Olympics: 2026 U.S. Olympic Team

[chaser17]

Jack Hughes looked timid out there tonight.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I didn't say he was benched. I said he lost trust, which was obvious. He was one of our first 6 players named to the team and running the PP1 and ended up 6th in defenseman ice time on a team with 6 defenseman.

You think different styles of hockey don't change the effectiveness of players? Good lord that's a take.

No, I said I don't think Adam Fox all of a sudden stops being one of the best defensemen in the world because "4 Nations" magic pixie dust get sprinkled. I don't think coaching riding a hot hand negates an entire NHL career's worth of games. But yes, people often have awful takes based on tiny samples and getting too caught up in the moment. Wasn't that long ago people thought McDavid all of a sudden sucked at Hockey when the postseason rolled around.

The NHL 4 Nations Faceoff... which was 4 games.... only 3 of which mattered for USA.... is a miniscule sample size.... to make any wholesale determination that Adam Fox suddenly sucks.... in an NHL tournament ....with NHL rules.... because "best-on-best"..... and it is one hundred percent big braining it to think so..... and I question anyone's judgment that overreacts to it.

 

[William H Bonney]

A lot of passengers today, need a big goal and none of them follow through. Heartbreaking.

My thoughts based on this tournament:

B. Tkachuk - Matthews - M. Tkachuk
Guentzel - Larkin - X
Boldy - Eichel - X
X - Miller - X

Hughes - Slavin
Werenski - McAvoy
Sanderson - X

Hellebuyck
Swayman
X

Cut:
Jake Oettinger
Brock Nelson
Jack Hughes
Adam Fox
Noah Hanifin
Vincent Trocheck​

You forgot Faber, he's in.

Otter is probably a bit harsh. Hughes will still be there despite his putrid showing. Hanifin may stick around but I wouldn't be surprised to see a guy with more offensive upside displace him, especially since we'll already have Slavin, Faber, and McAvoy.

No, I said I don't think Adam Fox all of a sudden stops being one of the best defensemen in the world because "4 Nations" magic pixie dust get sprinkled. I don't think coaching riding a hot hand negates an entire NHL career's worth of games. But yes, people often have awful takes based on tiny samples and getting too caught up in the moment. Wasn't that long ago people thought McDavid all of a sudden sucked at Hockey when the postseason rolled around.

The NHL 4 Nations Faceoff... which was 4 games.... only 3 of which mattered for USA.... is a miniscule sample size.... to make any wholesale determination that Adam Fox suddenly sucks.... in an NHL tournament ....with NHL rules.... because "best-on-best"..... and it is one hundred percent big braining it to think so..... and I question anyone's judgment that overreacts to it.

There's a reason why you're arguing a point to me that I'm not making and it's because you've lost the plot. Please point to where I made a "wholesale determination that Adam Fox suddenly sucks." You're histrionic, bud.

 

[S E P H]

You forgot Faber, he's in.

Otter is probably a bit harsh. Hughes will still be there despite his putrid showing. Hanifin may stick around but I wouldn't be surprised to see a guy with more offensive upside displace him, especially since we'll already have Slavin, Faber, and McAvoy.

Edited my post, yup he totally passed my mind.

If we're going to be completely honest, Otteinger hasn't played amazing hockey since the Calgary series. He's still a top-tier goaler, but Swayman for me is definitely second best easily. Swayman is having a rough season, but when he gets an entire training camp under his wings, he will bounce back. I think he's mentally stronger when dealing with high-tier pressure over Hellebuyck as well. I think he has the potential to eventually become the USA's #1 goaler, especially if Connor gets destroyed in the playoffs again. For all the saying that Hellebuyck is the best goaler in the world, he wasn't really a difference-maker the entire tournament. He played solid and wasn't at fault for the majority of the goals except the first one on him, but sometimes you gotta have huge game-saving saves, and he just doesn't do it for me concerning those plays.

Yeah, I understand Jack Hughes will still be there, but I had to cut him because he pissed me off so much.

 

[William H Bonney]

Edited my post, yup he totally passed my mind.

If we're going to be completely honest, Otteinger hasn't played amazing hockey since the Calgary series. He's still a top-tier goaler, but Swayman for me is definitely second best easily. Swayman is having a rough season, but when he gets an entire training camp under his wings, he will bounce back. I think he's mentally stronger when dealing with high-tier pressure over Hellebuyck as well. I think he has the potential to eventually become the USA's #1 goaler, especially if Connor gets destroyed in the playoffs again. Yeah, I understand Jack Hughes will still be there, but I had to cut him because he pissed me off so much.

