WJC: 2025 Team USA Roster Talk

[SK94]

Could we see a weird situation where former NTDP player is going to rep Canada in World Juniors? I think Sawchyn either is going to be in Summer camp roster or we are never going to see him in USA sweater again.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Could we see a weird situation where former NTDP player is going to rep Canada in World Juniors? I think Sawchyn either is going to be in Summer camp roster or we are never going to see him in USA sweater again.

Once they play in the U18s then they'd be ineligible. Once you play in IIHF competition, you can't switch outside of some lengthy and complicated process that never really comes up. Sawchyn left the program after the U17 season so he's still eligible for Canada. The confusing thing is there are Hockey Canada sponsored international events like the U17 World Hockey Challenge and the Gretzky-Hlinka Tournament that aren't IIHF, so those don't matter as far as switching. TBH, I'm not sure if he ever actually got U.S. citizenship and suspect that might be the reason he left the program.

 

[William H Bonney]

While I don't know anything about Mustard's citizenship, it's also important to keep in mind that EP is the only place I see listing him as Canadian. That doesn't inherently mean they're wrong, but it doesn't mean they're correct, either, as they've often been incorrect about citizenship.

USAH listed the non-Americans' (Hage, Gridin, Boisvert, etc.) hometowns as their non-US locations, whereas Mustard was listed as New Jersey.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Gotcha, so seems like nobody knows for sure regarding Mustard (well other than himself). I don't know if he's ready for Providence next year or not, but that would go a long way to determining if he gets an invite for the summer (if he is American).

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Wouldn’t Mustard have made the WJAC roster if he could play for us?

 

[William H Bonney]

I found out Mustard's dad is from Ontario so at minimum he has Canadian citizenship. Not sure on his mom's background or where he was born to determine if he has American citizenship as well. Not a lot of clues out there about a player who has come a bit out of nowhere to establish himself this season. By all accounts he seems to consider New Jersey home but doesn't really matter if he's not a citizen. I'm sure we'll all find out soon enough as he's establishing himself as a good draft prospect.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I found out Mustard's dad is from Ontario so at minimum he has Canadian citizenship. Not sure on his mom's background or where he was born to determine if he has American citizenship as well. Not a lot of clues out there about a player who has come a bit out of nowhere to establish himself this season. By all accounts he seems to consider New Jersey home but doesn't really matter if he's not a citizen. I'm sure we'll all find out soon enough as he's establishing himself as a good draft prospect.

I guess we can catch up on this a little bit later. I always relish the opportunity to steal some duals if possible.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I guess we can catch up on this later a little bit later. I always relish the opportunity to steal some duals if possible.

Makes that one guy with the number of all the Canadian legends in his profile big mad every time an American boy has a Canadian father.

 

[William H Bonney]

If he's a dual it'll be interesting to see if Canada considers him for the U18s. USAH almost never has a USHL player leave their team in the playoffs for the U18s but it's more common with Hockey Canada. With his season so far he'd have to be under consideration for either.

 

[sigx15]

Yeah, chasing after duals like Gauthier isn't as common as it used to be. USA Hockey might perform their due diligence there but might not amount to much.

Gauthier wasn't the NTDP chasing after a dual like it was with William Moore. Gauthier lived basically his whole life in the US in Arizona and Michigan. I think he moved from Sweden to the US when he was 2. The only reason he has dual citizenship is because his dad is Canadian

 

[Mathieukferland]

Gauthier wasn't the NTDP chasing after a dual like it was with William Moore. Gauthier lived basically his whole life in the US in Arizona and Michigan. I think he moved from Sweden to the US when he was 2. The only reason he has dual citizenship is because his dad is Canadian

They’re talking about Éthan Gauthier I think, not Qatar Gauthier

 

[sigx15]

They’re talking about Éthan Gauthier I think, not Qatar Gauthier

O ok I was pretty confused, thanks

 

[Celebrini71]

Whitelaw is a good player but I don't know if there will be room... Who do you think for 4th line spot Him or Adams?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Whitelaw is a good player but I don't know if there will be room... Who do you think for 4th line spot Him or Adams?

