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WC: Team USA 2025

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AmericanDream

AmericanDream

Thank you Elon!
Oct 24, 2005
37,909
27,525
Chicago Manitoba
Setting this up now since momentum is on international hockey.

After Thursday we go back to the NHL but this will be right around the corner. Normally after a 4 nations tourney I would say this tournament would barely draw any names, however with Olympics next year, this is the last chance for many bubble players to show up and represent our country to make a case to be there in 26.

Will be interesting over the next few months to see if we do get Keller, Cooley, Thompson, Norris, Beniers, Terry, etc...all names we haven't seen if a few years play here....

Could be a stacked roster, though we say this every year.

Ryan Lasch obviously has a forever invite to come even after he retires...
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Utah is unlikely to make the playoffs, as much as I don't like admitting it, so the World Championships would be a good audition for players like Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley. However, Cooley I think is too far down the depth chart of American centers to make a real threat towards cracking next year's Olympic roster, so he'd have to have a phenomenal showing at the worlds and be amazing out of the gate next season to even sniff any consideration.

That said, the pressure's on Keller mostly, at least from my Utah fan perspective. :)
 
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Summer Rose said:
Utah is unlikely to make the playoffs, as much as I don't like admitting it, so the World Championships would be a good audition for players like Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley. However, Cooley I think is too far down the depth chart of American centers to make a real threat towards cracking next year's Olympic roster, so he'd have to have a phenomenal showing at the worlds and be amazing out of the gate next season to even sniff any consideration.

That said, the pressure's on Keller mostly, at least from my Utah fan perspective. :)
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Keller has to show up here or he will essentially be outcast from USA Hockey moving forward. He truly is a bubble player for 26 and if he shows up here it shows he gives a shit..forced or not.

Some of the names I listed aren't truly bubble players for 26 but definitely for 28 they are. Cooley is a young guy like Beniers who should be here more often than not. They both will have legit shots in 28 with an aging group of Nelson, Trochek, Kreider, etc likely out for that.

Let's see some of these kids show up here to keep momentum going..
 
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Oh joy the Olympics. Who knows, Eichel or Matthews might even do something crazy like actually score a goal. Just give us our bronzes now
 
BB79 said:
Oh joy the Olympics. Who knows, Eichel or Matthews might even do something crazy like actually score a goal. Just give us our bronzes now
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I'd have mixed feelings about a bronze. On one hand, it would be a bronze, and we should be gunning for gold. On the other hand, it would mean we actually won a bronze medal game, which would be a step up of our usual antics of treating a bronze medal game like trash and not showing up for it. It would also be a bronze medal... an Olympic medal is nice to have.
 
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A lot of US players improved their standing with team USA in this tournament with their performance and effort level (remember some people though this would be all-star game type hockey). I wonder if some of the other potential Olympians at home will feel compelled to join to the World Championship team to do the same.
 
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If the Red Wings miss the playoffs I wouldn't be shocked if Larkin still shows up here with how hard he took the loss. Seems like a guy that wants to be the leader here and to do that you have to lead by example. We will see how the rest of the way goes but it wouldn't shock me at all to see his name here come end of April
 
AmericanDream said:
If the Red Wings miss the playoffs I wouldn't be shocked if Larkin still shows up here with how hard he took the loss. Seems like a guy that wants to be the leader here and to do that you have to lead by example. We will see how the rest of the way goes but it wouldn't shock me at all to see his name here come end of April
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Could also see Brock Nelson. Even though he is a UFA.
 
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I know the regular season is a grind and some guys dont wanna play more hockey afterwards unless its playoffs, but it's always surprised me how many players opt out of going to the WHC. Not to demean the tournament but its a free vacation in some aspects, its not like the US ever expects to win it so you dont have to go all out on the ice.
 
ORRFForever said:
It's just such a long tournament, WT.

The nice thing about 4N was it was quick. 4 games max.