Yeah, the goalies will be interesting. Will Demko finally get healthy? Will Wolf keep up his play? Can Swayman rebound?

Good problem to have at least.

 

[WarriorofTime]

You forgot Faber, he's in.

Otter is probably a bit harsh. Hughes will still be there despite his putrid showing. Hanifin may stick around but I wouldn't be surprised to see a guy with more offensive upside displace him, especially since we'll already have Slavin, Faber, and McAvoy.



There's a reason why you're arguing a point to me that I'm not making and it's because you've lost the plot. Please point to where I made a "wholesale determination that Adam Fox suddenly sucks." You're histrionic, bud.

not in exact words, but you can't misapply what I say and then complain about the same, when you did say "serious concerns" which can certainly be reasonably interpreted to "Fox no good in best on best".

 

[William H Bonney]

not in exact words, but you can't misapply what I say and then complain about the same, when you did say "serious concerns" which can certainly be reasonably interpreted to "Fox no good in best on best".

No, you're just interpreting it that way because your only argument is "Fox doesn't suck" when I'm not making that argument. His foot speed is a serious concern in a best-on-best, absolutely. Rightfully having concerns about a player's fit for a certain type of hockey does not mean that I think he sucks or that it's not possible for him to perform better than he did here. What I'm talking about is where he might stand in the pecking order now and if he'll get a chance to possibly redeem himself.

 

[WarriorofTime]

No, you're just interpreting it that way because your only argument is "Fox doesn't suck" when I'm not making that argument. His foot speed is a serious concern in a best-on-best, absolutely.

His IQ and offensive skill are an asset in a best-on-best, absolutely. The same way it is in NHL. I know this because he's been one of the best defensemen in the NHL for years...

Rightfully having concerns about a player's fit for a certain type of hockey does mean that I think he sucks or that it's not possible for him to perform better than he did here.

Sure you can have 'concerns'. There are concerns Jack Hughes is small, can't play wing and sucks defensively. There are concerns Hellebuyck never wins in the big moments. There are concerns that Matthews also doesn't score more in big games. Doesn't mean any of them are getting cut. Because you gotta rely on best players to try and figure it out.

What I'm talking about is where he might stand in the pecking order now and if he'll get a chance to possibly redeem himself.

Yes, and in no way should the 'pecking order' get him demoted all the way off at a minimum 3rd RHD because nobody else has close to his pedigree.

 

[William H Bonney]

His IQ and offensive skill are an asset in a best-on-best, absolutely. The same way it is in NHL. I know this because he's been one of the best defensemen in the NHL for years...

Sure you can have 'concerns'. There are concerns Jack Hughes is small, can't play wing and sucks defensively. There are concerns Hellebuyck never wins in the big moments. There are concerns that Matthews also doesn't score more in big games. Doesn't mean any of them are getting cut. Because you gotta rely on best players to try and figure it out.

Yes, and in no way should the 'pecking order' get him demoted all the way off at a minimum 3rd RHD because nobody else has close to his pedigree.

They weren't this go around.

Those guys are definitely less likely to be cut, which is the point, because the same staff that will be choosing the Olympic team just played Fox the least out of all of their defenseman while those guys played big roles, even if unsuccessfully.

Pedigree matters, but it's not all that matters. If I were betting on it now I'd still say Fox is on the Olympic team. But I'd also bet that in the staff's eyes he's closer to one of the last selections for the team than the first six. That's the pecking order.

 

[WarriorofTime]

If I were betting on it now I'd still say Fox is on the Olympic team.

Good to know you’re arguing just to argue when you agree with what I’ve said the whole time…

 

[William H Bonney]

Good to know you’re arguing just to argue when you agree with what I’ve said the whole time…

Good lord you're a walking red herring who loses the plot each post. Once again you're making an argument against something I never said. Have fun. Maybe next week you can tell me how good Seth Jones is.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Good lord you're a walking red herring who loses the plot each post. Once again you're making an argument against something I never said. Have fun. Maybe next week you can tell me how good Seth Jones is.

