U18: USA: 2019 WJC18

[SK94]

One big problem with Hughes is that he is not that good shooter. Should score much more goals. Now two U18 Worlds and World Juniors this season and zero gold medals. It is pretty disappointing if you think he should be number one overall pick. It is maybe harsh but he was not good enough today or against Finland in World Juniors. Of course he cant do everything and second line was biggest problem. Also i think those two lines played way too much in games where it was not needed. Of course it is easy to say now but Wroblewski failed with this team and it is not look good. I always think he is really good coach and i still think, but was badly out coached today.

 

[canuck2010]

A shootout is a stupid way to end medal round games, but this team should have never let it get to the shootout in the first place. They didn't show up to play with any urgency and it cost them dearly. It's a good lesson to learn for young hockey players.

You see it so often in every sport. A tough lesson for young players but as you say it is a good lesson in their maturation.

 

[William H Bonney]

One big problem with Hughes is that he is not that good shooter. Should score much more goals. Now two U18 Worlds and World Juniors this season and zero gold medals. It is pretty disappointing if you think he should be number one overall pick. It is maybe harsh but he was not good enough today or against Finland in World Juniors. Of course he cant do everything and second line was biggest problem. Also i think those two lines played way too much in games where it was not needed. Of course it is easy to say now but Wroblewski failed with this team and it is not look good. I always think he is really good coach and i still think, but was badly out coached today.

He can, and I'm sure he will, improve his shot. He's not going to have a Laine or Matthews shot, but he doesn't need to. He's 17, he's going to improve a lot.

Hughes was not good today but it's pretty far fetched to lay the lack of gold medals in three tournaments on him when he was an underager in two of them, the MVP in last year's tournament, the best player in this one, and injured for most of the WJC.

They obviously needed him to be better today, but the whole team no showed. If even half of the team showed up, they win. If you weren't looking for it you wouldn't even know that the Turcotte line even played in the last 3 games.

 

[unknownbrother]

One big problem with Hughes is that he is not that good shooter. Should score much more goals. Now two U18 Worlds and World Juniors this season and zero gold medals. It is pretty disappointing if you think he should be number one overall pick. It is maybe harsh but he was not good enough today or against Finland in World Juniors. Of course he cant do everything and second line was biggest problem. Also i think those two lines played way too much in games where it was not needed. Of course it is easy to say now but Wroblewski failed with this team and it is not look good. I always think he is really good coach and i still think, but was badly out coached today.

Hahaha! One bad game where he hit the post twice and he's no longer worthy of being 1st overall.

 

[William H Bonney]

Since the tournament started, USAH has only gone without a gold medal for a 3 year stretch one time and that was 1999-2001, which were the first 3 IIHF U18 tournaments and a time when the NTDP wasn't exactly a juggernaut.

Pretty crazy to think they'll likely repeat that feat next year barring what would be a miracle gold by their '02 team. It may be time for the NTDP to rethink some things around their current coaching staffs and their strategy for this tournament.

 

[Emperoreddy]

It’s a team game for a reason. Russia had a team gameplan and they executed it. USA didn’t adjust.

Hughes’ line was the only one doing much of anything, but Hughes was drawing too much attention and he couldn’t get through it. He needed to be a bit smarter getting the puck off his stick, but someone else also needed to step up.

 

[SK94]

Hahaha! One bad game where he hit the post twice and he's no longer worthy of being 1st overall.

I did not say that. But Kakko bring gold in U18 tournament last year and scored game winner in WJC final. He has shown that he is big time player. Hughes still have to show us that he can bring his best when stakes are highest. It is just hard to accept that USA did not win any junior tournament with Jack Hughes. And it also tells something about him.

 

[SK94]

Since the tournament started, USAH has only gone without a gold medal for a 3 year stretch one time and that was 1999-2001, which were the first 3 IIHF U18 tournaments and a time when the NTDP wasn't exactly a juggernaut.

Pretty crazy to think they'll likely repeat that feat next year barring what would be a miracle gold by their '02 team. It may be time for the NTDP to rethink some things around their current coaching staffs and their strategy for this tournament.

Yeah. 02 age group and Seth Appert behind the bench. I like Wrobo but i think it is time to give somebody else 2003 group. You just have to bring gold with group like this.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I did not say that. But Kakko bring gold in U18 tournament last year and scored game winner in WJC final. He has shown that he is big time player. Hughes still have to show us that he can bring his best when stakes are highest. It is just hard to accept that USA did not win any junior tournament with Jack Hughes. And it also tells something about him.

It doesn’t tell me anything about him. It’s a team game.

 

[SK94]

It doesn’t tell me anything about him. It’s a team game.

Team game but biggest players have to carry their teams sometimes. Specially in big games and specially in junior tournaments where stars have normally even bigger impact.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Team game but biggest players have to carry their teams sometimes. Specially in big games and specially in junior tournaments where stars have normally even bigger impact.

This kind of thinking is how they lost. You can’t depend on one or two players to do all the heavy lifting and expect to win.

No one outside of their goalie played exceptional for Russia today. No real stand out performances. But they had a plan and played a perfect team game.

 

[Dodospice]

Since the tournament started, USAH has only gone without a gold medal for a 3 year stretch one time and that was 1999-2001, which were the first 3 IIHF U18 tournaments and a time when the NTDP wasn't exactly a juggernaut.

Pretty crazy to think they'll likely repeat that feat next year barring what would be a miracle gold by their '02 team. It may be time for the NTDP to rethink some things around their current coaching staffs and their strategy for this tournament.

I think problem #1 is that they left better players at home on the sideline to bring their NTDP players. Which is fine, loyalty is a great thing to have but if the ultimate goal is to win gold then you can’t be leaving CHL players at home.

 

[William H Bonney]

I did not say that. But Kakko bring gold in U18 tournament last year and scored game winner in WJC final. He has shown that he is big time player. Hughes still have to show us that he can bring his best when stakes are highest. It is just hard to accept that USA did not win any junior tournament with Jack Hughes. And it also tells something about him.

Oh gosh, please don't turn this into another Hughes vs Kakko debate. That's tired. They're both great players. It's a team game and it means very little in the grand scheme of things on whether they're "big time" players. Maybe Team Finland just puts together better hockey teams?

There's a long, long list of elite NHL players that didn't win anything at the junior level. Patrick Kane is probably the most "big time" player in the NHL and while he won U18 gold, he didn't even medal at the U17s and has a bronze from the U20. Kucherov didn't win gold in any junior tournaments, did he turn out ok? And on and on and on.

 

[William H Bonney]

Team game but biggest players have to carry their teams sometimes. Specially in big games and specially in junior tournaments where stars have normally even bigger impact.

You're stretching. Kakko didn't carry his team in either game where he's won gold. He scored a huge goal, one he'll remember for the rest of his life, but hockey is a team game and a game of inches. Kakko banging home a rebound is not carrying his team. It didn't change his trajectory in any way just as it wouldn't have changed Hughes's trajectory if either of his two crossbars in today's overtime were a few centimeters lower. It's how sports go.

 

[Emperoreddy]

The only thing that was determined is USA played a lousy game.

No one’s draft stock was hurt by this one game. The tournament as a whole lifted the stock of a few guys though. Hughes can’t go any higher, but Caufield’s stock has gone up.

 

[William H Bonney]

We'll learn a lot more about the character of this team and its players by whether they show up tomorrow than we would have by them doing what everyone expected them to do in this tournament. I hope they take advantage of the opportunity.

 

[SK94]

You're stretching. Kakko didn't carry his team in either game where he's won gold. He scored a huge goal, one he'll remember for the rest of his life, but hockey is a team game and a game of inches. Kakko banging home a rebound is not carrying his team. It didn't change his trajectory in any way just as it wouldn't have changed Hughes's trajectory if either of his two crossbars in today's overtime were a few centimeters lower. It's how sports go.

