Olympics: Could USA be the favorite heading into PyeongChang 2018?

[OvermanKingGainer]

When you look at the array of talent they could suddenly be putting out there:

C
Jack Eichel
Tyler Johnson
Auston Matthews
Dylan Larkin
Kyle Connor
Paul Stastny
Joe Pavelski
Derek Stepan
Brandon Dubinsky
Kevin Hayes
Anders Lee

RW
Patrick Kane
Phil Kessel
Blake Wheeler
Craig Smith
Alex Tuch
Jeremy Bracco
Brock Boeser

LW
Max Pacioretty
Johnny Gaudreau
Nick Foligno
Justin Abdelkader
Jimmy Vesey


LD
Noah Hanifin
Ryan McDonagh
Justin Faulk
Keith Yandle
Alex Goligoski

RD
Erik Johnson
Seth Jones
John Carlson
Kevin Shattenkirk
Jacob Trouba

G
Ben Bishop
John Gibson
Connor Hellebuyck
Jon Gillies

In terms of raw talent, they seem to have a bigger pool to draw from than either 2010 or 2014. I'm sure I forgot a few names, too.

Click to read more...

 

[dubey]

* After Canada

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Canada is the favorite until someone beats Canada in a best on best tournament.

 

[JackSlater]

USA seems to be producing more talent than ever before. USA cannot be listed as the favourite for the 2018 Olympics by any reasonable person though. Let the talent mature and see where things are by 2022.

 

[Spawn]

The only way that they even remotely compare to Canada is on the wings. Otherwise they fall far behind everywhere else.

 

[LV*]

LOL cute

 

[TheNuge]

Canada AINEC

Center

Crosby
Mcdavid
Stamkos
Tavares
Getzlaf
Toews
Bergeron

Defense

Pietrangelo
Weber
Doughty
Keith
Subban
Seabrook/Bowmiester/Hamhuis

Goaltenders

Price

Realistically as said before the only place it's close is at the wings


The Russians would be as much a favourite as the USA
with there current injection of young talent also.

Recently every country has produced more talent that ever...and its only a matter of time before the NHL expands again.

 

[The Sweetness]

No they aren't. But it's entertaining to see Bracco, Tuch and Boesner ahead of guys like Okposo and Pominville on the depth chart...

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

We'll talk again in 2022. Canada might have a small challenge for their 4th straight Olympic Gold Medal.

 

[LV*]

C
Connor McDavid
Sidney Crosby
Steven Stamkos
John Tavares
Sam Reinhart
Matt Duchene
Nathan MacKinnon
Logan Couture
Jonathan Toews
Ryan Getzlaf
Tyler Seguin
Claude Giroux
Patrice Bergeron
Ryan Johansen
RNH
Sean Monahan

RW
Corey Perry
Jordan Eberle
Mitch Marner
Wayne Simmonds
Anthony Mantha
Jake Virtanen

LW
Jamie Benn
Ricky Nash
Taylor Hall
Jaden Schwartz
Milan Lucic
Patrick Sharp
Sam Bennett
Max Domi

LD
Jakub Chychrun
Duncan Keith
Mark Giordano
ME Vlasic
Darnell Nurse
Morgan Rielly
Shea Theodore
Derrick Pouliot

RD
Drew Doughty
Shea Weber
PK Subban
Kris Letang
Alex Pietrangelo
Aaron Ekblad

G
Carey Price
Corey Schneider
Corey Crawford
Malcolm Subban
Matt Murray


Lol do u still want it?

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

No. Non. Nyet.

Delay the sequel to Miracle for at least another...7 years, hopefully much much longer until we see Miracle part 2.

 

[Zero Pucks Given]

I wish. But American hockey fans can dream right?

 

[BobDobolina]

It will probably be a bunch of college kids going there.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

They don't have that elite top end talent to beat either Canada or Sweden.

I don't see the US coming out on top vs.

Tavares-Crosby-Seguin
Hall-McDavid-Stamkos
Benn-Getzlaf-Perry
Nash-Toews-Bergeron

Keith-Weber
Giodanio-Doughty
Vlasic-Subban

Price
Holtby

or...
Landeskog-Backstrom-Forsberg
Steen-Zetterberg-Nyquist
Haglin-Zibanejad-Silfverberg
Sedin-Sedin-Hornqvist

Hjarmalsson-Karlsson
Hedman-Stralman
Kronwall-OEL

Lundqvist
Lack

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Corey Schneider

American

 

[Bixby Snyder]

They don't have that elite top end talent to beat either Canada or Sweden.

