World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team North America (Part II)

[garnetpalmetto]

Discussion is continued from Part I.

Position | Player | Current Team | Nationality
F|Sean Couturier|Philadelphia Flyers|

F|Jonathan Drouin|Tampa Bay Lightning|

F|Jack Eichel|Buffalo Sabres|

F|Johnny Gaudreau|Calgary Flames|

F|Dylan Larkin|Detroit Red Wings|

F|Auston Matthews|ZSC Lions|

F|Nathan MacKinnon|Colorado Avalanche|

F|Connor McDavid|Edmonton Oilers|

F|J.T. Miller|New York Rangers|

F|Sean Monahan|Calgary Flames|

F|Ryan Nugent-Hopkins|Edmonton Oilers|

F|Brandon Saad|Columbus Blue Jackets|

F|Mark Scheifele|Winnipeg Jets|

D|Aaron Ekblad|Florida Panthers|

D|Shayne Gostisbehere|Philadelphia Flyers|

D|Seth Jones|Columbus Blue Jackets|

D|Ryan Murray|Columbus Blue Jackets|

D|Colton Parayko|St. Louis Blues|

D|Morgan Rielly|Toronto Maple Leafs|

D|Jacob Trouba|Winnipeg Jets|

G|John Gibson|Anaheim Ducks|

G|Connor Hellebuyck|Winnipeg Jets|

G|Matt Murray|Pittsburgh Penguins|

Click to read more...

 

[oobga]

This will be my team to cheer for. Not interested in fake McDavid-less team Canada

 

[LeafsNation149]

I can see this team winning it

 

[MardyBum]

Definitely cheering for this team.

Looks like it will be a pretty legit squad.

Could the OP be updated with the roster?

 

[KidLine93]

This may be the only time I cheer for Gaudreau and Monahan. I also want Gaudreau to play on McDavids wing. That line could get creative.

Which centers are most likely to be converted to wing?

 

[slobbergob]

Would love to see Mackinnon and Drouin reunited on a line, especially if you throw someone who can shoot the puck like Saad on there too.

 

[MardyBum]

Looking at the roster, i'm almost 100% certain Couts and Scheif are going to be on a shutdown line together. Couturier has already shown he can be a shutdown F and Scheif just came off a great performance at the WHC where he was part of one.

Any thoughts on a potential third forward for that line? JT Miller? RNH? Saad?

 

[Canuckistani]

The real question is whether these guys will give 100% in an "international" tournament in which they're playing for absolutely nothing.

 

[Insulin]

First shot at a lineup

Drouin-McDavid-MacKinnon
Gaudreau-Monahan-Eichel
Saad-Couturier-Scheifele
Larkin-Nugent Hopkins-Miller
Matthews

Reilly-Ekblad
Murray-Jones
Gostisbehere-Parayko
Trouba

Murray
Gibson
Hellebuyck

Edit: For some reason I was thinking Ekblad was a LHS; if they stick with lefty-righty pairings I agree that Trouba probably becomes the #7. I think the duo of McDavid and MacKinnon can literally skate circles around anybody in this tournament; if playoff Drouin shows up in the fall watch out. Second line is self explanatory. Third line is the obvious shut down line. Couturier is one of the best defensive players in the league and if this team actually wants to upset anybody late in the tournament I guarantee he will be a huge part of it. Don't know how management and coaching will use Matthews, feel like it's safest to just have him as the 13th forward at this point. Murray has done more than enough to be the number one goalie going into this.

 

[spacemunky]

This may be the only time I cheer for Gaudreau and Monahan. I also want Gaudreau to play on McDavids wing. That line could get creative.

Which centers are most likely to be converted to wing?

I think the only locks for C are McDavid, Monahan, RNH and Couturier.

edit-and Insulin just proved me right!

 

[snizzbone*]

I think the only locks for C are McDavid, Monahan, RNH and Couturier.

I'm pretty confident in saying Matthews will be one of the centers on the team.

 

[bert]

First shot at a lineup

Drouin-McDavid-MacKinnon
Gaudreau-Monahan-Eichel
Saad-Couturier-Scheifele
Larkin-Nugent Hopkins-Miller
Matthews

Ekblad-Jones
Reilly-Trouba
Gostisbehere-Parayko
Murray

Murray
Gibson
Hellebuyck

They are gonna pump some teams that lineup is the fastest in the tourny by far. Good lineup projections too those lines are great. Love me that third pair they could be number 1 by the end of it. That first line is stupid fast and talented.

I think Trouba is number 7 though.

