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

[mphmiles]

Was just listening to a finnish podcast where Kimmo Timonen came up with a line of Tkachuk - Matthews - Tkachuk and instantly thought that Eichel would sound better with the brothers, seems like im not alone.

Strongly agree with you that Jack Hughes should play wing, and strongly disagree with you that Kyle Connor is 13th forward, just swap jack to RW and replace Boeser or Keller with Connor. To me it's very obvious that Connor is the best out of Connor/Keller/Boeser.

On D: I would pick Pesce or Sanderson over Carlson.

Edit:

Hughes - Matthews - Connor
Tkachuk - Eichel - Tkachuk
Guentzel - Larkin - Keller
Robertson - Trocheck - Boldy

Replaced Miller with Larkin because not sure if hes available, any good?

Larkin at wing solves some deployment issues IMO. Of the projected wingers here, none of them PK more than a little here and there, so Larkin at wing gives you one. (And the team would likely still need someone else like Miller, Kreider, or Tuch who also PK's) With the forwards projected here, you're looking at 3 C's all playing PK along with one winger who doesn't really have any experience there, which would be a bit of a mess.

If we're worried about Hughes and face-offs, you could pair him with Miller or Larkin, have Hughes play C, and just have one of them take the face-offs.

 

[gritdash60]

Larkin at wing solves some deployment issues IMO. Of the projected wingers here, none of them PK more than a little here and there, so Larkin at wing gives you one. (And the team would likely still need someone else like Miller, Kreider, or Tuch who also PK's) With the forwards projected here, you're looking at 3 C's all playing PK along with one winger who doesn't really have any experience there, which would be a bit of a mess.

If we're worried about Hughes and face-offs, you could pair him with Miller or Larkin, have Hughes play C, and just have one of them take the face-offs.

Yeah well i did put Larkin as 3C, also if lets say Hughes and Larkin were on the same line i think Larkin would do better as C than Hughes and also i think Hughes would be a better winger than Larkin. Playing Larkin on the wing is something i would love to see if he doesn't get a C spot, but somehow i feel like hes either 3C or 4C or not on the team (and im a Wings fanboy).

Miller will be a big loss if isn't available, which is the reason i edited the roster to have Larkin in the first place to the roster posted by MarkT. Now that you mentioned Tuch he might be a better replacement for Miller than Larkin. Good point about the PK.

 

[MarkT]

Was just listening to a finnish podcast where Kimmo Timonen came up with a line of Tkachuk - Matthews - Tkachuk and instantly thought that Eichel would sound better with the brothers, seems like im not alone.

Strongly agree with you that Jack Hughes should play wing, and strongly disagree with you that Kyle Connor is 13th forward, just swap jack to RW and replace Boeser or Keller with Connor. To me it's very obvious that Connor is the best out of Connor/Keller/Boeser.

On D: I would pick Pesce or Sanderson over Carlson.

Edit:

Hughes - Matthews - Connor
Tkachuk - Eichel - Tkachuk
Guentzel - Larkin - Keller
Robertson - Trocheck - Boldy

Replaced Miller with Larkin because not sure if hes available, any good?

Yeah I'm flexible with the wings for sure. Those lines look fine to me. Also, if Miller isn't available Larkin definitely gets his spot. I really like your third line there too.

As for D, the reason I went with Carlson over other options is his veteran experience and ability to play big minutes. Also, he's a righty, which is why he's on the team for me rather than Sanderson (who is #7 on my list ahead of McAvoy).

 

[mphmiles]

As for D, the reason I went with Carlson over other options is his veteran experience and ability to play big minutes.

Do we want Carlson playing big minutes on this team?

 

[Northerner]

Lol you people (oops, I said YOU PEOPLE LOL) want this team super young. What would be the average age of some your prospective lineups?

I say a nice, big, gritty, veteran line of Thompson, Nelson and Lee on that 4th line would go a long way.

 

[MNRube]

M.Tkachuk-Eichel-Boldy
B.Tkachuk-Matthews-****
Hughes-Larkin-Connor
Guentzel-Thompson-Tuch
**** Caufield, Robertson, DeBrincat, Keller the options to take what was JT Miller’s spot. I’d probably go with Keller.

Slavin-Fox
Hughes-Faber
Werenski-McAvoy/Carlson

*Little worried about the fact our Top 2 RHD in Fox & McAvoy are struggling.

*I think you split up the Tkachuks at first and put them together if we find a grinding game below the dots is effective in this format.

 

[SillyRabbit]

I was pencilling in McAvoy to partner with Hughes for a while now but really feels like Faber has supplanted him.

McAvoy has not played well.

US has two #1 defensive pairings in contrast to Canada where Toews-Makar is clearly #1.

Wonder how they'll end up deploying the pairings and whether they'll pair Hughes and Fox for PP1.

 

[MarkT]

Do we want Carlson playing big minutes on this team?

Not necessarily, but you never know in tournaments like this. The fact that he often plays big minutes no matter who is coaching the team tells me he's trusted in tons of situations. He's also a cup winner and has lots of playoff experience. I think with a D that includes Hughes, Fox and Faber, it's good to have some true veterans as well in case the young guys falter.