I would question if USA Hockey is actively sabotaging itself if they left Musty off. He is arguably the best forward in the OHL at age 18. USA has a talent edge over any country that isn't Canada so they should be looking to bring 3 scoring lines again. Leonard-Smith-Perreault should be top line if all go back to college. Musty, Eisermann, Connelly should all be top 9 wingers as well. Don't even know about the fouth, maybe slide Moore over (Hagens as 2nd line center and put Nelson as 3rd line center). If we're already reaching down to players like Whitelaw, Swanson, then you're just actively trying to leave Musty off out of spite.
As weird as DeBrincat situation was, it was a crowded winger set that year with former USNDTP guys in Keller, Anderson, Greenway, Bracco, Bellows, Thompson and Terry, also DeBrincat was useless as a 13th forward the prior year. There's really no argument for any of the not already mentioned former USNDTP guys over Musty.