Four Nations Cup

[Chelis Chili]

Roster wasn't looking bad here, but finished only 7th:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_national_ice_hockey_team_rosters#2019_IIHF_World_Championship

 

[HoweFan]

Did Gretzky even go into Canadas dressing room after the game. He’s getting absolutely roasted for not wearing a sweater and giving team USA the thumbs up

 

[lhsgolf19]

Great for the sport.... NHL hit a Grand Slam Plus

 

[Ulysses31]

 

[14ari13]

Dylan Larkin was the best forward for team USA. If not for Slavin, I'd say he was the best player altogether.

Matthews absolutely blew it by not covering McDavid in OT. My goodness.

If Matt Tkachuk knew he was injured, he should've told the team he couldn't go. No Kyle Connor that entire game? Give me a break.

The goalie was the best player

 

[RabidBadger]

Jack Hughes was shockingly not great, not a throw him off the team, but not sure what his best role is, he doesn’t fit the hard forechecking style the rest played. Be a great guy if the bring a DeBrincat or Caufield for a change of pace bigger ice in the Olympics but I was disappointed with Fox and Hughes the most from a U.S. standpoint. Kreider over Connor was a mistake last night.

I'm in lock-step with your other player assessments but I didn't see anything Connor did in previous games to warrant dressing last night. I'll go further to say Kreider being on the team at all was a poor choice. Cole Caufield was made for games like that, but, alas.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I'm in lock-step with your other player assessments but I didn't see anything Connor did in previous games to warrant dressing last night. I'll go further to say Kreider being on the team at all was a poor choice. Cole Caufield was made for games like that, but, alas.

Knowing Matthew Tkachuk was playing shot up and not fully healthy so dress Connor in case we are shortening the bench to score. I don’t think he had a great tournament, I look at a Robertson, Tuch or Thompson with Milan on NHL ice dimensions.

I would put Tuch in Nelson’s role for the tournament, maybe swap Robertson and Connor… I think with 14 forwards and 8 defenseman if Kane can play well enough he is in the Olympics mix because of who he is and clutch scoring.

 

[USAHockey97]

Long time lurker, first time poster. I was motivated to join based on how exciting it was to watch the USA hockey team recently.

Great job USA! While it sucked to lose in the final to Canada, USA went 1-1 against them, out scored them 5-4, won one of the games in regulation, and only lost in OT after nearly winning it a handful of times. USA did all this without their best defenseman, and top NHL defenseman, Quinn Hughes in this tournament. I think we can say the USA is on pretty equal footing with Canada, and it’s only a matter of time before the USA possibly surpasses them with all the resources USA hockey has. Go USA!

I don’t know about anyone else, but after the intensity and skill of the 4 nations face off, the NHL games this Saturday were not nearly as exciting or fun to watch.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

The players apparently get an "appearance fee" for playing in the Four Nations and the winner gets some extra money.

Have the amounts of any of that come out?

 

[SirKillalot]

Larkin coming back after hanging out with the Tkachuk's.

You mean robbed and hangover?

 

[14ari13]

The USA team made me follow this tournament. Thanks a lot.

Unfortunately, Holl let McDavid all alone in the prime scoring spot.

 

[14ari13]

That USAs coach makes Lalonde a genius. That coach was beyond brutal.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Obvious bias aside, Larkin was one of the best team USA players throughout, tonight he had a lot of chances and was frequently noticeable.

Does anyone have 5\5 TOI in the 2 Canada games who was matched up against
McKinnon and McDavid?

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Who may Larkin be referring to with these comments? I'm probably blanking because I'm not immediately aware such and such player would play for the US.

Actually players like Thompson, Guentzel, Tuch, Matthews and Connor upfront come to mind. None of them have gone to the WC that I remember.

On D Fox hasn't either. Hellebuyck did coming directly out of UMass-Lowell but none since I think.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

I'm in lock-step with your other player assessments but I didn't see anything Connor did in previous games to warrant dressing last night. I'll go further to say Kreider being on the team at all was a poor choice. Cole Caufield was made for games like that, but, alas.

Thompson over Caulfield all day. Caulfield would have same issue as Hughes except worse.

 

[RabidBadger]

Thompson over Caulfield all day. Caulfield would have same issue as Hughes except worse.

Hughes won the Norris last year. Caufield is second on his team in scoring and pacing for 38 goals. Those don't seem like players with any issues at all.

Any of Thompson, Robertson or Caufield would have been fine over Trochek or Kreider. That said, there is no argument that could convince me Caufield would not be an upgrade to Kreider, as I suggested.

I'm also curious; what are the issues you feel Caufield and Hughes would have?

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Hughes won the Norris last year. Caufield is second on his team in scoring and pacing for 38 goals. Those don't seem like players with any issues at all.

Any of Thompson, Robertson or Caufield would have been fine over Trochek or Kreider. That said, there is no argument that could convince me Caufield would not be an upgrade to Kreider, as I suggested.

I'm also curious; what are the issues you feel Caufield and Hughes would have?

I am talking about Jack not Quinn. We all saw Jack Hughes get manhandled in this tournament and Caufield is even shorter. I expect Trocheck, Kreider and Nelson
not in Italy and then add 1 more F. I expect Thompson guaranteed and then maybe another 5-6 players being considered for the last 3 spots. So Tuch, Keller, Beniers, Caufield, Knies, Robertson and possibly Terry.