Team USA announced

[Reilly311]

Um... I really hope YOU'RE just joking there. The better team won. Sorry.

Of couse i'm joking, I'm from the US. I only use the canadian flag just to be funny.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I think that's mostly true again, except this time, the forwards are about equal, Canada has an edge beyond the first pairing defensively, and the US has a notable edge in goaltending. I'd put the teams at about equal once again, with a slight edge to Canada.

I agree. If anything kills the US this year it's defensive depth.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Of couse i'm joking, I'm from the US. I only use the canadian flag just to be funny.

Ahhh. Sorry about that.

 

[Mountain Dude]

I think that's mostly true again, except this time, the forwards are about equal, Canada has an edge beyond the first pairing defensively, and the US has a notable edge in goaltending. I'd put the teams at about equal once again, with a slight edge to Canada.

Agreed I guess. I would still say that the US has an edge in goaltending again, Montoya is the future of USA hockey, he's really good from what I've seen.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

I think that's mostly true again, except this time, the forwards are about equal,

The US has the edge in goal no doubt, but I can't see at all how the US forwards are equal to Canada's grouping.

IMO it's a clear edge to Canada.

 

[mooseOAK*]

Are the games being played on NHL or Olympic sized ice surfaces?

 

[Jacob]

Very glad to see Goligoski named to the team.

 

[Cayouche5]

I don't saw enough of the others players, but from the Q Bourque over Hennessy

 

[Vyse64]

I'd put him behind only Crosby as the best player in the Q. That certainly, to me, makes him a more obvious choice than limited potential guys like Clarke MacArthur and Colin Fraser..guys who likely wouldn't be picked if this weren't a Sutter team. Don't act like I'm the only one saying it, either. Yesterday, everyone was up in arms about it, but now all of a sudden it's being rationalized left and right.

its Sutter's team and this is only the invite camp

Coaches will always have their own bias on who they playing for them, this time around it just the WHL's turn (6 d-men out 9 from the Dud [4 returnees]) its pretty hard not to invite them (Dion Phaneuf, Brent Seabrook, Braydon Coburn, Shawn Belle Cam Barker, Shea Weber, Mike Green), goaltending is so wide open anyone could be named starter or back up it just happens Sutter wanted WHL goalies, first time is 11 years that a goalie from the Q hasn't been named the starter (if you want to name a frontrunner its not Dubnyk its most likely Kevin Nastiuk)

everyone was up in arms about Bernier when team Canada already has 6 spots filled up in the top 2 lines

you can't ignore the best line from last year for Team Canada
Dawes-Richards-Stewart

then the other 3 that deserve top 6 time
Crosby
Bergeron
Carter

then you got players like Corey Perry, Eric Fehr, Andrew Ladd, Ryan Getzlaf, David Bolland, Ryan Stone, Jeremy Colliton, Stephen Dixon, and others fighting over the last spots, and some are returnees, there's enough talent on the team as it is.
Also include that the invite camp numbers decreased this year compared to lasts (at least i think so only 32 players invited this year)

its not even likely Fraser or/and Boyd will make the team anyway, people are just upset their favourite or team's (even Province) players weren't invited, that they need something to whine about.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The US has the edge in goal no doubt, but I can't see at all how the US forwards are equal to Canada's grouping.

IMO it's a clear edge to Canada.

A clear edge? I don't know about that. The U.S. lacks size up front, but skill and speed wise is top-notch. The U.S. going to able to play the same game they did last year.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I don't saw enough of the others players, but from the Q Bourque over Hennessy

That's the problem. Many posters (especially Canadians) don't get to see the college players in action much, if at all. It's like me trying to comment on CHL action, as it's really what I read in print or hear-say. I'd rather have Hennessy than Bourque, but if the U.S. brass selected him, it must have it's reasons, and I'm fine with that. We'll see how things play out in the end.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I think that's mostly true again, except this time, the forwards are about equal, Canada has an edge beyond the first pairing defensively, and the US has a notable edge in goaltending. I'd put the teams at about equal once again, with a slight edge to Canada.

