Olympics: - 2026 U S Olympic Team | Page 18 | HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League
Toggle sidebar

Olympics: 2026 U S Olympic Team

bringbacktheskate604 said:
Quinn will be the top pairing on his natural side but even if it was his off-side I find it hilarious you have him on the 2nd pair.
Sure Slavin is a stud but Quinn is the best American Dman and a literal offensive Dynamo who will be playing with the best American forwards on the top line, you anti nuck bias is showing lol.

No coach is going to play a defensive Dman over a Dman who is not only a very good Dman defensively but is the most dominant transition, ice tilting Dman the last two years based on every measure and it's not even all that close. He's also flirted with a 100 point season and almost paced for one this year.
Please explain why in Gods name he's behind Faber and Slavin.

Maybe Canada should play Tanev with #97 over Makar?

Luke ain't making the Olympic team, it not that's he's not talented but there's older more experienced guys and Fox would be one of them 100% in over him, again your bias is really showing but I can respect that, Demko is my choice for starting and Garland is in over JT😁
Click to expand...
Holy overreaction.

I just listed the shutdown pairing first, who will likely get the most 5v5 mins.

The top 2 pairings will be heavily utilized.
 
Only thing that's really changed for me from the immediate aftermath of 4N to now is that Tage has to be on the team and Nelson/Kreider have to be off of it.

M Tkachuk-Eichel-Guentzel
B Tkachuk-Matthews-J Hughes
Miller-Larkin-Boldy
Knies-Trochek-Tage
Connor-Garland

Q Hughes - McAvoy
Slavin - Faber
Werenski - Sanderson
LaCombe - Fox

Hellebuyck
Oettinger
Swayman

I think it's one year too early for Cooley even though he's impressed and would be my next man in. I think Garland has a bit more speed than Tuch which is why I went with him. Would've liked one of the two extras to be a center but I don't know who that is except maybe Beniers. The big wildcard to me is Robertson, such a bummer he got hurt right before the playoffs and hasn't had a real chance to sink or swim there.

Fox is too talented to leave off the team entirely but I wouldn't play him until he proves otherwise. I wasn't impressed with Hanifin at any point this year NHL or otherwise and LaCombe takes his spot. I worry that L Hughes or L Hutson would be seen as too much of a PP specialist and that Vlasic wouldn't have the offense to keep up (I also just generally am much lower on him than consensus), whereas LaCombe kind of splits the difference between all of them.

Goalies stay the same barring something dramatic happening in-season although I feel significantly worse about all three of them now than I did in January
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eye of Ra
I still think goaltending is a significant strength for the U.S., even if guys like Hellebucyk and Oettinger have been up and down in the playoffs. I mean, Dallas has made the conference finals the past two seasons. The Stars simply aren't scoring enough against the Oilers. Swayman came to life at the Worlds and won gold and guys like Daccord, Stolarz, Demko, and Wolf are a heck of a plan B.
 
Seth seems like a borderline guy to me. I’d rather have any of the dmen posted above by @qcal1427 above. Not a terrible choice though he seems to do well in the right situation.

Q Hughes - McAvoy
Slavin - Faber
Werenski - Sanderson
LaCombe - Fox
 
  • Like
Reactions: qcal1427
If you're gonna have some sort of camp, you could probably have McAvoy, Faber, Fox, Jones and Carlson there to represent RHD. Could also have Faulk and Pionk and not feel too odd about it. Probably about 14 deep in terms of true RHD that could play on a team that could sneak into the podium. With 8 total D on roster, I'd probably bring 3 natural RHD so that you can basically always ensure you'll have at least two in the lineup (with injury or what not).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eye of Ra, qcal1427, Summer Rose and 1 other person
WarriorofTime said:
Why shouldn't he be? I think this year proves how much better he is on a good team rather than being asked to be superman on a crappy team. Probably Number 4 on pure RHD.
Click to expand...
I think he should be, he just has a lot of people on the boards that didn’t think this version of him still existed. I was saying the Wings should chase a deal for him. I have always been a big Jones guy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WhiskeyYerTheDevils and Summer Rose
WarriorofTime said:
Why shouldn't he be? I think this year proves how much better he is on a good team rather than being asked to be superman on a crappy team. Probably Number 4 on pure RHD.
Click to expand...
He's been good in the playoffs with Florida but we can't forget that he was bad in the regular season even and especially after the trade.