Murray Jones
Rielly Ekblad
Ghost Parayko

 

[KidLine93]

I think the only locks for C are McDavid, Monahan, RNH and Couturier.

edit-and Insulin just proved me right!

I'm guessing they will have Gaudreau with Monahan then. Maybe they will get PP time together.

Ghost on the PP is a big asset as well. That D-core turned out great. And for the most part they are some pretty big guys.

 

[Guardian17]

This will be the team I'll be cheering for after Canada.

 

[Metal God]

I'm pretty confident in saying Matthews will be one of the centers on the team.

I have to agree. The kid is awesome.

 

[DJJones]

I'm pretty confident in saying Matthews will be one of the centers on the team.

Think he'll be lucky to get off the fourth line. Hell of a way to start his career

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I like this team. That said, I hate this format which allows this team to be a team.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

The only players on this roster that had more goals in a season than Galchenyuk or Jenner are Monahan and Saad (both 31 goals)

Yet Galchenyuk and Jenner aren't in the roster

 

[Leafidelity]

What a great roster. Its also pretty neat to see how the pros rank the young stars of the NHL.

 

[Divine]

The only players on this roster that had more goals in a season than Galchenyuk or Jenner are Monahan and Saad (both 31 goals)

Yet Galchenyuk and Jenner aren't in the roster

It's not all about goals. Galchenyuk has one season with over 20 goals and 50 points, and suddenly he's a lock for this team...(according to some people).

The only players on that list that you could argue for over Galchenyuk are Couturier & Miller, and they both bring a style of physical play that Galchenyuk doesn't. So I don't see the issue here...

 

[snizzbone*]

Here are my projected lines:

Gaudreau - McDavid - Schfeiele
Drouin - Eichel - MacKinnon (this was almost a line in Halifax)
Saad - Monahan - Larkin
Couturier - Matthews - Miller/RNH
RNH/Miller

Rielly - Ekblad
Murray - Jones
Gostisbehere - Parayko
Trouba

Murray
Gibson
Hellebuyck

 

[snizzbone*]

Here are my projected lines:

Gaudreau - McDavid - Schfeiele
Drouin - Eichel - MacKinnon (this was almost a line in Halifax)
Saad - Monahan - Larkin
Couturier - Matthews - Miller/RNH
RNH/Miller

Rielly - Ekblad
Murray - Jones
Gostisbehere - Parayko
Trouba

Murray
Gibson
Hellebuyck

EDIT:

Think Eichel will be playing RW now that I think about it more. Lack of right handed guys.

Gaudreau - McDavid - Schfeiele
Drouin - Matthews - MacKinnon (this was almost a line in Halifax)
Saad - Monahan - Eichel
Couturier - RNH - Larkin
Miller

 

[22FUTON9]

I'm so excited for Mackinnon and Drouin being reunited.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

It's not all about goals. Galchenyuk has one season with over 20 goals and 50 points, and suddenly he's a lock for this team...(according to some people).

The only players on that list that you could argue for over Galchenyuk are Couturier & Miller, and they both bring a style of physical play that Galchenyuk doesn't. So I don't see the issue here...

You're saying that Galchenyuk only had 1 season where he scored more than 20 goals and 50 points, yet the only ones on the roster who had more than 1 season with 20+ goals and 50+ points are Saad, Monahan, Mackinnon and Gaudreau. Only 4 out of the 13 forwards did that.

Also since you're talking about small sample size (Galchenyuk only has 1 season of 20+ goals, 50+ pts), well 5 players among the forwards either played only 1 season or less, and Galchenyuk outproduced them all.

The only ones that are equal or better than Galchenyuk right now are Mackinnon, Hopkins, Scheifele, Saad, Gaudreau, Monahan, and McDavid.

That leaves 6 spots
As good as Eichel is, Galchenyuk did better than him last season. Same goes for Larkin and Jenner.

Then you have Miller, who definitely shouldn't have been in this roster (there are 5+ more players that weren't named, that most people would take over him). Same goes for Couturier

Drouin, who a few months ago was barely in the nhl, and only had a good 17 games (playoffs). His highest goal total in a season or playoffs is 5, and his highest point total is 32.

And finally you have Matthews who did not even play a single professional game, but gets taken (LOL).

I would definitely take Galchenyuk over these last 6 players. And also Galchenyuk is versatile, he can play left wing, center, or even right wing (He played most of his games in the nhl on the left, he is a natural center and plays best there, and he scored most of his goals on the right).

 

[haulinbass]

Wow this team is awesome. Might be more excited and rooting harder for these guys than team USA.