Team USA announced

[Free Edler]

I've never heard of Nate Hagemo, can someone tell me a bit about him, please? Thanks.

 

[Hab Fan]

Sigh... all work and no play, makes Jack Johnson a dull boy.

Interested to see what Lee can do, but don't understand the selection over Johnson. He doesn't do anything that Johnson can't, and is less proven. Makes no sense to me, other than maybe they didn't wanna remove too many players from the NTDP team since they've lost enough already (pulled that explanation out of my ass).

I am obviously a big fan of Johnsons. But explain this, here is a kid that can do it all, PP, PK tougher than nails, per the Hockey News, and a real team player, ranked #2-3-4 in this years draft be not picked? He is behind guys not ranked at all or have been drafted in the 6th round. I have to wonder what the coaches were thinking. Take almost anyone off the US d and compare them to Johnson, I tried and still come up scratching my head. The reason I'm biased is I have seen this kid play over 100 times in the last several years and excell everywhere, including the LA Kings Development camp. Does US Hockey have something against him? I am NOT knocking the other kids at all, just expressing an opinion.

 

[FREE DENTAL CARE]

NO Hennessy? Was he left off because he's injured?

 

[trahans99]

that's a pretty bold prediction, because to me...canada doesn't look as good as last year, and the US looks just about the same.

You on drugs... USA isn't even as close to as good as last year or as experienced.

 

[Hab Fan]

Montoya has been having a so-so season. Jeff Frazee is the best 87 goalie and should have had a shot.

 

[Spectacular_Bid]

I've never heard of Nate Hagemo, can someone tell me a bit about him, please? Thanks.

Hagemo is a smaller defensemen (5'11" maybe) he's a good skater and plays with some grit. Puts up decent numbers but not overally offensive, just soild (1 goal and 1 assist in 12 games for Minnesota) He captained the US-18 team last season and is well liked by USA hockey.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

You on drugs... USA isn't even as close to as good as last year or as experienced.

You don't know what you're talking about.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Sigh... all work and no play, makes Jack Johnson a dull boy.

Interested to see what Lee can do, but don't understand the selection over Johnson. He doesn't do anything that Johnson can't, and is less proven. Makes no sense to me, other than maybe they didn't wanna remove too many players from the NTDP team since they've lost enough already (pulled that explanation out of my ass).

I wonder if Sandelin had the deciding vote on this one?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Montoya has been having a so-so season. Jeff Frazee is the best 87 goalie and should have had a shot.

Montoya has played much better of late, and Schneider is playing well for BC and has a ton of international experience. The goaltending is fine.

 

[Hab Fan]

I disagree, the US will miss their best player, Zach Parise. He was the heart and soul the last couple years. Very tough to replace. Nobody on this roster compares, especially in big games. Zach did it all.

 

[cagney]

Sigh... all work and no play, makes Jack Johnson a dull boy.

Interested to see what Lee can do, but don't understand the selection over Johnson. He doesn't do anything that Johnson can't, and is less proven. Makes no sense to me, other than maybe they didn't wanna remove too many players from the NTDP team since they've lost enough already (pulled that explanation out of my ass).

The U18 team doesn't have any games during the WJCs so Johnson will be sitting at home.

I think that me putting him as my avatar was bad luck. The last avatar I had was of O'Sullivan and Schremp when I still expected them both to be top 5 picks.

Really though, I'm quite surprised. I also thought Earl and Hennesy would be there. Earl has played really well this year and I think he could have contributed more than some of the guys who were picked will. Hennesy didn't impress me at all at the summer evaluation but I had faith in the positive reports I've heard about him otherwise and I thought he would be a good addition.

I really think that Canada is going to get some retribution this year on our own soil. The only bright spot is that we should have a very good team for Vancouver in '06 to be able to repay the favor.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I am obviously a big fan of Johnsons. But explain this, here is a kid that can do it all, PP, PK tougher than nails, per the Hockey News, and a real team player, ranked #2-3-4 in this years draft be not picked? He is behind guys not ranked at all or have been drafted in the 6th round. I have to wonder what the coaches were thinking. Take almost anyone off the US d and compare them to Johnson, I tried and still come up scratching my head. The reason I'm biased is I have seen this kid play over 100 times in the last several years and excell everywhere, including the LA Kings Development camp. Does US Hockey have something against him? I am NOT knocking the other kids at all, just expressing an opinion.

I think it's obvious USA Hockey doesn't have anything aginst Johnson, or he wouldn't be a featured part of the U 18 team. I'll give the U.S. brass the benefit of the doubt on this one.

 

[Free Edler]

Hagemo is a smaller defensemen (5'11" maybe) he's a good skater and plays with some grit. Puts up decent numbers but not overally offensive, just soild (1 goal and 1 assist in 12 games for Minnesota) He captained the US-18 team last season and is well liked by USA hockey.

Thanks. Do you (or does anyone) expect him to be drafted this year, and if so, where?

