Geez I totally failed I was thinking he was a forward
Looks impressive in the NCAA so far but it's a deep pool for defense this year.
I gotta tell ya, as a UMaine fan I'll hope he tears this tournament up and signs with Florida
WJC: 2018 Team USA Roster Talk
- Thread starter Morry83
- Start date
Geez I totally failed I was thinking he was a forward
Looks impressive in the NCAA so far but it's a deep pool for defense this year.
I gotta tell ya, as a UMaine fan I'll hope he tears this tournament up and signs with Florida
Jaykay
Registered User
If you're looking for an undrafted dark horse on the blue line in the mold of Jack Ahcan last year, could be Scott Perunovich.
Time to update.
Woll, Oettinger and St.Cyr are still goalies for me. Its hard to predict next year goalies. You have to be even worried that can somebody step up. St. Cyr, Petruzelli and Primeau has been pretty average so far this season so is there somebody under radar?
I have to say Gildon is so good in PP atm, that he should be in this team. Any idea why Greenway hasn't played any games this season? Injuries? Really wanted him to be in this team but looks that he is not.
Lindgren-Fox
Krys-Peeke,
Gildon-Martin
Samberg/Hughes
Solid defense. I think Gildon is better option than Hughes and Samberg can bring size.
Yamamoto-Brown-Anderson
Bellows-Harper-Lockwood
Mittelstadt-Poehling-Tufte
Jones-Frederic-Gettinger
Rymsha/Norris/Mismash/Tkachuk/Wahlstrom
I don't believe Yamamoto stick with Oilers. I really like how this team looks and for sure only another gold is good enough.
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Mittelstadt-Brown-Yamamoto
Bellows-Frederic-Anderson
Tkachuk-Poehling-Harper
Jones-Norris-Lockwood
Tufte
If Yamamoto isn't made available by Edmonton, I'd go with one of Wahlstrom, Badini, Mismash or Gettinger
Lindgren-Fox
Hughes-Martin
Krys-Peeke
Gildon
Oettinger
Woll
Petruzelli
Bellows-Frederic-Anderson
Tkachuk-Poehling-Harper
Jones-Norris-Lockwood
Tufte
If Yamamoto isn't made available by Edmonton, I'd go with one of Wahlstrom, Badini, Mismash or Gettinger
Lindgren-Fox
Hughes-Martin
Krys-Peeke
Gildon
Oettinger
Woll
Petruzelli
joshyhockey26
Registered User
Benttheknee
Registered User
It has been noted that Drake Batherson (good sized scoring center) has USA eligibility as well as Canada. He is ripping up the QMJHL as a 19 year old. He had a late growth spurt which explains why he went under the radar.
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=195192
edit: I appear to be wrong, he is not eligible apparently under some rules.
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=195192
edit: I appear to be wrong, he is not eligible apparently under some rules.
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clevelandcane
Registered User
Love reading these threads. Great information!
For my money, Mittlestadt is definitely top 6, probably top 3. Kid just creates points everywhere he goes. He was impressive in Plymouth and sold me on his game.
For my money, Mittlestadt is definitely top 6, probably top 3. Kid just creates points everywhere he goes. He was impressive in Plymouth and sold me on his game.
Jaykay
Registered User
I don't think he has a chance, but Gildon's teammate Benton Maass is making a strong case also.
Maass' rise has been incredible - just over a year ago he was a lightly recruited HS defenseman with few offers and only a handful of NAHL games. Since then he's been drafted and is one of the top performing FR in all of NCAA hockey on a 6-1-1 club...
He and Gildon have transformed a UNH team that offered very little the last few years outside of Kelleher and Poturalski. They've been outstanding retrieving pucks, lugging them up ice and creating offense. UNH would still be a mess without those two...
I would agree he's a long shot and while he's adjusted incredibly well with the big step from HS to college the jump to the international level might be too much at this point. At some point there has to be a learning curve. Gildon has played at the pinnacle of his age group and has shown he can handle it. It would be a notable first experience for Maass to do so at a WJC...
The current supporting cast at UNH is not nearly as talented and the opportunities available for FR are much more abundant at present - but both Gildon and Maass have been much more impactful at 18 than either Blake Kessel or Brett Pesce were (the last two UNH defensemen to make/compete for spots on the U20 roster)...
He and Gildon have transformed a UNH team that offered very little the last few years outside of Kelleher and Poturalski. They've been outstanding retrieving pucks, lugging them up ice and creating offense. UNH would still be a mess without those two...
