Olympics: USA Roster Discussion (Roster in post 1)

[SanDogBrewin]

This team can skate and that’s about it. They can’t pass the puck, no one plays their assignments, and the turnovers are painfully predictable.

The legacy picks (Gionta, Wisniewski, Slater) don’t belong, they didn’t bring their best NCAA players, and the defense is awful. The Gilroy and Welch pairing is painful.

That’s an awful Slovenian team and they handed the game to them on a silver platter. Contrary to the opinions of Milbury, Albert, and Pierre, Team USA was never impressive but there’s zero excuses for ever losing to Slovenia. Even on Twitter, I don’t understand the folks that were so impressed by Team USA’s start. Yes, they cycled well and had the puck a lot, but that was a byproduct of their opposition.

I’d like to say USAH being embarrassed here will bring about change at USAH, but that’s an old boys club that will just dig in further.

Yep, not a thing will change. USA hockey will always have “Bobby Ryan” moments.

 

[Master P]

Just sucks even more when you think about what could have been had the NHL allowed players to compete. Would have been a fantastic tournament.

 

[Northerner]

They should have just stacked the roster with all our elite NCAA players - who have large ice experience and experience against each other.


Though it would be putting them up against all the elite (non-NHL) men from all over the world, but at least we could have seen some young players.


Furthermore, maybe they could have spent more time getting used to each other, since they would have been in college only??? I don't know, but I think Herb Brooks' had the team stay together for a while (or at least longer than this team) and got somewhat used to each other.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Just sucks even more when you think about what could have been had the NHL allowed players to compete. Would have been a fantastic tournament.

Sorry to bring this up, and I know this probably wont stop this from being posted again in this thread 5 more times, but...this is an injustice to the 20 men who just gave everything they had to their country for 60 minutes and 38 seconds.

Most of these players have taken non-traditional paths in foreign leagues to keep earning a paycheck and for the older guys...to get a chance to represent their country for the first time, and probably the last time.

From here on out, I hope the discussion in this thread is aimed about the GAMES! ... about how cool it is to see these guys play together, despite being castaways for a lot of strictly NHL fans. Not sure if anyone listens to Spittin Chiclets, but Ryan Whitney talks all the time about how skilled players in the minors/Europe are, sometimes it just doesn't work out for them in the NHL.

Lets continue to support them and especially our women, as they are freaking amazing, their World Championship overtime win vs Canada in 2017 was one of the best hockey games I've ever watched, right up there with Parise/Crosby in Vancouver 2010.

If the NHL guys are so distraught about missing the Olympics, I expect the ones who are available to show up in Denmark this May for the World Championship.

 

[Bonin21]

Sorry to bring this up, and I know this probably wont stop this from being posted again in this thread 5 more times, but...this is an injustice to the 20 men who just gave everything they had to their country for 60 minutes and 38 seconds.

Most of these players have taken non-traditional paths in foreign leagues to keep earning a paycheck and for the older guys...to get a chance to represent their country for the first time, and probably the last time.

Most of these guys have played either in a WC or at the WJC. It doesn't need to be a feel good story. They can be criticized.

 

[Northerner]

“We should have picked Ryan Malone, Mark Stuart, and Tom Gilbert. Maybe convinced Ryan Whitney to come out of retirement.” USAH’s reaction is probably along those lines.

Those would have been some good picks.



That said, maybe it was a wake up call for USA????



It's happened before, and at the end of the day all of these guys are talented.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Most of these guys have played either in a WC or at the WJC. It doesn't need to be a feel good story. They can be criticized.

Sure. Talk to me about the game. Not about how Auston Matthews is in Toronto right now.

 

[jj cale]

Sure. Talk to me about the game. Not about how Auston Matthews is in Toronto right now.

Yeah, doesn't seem to make much sense does it? They aren't here and aren't going to be here so why bother?

Having NHL players would not have garunteed the U.S or anyone else anything anyway.

Having NHL players would have meant the U.S would have a far greater team but it would also mean all the competing teams would have been far greater teams also. A medal let alone a gold would have been far from a foregone conclusion.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Yeah, doesn't seem to make much sense does it? They aren't here and aren't going to be here so why bother?

Having NHL players would not have garunteed the U.S or anyone else anything anyway.

Reminds me a lot of the "WHAT IF OUR BEST AMERICAN ATHLETES PLAYED SOCCER?" debate for USA soccer fans.

That being said, I'll add some discussion. Young guns looked fearless out there. I am curious to see where they end up playing time wise, especially Terry.

 

[Northerner]

The biggest issue is these guys haven't played with each other. They should have set aside their schedules and played a schedule as a team (like I said, isn't that how it used to be done, prior to NHL players?).


Let's see if Donato can put his coaching skills to work or not...

 

[jj cale]

Reminds me a lot of the "WHAT IF OUR BEST AMERICAN ATHLETES PLAYED SOCCER?" debate for USA soccer fans.

