World Cup: 4 Nations Tournament- Team USA (2025)

[Pancakes]

If Sully were to have the crayon he shoved up his nose into his brain removed I'm pretty sure he would've selected Tage.

As a Pens fan I can assure you that Sully wanted his veterans and by god he was gonna get his veterans.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Freidman just said every commercial break in the game, will be one minute longer than the NHL ones. 2 1/2 minutes instead of 1 1/2 Ughh. $$$$

 

[William H Bonney]

Freidman just said every commercial break in the game, will be one minute longer than the NHL ones. 2 1/2 minutes instead of 1 1/2 Ughh.

Only reason the NHL is willing to do it. More money.

 

[JKG33]

If Matthews doesn't need to play a prominent role and Otter is in net I could see this team beating Canada. Great defence and forward depth, better goaltending

 

[William H Bonney]

We should have a who's more overrated standoff: Thompson vs Vlasic

 

[Czechboy]

Paper fav imo. On paper this roster is insane.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

This is a weird feeling. USAH head honchos not going off the wall in an attempt to be the smartest person in the room?

All valid choices. No indefensible omissions. No off the wall surprise picks.

They picked a stacked team. We are absolutely putting forth our best food as a country here. I know it's fun to complain about USAH, and they certainly do enough dumb stuff to deserve it, but absolutely nothing wrong with how they built this roster. Nailed it.

Only surprise is that they didn't take at least one veteran defenseman. But not really a surprise when you can choose more than 7 #1 d-men to be on your team.

By veteran, do you mean a veteran of international play?

 

[WarriorofTime]

I agree with Bonney. People will squabble about the last few roster spots I'm sure but every pick was very reasonable and nobody weird was picked/omitted.

Definitely one of the stronger USA rosters ever. I think almost certainly the strongest hypothetical 'B' team ever.

 

[William H Bonney]

By veteran, do you mean a veteran of international play?

Yeah

 

[quesosauce]

I would have much rather had Tage over Kreider, but other than that it's a good lineup

 

[TLEH]

I still think Tage should be there but regardless, this roster is crazy strong.

 

[jigglysquishy]

it's a mickey mouse tournament. it's just clearly a precursor to the Olympics, essentially serving as a tune-up/marketing tool because the NHL hasn't been involved in best-on-best international hockey tournament since 2016, and hasn't been to the Olympics in over a decade. Smarter thing to do is to give roster spots to people who will actually be on the 26 roster. I highly doubt team USA is going to take any of the three veterans in 2026.

There hasn't been a best on best since 2014.

2016 was a joke of a tournament and was not best on best.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

This is a weird feeling. USAH head honchos not going off the wall in an attempt to be the smartest person in the room?

All valid choices. No indefensible omissions. No off the wall surprise picks.

They picked a stacked team. We are absolutely putting forth our best food as a country here. I know it's fun to complain about USAH, and they certainly do enough dumb stuff to deserve it, but absolutely nothing wrong with how they built this roster. Nailed it.

Only surprise is that they didn't take at least one veteran defenseman. But not really a surprise when you can choose more than 7 #1 d-men to be on your team.

Who were your first 3 out?

 

[thethirdhockeyman91]

Id go with
Connor Matthews M. Tkachuk
Hughes Eichel. B. Tkachuk
Miller Larkin Guentzel
Kreider Trocheck Nelson
Boldly

 

[mphmiles]

I agree with Bonney. People will squabble about the last few roster spots I'm sure but every pick was very reasonable and nobody weird was picked/omitted.

Yeah, Tage is a better player than Nelson, but my guess is with Nelson they wanted a swiss army knife type player as the 13th forward.

Compared to the 2016 selections (low bar) this is an A.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I would have taken Thompson and Tuch over Kreider/Trocheck but it's not a huge deal. No Brian Rust which is a plus. Overall, it's a great team. There is a lot of speed and a lot of size which I'm sure is the direction Guerin wanted to go.

 

[William H Bonney]

Who were your first 3 out?

Now that I know their approach aka my guess that they'd want at least 1 veteran of prior USAH 'best' teams on defense was wrong:

Up front I'd say Tuch, Thompson, Cooley

On defense I'd say Carlson, Sanderson, Vlasic

Yeah, Tage is a better player than Nelson, but my guess is with Nelson they wanted a swiss army knife type player as the 13th forward.

Compared to the 2016 selections (low bar) this is an A.

Tage's problem is he's a better top 6 player but he's not good enough for that role on this team. To your swiss army knife point, Nelson is a much better player in the role either of them would be playing.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

No Keller is surprising

 

[mphmiles]

This is a weird feeling. USAH head honchos not going off the wall in an attempt to be the smartest person in the room?

All valid choices. No indefensible omissions. No off the wall surprise picks.

They picked a stacked team. We are absolutely putting forth our best food as a country here. I know it's fun to complain about USAH, and they certainly do enough dumb stuff to deserve it, but absolutely nothing wrong with how they built this roster. Nailed it.

Only surprise is that they didn't take at least one veteran defenseman. But not really a surprise when you can choose more than 7 #1 d-men to be on your team.

I think that's also an indication of the depth and talent of the current crop.

They have high skill forwards that kill penalties. They have defensemen that can move the puck, be physical, and play in all situations. They have centers that can score goals, make plays, and be great 200 foot players.

They didn't have to make any concessions this time.

 

[William H Bonney]

Still shocked USAH didn't throw one curve ball. Was fully expecting at least 1 of Rust, Copp, Hartman, Jones, etc. to make it, furthering my oft desire to jettison the USAH decision makers into the sun.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

No Keller is surprising

Not really. Much like Thompson where was he going to play? Not in the top six.

Still shocked USAH didn't throw one curve ball. Was fully expecting at least 1 of Rust, Copp, Hartman, Jones, etc. to make it, further my oft desire to jettison the USAH decision makers into the sun.

Guerin/Hynes are the architects of the top team in the league! LOL!

 

[WarriorofTime]

Still shocked USAH didn't throw one curve ball. Was fully expecting at least 1 of Rust, Copp, Hartman, Jones, etc. to make it, further my oft desire to jettison the USAH decision makers into the sun.

Sigh, we were getting along so well. Jones is a solid B-teamer, really doesn't deserve to get thrown in there.

 

[mphmiles]

First power play unit? I'd go

Matthews, J. Hughes, M. Tkachuk, Connor, Q. Hughes.

 

[William H Bonney]

Sigh, we were getting along so well. Jones is a solid B-teamer, really doesn't deserve to get thrown in there.

Jones doesn't touch the B-team, either. And I'll never let go of my anger from him being one of the first 3 roster selections for the 2022 Olympic team before the NHL bowed out, even if it's not his fault lol

 

[Brodeur]

First power play unit? I'd go

Matthews, J. Hughes, M. Tkachuk, Connor, Q. Hughes.

I'd probably put Eichel in there (over Connor) to have a RH one timer option. I didn't realize until I looked at the roster again that Eichel/Trocheck are the only RH forwards.