You are right. Maybe my point was that it is disappointing that Hughes couldn't bring his best in two finals and one semi final he played in junior tournaments. I didin't say he can't be great NHLer. Fact is that he should have been much better today. Of course i ihope Hughes is number one overall because he is American but i start to think Kakko should be number one. Hughes has been really quiet in every semi-final and final. (Expect U17 WHC) You just want more from best players in big games. USA hockey just should do better. It has been just so frustrating since 2017 WJC gold. Character was huge factor when they won gold. I haven't seen it since then. European coaches has just done many times much better job. Coach failed and team need more character than this team had.

 

[Star Ocean]

Edit

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Russia’s game plan stymied the US offense all game 5v5.

Very true that a team can’t rely on one line. Doesn’t cut it.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Russia’s game plan stymied the US offense all game 5v5.

Very true that a team can’t rely on one line. Doesn’t cut it.

USA needed someone else to step up in a game like that.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

A shootout is a stupid way to end medal round games, but this team should have never let it get to the shootout in the first place. They didn't show up to play with any urgency and it cost them dearly. It's a good lesson to learn for young hockey players.

Yup... too many fair weather games going in as well. Its a challenge to maintain that intensity as kids when they are walking everybody. They had no business losing this game.

 

[JiggsNY]

Yeah wouldn’t mind if the coaching got looked at. Both teams have been coming up short a few times in the last couple years. And for sure I would much rather see more NTDP guys get cut for better talent outside of Plymouth instead of just 1 or 2. I want the best U18 Americans out there anywhere, playing.

 

[Svedu]

Hughes is a better match for Jersey and i would pick him if i was the GM. With that said, it´s not given he will become better than Kakko. He is spectacular but he has not won U-18, even though he had two chances and played with the best roster and teammates. He didn´t manage to win U-20´s either. Kakko on the other hand has played two tournaments and won gold in both. He scored the game winning goal as well, against two year older players in a strong US team. Coincidence? Could be, but it should be a interesting factor to scouts.
Many North Americans seems to think that Hughes is the better player regardless the team, and that feels a bit ignorant and biased.
For example, if it was Winnipeg and Kakko doesn't become a center, then Hughes would surely be the better fit. Scheifele is good but Little is utter sh*t. With a better playmaking center Ehlers and Laine would probably become better than the Wheeler-Connor line.
But for one third of the teams like Flyers, Canes, Panthers, Penguins etc i would pick Kakko before Hughes. Barkov is better than Hughes and with Kakko and Huberdeau or Heponiemi they would build a lethal line, just like Rantanen-Mackinnon.
My point is: Sometimes, some years, it´s a bit more complex. Just like Hischier and Nolan was and just like Matthews vs Laine was not. Matthews pretty much has the most strengths Laine has, perhaps not the lethal goalscoring but his weaknesses are none compared to Laines. Kakko and Hughes are so different. Kakko gives you strength, that skilled player with strength like Rantanen and the old Jagr or even Forsberg, a player who can create chances despite being in a corner with a defender on them.
And... You know what? Those strengths are really unique and important in playoffs. When the games include high intensity, much tighter defending and few gaps.

Good night hockey fans.

 

[Whalers Fan]

A very disappointing ending for such a storied team. Kudos to Russia for playing a great game against us. They had a great game plan, and executed it perfectly as a team.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I hope this team shows up for the bronze game. Really disappointing to miss out on Gold, but the most talented team doesn't always win in these tournaments. They picked a really bad time to have an off day. I hope we throttle Canada in the Bronze game, tough but there is always something to play for when those two meet up and you might as well go home with some kind of medal.

Jack Hughes won't be a part of it, but I hope a bunch of these guys can bring home the World Juniors for us next year or the year after, important lesson learned again in terms of the finality of these tournaments. You have to stay at your absolute best or keeping getting better each game.