WJC: 2025 Team USA Roster Talk

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Leonard-Moore-Perreault
Eiserman-Hagens-Stiga
Willis-Nelson-Connelly
Spellacy-Terrance-Ziemer
Burnevik

Buium-Minnetian
Hutson-Emery
Fortescue-Hensler
Fischer-Fiddler

Augustine
Slukynsky
Hillebrandt

I feel terrible about our bottom six. They selected so many bums for the camp that can’t be iced. I wanted Connelly to serve a one-tournament suspension for his selfish act at the last one, but I don’t think we have the depth to afford it because they selected so many players for the camp that are unelectable.

It’s probably going to come down to Augustine, Buium, Hagens, Perreault, and Leonard. We are too top heavy with this camp roster.

 

[wickedwitch]

Leonard-Moore-Perreault
Eiserman-Hagens-Stiga
Willis-Nelson-Connelly
Spellacy-Terrance-Ziemer
Burnevik

Buium-Minnetian
Hutson-Emery
Fortescue-Hensler
Fischer-Fiddler

Augustine
Slukynsky
Hillebrandt

I feel terrible about our bottom six. They selected so many bums for the camp that can’t be iced. I wanted Connelly to serve a one-tournament suspension for his selfish act at the last one, but I don’t think we have the depth to afford it because they selected so many players for the camp that are unelectable.

It’s probably going to come down to Augustine, Buium, Hagens, Perreault, and Leonard. We are too top heavy with this camp roster.

There is no roster they could have iced where that wasn't going to be the most likely case. It's really hard to imagine a world where the US wins and it's not because they have a better top line/goalie/1D.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There is no roster they could have iced where that wasn't going to be the most likely case. It's really hard to imagine a world where the US wins and it's not because they have a better top line/goalie/1D.

I agree that was probably the bottom line way to look at this team, but I think it was a mistake to choose so many players for a camp roster that have been pretty close to nonexistent scoring threats for their various teams this year. You are handicapping yourself to the point where you are going to have to ice players who you can be pretty sure against the good teams at this tournament are going to be no threat to give you any offense. You'd ideally like 12 forwards who are threat to score, and it would allow us to roll lines instead of having to double shift some players or skip lines in the rotation. I'd argue with this roster it's going to be pretty close to a top 6 and bottom 6 lineup as opposed to a top 9 and fourth line lineup. Think it's a mistake to go with the former as opposed to the latter.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

I agree that was probably the bottom line way to look at this team, but I think it was a mistake to choose so many players for a camp roster that have been pretty close to nonexistent scoring threats for their various teams this year. You are handicapping yourself to the point where you are going to have to ice players who you can be pretty sure against the good teams at this tournament are going to be no threat to give you any offense. You'd ideally like 12 forwards who are threat to score, and it would allow us to roll lines instead of having to double shift some players or skip lines in the rotation. I'd argue with this roster it's going to be pretty close to a top 6 and bottom 6 lineup as opposed to a top 9 and fourth line lineup. Think it's a mistake to go with the former as opposed to the latter.

I get the fear of too much checking and not enough scoring. Looking at your lineup, would Burnevik be a better option in Top 9 than Willis? I don’t really know Willis at all.

 

[clevelandcane]

I might actually do that. So stupid nhl
Network is in basically zero of the top streaming platforms. While I get nba, mlb, nfl, golf, tennis! NHL is missing a big revenue stream it seems to me.

I agree. I don't get why they're not on YTTV and others.

 

[Bonin21]

Ziemer will work his ass off and I think is as good of a 4th liner as you could want. So at least 1/6 should be okay and out Burnevik in there and you're already 1/3 good down there.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

I might actually do that. So stupid nhl
Network is in basically zero of the top streaming platforms. While I get nba, mlb, nfl, golf, tennis! NHL is missing a big revenue stream it seems to me.

NHL Network is on Sling. Which stinks cause there really isn't anything else better than having YouTubeTV. Miss the days when NBC Sports Network used to have US international hockey.

 

[wjclover]

This is my prediction after the selection camp
Defence

Buium. A Fortscue A

Hutson. Minnetin

Ralph. Fischer

Hensler

Fowards

Parrault. A. Leonard. Moore

Hagens. Nelson. C. Eiserman

Connelly. Willis Terrance

Burnevik. Stiga. Spellacy

Ziemer

Goalies

Augustine

Hilliebrant

Slukyusky

 

[MTU34]

Stiga-Hagens-Leonard
Eiserman-Moore-Perreault
Connelly-Nelson-Ziemer
Burnevik-Terrance-Svoboda
Spellacy, Willis

Fortescue-Buium
Fischer-Minnetian
Hutson-Emery
Hensler, Fiddler

Augustine
Slyukynsky
Hillebrandt

Cuts: Pelosi, Ralph, Kleber

I don’t think there’s a center on this roster that fits all that well with Perreault/Leonard so I’ve decided to split them up. Hagens and Stiga have great chemistry and Leonard fits as a high skill player than can do the dirty work. Perreault gets a high end finisher in Eiserman and Moore’s speed through the middle to mitigate some of the issues that line may have. Nelson and Ziemer are probably the two best “bottom 6” types on this team so I put Connelly with them to give that line some juice.

Don’t read too much into the order of the D pairings. I’d likely order the D as Buium, Fortescue, Minnetian, Hutson/Emery, Fischer. Fischer as the 6 “moves up” to play with Minnetian to preserve the Hutson-Emery pairing.

Goaltending is self explanatory. I’d guess Augustine gets every game bar Latvia since they have Finland the next day on a back to back