columbus fan. Holding his stat line against him in such an environment is craziness, especially considering the new coaching situation. He scored at a 70 point pace after an understandable slow start despite playing on a terrible team.
 
MNRube said:
Respectfully disagree. Give me a guy like Tuch as a role player. Gaudreau isn’t good enough anymore to be a main player on what could be the best overall roster in 4 Nations. No Gaudreau, Caufield, Zegras or any one-dimensional players. Sweden & Canada will expose guys like that
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You have Kreider there?
 
AmericanDream said:


Very interesting read. Sullivan and Guerin were at the practice today. You have to believe they are taking loyalty serious if Sullivan is out there too. Very nice to see boys!

Lindgren was on the ice as well...no mention on who plays net tomorrow..
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Really awesome that those two came over. Guerins' approach has been noticeable in a good way so far.
 
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MNRube said:
Connor, Boldy, Guentzel, Tkachuks, Thompson, Tuch, Keller, Kreider, Boeser is a really deep group of wingers. Then you have guys like JT Miller & Larkin who could get moved to the wing. I just don’t see a spot for Gaudreau, even though I agree with your sentiments above. I think a role player like Coleman is a better fit. Shortage of talent is not going to an issue for this rendition of Team USA with Eichel, Hughes & Matthews as your 3 scoring Cs
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Center position requires 200 ft play. Hughes may end up on wing and Miller at C.
Eichel-Matthews- Miller-Larkin
 
MNRube said:
Boldy is so underrated. One of the very best young forwards in the world. If he plays a full season with Kaprizov, people will have no choice but to take notice.
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We agree here, Boldy is an excellent player and has really come into his own. Its amazing how much his game between the ears has matured vs when he was drafted, credit to the patience with which he was developed by Minnesota. Given a legit pair of linemates, he'd be a 40g 90p threat every year.

He'd make my best on best roster.
 
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We don't need so much ''role players'' when we already have them in our best vs best roster. Tkachuck's are more than capable of filling these roles if needed. One player though who is on my Team USA is Kreider.

It feels like some people here don't even want to understand what our point is. They think just like USA Hockey has been thinking for years.
 
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