Post-Game Talk: 2018 Winter Olympics - PyeongChang, South Korea February 9-25

[CharaBadSenyshynGawd]

If you’re playing to win you need veterans like Butler and Gionta in there.

I hope Gio and Kelly can parlay their performances, if Kelly makes the team, into an nhl contract. Really wish Iginla could have suited up for this.

 

[Bruinaura]

I like watching the women play, but wouldn’t call my self super knowledgeable about the team. That being said, Carpenter and Bozek are practically household names.

Should I be surprised that people calling themselves hockey fans are on Twitter saying they don’t know who Brian Gionta is?

I don't follow women's hockey at all, although I do recognize several names.

Here is Bozek's response on Twitter, on not making the team

 

[Fenway]

Marlboro's Bobby Butler Shares Team USA Hockey News With Dad

 

[LSCII]

That Team USA roster is atrocious. Just absolute trash.

 

[Alicat]

That Team USA roster is atrocious. Just absolute trash.

How about waiting until they play an actual game before crapping all over them.

Did you think the 1980 team was trash?

Good grief

 

[LSCII]

How about waiting until they play an actual game before crapping all over them.

Did you think the 1980 team was trash?

Good grief

No, the 80's team was a collection of college kids playing over their heads against what was ostensibly a professional team from Russia. This is a collection of cast offs, has beens, and misfits, with a couple of college kids thrown in for whatever reason. For example, Chris Bourque hasn't been a relevant player in years, and even when he was, it was at the AHL level. Simply not someone that you typically see get the honor of playing for their country in the Olympics. I'd have preferred they went all college kids again. That would have at least been interesting and exciting to watch. Instead we get washed up stiffs like Brian Gionta though, which is super interesting...

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

No, the 80's team was a collection of college kids playing over their heads against what was ostensibly a professional team from Russia. This is a collection of cast offs, has beens, and misfits, with a couple of college kids thrown in for whatever reason. For example, Chris Bourque hasn't been a relevant player in years, and even when he was, it was at the AHL level. Simply not someone that you typically see get the honor of playing for their country in the Olympics. I'd have preferred they went all college kids again. That would have at least been interesting and exciting to watch. Instead we get washed up stiffs like Brian Gionta though, which is super interesting...

why? NHL isn't IN Korea, AND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME the AHL/ECHL got recognized as a true league, world-wide, not just in NA?

 

[GloryDaze4877]

No, the 80's team was a collection of college kids playing over their heads against what was ostensibly a professional team from Russia. This is a collection of cast offs, has beens, and misfits, with a couple of college kids thrown in for whatever reason. For example, Chris Bourque hasn't been a relevant player in years, and even when he was, it was at the AHL level. Simply not someone that you typically see get the honor of playing for their country in the Olympics. I'd have preferred they went all college kids again. That would have at least been interesting and exciting to watch. Instead we get washed up stiffs like Brian Gionta though, which is super interesting...

Gionta had 15g/20a last year on a bad BUF team. Don’t think he’s as washed up as you are making him out to be? He may not be the sexy pick, but he’s better than the majority of the college players that would be going.

 

[LSCII]

Gionta had 15g/20a last year on a bad BUF team. Don’t think he’s as washed up as you are making him out to be? He may not be the sexy pick, but he’s better than the majority of the college players that would be going.

And yet Buffalo declined to bring him back and nobody else in the league signed him. You can disagree if you want, but to me, seeing a bunch of has beens and washouts isn't as interesting as if they'd gone the college route again. That would at least be players that are still growing. We all know what Chris Bourque is and quite honestly, it's not up to snuff for a national team.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

And yet Buffalo declined to bring him back and nobody else in the league signed him. You can disagree if you want, but to me, seeing a bunch of has beens and washouts isn't as interesting as if they'd gone the college route again. That would at least be players that are still growing. We all know what Chris Bourque is and quite honestly, it's not up to snuff for a national team.

then no Olympics for you I take it..... GUESS Donato's not enough to keep ya interest

 

[McGarnagle]

I'll still watch and be entertained, but objectively speaking the quality of play is going to be complete dogpoo compared to the past 5 Olympiads.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

And yet Buffalo declined to bring him back and nobody else in the league signed him. You can disagree if you want, but to me, seeing a bunch of has beens and washouts isn't as interesting as if they'd gone the college route again. That would at least be players that are still growing. We all know what Chris Bourque is and quite honestly, it's not up to snuff for a national team.

BUF sucks so I’m not surprised that they would prefer a younger/cheaper player to bringing Gionta back.

I’m not disagreeing about everyone on the roster and was just addressing your Gionta comments.

 

[Alicat]

Chris Kelly makes Team Canada.

Canada’s 2018 Men's Olympic Hockey Team

 

[LSCII]

Good for Kelly, it's got to be a real honor for him. That being said though, it's further proof that this Olympic hockey tournament is going to be hot garbage.

 

[HockeyMomx2]

Alex Carpenter and Megan Bozek cut from the women’s team.

Wow. Speechless over Alex.

 

[ranold26]

A bigger Spengler Cup... I'm so jacked.

 

[C0ach B0mbay]

Amazing (and sad) to look at the roster compared to the potential roster.

 

[LSCII]

Amazing (and sad) to look at the roster compared to the potential roster.

Even more sad is seeing all that talent on the potential roster that could and still should be in Boston playing for the Bruins.

 

[Fenway]

 

[Bruinaura]

I don't doubt that he is very happy for Kelly, but you know it has to be hard, realizing he probably would have made the team if the NHL was going.

 

[BMC]

I'm looking forward to curling, biathlon & ski jumping.

I've never liked shutting down the NHL for the Olympics. I've never been happy with the decision to let pros participate in any Olympic sport either, so this tournament will be a refreshing change for me. And before anyone biatches at me about it remember I watched under dog amateur USA teams win silver in 1972 and gold in 1980. The "Miracle on Ice" wouldn't mean shit if it had been won by American professionals.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

I don't doubt that he is very happy for Kelly, but you know it has to be hard, realizing he probably would have made the team if the NHL was going.

None of us have no way of knowing that

 

[Bruinaura]

None of us have no way of knowing that

Hence the word "probably"...

At the very least, I feel confident that he would have been ahead of Chris Kelly on the list of possibilities.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Hence the word "probably"...

At the very least, I feel confident that he would have been ahead of Chris Kelly on the list of possibilities.

Probably is still something no one knows when it comes to the person. For all we all know he is popping champagne corks that he gets a 3 day break to rest up for the last stretch.

 

[LSCII]

I'm looking forward to curling, biathlon & ski jumping.

I've never liked shutting down the NHL for the Olympics. I've never been happy with the decision to let pros participate in any Olympic sport either, so this tournament will be a refreshing change for me. And before anyone biatches at me about it remember I watched under dog amateur USA teams win silver in 1972 and gold in 1980. The "Miracle on Ice" wouldn't mean **** if it had been won by American professionals.

Sure, I get that and can fully appreciate it. And to that point, thinking back to how special that wins was why are teams going the washed up has been, crappy minor league players route instead of going back to the college amateurs? I think they really squandered a huge opportunity here to do that. That's my issue with the upcoming Olympics. I saw Chris Bourque play. I saw Brian Gionta play. I suffered through watching Chris Kelly get way too much ice time here. I have zero interest in seeing that collective bag of crap represent their respective countries. I'd much rather see young players with upside giving it their all instead of 37 and 38 year old guys looking for one last shot at glory.