I think Adams is more of a fourth line type of player, if it's between those two for a fourth line role.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Whitelaw is a good player but I don't know if there will be room... Who do you think for 4th line spot Him or Adams?

Whitelaw was a late cut for this most recent year, so I think he has inside shot at a roster spot, looking through Forwards

Returning 05 (locks barring anything absurd):
Leonard
Moore
Smith
Perreault
Nelson

That's 5

Injury replacement 05 from prior year:
Terrance

That's 6

06 that should be near-locks, played at the prior year U18s, haven't done anything to not warrant inclusion:
Hagens
Eisermann

That's 8

Would be absurd to leave off based off draft pedigree and performance to date:
Musty

That's 9

That leaves four spots and potentially more if anybody is injured/unavailable/game falls off a cliff, etc.

Invited to Selection Camp Roster, ultimately didn't make team in prior year:
James Hagens (above), Casey Terrance (alternate - above), William Whitelaw (05)

I think there's room for both Adams and Whitelaw, and I would not be surprised if both were there.

American 05s in NCAA Hockey in 2023-24, sorted by scoring:
Perreault - returner
Smith - returner
Leonard - returner
Moore - returner
Nelson - returner
Adams
Whitelaw

A quintet of ex-NDTP guys
Will Vote
Ryan Fine
Carter Slaggert
Salvatore Guzzo
Alex Weiermair

They may get their summer invites, but none have been overwhelming, and all are undrafted at the moment (they could have been), and I don't really think they'll make it.

Maybe Bednarik, Stiga, Plante, Ziemer can all push for spots from the 06 NTDP squad as well.

06 USHLers that warrant a look - Connelly, Swanson

05 OHLers - Chris Thibodeau, Joey Willis.

Don't think Gracyn Sawchyn is eligible from the WHL. Think Ethan Gauthier of the QMJHL plays for Canada.

05 USHLers that should make the jump to NCAA - Hendrickson, Pelosi, Burnevik, Svoboda, Fisher, Cerrato, Shaugabay

All players that will help round out the summer invite list.

 

[Celebrini71]

Whitelaw was a late cut for this most recent year, so I think he has inside shot at a roster spot, looking through Forwards

Returning 05 (locks barring anything absurd):
Leonard
Moore
Smith
Perreault
Nelson

That's 5

Injury replacement 05 from prior year:
Terrance

That's 6

06 that should be near-locks, played at the prior year U18s, haven't done anything to not warrant inclusion:
Hagens
Eisermann

That's 8

Would be absurd to leave off based off draft pedigree and performance to date:
Musty

That's 9

That leaves four spots and potentially more if anybody is injured/unavailable/game falls off a cliff, etc.

Invited to Selection Camp Roster, ultimately didn't make team in prior year:
James Hagens (above), Casey Terrance (alternate - above), William Whitelaw (05)

I think there's room for both Adams and Whitelaw, and I would not be surprised if both were there.

American 05s in NCAA Hockey in 2023-24, sorted by scoring:
Perreault - returner
Smith - returner
Leonard - returner
Moore - returner
Nelson - returner
Adams
Whitelaw

A quintet of ex-NDTP guys
Will Vote
Ryan Fine
Carter Slaggert
Salvatore Guzzo
Alex Weiermair

They may get their summer invites, but none have been overwhelming, and all are undrafted at the moment (they could have been), and I don't really think they'll make it.

Maybe Bednarik, Stiga, Plante, Ziemer can all push for spots from the 06 NTDP squad as well.

06 USHLers that warrant a look - Connelly, Swanson

05 OHLers - Chris Thibodeau, Joey Willis.

Don't think Gracyn Sawchyn is eligible from the WHL. Think Ethan Gauthier of the QMJHL plays for Canada.

