News Article: Rangers in the Olympics

[BBKers]

I could see hagelin on Team Sweden as a spare/4th liner. Definitely. Know for a fact that the Swedish National Team management likes him a lot

 

[Mikachu93]

I think for Team USA you have:

Parise Kesler Kane
Ryan Stepan Kessel
Pacioretty Backes Callahan
JVR Pavelski Brown

Galchenyuk, Oshie, Pomminville, Statsny could be there as well (no particular order)

Suter Shattenkirk
McDonagh J. Johnson
Yandle E. Johnson

Extras: Byfuglien, Orpik, E. Johnson

Quick, Howard, Miller in at G

 

[Ola]

I assume Team USA will carry 5 centers, no. How would Stepan not be one of those 5.

Statsny and Backes haven't really done anything recently. Pavelski had an off year but I still think is very good. Kesler hasn't played well in two years.

It may be the homer in mean but I think Stepan is the best American center ATM.

I've followed hockey for 30 years. Never seen a team with too many centers. Teams with too many centers often become champions at any level and in any league.

 

[Fitzy]

In a pinch, Stepan can play left wing.

That the unites States has all these talented wingers to choose from is a real luxury. Kessel, Parise, Kane, JVR, Brown, Pominville... I could go on, the player pool is really a lot better than it used to be. It's a shame they never go to the world championships, this is really the only chance the Unites States gets to prove its player quality on the world stage.

Honestly, I think the U.S. might have the 2nd best roster in this tournament. I think the total quality, from top to bottom surpasses Sweden and Russia.

Interesting question is... who will be the hot goaltender going into camp?

 

[silverfish]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/columnist/allen/2013/07/20/team-usa-olympic-hockey-team-projections/2571391/

Kevin Allen's predictions. Callahan, Stepan, McDonagh all make his team.

G: Quick, Miller, Howard
C: Kesler, Stastny, Stepan, Backes
LW: Parise, Pacioretty, JvR, Bobby RYan
RW: Kane, Kessel, Callahan, Brown
Spares: Galchenyuk, Pominville
D: Jack Johnson, Suter, McDonagh, Faulk, Martin, Shattenkirk, Yandle, Erik Johnson, Orpik

Positions of strength for team USA are clearly in goal, and on the blueline. This needs to be an in your face kind of team. Tortorella would be an epic coach for this squad. No sarcasm. Maybe as an assistant? Bylsma (HC), with Torts and Scott Gordon? Any of those three could really HC this team.

In 2018 the strengths will likely be exactly the same. Jon Quick, Jack Campbell, John Gibson. Quick will be 32 in 2018. Campbell 26 and Gibson 24

 

[Fitzy]

I like it, except for Orpik on a large ice surface. I'd much rather have Gleason.

 

[Chaels Arms]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/columnist/allen/2013/07/20/team-usa-olympic-hockey-team-projections/2571391/

Kevin Allen's predictions. Callahan, Stepan, McDonagh all make his team.

G: Quick, Miller, Howard
C: Kesler, Stastny, Stepan, Backes
LW: Parise, Pacioretty, JvR, Bobby RYan
RW: Kane, Kessel, Callahan, Brown
Spares: Galchenyuk, Pominville
D: Jack Johnson, Suter, McDonagh, Faulk, Martin, Shattenkirk, Yandle, Erik Johnson, Orpik

Positions of strength for team USA are clearly in goal, and on the blueline. This needs to be an in your face kind of team. Tortorella would be an epic coach for this squad. No sarcasm. Maybe as an assistant? Bylsma (HC), with Torts and Scott Gordon? Any of those three could really HC this team.

In 2018 the strengths will likely be exactly the same. Jon Quick, Jack Campbell, John Gibson. Quick will be 32 in 2018. Campbell 26 and Gibson 24

This could be the best all around team that USA has sent to the Olympics in a long, long time. For the first time in my memory we have depth at every position.

Byfuglien is absolutely going to be on the starting roster though. Whoever ends up coaching is going to love the fact that they can switch him between forward and D in a pinch and with that roster he'll end up on the 1st PP unit.

 

[Machinehead]

For the Rangers I see....

Locks
Henrik Lundqvist - Team Sweden
Ryan Callahan - Team USA
Ryan McDonagh - Team USA
Mats Zuccarello - Team Norway

Close to Locks
Rick Nash - Team Canada
Derek Stepan - Team USA

Outside Shots and Part Time Roles
Marc Staal - Team Canada
Carl Hagelin - Team Sweden

 

[silverfish]

This could be the best all around team that USA has sent to the Olympics in a long, long time. For the first time in my memory we have depth at every position.

Depth, yes. Elite offensive ability? No.

OH MY GOD!

I think everyone in this thread forgot to include Nash as a lock for the Canadian team

EDIT - Never mind. I see he's in the OP but then never mentioned again

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

I desperately need to see a brown- backes - Callahan line.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

I also think its time we start speculating about which Ranger will get injured this time around.