Too long of a track record of being not very effective with only an ~15 game sample of him being "back"

If they do have a camp he would get an invite from me but he would need to be a top 10ish defenseman in the league the first half of next season to get real consideration from me.
 
Rabid Ranger said:
I still think goaltending is a significant strength for the U.S., even if guys like Hellebucyk and Oettinger have been up and down in the playoffs. I mean, Dallas has made the conference finals the past two seasons. The Stars simply aren't scoring enough against the Oilers. Swayman came to life at the Worlds and won gold and guys like Daccord, Stolarz, Demko, and Wolf are a heck of a plan B.
Click to expand...
I think Oettinger has, at least, put himself in position to get some starts at the Olympics.
 
  • Like
Reactions: clevelandcane and Summer Rose
If Buium doesn't get selected can he choose to play for Israel? Or what does the rules say? Is it too late after representing the US at these latest WC's?
 
  • Like
Reactions: shakes the clown and Summer Rose
SanDogBrewin said:
I think Oettinger has, at least, put himself in position to get some starts at the Olympics.
Click to expand...
I think that's a hot take. Is he even better than Knight or say Demko? Has looked horrible against the Oilers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Summer Rose
Svedu said:
If Buium doesn't get selected can he choose to play for Israel? Or what does the rules say? Is it too late after representing the US at these latest WC's?
Click to expand...

By my understanding of the IIHF eligibility rules, in order to play for Israel he would have to play in Israel for four years, since he has already represented another country (the United States in his case) at an IIHF tournament, and be a citizen (which he is apparently; I did not know that).
 
  • Like
Reactions: shakes the clown and WhiskeyYerTheDevils
I mean look at Seth Jones. Been the best D-man of all in these playoffs. Huge against the Leafs and good against the Canes. Which makes me think if Knight would be a lot better in another franchise. It's like, how can you get good numbers in a franchise like Sabres or now even the Blackhawks?
 
  • Like
Reactions: HockeyWooot and Summer Rose
Summer Rose said:
By my understanding of the IIHF eligibility rules, in order to play for Israel he would have to play in Israel for four years, since he has already represented another country (the United States in his case) at an IIHF tournament, and be a citizen (which he is apparently; I did not know that).
Click to expand...
Thank you for your answer. Appreciate it. I can't like posts, that's why I needed to show gratitude and be a bit autistic lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Summer Rose
Welp, I think I would go with Hellebuyck, Wolf and Knight. Have a feeling Wolf could be the American Lundqvist. He should get a shot for sure. Especially if he keeps it up next season and improves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Summer Rose
Rabid Ranger said:
What are we looking at for 2026? Here's the way I'm leaning:

Goaltenders (x3):

Hellebuyck
Oettenger
 Wolf

Defensemen (x8):

Q. Hughes/Slavin
Fox/McAvoy
Werenski/Faber
L. Hughes/Hutson

Forwards (x14):

M. Tkachuk/Matthews/J. Hughes
Connor/Eichel/Boldy
Keller/Cooley/B. Tkachuk
Guentzel/Larkin/Beniers
Thompson/Robertson
Click to expand...
There should be quite a few defenders ahead of Hutson
 
  • Like
Reactions: Summer Rose
Tkachuk Matthews Connor
B Tkachuk Eichel Hughes
Boldy Cooley Guentzel
Knies Larkin Thompson
Miller

Hughes Faber
Slavin Fox
Werenski McAvoy
Lacombe

Hellebyuck
Oettinger
Demko

Hm: Hutson, Sanderson, Keller
 
Rabid Ranger said:
I still think goaltending is a significant strength for the U.S., even if guys like Hellebucyk and Oettinger have been up and down in the playoffs. I mean, Dallas has made the conference finals the past two seasons. The Stars simply aren't scoring enough against the Oilers. Swayman came to life at the Worlds and won gold and guys like Daccord, Stolarz, Demko, and Wolf are a heck of a plan B.
Click to expand...

Demko\Stolarz are injury prone and Daccord couldn't crack top 5 Team Canada goalies. Wolfe is completely unproven on an International stage. Knight having health issues is problematic now as he should be entering the start of his prime.

Swayman is the only US Goalie who has won a Gold at a Senior level and has some
record of handling Playoff pressure at a near .500 level.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)

Latest posts

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom