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Stepan, Callahan, and McDonagh on Team USA (Continued U.S. Roster Discussion)

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Fitzy said:
Maybe we're looking not for the best players but for the right ones.

Thats a competitive roster with any team in this tournament except Canada. The bottom 6 will tear up softer Russian and Swedish teams, they won't be able to get the puck out of their own end.
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That's why I wanted Byfuglien on the team. He has the speed for the big ice and the size to dominate smaller competition in his own end.
 
Anyone have a prediction for the lines? I don't expect Callahan or Stepan to see a huge amount of ice time, McDonagh should be in the top 2 defense with Suter.
 
Parise-Backes-Kane
JVR-Kesler-Kessel
Pacioretty-Pavelski-Oshie
Brown-Stepan-Callahan
Extras

Suter-Carlson
McDonagh-Faulk/Shattenkirk
Martin/Fowler-Orpik/Shattenkirk/Faulk

Miller
Quick

D is hard to figure out
 
Suter is, for my money the best defenseman in the league today, but that whole big ice surface can throw a wrench in things. You have to think good skaters like Kessel, and creative players like Kane will have a leg up on grinders like Callahan and Backes.
 
RangersHank said:
Backes
Brown
Callahan
Carlson
Faulk
Fowler
Kane
Kesler
Martin
McDonagh
Ryan Miller
Orpik
Oshie
Pacioretty
Parise
Pavelski
Quick
Shattenkirk
Stastny
Stepan
Suter
Wheeler
Kessel
JVR
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My lines

JVR-Kesler-Kane
Parise-Stastny-Kessel
Pacioretty-Stepan-Brown
Oshie-Pavelski-Callahan
Wheeler


Shattenkirk-McD
Faulk-Suter
Carlson-Martin
Fowler, Orpik

Quick
 
Just a guess...

Parise-Pavelski-Kane (Parise to dig/grind, Kane setup, Pavelski is the best shooting C)
JVR-Stastny-Kessel (Offensive line #2, speed focus)
Backes-Kesler-Brown (Ultimate shutdown line)
Pacioretty-Stepan-Callahan (Energy line, Stepan-Callahan chemistry and in lineup to PK)

Wheeler
Oshie
 
Center is the weakness again. A bunch of good two way physical players up and down the lineup, but only a crop of 1b's/2a's at center. No true superstar.
 
Stepan was a lock heading into the season

Scott Burnside was given inside access to the team

In August

Zach Parise, David Backes, Dustin Brown, Patrick Kane and Ryan Callahan are all returning members of the '10 team. They will form the nucleus of the offensive group in Sochi. It is from this group a captain will emerge.

The U.S. committee collectively agrees that Dustin Brown has the leadership to be captain of the U.S.
Add Derek Stepan to that group of forward locks, although he will miss the start of the season in a contract dispute with the New York Rangers.

Another member of the '10 team, Paul Stastny, is also in the mix down the middle, even though he had a miserable regular season for a poor Colorado team. Stastny revived his chances of returning to the Olympic fold with a stellar turn at the World Championships, where the U.S. won a surprise bronze medal.

Also joining the group of "locks" among the forwards is versatile San Jose forward Joe Pavelski and scoring dynamo Phil Kessel, who is coming off something of a renaissance season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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Later in the season

One interesting development is the first airing of the notion that perhaps both Oshie and Saad could go and Derek Stepan come off the list. The New York Rangers center had been a given as the management team has always wanted five centers. But Stepan has played poorly and had an uneven season overall. Now for the first time, the idea is raised that he may go to make room for both Oshie and Saad.

Still, the fear of not having enough depth down the middle if they take only four is too much to sway the group at this stage, especially given that there are no real options if there is an injury among the other forwards.
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http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/10195703/how-us-hockey-team-bound-sochi-olympics-was-named

Stepan was always on the team.

Very good article.
 
surprised erik johnson didnt make it. hes been really good this year. he would have been a far better choice than orpik. USA better do well this tournament because poile has set himself up for a lot of criticism if they dont.
 
Wouldn't have thought either Cally or Stepan would have made it if it was a 'merit' based team, but USA is obviously going for a particular skill set. Will be interesting to see if pays off for them.

Like many I'm very surprised at the inclusion of Orpik (until I found Byslma was the coach) and leaving out Ryan
 
Mint said:
Cam Fowler on the Olympic team, probable top 4 guy at the age of 22.
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Yeah Fowler at 22 and McD at 24 in the top 4 is a great foundation for later tournaments, especially when you have guys like Jones coming through in the future
 
NHL Network, just disrespected McDonagh in a big way. They didn't even have him in the top 6 in their roster for the Olympics. WTF? Why is the guy disrespected so much? When he was just a defensive defenseman, I could understand. Now the guy still can't get any respect. ****ing Orpik was in the top 6. I'm disgusted, completely disgusted.
 
SnowblindNYR said:
NHL Network, just disrespected McDonagh in a big way. They didn't even have him in the top 6 in their roster for the Olympics. WTF? Why is the guy disrespected so much? When he was just a defensive defenseman, I could understand. Now the guy still can't get any respect. ****ing Orpik was in the top 6. I'm disgusted, completely disgusted.
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You have to wonder how some of these people have jobs.
 
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