Team USA announced

[cagney]

Brian Lee...

Is it just me or does he look like he should be playing for Team Finland?

 

[cagney]

HELP...THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY.

Who were Team USA's alternate captains at the 2004 WJC? I can't find it ANYWHERE.

[thank you]

Mark Stuart was captain. Pat Eaves had an A. I can't think of the other player with an A right now but if I do I'll let you know.

 

[MePutPuckInNet]

ok...other guy was Zach Parise...you sure about Pat E?

 

[cagney]

ok...other guy was Zach Parise...you sure about Pat E?

Almost positive.

 

[Superfluous U]

Brian Lee...

Is it just me or does he look like he should be playing for Team Finland?

He looks like he should be playing for the Finnish Under 16 team.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

why would'nt he want the job? Feelings can't come any better then winning a gold medal in hockey for your country.I'd hang onto the job like grim death if i had the talent to do it. Hmmm........

You do realize he's also the head coach at Wisconsin right? That is his full-time job, and one he wanted to give full attention to this year, which is why Blais/Sandelin got the job. How many differant coaches has Canada gone through over the past few years?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Almost positive.

It was Parise. I was watching the gold medal game again last night and he had the "A".

 

[MePutPuckInNet]

yeah, i knew Parise wore the A, my question was who wore the other one.....wanted to be sure on Patrick Eaves.

 

[espo*]

You do realize he's also the head coach at Wisconsin right? That is his full-time job, and one he wanted to give full attention to this year, which is why Blais/Sandelin got the job. How many differant coaches has Canada gone through over the past few years?

Oh tons,except for stan Butler,who coached us two years in a row i think they change them every year pretty much.It is a big time committment for sure,add to the fact these guys are always married with kids it's hard for them to keep missing Christmas with the family every year.When i factor that in i can see why once was enough for him.I guess i look at it from my angle where i'd love to do it every year becuase i just don't have the same committments that these guys do. It's also nice to go out on top i think and that's what he did.He may coach them again in the future though.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Oh tons,except for stan Butler,who coached us two years in a row i think they change them every year pretty much.It is a big time committment for sure,add to the fact these guys are always married with kids it's hard for them to keep missing Christmas with the family every year.When i factor that in i can see why once was enough for him.I guess i look at it from my angle where i'd love to do it every year becuase i just don't have the same committments that these guys do. It's also nice to go out on top i think and that's what he did.He may coach them again in the future though.

I understand where you're coming from, but it's very difficult for these guys to balance coaching their respective teams and the national teams. I'm not surprised most only do it once, and if you're Eaves, you're 1 for 1 winning the gold, so why not go out on top?

 

[espo*]

True enough,he's got the gold and wants to concentrate on his main responsibilities,i can understand that for sure.

 

[UltimoRoger]

that's kind of what I was getting at.

I think it starts and ends with the popular belief that US didn't deserve to win last year, and that it was some sort of fluke that rests solely on the shoulders of Marc-Andre Fleury. Call me a homer, but I disagree. It took the States a while to figure out a system that could beat the physicality of the Canadians, but when they did it, they were almost powerless to stop it. Fleury, throughout the tournament, played his role for Canada admirably. In the final period of the game that counted, the Americans were getting by the Canadian defense with a strong first pass(an element I think you'll see retained this year) and with tremendous speed\puckhandling through the neutral zone...eventually free to take their shot. I'm sorry, but while there are some decent names in goal for Canada, none of them are in the same league as Fleury, especially not the projected starter, Dubnyk. Factor in also the mental effect that a goalie has on his team. A team plays differently in front of their backup..a more reserved, cautious game..and the same can be said of a team playing in front of a superstar-potential, high caliber goalie as opposed to a much more average-looking tender. I wasn't meaning to slight Canada, as I think that they're still to be favored...but this year I'd place them at about equal with the US, when cumulatively balance everything out..whereas last year I heavily favored them. Russia is nothing to be scoffed at, either. It's just always the same with these things...everyone goes into it laughing at the idea of anything but gold for Canada, and one way or another they're thwarted by underestimating their opponents time and time again.