I think Canada has the overall edge, with a clear edge on defense. Forwards are more equal, although Canada probably gets the nod there as well, especially given the experience factor. The U.S. has the edge in goal, which might be the most important factor of them all. I think without a doubt that Montoya will bring his "A" game, and that could spell trouble for the opposition, espcially with the way the U.S. is going to play defense (a fast-moving transition game). I think the U.S. will be in trouble only if bigger, physical opponents bog them down in either zone. We'll see if that happens.

 

[Reilly311]

Are the games being played on NHL or Olympic sized ice surfaces?

Well, I know last years were played on an ice surface that wasn't as big as olymipcs ice, but it was bigger than the NHL ice. The NHL needs bigger ice surfaces, but that's another discussion.

 

[jake1]

Both sheets (Grand Forks and TRF) are NHL-sized.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

US won the game, bottom line.

IMO Canada was the best team throughout the course of the tournament. The key to the gold medal game was that Montoya made the huge stops early in the game, they kept the US within striking distance.

Canada powerless to stop the US in period 3 ??? Yes, the US was the better team in the 3rd period, but IMO Canada had a bigger edge in the 2nd period than the US did in the 3rd period.

I think the U.S. ability to skate and pass the puck out of it's defensive zone is being under-appreciated here. That was the differance IMO. The team's make-up this year is very similar, and IMO will be able to do the same thing.

 

[pucks1]

Shremp should pair with O'sulliven ... they tore it up together in Missy

 

[John Flyers Fan]

A clear edge? I don't know about that. The U.S. lacks size up front, but skill and speed wise is top-notch. The U.S. going to able to play the same game they did last year.

USA
Dan Fritsche
Patrick O'Sullivan
Drew Stafford
Jake Dowell
Adam Pineault
Ryan Callahan
Mike Brown
T.J. Hensick
Rob Schremp
Chris Bourque
Kevin Porter
Phil Kessel
Shawn Weller

CANADA
Nigel Dawes
Mike Richards
Anthony Stewart
Ryan Getzlaf
Jeff Carter
Sidney Crosby
Jeremy Colliton
Patrice Bergereon
Corey Perry **
Eric Fehr **
Stephen Dixon **
Andrew Ladd **
Ryan Stone **

** Guesses as to who makes it for Canada.

IMO if you had a draft of the above 26 players, just picking players for the upcoming WJC the top 10 in no particular order would be:

Crosby
Carter
Richards
Stewart
Dawes
Bergeron
Getzlaf
O'Sullivan
Fritsche

Stafford/Schremp

 

[espo*]

Are you kidding? Fleury was our worst player last year, he cost us the gold medal, we couldn't be worse in goal than last year.

Totally bang on,he was shaky from the very first game last year.He was fighting even routine shots right from the first period of the first game and never got on track.It's difficult to think we'll get worse goaltending then we got last year and if it is even moderately better then we should be fine.If we get good goaltending this year watch out as the team is super strong.How anyone can think the guy played even decent last year did'nt watch many games Canada was involved in and most likely did'nt watch one except the gold medal tilt.Durocher made a mistake not pulling him earlier in the tournament even for a couple of games so he could at least think over his performance and get the competitive juices flowing.He needed to see the bench for sure.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Goalies

Alvaro Montoya (NYR)
Cory Schneider (VAN)

Defense

Ryan Suter (NSH)
Jeff Likens
Matt Hunwick (BOS)
Nate Hagemo
Alex Goligoski (PIT)
Casey Borer (CAR)
Brian Lee

Forwards

Dan Fritsche (CBJ)
Patrick O'Sullivan (MIN)
Drew Stafford (BUF)
Jake Dowell (CHI)
Adam Pineault (CBJ)
Ryan Callahan (NYR)
Mike Brown (VAN)
T.J. Hensick
Rob Schremp (EDM)
Chris Bourque (WSH)
Kevin Porter (PHX)
Phil Kessel
Shawn Weller (OTT)

