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Olympics: You're the GM for Team USA 2018. Who gets an invite back?

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91Stammer said:
I agree. I saw a lot of Parise, Kane out there but less Kessel, JVR. You give your successful players more mins than caring about players like Kane and Parise. They didn't deserve the mins ahead of Kessel, Pavelski, JVR. Also ******* Backes was playing in front of goalie when JVR has the best intangibles, hands, skills, size, strength at that position.

Suck it Bylsma you are the worst coach team USA ever had. You made this team worst.
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There shouldn't be any choice in playing time to be made between Kane, JVR, and Pavelski. They all play different positions. Kane should have been playing with Backes or Pavelski as his center, with Kessel or JVR on his wing. Parise and Kesler were pretty much useless in this tournament.

To be honest, I saw way too much Kesler, Parise, and Pacioretty for my liking in the last two games. Especially for how they were playing. Unfortunately, the only guy playing worth a damn on the left side was JVR. Which is why we saw Kane being moved to the left side quite a bit.
 
I'll tell you who shouldn't be there

Brown
Parise
Callahan
Orpik
Martin

Faulk

First set of guys will be what 34 35 years old next olympics?
 
No one has to worry about Bylsma returning because in 2018 he will probably be coaching in Hungary.:D
 
Pez68 said:
I don't know, but I tell you who DOESN'T come. Brown, Orpik, Stepan, Martin, Pacioretty. Along with Bylsma, Burke, and Poile.

You're playing on olympic sized ice, and your game plan is to grind out victories? Yeah, good idea. It was obvious the US didn't bring enough speed or creativity. Their system was pure garbage too. Breaking out of your zone typically requires at least one forward being IN your zone once you get possession. Instead, they get the puck, and everyone flies the zone. They need defense that can move the puck too. A Johnson or two, or Yandle, or maybe even a Leddy would have been a welcome change to that defense that just couldn't move the puck out of their zone or make a nice clean pass to the forwards.
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nwaZ said:
Unbelievable that an internet poster understand these things but not Bylsma. Good post!:handclap:

Like I said in the thread about Bylsma, Lavy would've suit the bigger ice better with his system. But then again, I think the US lacked skill anyway upfront.
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I CONCUR WITH THIS POST!!
I love Brown as a Kings fan and I know this was a bad year for him physically. But his style doesn't seem to fit the Olympics/IIHF style of play anymore. His style is purely North American NHL. And by the 2018 games his body may be done. Now Pacioretty & Orpik I believe could still serve us as limited ice time 3rd 4th line or 3rd pairing defensive players who can take the body.

Bylsma.. YES OUT!
 
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Pez68 said:
There shouldn't be any choice in playing time to be made between Kane, JVR, and Pavelski. They all play different positions. Kane should have been playing with Backes or Pavelski as his center, with Kessel or JVR on his wing. Parise and Kesler were pretty much useless in this tournament.

To be honest, I saw way too much Kesler, Parise, and Pacioretty for my liking in the last two games. Especially for how they were playing. Unfortunately, the only guy playing worth a damn on the left side was JVR. Which is why we saw Kane being moved to the left side quite a bit.
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I think Kesler was still putting his heart and was trying to do something. Seriously though I didn't like what I saw from the coach. Kessel, Pavelski, JVR should have given more minutes when you are lacking scoring and you don't have any big names lighting it up. Very disappointed.

I remember though when Crosby refused to take a time out in the PP against Leafs and ignored Bylsma like he was a POS. I was like wow Crosby sure had some guts there, but they did score and now I see why he did that. Realistically he is not suited for top notch coaching. If it would not been Crosby and Malkin on Pens he wouldn't have any success at all with that team.
 
ESPN Insider article was posted by Craig Custance addressing this. I won't post the whole thing since it's behind a paywall (he went into detail about each guy), but this was his 2018 roster:

Forwards: Backes* (33), Eichel (21), Galchenyuk (24), Kane* (29), Kesler* (33), Kessel* (30), Kreider (26), Oshie* (31), Parise* (33), Pavelski* (33), Ryan (30), Saad (25), Stepan* (27), van Riemsdyk* (28)

9 2014 returners, 5 new* (Counting Ryan?). 4 'veterans' (32+), 7 guys in their prime (26-31), 3 young guys (>=25)

Defense: Carlson* (28), Faulk* (25), Fowler* (26), Jones (23), McDonagh* (28), Suter* (33), Trouba (23), Yandle (31)

5 2014 returners, 3 new guys. 1 'veteran', 4 guys in their prime, 3 young guys

Goal: Gibson (24), Quick* (32), Schnieder (31)

That was just one person's opinion. Obviously... this doesn't account for the potential breakout no one sees. Not bad though I guess. Better coaching and decisionmakers would be nice and my top priority.
 
I can't believe folks want Kessel back. He is invisible in the big games and didn't score enough against Finland, Canada and US.
 