That being said, I'll add some discussion. Young guns looked fearless out there. I am curious to see where they end up playing time wise, especially Terry.

Yeah, the debate about what ifs is pointless at this juncture.

It is what is is and isnt going to change.

 

[Hanji]

They should have just stacked the roster with all our elite NCAA players - who have large ice experience and experience against each other.


Though it would be putting them up against all the elite (non-NHL) men from all over the world, but at least we could have seen some young players.


Furthermore, maybe they could have spent more time getting used to each other, since they would have been in college only??? I don't know, but I think Herb Brooks' had the team stay together for a while (or at least longer than this team) and got somewhat used to each other.

It's a misnomer to call Herb Brooks' 1980 team NCAA players. They were ex-NCAA players, professional level, average age 22.

Sure it would be great to see some young budding talent, but, top to bottom, an all-star NCAA team would be worse than the current roster, imo.
In terms of roster selection, our biggest problem is some fantastic talent playing in Europe was, for whatever reason, left off the roster. No players from the SHL? Crazy.

 

[Bonin21]

It's a misnomer to call Herb Brooks' 1980 team NCAA players. They were ex-NCAA players, professional level, average age 22.

Wrong. Many would have been seniors or younger that year. Probably half and half.

 

[Hanji]

Wrong. Many would have been seniors or younger that year. Probably half and half.

That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[Skip2myBordyloo]

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Why does it not make sense, 9 players on the team were aged 21 or younger.

 

[Hanji]

Why does it not make sense, 9 players on the team were aged 21 or younger.

So what? By that rationale Brock Boeser should still be considered an NCAA player.

Like every player who leaves college early to further his career, the 1980 guys did so to play in the Olympics. It was a 60 game schedule, much of it against professional competition (NHL included). And if I'm not mistaken, only Broten returned to college the following year. That team was a professional team in everything but name.

 

[Master P]

Sorry to bring this up, and I know this probably wont stop this from being posted again in this thread 5 more times, but...this is an injustice to the 20 men who just gave everything they had to their country for 60 minutes and 38 seconds.

Most of these players have taken non-traditional paths in foreign leagues to keep earning a paycheck and for the older guys...to get a chance to represent their country for the first time, and probably the last time.

From here on out, I hope the discussion in this thread is aimed about the GAMES! ... about how cool it is to see these guys play together, despite being castaways for a lot of strictly NHL fans. Not sure if anyone listens to Spittin Chiclets, but Ryan Whitney talks all the time about how skilled players in the minors/Europe are, sometimes it just doesn't work out for them in the NHL.

Lets continue to support them and especially our women, as they are freaking amazing, their World Championship overtime win vs Canada in 2017 was one of the best hockey games I've ever watched, right up there with Parise/Crosby in Vancouver 2010.

If the NHL guys are so distraught about missing the Olympics, I expect the ones who are available to show up in Denmark this May for the World Championship.

Spare me, i'm not in anyway demeaning the players on the team. I'm just saying it would have been nice to see the nhl allow players to go. I would have loved to see players like matthews, gaudreau, and boeser play together.

 

[Skip2myBordyloo]

So what? By that rationale Brock Boeser should still be considered an NCAA player.

Like every player who leaves college early to further his career, the 1980 guys did so to play in the Olympics. It was a 60 game schedule, much of it against professional competition (NHL included). And if I'm not mistaken, only Broten returned to college the following year. That team was a professional team in everything but name.

Many of these players also did not carve out NHL careers, Not Careers that Boeser is going to carve out with the exception of Broten, who like you said went back to college.

So no we can't use that rational.

You may have an argument for a guys like Dave Christian and Mike Ramsey, knowing whether they would have played professional that year or not is a total crapshoot.

 

[a79krgm]

Why does it appear that Jordan Greenway's helmet is two sizes too small? ... As he wears it now only his hairline is well protected by his visor.

 

[AmericanDream]

“We should have picked Ryan Malone, Mark Stuart, and Tom Gilbert. Maybe convinced Ryan Whitney to come out of retirement.” USAH’s reaction is probably along those lines.

paging R.J Umberger!!!!!

 

[Machinehead]

I watched like half of the game and it was pretty much this

 

[McDonald19]

Blast from the past.

Noah Welch
2001 2nd round pick
35 years old

 

[Rebels57]

So much talent left on the table in favor of scrub has-beens and never-was types.

 

[Chileiceman]

Ryan Lasch has been one of the best players in Europe for years, and yet he's left off the team. That's just inexcusable.

 

[Ban Hammered]

Ryan Lasch has been one of the best players in Europe for years, and yet he's left off the team. That's just inexcusable.

Lasch was on the Deutschland Cup team and did nothing. That was basically his audition and he didn't perform. May not be entirely "right" but i can see why he was left off.