I don't see the US coming out on top vs.

Tavares-Crosby-Seguin
Hall-McDavid-Stamkos
Benn-Getzlaf-Perry
Nash-Toews-Bergeron

Keith-Weber
Giodanio-Doughty
Vlasic-Subban

Price
Holtby

or...
Landeskog-Backstrom-Forsberg
Steen-Zetterberg-Nyquist
Haglin-Zibanejad-Silfverberg
Sedin-Sedin-Hornqvist

Hjarmalsson-Karlsson
Hedman-Stralman
Kronwall-OEL

Lundqvist
Lack

Canada barely beat the USA the last 2 times. Add Eichel, Mathews and Larkin at center and that drastically improves the US's chance of beating Canada or Sweden.

 

[NHL Dude 120]

C
Connor McDavid
Sidney Crosby
Steven Stamkos
John Tavares
Sam Reinhart
Matt Duchene
Nathan MacKinnon
Logan Couture
Jonathan Toews
Ryan Getzlaf
Tyler Seguin
Claude Giroux
Patrice Bergeron
Ryan Johansen
RNH
Sean Monahan

RW
Corey Perry
Jordan Eberle
Mitch Marner
Wayne Simmonds
Anthony Mantha
Jake Virtanen

LW
Jamie Benn
Ricky Nash
Taylor Hall
Jaden Schwartz
Milan Lucic
Patrick Sharp
Sam Bennett
Max Domi

LD
Jakub Chychrun
Duncan Keith
Mark Giordano
ME Vlasic
Darnell Nurse
Morgan Rielly
Shea Theodore
Derrick Pouliot

RD
Drew Doughty
Shea Weber
PK Subban
Kris Letang
Alex Pietrangelo
Aaron Ekblad

G
Carey Price
Corey Schneider
Corey Crawford
Malcolm Subban
Matt Murray


Lol do u still want it?

Schneider is american btw.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

Canada barely beat the USA the last 2 times. Add Eichel, Mathews and Larkin at center and that drastically improves the US's chance of beating Canada or Sweden.

Dude, Canada schooled the USA at Sochi; don't let the score deceive you.

As for Canada, add in McDavid, Ekblad, Mackinnon, ect and you have an even better Canadian team.


As for this thread, this thread is sad.

 

[LV*]

American

Schneider is american btw.

USA still got rekt

 

[AD1066]

Canada, no contest. USA is trending in the right direction though.

 

[Plub]

No. The U.S. will never be the favorite and shouldn't be. Even if they were, they would still lose to Canada. We seem to play the tourny to beat the Candians where as they play to win against everyone.

Once we lost against Canada in Russia the team completely gave up. Canada has our number and likely will continue to have it. I'd take the U.S. against any other country but Canada.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

When you look at the array of talent they could suddenly be putting out there:

C
Jack Eichel
Tyler Johnson
Auston Matthews
Dylan Larkin
Kyle Connor
Paul Stastny
Joe Pavelski
Derek Stepan
Brandon Dubinsky
Kevin Hayes
Anders Lee

RW
Patrick Kane
Phil Kessel
Blake Wheeler
Craig Smith
Alex Tuch
Jeremy Bracco
Brock Boeser

LW
Max Pacioretty
Johnny Gaudreau
Nick Foligno
Justin Abdelkader
Jimmy Vesey


LD
Noah Hanifin
Ryan McDonagh
Justin Faulk
Keith Yandle
Alex Goligoski

RD
Erik Johnson
Seth Jones
John Carlson
Kevin Shattenkirk
Jacob Trouba

G
Ben Bishop
John Gibson
Connor Hellebuyck
Jon Gillies

In terms of raw talent, they seem to have a bigger pool to draw from than either 2010 or 2014. I'm sure I forgot a few names, too.

The pool is bigger but Canada is ALWAYS the favorite

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It will probably be a bunch of college kids going there.

Then it won't matter.

But I doubt it if the players want to play they will

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Canada is the favorite until someone beats Canada in a best on best tournament.

Canada is the Favorite until the human race no longer exists

 

[tony d]

Nope, they should be competing for silver though.