My money's on Nash.

 

[Chaels Arms]

Depth, yes. Elite offensive ability? No.

OH MY GOD!

I think everyone in this thread forgot to include Nash as a lock for the Canadian team

EDIT - Never mind. I see he's in the OP but then never mentioned again

Just another reason why I think Byfuglien is definitely a lock for the starting roster. USA is going to have to try to capitalize on their PP opportunities because we don't have the firepower that Canada and Russia has.

 

[Championship*]

For the Rangers I see....

Locks
Henrik Lundqvist - Team Sweden
Ryan Callahan - Team USA
Ryan McDonagh - Team USA
Mats Zuccarello - Team Norway

Close to Locks
Rick Nash - Team Canada
Derek Stepan - Team USA

Outside Shots and Part Time Roles
Marc Staal - Team Canada
Carl Hagelin - Team Sweden

Nash is a 100% lock

 

[*Bob Richards*]

I think Stepan is a 100% lock too.

He led US Centers in virtually every single stat this past season.

 

[Kane One]

Will the rosters be announced in the Winter Classic again?

 

[Ail]

I still think USA falls short in the end. The real question is if Russia decides they want to play on their own turf, or embarrass themselves.

I'm thinking it will be:

Canada
Sweden
USA

Realistically though those three and Russia could rotate in and out of the top 4 by the end of the tournament.

 

[member 116805]

Zucc is no way near a lock for Team Norway

 

[Ail]

Zucc is no way near a lock for Team Norway

Norway doesn't even have another player in the NHL, how could he not be?

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I was on a long drive today and flipping channels on SiriusXm I ended up listening to parts of two different NHL network shows. On both shows the guys gave their team Canada (only Canada) rosters in their opinions. Both guys left Nash off the roster completely. Lumping him in with Thornton and Heatley and Iginla as old and not as productive anymore. Personally, I don't want any Rangers going to the Olympics because I (selfishly) don't want any injuries, however, since they're going, how do they not include Nash?

He was one of the best forwards in 2010 for Canada. These guys were talking about getting younger putting E.Kane and Eberle and Couture on their rosters (plus St. Louis which is the opposite) all over Nash. It's a 2 week tournament, age doesn't matter. Personally I think Nash should be in the team.

 

[Machinehead]

I was on a long drive today and flipping channels on SiriusXm I ended up listening to parts of two different NHL network shows. On both shows the guys gave their team Canada (only Canada) rosters in their opinions. Both guys left Nash off the roster completely. Lumping him in with Thornton and Heatley and Iginla as old and not as productive anymore. Personally, I don't want any Rangers going to the Olympics because I (selfishly) don't want any injuries, however, since they're going, how do they not include Nash?

He was one of the best forwards in 2010 for Canada. These guys were talking about getting younger putting E.Kane and Eberle and Couture on their rosters (plus St. Louis which is the opposite) all over Nash. It's a 2 week tournament, age doesn't matter. Personally I think Nash should be in the team.

Couture and St. Louis I'll buy. Nash is still better than Kane and Eberle.

And I didn't get the memo that 29 is old.

 

[member 116805]

Norway doesn't even have another player in the NHL, how could he not be?

He is in trouble with the Norwegian hockey federation and their sponsors because of a private sponsor agreement.
As of now he is banned from the national team

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Couture and St. Louis I'll buy. Nash is still better than Kane and Eberle.

And I didn't get the memo that 29 is old.

Yeah, these guys were all over the place talking about age being a huge concern tehn he has St. Louis on the team, which I would too but I wasn't the one talking about getting rid of older guys. They were talking about Eberle's clutch factor fromt he WJC, as if that's a reason to put him on the team over a superior player. Nash > E.Kane and Eberle at this point in time. I was sitting in my car laughing at these guys.

 

[I Eat Crow]

No Pavelski on the USA squad is a huge omission. Gotta go with

Parise-Kesler-Kane
Ryan-Pavelski-Kessel
Brown-Backes-Callahan
Pacioretty-Stepan-Pominville
Stastny
Oshie
JVR

McDonagh-E.Johnson
J.Johnson-Suter
Martin-Faulk
Shattenkirk
Yandle

Quick
Howard
Smith

 

[Callagraves]

No Pavelski on the USA squad is a huge omission. Gotta go with

Parise-Kesler-Kane
Ryan-Pavelski-Kessel
Brown-Backes-Callahan
Pacioretty-Stepan-Pominville
Stastny
Oshie
JVR

McDonagh-E.Johnson
J.Johnson-Suter
Martin-Faulk
Shattenkirk
Yandle

Quick
Howard
Smith

That forward squad just looks downright tough to play against.

 

[Callagraves]

Really hard to see Pominville not make it. He's massively underrated, if i'm being asked