Team USA right now

[Eye of Ra]

What would best possible team USA look like right now?

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[The Zetterberg Era]

So I have a bit of an issue with the wingers and one massive problem on D unless this is because Seth Jones, the best USA D-man is hurt and that factors into right now.

Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, Cam Atkinson, Anders Lee and probably Palmieri and Oshie deserve mentions as well even if they don't go and I would take some of these guys over what was listed.

This is the golden era of USA hockey though. I doubt the NHL can turn down the Olympics with a Team USA that does for the first time ever look stacked and comparable to Canada on paper by the time 2022 rolls around. I think both the Hughes boys would be on the china team as well. It is the deepest and most talented we have been since the mid-90s and I actually like this group more on a talent level.

 

[Boonk]

Gaudreau - Matthews - Kane
DeBrincat - Eichel - Wheeler
Kreider - Trocheck - Kessel
Connor - Larkin - Oshie
Keller
Palmieri

Suter - Jones
Slavin - Carlson
Fowler - McAvoy
Werenski
Ghostbear

Gibson
Hellebuyck
Bishop

 

[Dodospice]

Gaudreau- Matthews- Kane
Larkin- Eichel- Wheeler
Connor- Trocheck- Kessel
Tkachuk- Miller- Oshie
DeBrincat, Lee

Suter- Jones
Slavin- Carlson
Werenski- Trouba
Gostisbehere- McAvoy

Gibson
Hellebuyck
Quick

PP1:
Gaudreau- Matthews- Kessel
Kane- Carlson

PP2:
Connor- Eichel- Wheeler
Werenski- Jones

PK1:
Trocheck- Oshie
Suter- Jones

PK2:
Larkin- Wheeler
Slavin- Trouba

C- Ryan Suter
A- Blake Wheeler
A- Patrick Kane

 

[Eye of Ra]

So I have a bit of an issue with the wingers and one massive problem on D unless this is because Seth Jones, the best USA D-man is hurt and that factors into right now.

Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, Cam Atkinson, Anders Lee and probably Palmieri and Oshie deserve mentions as well even if they don't go and I would take some of these guys over what was listed.

This is the golden era of USA hockey though. I doubt the NHL can turn down the Olympics with a Team USA that does for the first time ever look stacked and comparable to Canada on paper by the time 2022 rolls around. I think both the Hughes boys would be on the china team as well. It is the deepest and most talented we have been since the mid-90s and I actually like this group more on a talent level.

i forgot jones, he is in my team now .

 

[Brodeur]

I'd have a Slavin/McDonagh to balance out the LD/RD. I know some people dismiss it, but it's a tough assumption to shift a RH D to expect him to perform equally well on the left side especially when righties tend to play the right side exclusively. Some lefties will play the right side out of necessity and get used to it.

As others mentioned, guys like Wheeler/Connor/Palmieri/Atkinson/Oshie/Miller/Lee probably should be in consideration especially if you have one of the Tkachuks penciled in on their opposite wing. It's personal preference, but I'd probably have Chris Kreider in my mix as well.

 

[AmericanDream]

yeah, sorry Ra, your wingers are off for my liking...

and if injuries are factored in then Matthews would be a no go...but if not, then Jones lines up in the top 4 hands down.

Johnny Gaudreau - Auston Matthews - Patrick Kane(A)
Blake Wheeler - Jack Eichel - Phil Kessel
Anders Lee - Dylan Larkin - Clayton Keller
Matthew Tkachuk -Vincent Trocheck - T.J Oshie
Joe Pavelski(C)

EX:Kyle Connor/Alex DeBrincat/Brock Boeser

Ryan Suter(A) - John Carlson
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Jaccob Slavin - Charlie McAvoy
Ryan McDonagh

EXustin Byfuglien/Cam Fowler/Shayne Gostisbehere

John Gibson
Connor Hellebuyck
Jon Quick - needs to be healthy

EX:Ben Bishop

Good luck playing against Tkachuk, Trocheck, Oshie lol
The only other country that can compete top to bottom in depth is obviously Canada who would still be ahead of this group, but put anyone but Torts behind this bench and this squad should be playing for the Gold.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

USA right now would be as good or better than any country. The competition's so deep that it'd have to leave some very good players behind.

Like, I can't see how a team that should prioritize clutch performance could leave Guentzel at home, but it'd be hard to work him in.

 

[AmericanDream]

shame on no Keller from you guys!!