Leidi J said:
ESPN Insider article was posted by Craig Custance addressing this. I won't post the whole thing since it's behind a paywall (he went into detail about each guy), but this was his 2018 roster:

Forwards: Backes* (33), Eichel (21), Galchenyuk (24), Kane* (29), Kesler* (33), Kessel* (30), Kreider (26), Oshie* (31), Parise* (33), Pavelski* (33), Ryan (30), Saad (25), Stepan* (27), van Riemsdyk* (28)

9 2014 returners, 5 new* (Counting Ryan?). 4 'veterans' (32+), 7 guys in their prime (26-31), 3 young guys (>=25)

Defense: Carlson* (28), Faulk* (25), Fowler* (26), Jones (23), McDonagh* (28), Suter* (33), Trouba (23), Yandle (31)

5 2014 returners, 3 new guys. 1 'veteran', 4 guys in their prime, 3 young guys

Goal: Gibson (24), Quick* (32), Schnieder (31)

That was just one person's opinion. Obviously... this doesn't account for the potential breakout no one sees. Not bad though I guess. Better coaching and decisionmakers would be nice and my top priority.
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That forward group looks...kinda of old no? I'd say by that time some of the old guys will be left off to make room for some breakout young players. Plus USA really needs a true elite #1 center.
 
xxx - Kesler - Kane
JVR - Pavelski - Kessel
xxx - Backes - xxx
xxx - xxx - Oshie


McDonagh - xxx
Suter - xxx
xxx - xxx

Quick
Miller
xxx

Not giving anyone a guaranteed roster spot. I'd invite these guys to the orientation camp, but everyone else needs to earn their spot.
 
magic school bus said:
xxx - Kesler - Kane
JVR - Pavelski - Kessel
xxx - Backes - xxx
xxx - xxx - Oshie


McDonagh - xxx
Suter - xxx
xxx - xxx

Quick
Miller
xxx

Not giving anyone a guaranteed roster spot. I'd invite these guys to the orientation camp, but everyone else needs to earn their spot.
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I'd probably drop one of Kesler/Backes, maybe even both by that time...
 
It's too early to hand anyone a spot, but to echo the sentiments of many other posters, I know several people I wouldn't be inviting back.
 
Of players that were here this go around, I'd call these players "locks" in my opinion:

Quick
McDonagh
Suter
Fowler
Shattenkirk
Kane
Backes
Kessel
Pavelski
Oshie (depending on how the wing depth pans out)
Parise (in a less important role)
Kesler (depending on how he ages)

Guys that were too young this time, but will hopefully be ready in 4 years:

Jones
Trouba
Kreider
Galchenyuk

Obviously, others would have either come back or be replaced to fill out the roster.

I'd also ditch Bylsma as soon as possible. He's been standing on the shoulders of giants for a long time, and even then, he still can't coach a team as well as he needs to when the pressure is on and the competition is as stiff as possible. The question then becomes one of who should coach. I don't know. Not Bylsma and not Torts, that's for sure.
 
Wingerz said:
Orpik, Callahan, Stepan should not be allowed back. Martin will be past his prime. You don't need Callahan AND Brown, id rather just have Brown.
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Callahan outplayed Brown by a far margin and Callahan is the 1 you want to drop? lol
 
I see a lot of crap being thrown Kessel's way but I'd take him back in a second. On the other hand, I'd be fine if Kane stayed home. All you have to do is blow on him to knock him off the puck. He's got tons of skill but hogs the puck too much(then turns it over at the blue line), takes stupid penalties, plays no defense and has zero intensity to his game. I know the adage of the big ice is that it's better for skill and speed but Kane doesn't seem to fit as well with big ice as he does the NHL size rink.

With the ages of Kesler, Pavelski, Parise, Callahan, Suter and Backes, I doubt they'll be back in 4 years. Parise was surprisingly unimpressive and Pavelski fell off a bit after a strong start, but I think the other 4 did exactly what they were put on the team to do. I think Backes should have been captain, personally.

Wheeler and Stastny should have been replaced by Stepan and Ryan or even Okposo in this tournament.

For guys that should be of solid veteran age in 2018
Kessel
Kane (not my preference but will probably be there)
JVR
B. Ryan
Stepan
Okposo
Pacioretty
Oshie
McDonagh
Shattenkirk
Erik Johnson
Fowler
Faulk

Then you have to see the younger guys that develop in the next 4 years but I'd guess on a couple like Galchenyuck, Trouba, Jones, Kreider, Palmieri, Krug, EDIT* Saad (can't believe I forgot about him)
 
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Chicago Made Punk said:
Kessel, JVR, Parise, Kane, Kesler, Pacioretty, Pavelski, Stepan, Faulk, Fowler, Suter, McDonagh, Shattenkirk, Carlson Quick.

JVR-Galchenyuk-Kessel
Kreider-Eichel-Kane
Parise-Kesler-Pavelski
MaxPac-Stepan-Ryan
Saad-Bjugstad

McDonagh-Carlson
Jones-Trouba
Suter-Fowler
Yandle
Faulk

Quick
Bishop
Gibson
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Everything else is great!
 
number72 said:
I can't believe folks want Kessel back. He is invisible in the big games and didn't score enough against Finland, Canada and US.
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Yeah, damn him for not scoring against his own team. :sarcasm:

It's not Kessel's fault that he couldn't penetrate Canada's defensive systems all by himself. Give fault to the entire team for not showing up either.
 
number72 said:
I can't believe folks want Kessel back. He is invisible in the big games and didn't score enough against Finland, Canada and US.
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Is this a joke? Kessel was not invisible in the big games the entire team was...at least Kessel was still creating chances. Kessel is known for stepping up in big games.
 
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