Let’s talk Olympic rosters 2022

[Rabid Ranger]

Forgot about Lavi.

I think in an Olympic tournament your best going with an experienced coach, which would leave Torts, Lavi and Sullivan as front runners. But USA Hockey loves their NCAA guys so I could see Quinn getting a look as the top job.

Well, they're all NCAA guys......I would say Laviolette is probably the front runner with Sullivan and Blashill as assistants. Blashill gets crapped on a lot because he's behind the bench of a rebuilding (and quite honestly piss poor Red Wings team) but he also answers the call for USA Hockey and I think that will be rewarded.

 

[Sky04]

I like it as a 3rd line.

Allow McDavid and MacKinnon to centre the top 2 lines. Put wingers around them that will maximize the line's effectiveness.

Then you can make a shutdown line of Couturier/O'Reilly/Stone full of Selke candidates.

I think that's a bad idea, there's not enough ice time to go around. You play McDavid and Mackinnon together, Mackinnon has played wing in the past and their skillsets compliment each other. You can bet that if they have a shutdown line of the above, that they'll be getting a ton of ice time as well.

 

[Voight]

Well, they're all NCAA guys......I would say Laviolette is probably the front runner with Sullivan and Blashill as assistants. Blashill gets crapped on a lot because he's behind the bench of a rebuilding (and quite honestly piss poor Red Wings team) but he also answers the call for USA Hockey and I think that will be rewarded.

I was talking more about Quinn, his NCAA experience could help him since he lacks NHL experience (next year will be only his 4th in the NHL).

I forgot that Blashill has a pretty steady resume in international play.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I was talking more about Quinn, his NCAA experience could help him since he lacks NHL experience (next year will be only his 4th in the NHL).

I forgot that Blashill has a pretty steady resume in international play.

I don't think that will be a factor.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Fun fact, team Finland has never had a team full of active NHL'ers in the Olympics, or any international tournament for that matter. Never had the depth to do it/some of our veterans overseas were more trustworthy for the coaching staff.

Well it should happen now.

Centers

Aho
Barkov
Hintz
Kotkaniemi
Haula (C/W)
Lundell (?)
Koivu, Filppula (if not retired)

Wingers

Rantanen
Laine
Teravainen
Granlund
Kapanen
Armia
Donskoi
Kakko
Lehkonen
Kiviranta
Komarov
Puljujarvi (?)

Defensemen

Heiskanen
Lindell
Ristolainen
Vatanen
Maatta
Jokiharju
Nutivaara
Riikola
Heinola (?)
Lehtonen (?)

Goalies

Rask
Korpisalo
Raanta
Saros
Koskinen
Kahkonen (?)
Rinne (if not retired)

+ anyone who hasn't established a spot on a roster by now could do so in the next 12 months

I swear if they throw in a good ol' Euro veteran im going to punch somebody in the face.

Fun fact #2: It'll be the first Olympic team not to have a Jokinen in it since 98.

 

[vvann]

Russia:
Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Kucherov

Kuznetsov was suspended for 4 years until June 2023

 

[Eye of Ra]

No.

Russia still has the best offence. To compare it to US is laughable. And the Finns have long surpassed Sweden there.

If Canada's D looks like people picture it here it is not in the top tier. Below USA and Sweden and more like on par with Finnland nowadays.

Why is goaltending uncertain? It is pretty simple:
Russia

Canada, USA
Finnland

Sweden

Overall: Canada is overrated as always, Sweden still lacks forward depth and has a hole in goal with the King departing and no one to replace him, but a world class D to admire, same for US, but they have goaltending unlike Sweden, Finnland improved significantly in all areas but goaltending, but they still lack elite forward OR D-depth(people are jumping the gun on that), Russia's forwards are underrated as always, the D is by far not elite, but way more solid than it was and now has a top4, the goaltending is simply stellar, Russia's 4th goalie is still better than most nations top choices.

There are no favorites in this group as coaching and how they gel would play a role.

how is lehner and markstrom not good goalies?

 

[Svencouver]

Fun fact, team Finland has never had a team full of active NHL'ers in the Olympics, or any international tournament for that matter. Never had the depth to do it/some of our veterans overseas were more trustworthy for the coaching staff.

Well it should happen now.

Centers

Aho
Barkov
Hintz
Kotkaniemi
Haula (C/W)
Lundell (?)
Koivu, Filppula (if not retired)

Wingers

Rantanen
Laine
Teravainen
Granlund
Kapanen
Armia
Donskoi
Kakko
Lehkonen
Kiviranta
Komarov
Puljujarvi (?)

Defensemen

Heiskanen
Lindell
Ristolainen
Vatanen
Maatta
Jokiharju
Nutivaara
Riikola
Heinola (?)
Lehtonen (?)

Goalies

Rask
Korpisalo
Raanta
Saros
Koskinen
Kahkonen (?)
Rinne (if not retired)

+ anyone who hasn't established a spot on a roster by now could do so in the next 12 months

I swear if they throw in a good ol' Euro veteran im going to punch somebody in the face.

Fun fact #2: It'll be the first Olympic team not to have a Jokinen in it since 98.

Juolevi is the darkest of dark horses for defense. Has had a very solid camp so far and all reports are saying he's a lock for the Canucks full time roster this season. This will be his rookie outing after a couple years of injury-stalled development. Very much an unknown quantity getting a real NHL look.

 

[Erikfromfin]

I actually dont understand why everyone forgets Armia. I have him in before Donskoi and Haula

Im just as big fan as anyone of Armia but his not excactly difference maker there.. I had him as extra if any of the lines would fail you can bring him in to plug a hole. Strong penalty killer and every now and then flashes skill and scoring. Luostarinen and Juolevi have also made some noise in training camp should have added them to speculation.

 

[Regal]

No.
.

Russia still has the best offence. To compare it to US is laughable. And the Finns have long surpassed Sweden there.

If Canada's D looks like people picture it here it is not in the top tier. Below USA and Sweden and more like on par with Finnland nowadays

Why is goaltending uncertain? It is pretty simple:
Russia

Canada, USA
Finnland

Sweden

Overall: Canada is overrated as always, Sweden still lacks forward depth and has a hole in goal with the King departing and no one to replace him, but a world class D to admire, same for US, but they have goaltending unlike Sweden, Finnland improved significantly in all areas but goaltending, but they still lack elite forward OR D-depth(people are jumping the gun on that), Russia's forwards are underrated as always, the D is by far not elite, but way more solid than it was and now has a top4, the goaltending is simply stellar, Russia's 4th goalie is still better than most nations top choices.

There are no favorites in this group as coaching and how they gel would play a role.

Yikes. Other than Heiskanen, Canada has like 15-20 defensemen better than Finland's next best.

You're also heavily underrating Markstrom and Lehner.