Olympics: Team USA 2018 Roster Discussion

[Viqsi]

IMO, it would be between him and Backes with Backes getting the edge for his leadership, physicality, experience.

RW Depth:

Kane
Kessel
Wheeler
Backes/Oshie/Okposo/Kreider

For the record, Atkinson is currently outproducing literally every single guy you mentioned. (going by points per 60 minutes)
Although he and Kessel are so close that could change literally overnight, and Kane can't stay in that relative slump forever.

 

[Butch26]

Galchenyuk - Eichel - Kane
Gaudreau - Pavelski - Kessel
Pacioretty - Larkin - Wheeler
Saad - Matthews - Atkinson
Parise
Notable omission : Stepan Connor Oshie Vesey Trocheck Johnson

Suter - Carlsson
Mcdonagh - Faulk
Werenski - Jones
Gotisbehere
Notable omission : Byfuglien/Shattenkirk/Hanifin

Schneider
Bishop
Quick

**

Loving this team . Please Team USA don't take your classic power foward team , these player are old and not good like these kids .

Galchenyuk had to make the team and had a big role . Pur goal score , can play left , this first line is dangerous . I trust Eichel

Do not forget Kessel this time . Pur goal scorer and bring at USA a other dimension . Pavelski will be the leader of that team with Suter and McDnagh . Gaudreau , easy choice . Not a fans of Pacioretty but in small tournament , he can be very productive because he's score by sequence so . Paris could be that third liner too . Larkin had incredible speed and Wheeler is a lock in . Size/Shot/Speed on that line , love it . Mathews is ready to make USA , great season this year adding some maturity at his game . Loving Saad and Atkinson , brought some nasty at this team , nice in face trio , who's can score . Johnson/Stepan also a good choice .

Make confiance at young . Gotisbehere Jones Werenski are amazing .

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Larkin has two assists in 32 games. He needs to play a lot better than he's played the last two seasons to pick him. He might be younger than some other forwards, but he's not yet better.

 

[Butch26]

Yeah your right , but lot of hockey to play and i personally love this player . Always active , great speed and able to make some play with puck too . He's a special player for mee . But Stepan is a good choice

 

[QJL]

Gaudreau - Matthews - Kane
Pacioretty - Pavelski - Wheeler
Kreider - Eichel - Kessel
Saad - Stepan - Miller
Galchenyuk

Suter - Carlson
McDonagh - Shattenkirk
Werenski - Faulk
Byfuglien

Schneider
Quick
Bishop

Next 3 would be T. Johnson, Parise, Fowler

 

[Jaykay]

Gaudreau-Eichel-Kane
Pacioretty-Matthews-Kessel
Galchenyuk-Pavelski-Wheeler
Parise-Kesler-Coyle
Stepan

Suter-Carlson
McDonagh-Shattenkirk
Fowler-Faulk
Byfuglien

Bishop
Schneider
Gibson

 

[Jaykay]

Atkinson will be hard to leave off if he keeps this going.

 

[These Are The Days]

As long as the defense has 3 of Buff, McDonough Shattenkirk and Suter I think they'll be okay because they're tried and true. As for the rest of the defense you MUST MUST MUST pick the multitude of young talent we have with guys Jones, Faulk, Werenski, Gostistbhere and Hanifin. Maybe add Fowler.

3 guys who can lock it down, 3 guys who can create offense. Balance is the only way we are winning the gold and I'll be a monkey's uncle if we don't have the depth to match Canada

 

[These Are The Days]

They are easily among the best 13 forwards so they will both make it. Whether or not they centre a line is another story but if I am projecting I think that Mathews plays wing and Eichel plays C. Matthews made a good impression at the World Cup of Hockey on McDavid's wing (he was initially pegged as the extra forward and works his way up to the top line) and team USA will take that into consideration.

Should be locks:
Kane
Gaudreau
Pavelski
Kessel
Wheeler
Pacioretty
Matthews
Eichel
Galchenyuk

Bubble Forwards:
Kesler (Unless he has a huge drop off next year I think he is very probable as he is dominant in the dot and provides a veteran presence)
Oshie
Saad
Larkin
Johnson
Trochek
Parise
Stepan

I'd try to add Johnson in at all costs. I cannot explain it but he plays his best under pressure and really steps his game up when needed most. Matthews, Eichel, Galchenyuk, Pavelski and Johnson is as deep a lineup as you will find anywhere

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Matthews - Pavelski - Kane
Gaudreau - Eichel - Kessel
MaxPac - Galchenyuk - Wheeler
Saad - Stepan - Atkinson

Suter - Faulk
McDonagh - Jones
Fowler - Shattenkirk
Ghost

 

[Eye of Ra]

Gaudreau - Eichel - Kessel
Galchenyuk - Matthews - Kane
Pacioretty - Pavelski - Wheeler
Saad - Kesler - Atkinson

 

[Bonin21]

Matthews, Matthews, Matthews, Matthews, and Matthews. He spits hot fire.

 

[habitants9_4]

Gaudreau - Eichel - Kessel
Galchenyuk - Matthews - Kane
Pacioretty - Pavelski - Wheeler
Saad - Kesler - Atkinson

I am Canadian, but I think this one is close I am going to make a few changes:

gaudreau Eichel Kessel
pacioretty Pavelski Kane
Van Riemsdyk Kesler Wheeler
Saad Matthews Atkinson
Galchenyuk

A few things to consider, nobody is mentioning JVR when he played great last olympics. Is liked by his teammates and would be good on a checking line. if Matthews doesn't make it Tyler Johnson will be there. Galchenyuk and Byfuglien are versatile and would be great extras.

