WJC: 2025 Team USA Roster Talk

[MTU34]

As long as you tell Blackhawk fans he's destined to be a top 6 NHL center you're safe.

We’d be pretty satisfied with a high end 3C

 

[William H Bonney]

If there were questions about Leonard's leadership, then would his teammates/coaches elect him to be their leader? Has anything about Leonard suddenly changed since they chose him to be captain?

If the answer to both of those questions is no, then you're suggesting that your personal evaluation of his "body language" trumps what the team has communicated with their decision to tap him. Turning that around and calling someone else wildly naive while doing that is heroic levels of projection.

This is a message board, so you're entitled to engage in posting conjecture that verges on slander. But I'm also entitled to call it out, and I feel compelled to do so when it's directed toward a teenager who turned down signing an ELC by his own admission to represent his country in an effort to repeat at this very tournament.

The answer to those questions are yes. There are questions about every leader. I never said a leader is infallible, but it makes sense why you're grasping at straws. Leonard is capable of being a very good leader for this team. That's why he was chosen. He hasn't delivered so far. He's fully capable of turning that around. They're not mutually exclusive concepts.

Slander? Jesus you're hilarious. I'm sorry for criticizing the performance of one of your precious BC Eagles. I'm glad you're here to be a hero and protect him from big bad slander!

 

[SanDogBrewin]

The answer to those questions are yes. There are questions about every leader. I never said a leader is infallible, but it makes sense why you're grasping at straws. Leonard is capable of being a very good leader for this team. That's why he was chosen. He hasn't delivered so far. He's fully capable of turning that around. They're not mutually exclusive concepts.

Slander? Jesus you're hilarious. I'm sorry for criticizing the performance of one of your precious BC Eagles. I'm glad you're here to be a hero and protect him from big bad slander!

I'm an Eagle fan and BC players deserve criticisms. Up at the Heights many players act like, immature entitled dweebs. Great talent but at times don't handle adversity well.

 

[Wieters]

I'm an Eagle fan and BC players deserve criticisms. Up at the Heights many players act like, immature entitled dweebs. Great talent but at times don't handle adversity well.

If a player makes a bad play, then of course they deserve criticism for making that play. Turning that into a referendum on a player’s leadership ability is going beyond that. And to do so, there better be a good reason. “Body language” isn’t one of them. Just complete nonsense that deserves to be called out.

 

[WarriorofTime]

As long as you tell Blackhawk fans he's destined to be a top 6 NHL center you're safe.

From the board's resident flag carrying Alex Vlasic hater throughout his prospect days, will take it all in stride and see how it all plays out.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

If this evolves into a BC v UMass v BU conversation, I’ll get involved.

So is NYE as simple as first or third place?

 

[MTU34]

If this evolves into a BC v UMass v BU conversation, I’ll get involved.

So is NYE as simple as first or third place?

Assuming Finland beats Latvia, yes. Thats a huge assumption to make though

 

[William H Bonney]

From the board's resident flag carrying Alex Vlasic hater throughout his prospect days, will take it all in stride and see how it all plays out.

That's a good point. I could be the jinx the Blackhawks need. God I hated Vlasic's game so much as a junior.

If a player makes a bad play, then of course they deserve criticism for making that play. Turning that into a referendum on a player’s leadership ability is going beyond that. And to do so, there better be a good reason. “Body language” isn’t one of them. Just complete nonsense that deserves to be called out.

You're still not grasping this, which is not surprising since you're coming at this from a defensive and emotional place because Leonard plays for BC.

I didn't criticize his "ability" I criticized his leadership performance through 3 games. That does not mean he's a bad leader, incapable of leading this team successfully, or that he won't do well as a leader for the rest of the tournament.

You continue to hear what you want to hear to justify your silly emotional crusade, even if it's not what's been said.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Assuming Finland beats Latvia, yes. Thats a huge assumption to make though

Thx. But, with all due respect, I’m gonna wait for a BC grad to confirm the math.

 

[MTU34]

Thx. But, with all due respect, I’m gonna wait for a BC grad to confirm the math.