 

[Jaykay]

yeah, sorry Ra, your wingers are off for my liking...

and if injuries are factored in then Matthews would be a no go...but if not, then Jones lines up in the top 4 hands down.

Johnny Gaudreau - Auston Matthews - Patrick Kane(A)
Blake Wheeler - Jack Eichel - Phil Kessel
Anders Lee - Dylan Larkin - Clayton Keller
Matthew Tkachuk -Vincent Trocheck - T.J Oshie
Joe Pavelski(C)

EX:Kyle Connor/Alex DeBrincat/Brock Boeser

Ryan Suter(A) - John Carlson
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Jaccob Slavin - Charlie McAvoy
Ryan McDonagh

EXustin Byfuglien/Cam Fowler/Shayne Gostisbehere

John Gibson
Connor Hellebuyck
Jon Quick - needs to be healthy

EX:Ben Bishop

Good luck playing against Tkachuk, Trocheck, Oshie lol
The only other country that can compete top to bottom in depth is obviously Canada who would still be ahead of this group, but put anyone but Torts behind this bench and this squad should be playing for the Gold.

This is the best one

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Gaudreau-Eichel-Wheeler
Kane-Matthews-Kessel
Keller-Trocheck-Boeser
Kreider-Larkin-M. Tkachuk
Debrincat

Werenski-Jones
McDonagh-McAvoy
Slavin-Trouba
Suter

Gibson
Hellebuyck
Quick

 

[Brodeur]

shame on no Keller from you guys!!

I thought about posting a couple times and every time I kept remembering somebody. Last round being Keller and Boeser. Should be some fun decisions for the next WC/OG.

 

[AmericanDream]

I thought about posting a couple times and every time I kept remembering somebody. Last round being Keller and Boeser. Should be some fun decisions for the next WC/OG.

You are forgiven my friend....it is a great problem to have when there is a dozen or so names for each position that are legit contenders, and many more on the way!

 

[Carlzner]

Gaudreau-Eichel-Wheeler
Kane-Matthews-Kessel
Keller-Trocheck-Boeser
Kreider-Larkin-M. Tkachuk
Debrincat

Werenski-Jones
McDonagh-McAvoy
Slavin-Trouba
Suter

Gibson
Hellebuyck
Quick

lol

 

[HanSolo]

lol

Sooo...what? No Carlson is the issue?

 

[Carlzner]

Sooo...what? No Carlson is the issue?

There are plenty of issues.

 

[QJL]

Boeser - Matthews - Kane
Gaudreau - Eichel - Wheeler
Keller - Trochek - Kessel
Kreider - Larkin - Lee
Miller

Slavin - Carlson
McDonagh - Jones
Suter - McAvoy
Trouba

Gibson
Hellebuyck
Quick

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

If their is a weakness, it may be in goal? The forward lines are deep, skilled and fast.

 

[Big Phil]

You might have the biggest issues in net. This is a good team, but they still lose to Canada.

 

[koyvoo]

Gibson has been the best goalie in the league so far this year and Helle is a Vezina finalist?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Goaltending depth has gone from a strength to a relative weakness but I would put Gibson against what any other country has to offer.

 

[Big Phil]

Gibson has been the best goalie in the league so far this year and Helle is a Vezina finalist?

Are either of them that "lights out" kind of goalie from past years like Mike Richter? None of them scare you in particular. Richter always scared me because when he hit that zone he was freakish. Bobrovsky has won the Vezina but he isn't a guy I'd worry about facing either.

 

[koyvoo]

Are either of them that "lights out" kind of goalie from past years like Mike Richter? None of them scare you in particular. Richter always scared me because when he hit that zone he was freakish. Bobrovsky has won the Vezina but he isn't a guy I'd worry about facing either.

No. Richter especially in 96 was a killer. I just don’t know I’d term the position a worrying weakness. Gibson is definitely playing at an extremely high level currently and does have the international pedigree, at least at the junior level.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Are either of them that "lights out" kind of goalie from past years like Mike Richter? None of them scare you in particular. Richter always scared me because when he hit that zone he was freakish. Bobrovsky has won the Vezina but he isn't a guy I'd worry about facing either.

I don't think the U.S. needs a Mike Richter performance from '96 to win a best on best tournament at this point. Sound team construction/coaching are more pressing issues.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

No. Richter especially in 96 was a killer. I just don’t know I’d term the position a worrying weakness. Gibson is definitely playing at an extremely high level currently and does have the international pedigree, at least at the junior level.

He's won a bronze at the men's worlds as well.