05 USHLers that should make the jump to NCAA - Hendrickson, Pelosi, Burnevik, Svoboda, Fisher, Cerrato, Shaugabay

All players that will help round out the summer invite list.

I see Swanson and Connelly for top-9 over him.... For the 4th line I would have Hendy, Pelosi, Burnevick, Svoboda, Shaugs, Willis over him TBH.... Unless they use him as a 13th forward... I think Potter would be great in that spot but we won't know tell December....

 

[Celebrini71]

But you look at their 4th line this year.... Wasn't that aggressive... So Maybe they go with Whitelaw in the Hayes spot....

Terrance (Finley) - Nelson - Adams/Whitelaw (Hayes)

 

[Celebrini71]

Perreault-Smith-Leonard
Eiserman-Hagens-Musty
Connelly-Moore-Swanson
Terrance-Nelson-Bednarik
Potter

Buium-Minnetian
Skahan-McCarthy
Hutson-Hensler
Fortescue-Pitner

Augustine
Kempf
Hillebrandt

I think we won't be the favorites, but we should be one of them. We might have the best line in the tournament. The second line could have the two best players in the tournament, and then I think we have a good bottom six, although we are lacking true bottom line players. I struggle to think of many more good players for the fourth line. We have a lot of skill, but not a lot of sandpaper.

The defense should be better, bigger, and deeper. I'm worried they are going to try to force players like Schulz and Cleveland on the team, and Fortescue should not be considered a lock either. Goaltending will not be as deep. There likely will be no Fowler to be the 1B to Augustine's 1A, but if Kempf continues playing well, we could have enough depth. Hillebrandt isn't bad either, but preferably someone else steps up. However, it's going to be all Augustine there. His net, and he needs to be very good again because the rest of the team won't be as good as it was this year.

Are you still high on Bednarik?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Are you still high on Bednarik?

Yeah, I think he'll make it. He's the third best forward for the NTDP 18's.

 

[ecg2001]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-scouts-face-dilemma-with-2024-draft-prospect-trevor-connelly

NHL scouts seem to have second thoughts about drafting Trevor in the 1st round because of character concerns/public backlash, does USA Hockey have the same concerns about putting him on the WJC team? He's talented enough but we'll see.

 

[William H Bonney]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-scouts-face-dilemma-with-2024-draft-prospect-trevor-connelly

NHL scouts seem to have second thoughts about drafting Trevor in the 1st round because of character concerns/public backlash, does USA Hockey have the same concerns about putting him on the WJC team? He's talented enough but we'll see.

Not likely a concern unless something new were to come out. He wasn't considered for the NTDP and USAH didn't allow him to participate in the Select 16 development camp because of it. But after that and the work he put in he's allowed to participate in all USAH events and has since played in the Select 17 camp and on the Hlinka and WJAC teams.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Nobody loves Trey any more than I do. I’m so appreciative of everything he’s done: salvaged a tricky 23 and was a key in 24. But I watch a lot of Fowler because a of geography. He’s wonderful.

 

[josra33]

Play for USA and catch gold or go to Canada and catch a charge… that’s a tough decision.

 

[JiggsNY]

Should have a clear picture of the player pool in the net few days. BC losing in the title game might have been the best result to optimize the likeliness of the freshman returning. So far so good, im liking our chances. There's no spot for Perrault on the Rangers right now, he'll lean to returning. Leonard is a BC lifer hopefully he's motivated to come back. And those two going back hopefully sways Smith into one more year.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Should have a clear picture of the player pool in the net few days. BC losing in the title game might have been the best result to optimize the likeliness of the freshman returning. So far so good, im liking our chances. There's no spot for Perrault on the Rangers right now, he'll lean to returning. Leonard is a BC lifer hopefully he's motivated to come back. And those two going back hopefully sways Smith into one more year.

There kind of is. We are playing Roslovic L1 and he sucks. Kakko hasn't worked with the wonder twins, so he's best on L3. Team doesn't think Othmann is ready.

But I don't think he's coming out anyway.