 

[Postman]

I wonder if Sandelin had the deciding vote on this one?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Either way, now that the campaign for our boy has become obsolete, I'm done speculating.

I'll be Tivo'ing the games later this month, and watching them sometime in January when I'm sober enough to see clearly.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The U18 team doesn't have any games during the WJCs so Johnson will be sitting at home.

I think that me putting him as my avatar was bad luck. The last avatar I had was of O'Sullivan and Schremp when I still expected them both to be top 5 picks.

Really though, I'm quite surprised. I also thought Earl and Hennesy would be there. Earl has played really well this year and I think he could have contributed more than some of the guys who were picked will. Hennesy didn't impress me at all at the summer evaluation but I had faith in the positive reports I've heard about him otherwise and I thought he would be a good addition.

I really think that Canada is going to get some retribution this year on our own soil. The only bright spot is that we should have a very good team for Vancouver in '06 to be able to repay the favor.

I wonder if Sandelin et al will address this at their conferance call today? I'd specifically like to ask why Lee was chosen over Johnson. As for Earl and Hennessy, I think it came down to the numbers game. They are scoring line players who would be relegated to a role on the WJC team that they really wouldn't shine in.

 

[Spectacular_Bid]

Thanks. Do you (or does anyone) expect him to be drafted this year, and if so, where?

Hagemo will probably get drafted. I haven't really kept up with the rankings but probably somewhere in the 6th or 7th round.

 

[Captain Conservative]

No Jack Johnson!? Now i'm pissed. *Changes avatar text*

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Your guess is as good as mine.

Either way, now that the campaign for our boy has become obsolete, I'm done speculating.

I'll be Tivo'ing the games later this month, and watching them sometime in January when I'm sober enough to see clearly.

Leafaholix will be probably be joining you, as there's no Robbie Earl either....

 

[Postman]

The U18 team doesn't have any games during the WJCs so Johnson will be sitting at home.

I thought that was the case, but didn't feel like checking to make sure.

So I guess I've got absolutely no explanation for why he was left off.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Hagemo will probably get drafted. I haven't really kept up with the rankings but probably somewhere in the 6th or 7th round.

A fair guess, although if someone is looking for a guy in the Rafalski mode they might take a chance on him a bit higher. I think he has more offensive ability then his stats would indicate, and he's very fiesty.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

that's a pretty bold prediction, because to me...canada doesn't look as good as last year,

Tough to find many that would agree with that:

11 or 12 returning players, a bit older and better, including the 2004 tourney's top line Dawes-Richards-Stewart, as well as all tourney team members Phaneuf & Carter.

Add in Patrice Bergereon, one of the NHL's best rookie's last year, and Sidney Crosby who will likely take on a bigger role.


The only area where it appears that Canada could take a major step back is in goal, and in the only game where Canada neede to worry about goaltending, Fleury came up very small.

 

[ZombieMatt]

And thats why Im just barely slightly surprised Nickerson didnt get picked(even as a 7th d-man), since he's an absolute beast(listed at 6'5 257 on the Victoriaville site) and his strength is in his defensive game. Plus it would have been nice to see him catch Crosby with his head down, like Phaneuf on Olesz last year

A couple of things.

1)Nickerson is .... awful.

2)In order to destroy a guy like Phaneuf you need to have some semblance of mobility, anticipation, open ice hitting ability, and you're assuming that the best puck-handler in the tournament is going to have his head down for more than a split second.

I'm sorry, but last time I saw Nickerson he was getting embarassed every shift and backing down from smaller challengers. Nickerson is NOT a guy that Team USA wanted. They have much better players available to them.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Tough to find many that would agree with that:

11 or 12 returning players, a bit older and better, including the 2004 tourney's top line Dawes-Richards-Stewart, as well as all tourney team members Phaneuf & Carter.

Add in Patrice Bergereon, one of the NHL's best rookie's last year, and Sidney Crosby who will likely take on a bigger role.


The only area where it appears that Canada could take a major step back is in goal, and in the only game where Canada neede to worry about goaltending, Fleury came up very small.

I would say Canada is the class of this year's tournament, but I don't see the drop-off many are predicting for the U.S. Key elements such as Montoya, Suter, O'Sullivan, and Stafford are returning. The defense is mobile, and offensively gifted, and the offense is even more potent.

 

[X0ssbar]

Would have liked to have seen Tom Fritsche named to the team but wasn't really expecting it - maybe next year.

 

[Spectacular_Bid]

Any ideas on the lines and defensive pairings?

The US seems deepest at center with Fritsche, O'Sullivan, Hensick, Schremp and Kessel. I agree with a former poster that Kessel will probably be the 13th forward with alot of PP time. So that leaves you with four super skilled centers. I can't see using either Schremp or Hensick as a fourth line center. Does Schremp play the wing at all? He seems like a better choice to move to the wing than Hensick.

I think its tough to project the top three line but I see Dowell centering the fourth line with Brown on the right wing and either Weller or Bourque on the left. Any thoughts?

Anyone think the US will pair Lee with Suter?