I would agree he's a long shot and while he's adjusted incredibly well with the big step from HS to college the jump to the international level might be too much at this point. At some point there has to be a learning curve. Gildon has played at the pinnacle of his age group and has shown he can handle it. It would be a notable first experience for Maass to do so at a WJC...
The current supporting cast at UNH is not nearly as talented and the opportunities available for FR are much more abundant at present - but both Gildon and Maass have been much more impactful at 18 than either Blake Kessel or Brett Pesce were (the last two UNH defensemen to make/compete for spots on the U20 roster)...
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Geez I totally failed I was thinking he was a forward
Looks impressive in the NCAA so far but it's a deep pool for defense this year.
I gotta tell ya, as a UMaine fan I'll hope he tears this tournament up and signs with Florida
I mean it's two years in Durham - at best - for Gildon. Three for Maass. It's too bad, because what I would give for a UNH/Maine rivalry circa 1999...
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Jaykay
Registered User
Too young, there's no way they'd take him over a kid who's tearing up U18 team like Wahlstrom. I could see him making a strong case next year though.
As far as goalies are concerned - Woll and Oettinger are certain to make the team and USAH has always enjoyed bringing a younger goalie along for the experience. However, duel citizen Colton Point was mentioned on the Team Canada thread and the response was he might prefer to represent the US. I'm not sure if this is correct, as he did play for Canada East in the WJAC. Does anyone know his preference?
If interested - he'd be an excellent addition. He has been terrific at Colgate this season posting a 4-0-4 record with a 1.08 GAA and a .965 SPCT. In two games without him (injury) Colgate goalies are 0-2-0 with a 4.54 GAA and an .859 SPCT.
But that would mean three 19 year old goalies - and he wouldn't be likely to get the nod ahead of either of the other two. Assuming he's even interested in playing for the US...??
If interested - he'd be an excellent addition. He has been terrific at Colgate this season posting a 4-0-4 record with a 1.08 GAA and a .965 SPCT. In two games without him (injury) Colgate goalies are 0-2-0 with a 4.54 GAA and an .859 SPCT.
But that would mean three 19 year old goalies - and he wouldn't be likely to get the nod ahead of either of the other two. Assuming he's even interested in playing for the US...??
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Yeah not this year for Hughes. Should be a lock for next years though. And I do think USA should look to the U18 team, theres some great players on that team and I think some would be improvements over some of the guys just making the cut. Wahlstom Farabee Wilde etc.
Jaykay
Registered User
I don’t get as many viewings of all the US players as I like and there’s a lot of guys to consider, some of which I’d like to place on the team but either they haven’t played well enough or haven’t played at all... I’ll be keeping my eye on them moving forward and seeing if they get an invite to the selection camp. With that said this is the team I’d send to the WJC this year, at this point in time.
Mittelstadt- Brown- Yamamoto
Bellows- Poehling- Anderson
Tkachuk- Frederic- Lockwood
Harper- Norris- Wahlstrom
Tufte
Lindgren- Fox
Gildon- Martin
Hughes- Peeke
Krys
Oettinger
Woll
St. Cyr
Mittelstadt- Brown- Yamamoto
Bellows- Poehling- Anderson
Tkachuk- Frederic- Lockwood
Harper- Norris- Wahlstrom
Tufte
Lindgren- Fox
Gildon- Martin
Hughes- Peeke
Krys
Oettinger
Woll
St. Cyr
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
William H Bonney
Registered User
Or folks are being realistic. They're probably considering the fact that USAH hasn't taken a 16 year old to the World Juniors in the past 32 years (since Brian Leetch in 1985) and have only taken 3 ever (Leetch, Donatelli, Sebek) more so than they "have not watched Hughes".
It's a bit silly to suggest the small, yet rabid, collective of USAH fans here either haven't watched Hughes or don't know how good he's been this year. He's scoring at 2.25 ppg clip, which if he were to keep up for the season, would demolish the NTDP record books.
It would be really cool to see a 16 year-old make Team USA again, and with Jack's start, it's easy to argue he’s making the best case to be that player. But let's not go overboard with the critique of folks that don't think he'll be there come tournament time.
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Amen.
On the other hand I'm pumped about the possibility of Brown-Yamamoto playing together!!
Yeah Eichel and Matthews might have gone 2 years before their draft, but they were older, they were 17 year olds playing on the U18 team. they were 7-8 months older than Hughes. I wouldn't be against it if he continues his pace, it just seems a little unprecedented.
TheGoldenJet
Registered User
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Really like his game, but if an underage player is to make it, I think it should be Hughes. I think next year he'll be a lock though.
Rob
Registered User
With the addition of Yamamoto the US should be clear cut favorites. The real question is who is #2.