McDonagh Faulk.
surer Carlsson
werenski Jones.
Byfuglien

Schneider.
bishop.
Quick

 

[The Gloaming]

Tyler Johnson has to make the team. His career playoff stats cannot be ignored. And if Matthews solidifies himself as a top 10 NHL goal scorer, leaving him off the team should get you fired.

 

[Bear12Good]

Вратари Schneider,Quick and Gibson





Gaudreau-Pavelski-Kane
Pacioretty -Matthews-Kessel
Saad-Galchenyuk-Atkinson
Eichel -Kesler-Wheeler
Stastny
Stepan or T.Jonson

Suter -Werenski
Shattenkirk-McDonagh
Faulk-Ghost
Fowler

 

[Jaykay]

Вратари Schneider,Quick and Gibson





Gaudreau-Pavelski-Kane
Pacioretty -Matthews-Kessel
Saad-Galchenyuk-Atkinson
Eichel -Kesler-Wheeler
Stastny
Stepan or T.Jonson

Suter -Werenski
Shattenkirk-McDonagh
Faulk-Ghost
Fowler

Werenski and Ghost won't be there yet I don't think. I think if they take a younger guy on D it would be Seth Jones.

 

[Zippy316]

Gaudreau - Eichel - Kessel
Galchenyuk - Matthews - Kane
Pacioretty - Pavelski - Wheeler
Saad - Kesler - Atkinson

Anything to get away from Callahan/Backes/etc.

USA needs to find a way to get guys with skill but that play a "fourth line" game to bring on the team rather than bring third line players.

Kesler/Atkinson/Saad/Wheeler/Parise are a good start.

 

[D3vilsH0ck3y]

My Forwards would look like this...

Pacioretty - Pavelski - Kessel
Gaudreau - Eichel - Kane
Saad - Matthews - Atkinson
Parise - Kesler - Wheeler Or Kreider - Stepan - Wheeler

Stepan/Tyler Johnson/Kreider/Parise/Saad Atkinson all right on the brink

 

[DaveyBumbles]

Leaving off Wheeler is a fail.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Please keep Eichel away from Gaudreau

 

[habitants9_4]

jVR

Does James Van Riemsdyk have a chance, he was #2 scorer behind Kessel last time.

 

[wgknestrick]

Galchenyuk - Eichel - Kane
Gaudreau - Pavelski - Kessel
Pacioretty - Larkin - Wheeler
Saad - Matthews - Atkinson
Parise
Notable omission : Stepan Connor Oshie Vesey Trocheck Johnson

Suter - Carlsson
Mcdonagh - Faulk
Werenski - Jones
Gotisbehere
Notable omission : Byfuglien/Shattenkirk/Hanifin

Schneider
Bishop
Quick

**

Loving this team . Please Team USA don't take your classic power foward team , these player are old and not good like these kids .

Galchenyuk had to make the team and had a big role . Pur goal score , can play left , this first line is dangerous . I trust Eichel

Do not forget Kessel this time . Pur goal scorer and bring at USA a other dimension . Pavelski will be the leader of that team with Suter and McDnagh . Gaudreau , easy choice . Not a fans of Pacioretty but in small tournament , he can be very productive because he's score by sequence so . Paris could be that third liner too . Larkin had incredible speed and Wheeler is a lock in . Size/Shot/Speed on that line , love it . Mathews is ready to make USA , great season this year adding some maturity at his game . Loving Saad and Atkinson , brought some nasty at this team , nice in face trio , who's can score . Johnson/Stepan also a good choice .

Make confiance at young . Gotisbehere Jones Werenski are amazing .

I'm sorry, but there is no way Oshie does not make the team...just based on the shoot out rules alone. Pavs is the #1C by a large margin too.

 

[MuckOG]

Charlie Coyle should get some consideration for 2018.

 

[These Are The Days]

Anything to get away from Callahan/Backes/etc.

USA needs to find a way to get guys with skill but that play a "fourth line" game to bring on the team rather than bring third line players.

Kesler/Atkinson/Saad/Wheeler/Parise are a good start.

Backes and Callahan need to be banished to the moon during the Olympics. This is coming from someone who loves Callahan to death but he is absolute GARBAGE in pressure situations. All he does is skate around, hit everything in sight and take perimeter shots that never go on. He sucks at crashing the net anymore and hasn't provided a successful screen since last year. As for Backes he's better but I'm not wanting to see him stick around when other guys like Saad and Atkinson would be SO much better.

 

[These Are The Days]

Maybe I'm in the wrong area to be mentioning this but who would your choice as coach be? At this point I'm doubling down on Mike Sullivan. For my no-no list Capuano is god awful, Bylsma was so bad that I want no part of him again. Nor Peter Laviolette after the 2006 debacle. But I will say between the three of them Laviolette is the only one I would take if I had to.

As for assistants the only one I say for sure to add is John Tortorella. I can't say I'm comfortable with Torts nor do I even like the idea of him on the staff but I'm not going to argue his history or results, especially not after what he has done in Columbus or the fact he's worked with Sullivan so many times. I think it's an evil that would pay dividends.

That pretty much leaves John Hynes and Jeff Blashill unless I'm missing something. But to be honest I'm okay with that because they are defensive focused anyway and Blashill already knows the Mike Babcock master plan. Devils and Red Wings fans will disagree with me but I think they're good coaches on teams that are undergoing a lot of transition and aren't always as bad as they look.