They did a good job going with Schneider there, Kessel deserves to be there, but defensively i'm really confused why two of our best defenseman at this age group in American aren't going there when guys like Lee, Borer, Hagemo are going? You're telling me Brian Lee is better then Jack Johnson and A.J. Thelen?
I also think Josh Hennessy is a better forward then Weller, Porter, Bourque, Brown, Callahan, Dowell, but I'm not going to get upset about it after the Bernier thing

 

[Pepper]

U.S doesn't impress me at all apart from goaltending, then again they didn't impress me last year either.

They miss their best forward/player in Parise, their defense is suspect after first pairing (well, after Suter), they lack size & skill upfront and generally looks like a weak group (relatively speaking of course)

Compared to Canada, U.S only has a clear edge in goal. Defense is a landslide win for Canada and forwards are close to landslide. Beyond Schremp and O'Sullivan it gets very bleak IMHO.

U.S is clearly behind Canada, slightly behind Russia and on par with Finland and even Sweden IMHO this year.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

USA
Dan Fritsche
Patrick O'Sullivan
Drew Stafford
Jake Dowell
Adam Pineault
Ryan Callahan
Mike Brown
T.J. Hensick
Rob Schremp
Chris Bourque
Kevin Porter
Phil Kessel
Shawn Weller

CANADA
Nigel Dawes
Mike Richards
Anthony Stewart
Ryan Getzlaf
Jeff Carter
Sidney Crosby
Jeremy Colliton
Patrice Bergereon
Corey Perry **
Eric Fehr **
Stephen Dixon **
Andrew Ladd **
Ryan Stone **

** Guesses as to who makes it for Canada.

IMO if you had a draft of the above 26 players, just picking players for the upcoming WJC the top 10 in no particular order would be:

Crosby
Carter
Richards
Stewart
Dawes
Bergeron
Getzlaf
O'Sullivan
Fritsche

Stafford/Schremp

While I agree that individually, Canada's forwards (most of them) are more prestigious and/or are better pro prospects than that of the U.S., that doesn't mean that as group they will be that much better. The U.S. will feature a very talented forward group that is really only lacking in one area, and that's size, and I don't know how much of an overall factor that will be in this tournament. It didn't hurt the U.S. last year, and this year's forward crew is built the same way.

 

[TML]

Where's the link to these rosters?

 

[William H Bonney]

While I agree that individually, Canada's forwards (most of them) are more prestigious and/or are better pro prospects than that of the U.S., that doesn't mean that as group they will be that much better. The U.S. will feature a very talented forward group that is really only lacking in one area, and that's size, and I don't know how much of an overall factor that will be in this tournament. It didn't hurt the U.S. last year, and this year's forward crew is built the same way.

Rabid, I agree with you but it's pointless. The USA never sends a good team, Canada is the best, and we have no chance just like last year. I'll take a gold medal again.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

U.S doesn't impress me at all apart from goaltending, then again they didn't impress me last year either.

They miss their best forward/player in Parise, their defense is suspect after first pairing (well, after Suter), they lack size & skill upfront and generally looks like a weak group (relatively speaking of course)

Compared to Canada, U.S only has a clear edge in goal. Defense is a landslide win for Canada and forwards are close to landslide. Beyond Schremp and O'Sullivan it gets very bleak IMHO.

U.S is clearly behind Canada, slightly behind Russia and on par with Finland and even Sweden IMHO this year.

How many of the U.S. players have you seen or are even half-way familiar with? To suggest that the U.S. has no skill up front is a very bad joke.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Rabid, I agree with you but it's pointless. The USA never sends a good team, Canada is the best, and we have no chance just like last year. I'll take a gold medal again.

You're right, it is pointless, but fun in a sadistic sort of way. I'm not sure how far I can get with a guy like John, since he's more of a fan of Richards and Carter then the U.S. team.