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WC: TEAM USA

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WhiskeyYerTheDevils said:
I was being a bit tongue in cheek there, but I think if you combined our 2022&23 WJC teams they could probably give this team a run right now (especially if you give them Commesso). Hell, there's like 5-6 guys on this roster who played on one of those teams.

Knies - Cooley - Snuggerud
Mazur - Gauthier - Coronato
McGroarty - Bordeleau - Samoskevich
Boucher - Stramel - Brindley

Hughes - Sanderson
Hutson - Faber
Kleven - Casey

Commesso

That roster actually feels like it could be competitive...
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Combining WJC teams is a bit different than beating a single WJC team.

But the WJC team would still lose. WJC teams have a lot of talented prospects no doubt but they're more at the level of an NCAA team. This WC team would eat the NCAA alive.

The average age of the WC team is 25. A WJC team is 18-19. That 6+ years is huge.
 
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AmericanDream said:
Hutson and Thrun are going to be fun to watch out there. This team will generate lots of speed from the point. Just wish Faber came too. I would feel a lot better just having him there...
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Yeah, Faber and Cooley are the most disappointing no shows. Not because they were the best available guys but because the best NCAA (or recently signed NCAA guys) are almost always willing to play. And while adding those two wouldn't make it a more experienced team, it would make it better.

FinPanda said:
I think its good for you guys the team doesn't have a guy like Seth Jones who didn't feel like he actually wanted to be there.
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It's good because Seth Jones is not a good player anymore. Dude's game over the last few years has fallen off a cliff and is still rolling down the ravine.
 
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The US always brings plenty of not very known players to this tournament, and they are pretty competitive at the end. Expect this year to be nothing different. Maybe not a medal contender, but they will make the QF comfortably.
 
SK94 said:
I'm sure Chris Clark never wants to do this again.
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He did a shit job getting top players to show up. What's his success rate of getting our top 50 available guys to say yes? Maybe 2% (only Tuch)?

I do give him credit for avoiding NHL plugs like John Hayden, Sam Lafferty, Austin Watson, etc. we often see tapped. I'd much rather bring skilled guys like Tynan or Gauthier even if they're a career AHLer or NCAA guy.

I think it'd be interesting to stop relying on NHL team executives here with zero cachet with players and instead tap USAH legends (i.e., Chelios, Modano, etc.) as the team GM to see if players are more willing to show up when hall of famers are calling them. But those legends never cared about this tournament either, so they'd probably turn down the GM opportunity or players would call out the hypocrisy. But I think that cachet is important; it's a big reason why Drury did the best (although always still with a huge gap in his rosters) in getting more top guys to show up. It means a hell of a lot more when a guy these players grew up watching play with Team USA and in the NHL, a guy they know and respect, is asking them to heed the call. Chris Clark played in the NHL but not in a way that the current era cares about.
 
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BigBadBoar said:
The US always brings plenty of not very known players to this tournament, and they are pretty competitive at the end. Expect this year to be nothing different. Maybe not a medal contender, but they will make the QF comfortably.
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Only making the QF should not be the goal for USAH.

Johnny Tomala said:
Terrible roster. Zegras and Gaudreau the biggest absentees.
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The list of top guys not here is long. Neither of those guys was expected. Zegras as an RFA probably staring down a big payday and Gaudreau has a young child, and at least to his credit he's played here more than most.
 
DeSmith should be a starter but Cal Petersen could be a guy who can gain the most from this tournament. I am sure it would be massive boost for next year for him If he can play like last time and be a starter.
 
SK94 said:
It is not a good look for USA Hockey but it is what it is. If you can't get guys to show up then I guess it is best to just give a chance for younger guys who can maybe take something from this experience. I still have to say that if USA Hockey can't do better than that with our massive player pool they are doing something wrong big time. They need to for once evaluate very carefully how they can improve this situation.
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There is zero incentive for most NHL players to play in this tournament after the long grind of the season. Full marks for those that do, but I'm not surprised most don't. USA Hockey has zero leverage as well. There are no potential roster battles for a best-on-best upcoming tournament (for example). It is disappointing though that so many players benefit from the USNTDP and don't "pay it back" every once in a while.

William H Bonney said:
We still have 3 roster spots open. Still holding out hope we can add the Hughes brothers?
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Or the Tuch sister, although I think she plays field hockey. Or, we might be waiting on "The Decision" by Jake Walman to see if he's going to take his talents to Colorado Springs.
 
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Looked over the schedule. 1st math against the Fins. After that fairly winnable games. LoL at least no Russia in the quarters.

Actually thought the roster would be worse. And if those 3 open spots were already given as a verbal "yes" after a knockout. Then who knows who might be added.
 
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The roster is bad, but what can you do when nobody wants to go. Hopefully they had a bit of a plan/vision in mind for how they see the roster coming together more so than just throwing anybody out there with NHL credentials. Hutson and Gauthier will certainly be the most intriguing to watch given their status as prospects. Those last three spots could change the outlook for their chances of having some success depending on who they can get with them.
 
SK94 said:
Scott Perunovich is probably the most interesting AHL guy in this roster. I honestly think that he has more to offer if he can just stay healthy.
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He is an NHL talent defenseman imo. Super skilled and next year is likely his time. Him and Samberg are going to hold down the LD. I think people will come away most impressed with Scott after this tournament.
 
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looks like you guys have a mole
 
Rabid Ranger said:
There is zero incentive for most NHL players to play in this tournament after the long grind of the season. Full marks for those that do, but I'm not surprised most don't. USA Hockey has zero leverage as well. There are no potential roster battles for a best-on-best upcoming tournament (for example). It is disappointing though that so many players benefit from the USNTDP and don't "pay it back" every once in a while.


Or the Tuch sister, although I think she plays field hockey. Or, we might be waiting on "The Decision" by Jake Walman to see if he's going to take his talents to Colorado Springs.
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RR nailed it as always. Without the best on best, this tournament will remain irrelevant.
 
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I will be at the USA - Denmark game on the 20th. I will let you know how the boys looked.
 
SK94 said:
Scott Perunovich is probably the most interesting AHL guy in this roster. I honestly think that he has more to offer if he can just stay healthy.
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Mazur is another interesting one. Looked really good in his stint with Grand Rapids.
 
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