Like Gem keeps saying, I also thought Fleury looked a bit shaky throughout the whole competition. I was never totally comfortable when watching.

I don't blame Fleury for the last goal because it was obviously a complete fluke and could have happened to anybody. It's just a shame it happened when it did, and I really hope this isn't something that will rattled Fleury for the rest of his career. Salo's never been the same since his blunder.

I don't think Canada has necessarily underestimated their opponents, but there's no way I can actually prove that. What I do know is in the past 3 years, we've gone into the third period of the final game with the lead only to lose (at least, I think it was the last three, twice for sure). But you're right, we're always confident with are team year after year, yet we somehow manage to lose. I hope this changer this year.

 

[jcpenny]

Man this was last year and as i can see we (canadians) are not over it. Give it up guys we lost, U.S. won and nobody is gonna take that away from them. Let's just look foward to a revenge instead.

 

[espo*]

It is time to let it go for sure,it hurt like hell but it's over.I'm confident in our team this year,i am really starting to get that "feeling" that we are going to win,i think this is the year we will break the gold drought but there are some good teams so all of our guys focusing one period at a time will be crucial in winning.I just get the sense that Canadian hockey fans and Canadian hockey officials look at this drought now in terms of "it's a crisis" whenever Canadian players,fans,officials and coaches get that uncomfortable feeling they usually dig down deep on all available cylinders and make it happen,i think they will this year.My main concern would be with the players buying too much into the press clippings of how damn good they are "supposed" to be.I think that's what Sutter was brought on board for,to make sure none of that nonsense takes root. The tournament will be great win or lose. Everyone can count on super games...that's a garuntee!!!

 

[FearTheFlyers]

Do they honestly think Ryan Callahan is better right now than Bobby Ryan?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Do they honestly think Ryan Callahan is better right now than Bobby Ryan?

That's a limited view on how the team was put together. Of course Ryan is a better individual talent, but Callahan, who has impressive goal scoring ability of his own and is a leader (the captain of Guelph) clearly fit better in with the team concept. Besides, the U.S. rarely takes draft eligible CHL players. That's just how it is. I'm sure he'll get more of a look next year.

 

[cagney]

Amongst other things, the US Hockey Report says that Lee, while being a very good prospect, is just too inexperienced and they would have prefered Jack Johnson "hands down."

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Amongst other things, the US Hockey Report says that Lee, while being a very good prospect, is just too inexperienced and they would have prefered Jack Johnson "hands down."

A most perplexing decision to be sure. I'm curious to see how much icetime Lee actually gets.

 

[FearTheFlyers]

That's a limited view on how the team was put together. Of course Ryan is a better individual talent, but Callahan, who has impressive goal scoring ability of his own and is a leader (the captain of Guelph) clearly fit better in with the team concept. Besides, the U.S. rarely takes draft eligible CHL players. That's just how it is. I'm sure he'll get more of a look next year.

All I know is I can't wait to see twelve forwards better or more deserving than Bobby.

 

[Vman]

Montoya has played much better of late, and Schneider is playing well for BC and has a ton of international experience. The goaltending is fine.

I don't know Schneider very well, but what is his international experience so far?

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

You are? How about me, Postman, cagney, etc?

Well, the US's defense must be pretty darned good if Johnson can't make it.

But we'll see. Johnson should have made the team.

 

[Spectacular_Bid]

I don't know Schneider very well, but what is his international experience so far?

Schenider backstopped the US-18 team in the World Under 18 tournament last spring. The team lost to Russia in the finals earning them a silver medal.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Well, the US's defense must be pretty darned good if Johnson can't make it.

But we'll see. Johnson should have made the team.

I agree, although it should be noted Lee isn't exactly chopped liver. IMO though, Johnson was the more logical choice, but without knowing the rationale for leaving him off the team and naming Lee instead it's hard to go much further with this conversation.