You argued with my post saying fox should make Olympic team and went off on tangent about loss of trust and I guess changed the plot to “serious concerns” somewhere along the way that I guess I was supposed to follow instead of keeping the discussion about the Olympic roster (see thread title). But sure maybe next week you’ll still be mad about some early roster announcement for an event that never happened over three years ago….

 

[Divine]

Final Game Rankings:

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Hopefully Kreider, Trocheck, and Nelson aren't anywhere near the team. They did not belong in this event.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Hopefully Kreider, Trocheck, and Nelson aren't anywhere near the team. They did not belong in this event.

They’re the easy cuts. Largely picked for last season. Older too.

 

[William H Bonney]

You argued with my post saying fox should make Olympic team and went off on tangent about loss of trust and I guess changed the plot to “serious concerns” somewhere along the way that I guess I was supposed to follow instead of keeping the discussion about the Olympic roster (see thread title). But sure maybe next week you’ll still be mad about some early roster announcement for an event that never happened over three years ago….

Lol, another straw man, you're on fire. Jones isn't to blame for USAH's stupidity. But don't let that get in the way of your Jones fanboy status.

Yes, I was posting about whether I think Fox's chances for the Olympic roster are in jeopardy or not and for what reasons. It's fine to disagree but don't be dense as if that's not relevant to the Olympic roster thread. You're not clever.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Lol, another straw man, you're on fire. Jones isn't to blame for USAH's stupidity. But don't let that get in the way of your Jones fanboy status.

Yes, I was posting about whether I think Fox's chances for the Olympic roster are in jeopardy or not and for what reasons. It's fine to disagree but don't be dense as if that's not relevant to a to the Olympic roster. You're not clever.

Not sure what’s making you resort to insults/personal attacks but yes, I said Fox should be picked because he’s better than the other RHD options. After your sidebar about Jones not being in the next of group (only reason ever mentioned) out of reflex, you made a huge point on how Fox lost trust and I guess changed it to “serious concerns” about how he’ll play in Olympics and if he’s in the first six, second six or third six or something. Which fine. Have concerns. He’s still there unless something crazy happens between now and like December.

 

[William H Bonney]

Not sure what’s making you resort to insults/personal attacks but yes, I said Fox should be picked because he’s better than the other RHD options. After your sidebar about Jones not being in the next of group (only reason ever mentioned) out of reflex, you made a huge point on how Fox lost trust and I guess changed it to “serious concerns” about how he’ll play in Olympics. Which fine. Have concerns. He’s still there unless something crazy happens between now and like December.

Not insults, just observations. Thanks for finally sharing a reply where you didn't fabricate a position on my behalf to argue against. That shouldn't have been so hard.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Not insults, just observations. Thanks for finally sharing a reply where you didn't fabricate a position on my behalf to argue against. That shouldn't have been so hard.

Calling me stupid (that’s not a fabrication) is an insult.

 

[William H Bonney]

Calling me stupid (that’s not a fabrication) is an insult.

No, you claiming that I was not staying on topic in the 2026 Olympic Thread when discussing Fox's candidacy for the 2026 Olympic team was what was dense.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Tkachuk - Eichel - Tkachuk
Guentzel - Matthews - Boldy/Keller
Keller/Boldy - Larkin - Tuch
Miller - Hughes - Connor/Thompson
Thompson/Connor
Robertson/Cooley

Hughes - McAvoy
Slavin - Faber
Werenski - Sanderson
Hanifin - Fox

Obvious goalies

That's a great lineup.

 

[Bonin21]

Ex

I swear some people don't understand what they're watching. Faber consistently rated lower than Fox all tournament, yet he looks tough or something getting hemmed in his own zone.

Don't pick our best defenseman for the Olympics because of 4 games where he was in the middle of the roster in performance. How could he have possibly won the Norris? Makes sense.

This makes it seem like you just watch the fancy stats and not actually watch the game. Faber shut down the best players in the world at 22.

 

[LeafChief]

The amount of bad takes hills he's died on over the years is impressive.

I mean, there's a reason he is perma-banned from the Rangers sub.

 

[Herby]

Ex

This makes it seem like you just watch the fancy stats and not actually watch the game. Faber shut down the best players in the world at 22.

It's crazy how anybody could have watched the games vs Canada and thought Adam Fox played better than Brock Faber.

 

[AmericanDream]

Good lord you're a walking red herring who loses the plot each post. Once again you're making an argument against something I never said. Have fun. Maybe next week you can tell me how good Seth Jones is.

I think Seth Jones is good..I really do