The WC's go on forever and I can see why so many Americans AND Canadians say no.
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Yeah, some people have unreasonable expectations that people should hop on a plane after losing in the 1st round (which is emotionally charged) and go play in the IIHF Worlds, but I don't think it's reasonable for North Americans.
 
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ORRFForever said:
It's just such a long tournament, WT.

The nice thing about 4N was it was quick. 4 games max.

The WC's go on forever and I can see why so many Americans AND Canadians say no.
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It is a longer tournament but usually held in nice places that allow for days off between games for activities & family stuff. Though I felt last year management didn't push hard enough to make it feel like the tournament was as important as it is. They barely practiced before games in favor of group events. Trying to find that balance is key. However, if this past week didn't wake up all US players to how amazing this could be, not sure anything else will.
 
Guentzel, Trocheck and Connor have either never played for the US as a pro or in Connor's case been a long long time. Same for Hellebuyck and Slavin.

Interesting just to see the guys who haven't shown up at all or much and how they did here.

Guentzel stood out in all the good ways. I take back everything I said about not having him here since he never showed up at the WC before. He played with heart and was one of our best players.

Slavin was a monster. Whether he showed up prior since the WJC didn't matter as he had the best defensive performance I have seen in years.

Connor was meh. Trocheck was meh. Hellebuyck was fine but didn't bail us out.

I guess my point is I am more open to guys who haven't "given much of a shit"to playing at this tournament before.

I still think USA Hockey wants these guys to show up here at least once every 3-4 years. Keller has to show up. That is clear. But Nelson and Kreider who have answered the call many times didn't do much either. So I am a bit conflicted here...
 
AmericanDream said:
Guentzel, Trocheck and Connor have either never played for the US as a pro or in Connor's case been a long long time. Same for Hellebucyk and Slavin.
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Most of those guys have been in the Playoffs basically every year. It's a big ask to get guys to leave after an emotionally charged loss versus guys whose season has been over since the turn of the new year.
 
WarriorofTime said:
Most of those guys have been in the Playoffs basically every year. It's a big ask to get guys to leave after an emotionally charged loss versus guys whose season has been over since the turn of the new year.
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Sure playoffs play a major role in this but we have discussed this many times. Connor didn't show when the Jets missed the playoffs. Guentzel didn't show when the Penguins missed. He in fact said he was coming last year then dropped out. Wasn't a good look.

Hellebuyck came earlier in his career but not when Jets missed playoffs. I am less strict on goalies I do understand what they go through all year.

Trocheck multiple times didn't show for here when he wasn't in the playoffs a few years ago.

Slavin has typically always been in the playoffs.

Point is most all of those guys had chances to show up and they really haven't when they missed the playoffs.

I have always said put jerseys on the guys who give a shit and show up here. And rightfully so as they are typically the ones to go all out in a Gold medal game. However, sacrificing talent for the sake of loyalty or players who truly do care also has side effects.

I think what fixes much of this is if those names I listed in the op actually do show up this year as bubble players so everything isn't relied upon the same dozen or so guys who repeatedly step up.

Sorry for the rant. Today sucks lol..
 
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If you want it to be a separator between 2 or 3 even players, sure. If we're talking about taking a B+ player over an A- player because of going or not going to that tournament, I think we should just bring the best we can.
 
Dr Jan Itor said:
If you want it to be a separator between 2 or 3 even players, sure. If we're talking about taking a B+ player over an A- player because of going or not going to that tournament, I think we should just bring the best we can.
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My eyes are more open to this thinking than ever before, however when Connor, Matthews, Hughes, Eichel & Miller simply don't score goals, I am not sure what the answer is. That is way too much talent that didn't put the puck in the net.

It was mainly our "gritty" guys who produced- Larkin, Tkachuks, Guentzel, etc..

The defense is set. No concerns there. But offensively I just don't know what the answer is as we outplayed the opposition in both loses just couldn't get a big goal.
 
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