Damn one semester shy of being a Michigan Tech grad isn’t good enough?

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Damn one semester shy of being a Michigan Tech grad isn’t good enough?

Your kid and my kid will serve fries to BC kids. So we got that going for us.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

The specialty teams have been a huge weakness so far, which is hard to overcome in this tournament

How many missed clears on this PK?

That was happening all damn game.

 

[MTU34]

Your kid and my kid will serve fries to BC kids. So we got that going for us.

Am I missing something with this BC stuff?

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

The other thing about Leonard putting the puck into his own zone and motioning for the offside call before the Finns scored, is that his actions prompted Hagens to stop playing as well.

Something, something, until the whistle blows.

 

[William H Bonney]

The other thing about Leonard putting the puck into his own zone and motioning for the offside call before the Finns scored, is that his actions prompted Hagens to stop playing as well.

Something, something, until the whistle blows.

Don't you dare slander him!

 

[OKR]

This Finnish team is very short on skill, but they outworked the US in every facet. More hustle, more fire, more grit, more attention to detail, more commitment to the system. And they got the results because of it. Hopefully to your point that this can serve as a wakeup call for the team, because on talent this should have been a very lopsided game on the stat sheet.

You’re underselling the Finnish team here a bit i think, it lacks gamebreaking talent sure but it has multiple players able to log serious minutes in a pro leagues in multitude of roles.

I had US as heavy favorites as well, but expecting a blowout or total domination from either side was imo bit silly.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Am I missing something with this BC stuff?

You don’t have to go back far to see it. There was a disagreement about Ryan Leonard. Which led to a comment about whether or not BC grads could accept criticism. I took the opportunity to start sharing BC jokes that my friends and I have found hilarious over the years.

I think that wraps it up.

 

[MTU34]

You don’t have to go back far to see it. There was a disagreement about Ryan Leonard. Which led to a comment about whether or not BC grads could accept criticism. I took the opportunity to start sharing BC jokes that my friends and I have found hilarious over the years.

I think that wraps it up.

Gotcha. I clearly did not read those posts closely enough lmao

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Don't you dare slander him!

I cleared that post with the HF Lawyer team.

 

[chris kontos]

You guys appear very educated on these college players - can you help me with what makes augustine so highly thought of? Ive only seen him in wjc play and its mysterious to me why he is the annointed one. He appears very average to below average to mr

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

I expect much better play from Buium as well. Ya, play with confidence, but he's been playing with a casual arrogance, like the opponents are unworthy of His Presence. Smarten up.

Anyway, not a bad thing to get punched in the mouth a bit, instead of hearing about how many returning gold medalists and 1st-round picks and draftees are on the roster, and how the team's talent level is superior. All those things are true, but let's see evidence of it on the ice.

We'll see if any lessons have been taken to heart on NYE. Both teams with lots to prove.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

You guys appear very educated on these college players - can you help me with what makes augustine so highly thought of? Ive only seen him in wjc play and its mysterious to me why he is the annointed one. He appears very average to below average to mr

He played really well in Wjc the last two years. He’s also played well at Michigan State. Certainly could’ve been better in this tourney.

 

[William H Bonney]

You’re underselling the Finnish team here a bit i think, it lacks gamebreaking talent sure but it has multiple players able to log serious minutes in a pro leagues in multitude of roles.

I had US as heavy favorites as well, but expecting a blowout or total domination from either side was imo bit silly.

I'm not underestimating the Finns. They always do more with less, and I didn't say they had a bad team, just one that lacks in much skill. But the reigning gold medalists who are returning almost half of their team should not be outshot and outplayed by Finland, even if the score ends up close. This shouldn't have looked much different than what Canada did to the Finns.

 

[MTU34]

As disjointed as we’ve felt throughout three games this tournament is still wide open. There isn’t a team in the tournament that feels like a clear favorite. Still think the big change is putting Hagens and Stiga together

 

[mphmiles]

I don't have the stats for it, but it seems like the whole team is struggling to enter the zone with possession through 3 games- and the team isn't built for high-level dump and chase, either.