Did the US just miss out on the Olympic Gold?

[Eisen]

Germany came quite close the last time around.

They stupidly bumbled it away. Instead of playing keepaway in the dying seconds of a game they lead, they have a turnover resulting in a goal. I was very happy about winning silver in the semis, but after that final, I can't be too happy about that silver anymore.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Probably not. The US men's team hasn't won a tournament in a quarter century.

 

[jonu]

Who is going to beat russian players from KHL?

Finnish Liiga players

 

[ThinIzzy]

Looking at their roster; I am more impressed by them then Canada. Up and coming players both on D and upfront. Already young superstar talent.

Lol no! They might have missed the bronze medal.

 

[jonu]

Yeah well, without NHL participation this is just anothe MEH Skoda-cup.

It's actually worse than the annual Skoda-cup since at least the Skoda-cup has some NHL players in it.

 

[GMR]

LOL. No. The USA would never have stood a chance against Canada and we all know it.

Yeah, it would be a bigger upset than the Miracle on Ice or Belarus vs. Sweden.

 

[cyris]

The USA had a good chance to win. They would definitely have been one of the top favourites.
That said they wouldn’t have been THE favourite.

 

[newfy]

They were going to be rolling Larkin and JT Miller as their 2/3 centers against guys like Mackinnon and Crosby. Anything can happen in a single elimination tourney but Canada had a clearly better roster than the USA. I'm not sure the States would even be the favourites for silver or bronze over Sweden and Russia without Eichel playing now

 

[ZJuice]

I’m boycotting this olympics. Just like I have since I was an angsty teenager. I don’t feel bad for the actual amateur athletes competing because me boycotting an event will have zero effect on anything. Yay

 

[chauron]

Who is going to beat russian players from KHL?

Finnish

 

[chauron]

Always the same song. Fun fact is Finland has medalled more than Sweden, Russia, Czechs and USA since the 80`s. USA has 2 medals - Finland 6. Add to that, this year we would have the best offense weve ever had. In tournaments, Finlands result is always better than its parts. We always overachive. Now we have 5 2-way C:s on the team. Our defense suck behind Heiskanen,Lindell and Hakanpää, but our 200ft forwards make up for it some. On PP1 we have Barkov, Rantanen, Aho, Laine and Heiskanen.

Laine-Barkov-Rantanen
Teräväinen - Aho - Puljujärvi
Granlund - Hintz - Kapanen
Donskoi - Lundell - Kakko

Kotkaniemi, Tolvanen, Luostarinen, Lehkonen, Armia

Well, the core is young and we need to develop defensemen … Heiskanen - Niemelä only as first pairing

 

[Rabid Ranger]

They were going to be rolling Larkin and JT Miller as their 2/3 centers against guys like Mackinnon and Crosby. Anything can happen in a single elimination tourney but Canada had a clearly better roster than the USA. I'm not sure the States would even be the favourites for silver or bronze over Sweden and Russia without Eichel playing now

This isn't a great argument, in particular since Miller and Larkin are having great years. The U.S. wouldn't be *the* favorite but would have had a great shot.

 

[Marioesque]

The USA had a good chance to win. They would definitely have been one of the top favourites.
That said they wouldn’t have been THE favourite.

Top 5 for sure. Canada is always THE favorite.

 

[DaveG]

Nah, missed out on the best shot we've had at gold in a long time though. The forwards are good and improving, and the defense and goaltending are utterly ridiculous.

I still would have had the odds even on Canada vs the field, and that's mostly because of the one-off nature of things

 

[cyris]

Well, the core is young and we need to develop defensemen … Heiskanen - Niemelä only as first pairing

Any insight on Niemela for someone who doesn’t get to see him play much?

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

This certainly would have been the most talented team in a while.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Y’all sleepin on China. Motivated team at home= gold.

 

[Panthaz89]

USA would be competing with Canada that's for sure. Finland being better than the U.S if the U.S actually had everyone go? Get out of here with that talk. Funny all the peeps talking about the U.S like they don't know the U.S tends to get shorthanded because not all of their best tend to come anyway.

 

[jonlin]

USA would be competing with Canada that's for sure. Finland being better than the U.S if the U.S actually had everyone go? Get out of here with that talk. Funny all the peeps talking about the U.S like they don't know the U.S tends to get shorthanded because not all of their best tend to come anyway.

Finland has a lot deeper C than US. Barkov - Aho - Hintz - Granlund. and we also probably have the best 2-way players of all teams.USA usually tends to loose to Finland in best-of-best tournaments. So do Russia. And we never actually had a better forward group than now. Our D is the questionmark here

 

[jonlin]

Johnny Gaudreau	Auston Matthews	Patrick Kane
Kyle Connor	Jack Eichel	Brock Boeser
Jake Guentzel	Dylan Larkin	Max Pacioretty
Brady Tkachuk	J.T. Miller	Matthew Tkachuk

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

VS.

Patrik Laine	Aleksander Barkov	Mikko Rantanen
Teuvo Teravainen	Sebastian Aho	Puljujärvi
Mikael Granlund	Roope Hintz	Kasperi Kapanen
Kaapo Kakko	Anton Lundell	Joonas Donskoi

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

On paper theese teams are quite even. Then when you look at 2-way play Finland is stacked with players who actually do that and play PK. I`m pretty confident that our offense mops the floor with USA. Especially special teams.

 

[Marioesque]

USA would be competing with Canada that's for sure. Finland being better than the U.S if the U.S actually had everyone go? Get out of here with that talk. Funny all the peeps talking about the U.S like they don't know the U.S tends to get shorthanded because not all of their best tend to come anyway.

Historically Finland has done much better in best on best Olympics than USA. That's why people have that opinion. Previous experience. Finland were finalists last time, and it would be hard to argue USA has had better growth since either. In my rankings USA and Russia compete for the 4th.

International tournaments are not won by adding together NHL points of rosters.

 

[Panthaz89]

Finland has a lot deeper C than US. Barkov - Aho - Hintz - Granlund. and we also probably have the best 2-way players of all teams.USA usually tends to loose to Finland in best-of-best tournaments. So do Russia. And we never actually had a better forward group than now. Our D is the questionmark here

The US is better all around than Finalnd center is not the only position forwards play. This USA usually lose to Finland is based on the fact that the U.S DOESNT send their best to tourneys if you actually looked at who they could send vs who they actually send. Stop gloating about beat the USA's C team from over a decade ago lmao.

 

[Marioesque]

The US is better all around than Finalnd center is not the only position forwards play. This USA usually lose to Finland is based on the fact that the U.S DOESNT send their best to tourneys if you actually looked at who they could send vs who they actually send. Stop gloating about beat the USA's C team from over a decade ago lmao.

At least I was talking about best on best tournaments. USA sends their best.

They have not had the same success with their best, that Finland has had with theirs.

Facts.

 

[Stubu]

Looking at their roster; I am more impressed by them then Canada. Up and coming players both on D and upfront. Already young superstar talent.

So are you basing this on the rosters, or on what you think Teravainen said?

 

[Panthaz89]

At least I was talking about best on best tournaments. USA sends their best.

They have not had the same success with their best, that Finland has had with theirs.

Facts.

No they don't we literally all witness what the U.S actual best is vs what they actual send to the Olympics here in NA U.S fans constantly complain that we never send half of our best players.