I just had a conversation with someone about this...Any one of the NCAA players playing on the U.S. roster could make the jump and play major junior. They just chose to stay in the states. The margin of skill between the NCAA guys that we have on this team and the american CHL players that were left off the roster is very slim. Remember the majority of canadians only get to see the american players that are playing in the CHL. They don't watch much college hockey or U.S. junior hockey, so the only time that they get to see guys like Kyle Rau, Coyle, Zucker...ect is in these international tourmanents. And if they have a bad game like they did against the Fins, then they all asume they are duds and the U.S. CHL players would make the world of a difference. Don't take this post the wrong way, i'm NOT pro USHL/NCAA and anti Major Junior.
I hear. Similar with his team mate Tyler Toffoli not making the Canadian squad.. You never know what the coach is looking for.
Your team just isn't playing very well, not as good as the parts it has that's for sure. Hopefully you don't start tomorrow.
And the coaches, for whatever reason, felt otherwise. Great he was pissed, so what? He can either use it as motivation to get better and put himself in a situation where they can't cut him next year, or he can go the route you seem to be suggesting and hold a grudge and ignore US hockey because he got cut. One route shows a willingness to be a team player and one shows a complete me first attitude. And US hockey won't be the one looking bad if Prince decides to be a dick about it.
I know RWG touched on this already, but I wanted to chime in a bit as well.
I think this is a classic misconception of why some of us want more CHL Americans on these squads. I simply dont feel that the talent level is way higher in the CHL then the NCAA....I agree 100% that it is a pretty slim difference overall when you get down to it.
The main issue is and will always be about the type of game that is played in the CHL, the amount of games played in the CHL, and the amount of opponents you will face from the CHL. These are the main issues that some of us have.
The CHL isnt just about Canadian kids only, the league is a flippin melting pot now. You will be playing against numerous enemies from all different countries that have players playing in the CHL. It still drives me crazy that the US picks teams more "familiar" with each other then the enemy.
I want players that have gone to battle night in and night out against the majority of my competition. Our NCAA kids simply do not face off against many kids that will play on any other country....it is a fact.
The style of play in the CHL is more in your face, up tempo, physical hockey...and when you have a solid balance of CHL Americans on your team familiar with this, it only helps the rest of the team adjust much quicker. When you dont have this, your team looks flat and intimidated which it has this year. Granted they didnt play against a ton of CHLers yet, but most looked like deers in the headlights out there...
Bottom line is exactly what RWG said: BALANCE. We need a better balance when picking these teams. More and more of our higher end kids are going the CHL route, so the balance does need to be swinging upwards of more CHL Americans on these squads. This year is the biggest wake up call I can remember.
Having only 1 CHL dman on this team is simply inexcusable. Tinordi looked like a beast out there, him and Johns actually looked like they wanted to be out there, the rest simply didnt.
Austin Levi would have been a wonderous choice over Gravel, and not having Connor Murphy hurts, but his familiarity with the CHL would have been very limited anyways...
There needs to be a better balance out there like the 2010 team had....Levi or Hanson from Portland should have been on this squad just because they have much more experience with playing against this type of talent.
Not trying to kick sand in the face of you guys but the teams that you lost to did not have that many CHL players as well. Also the CHL players on the US team this year were just as guilty as the NCAA players with regards to the losses.
I was astounded at the lack of routine, fundamental hockey plays today: sloppy passing, mishandled passes, terrible changes, missed d-zone coverage, 2 teammates going for a loose puck, 2 teammates backing off a loose puck. Way too often it appeared that the players had stepped on the ice with each other for the first time.
Although I'm annually disappointed by some of USA Hockey's WJC decisions, none of the above is explained by selection bias. The sloppy play combined with a stellar opposing goalie resulted in today's embarrassment.
Concerning CHL experience ... US kids playing in the OHL, for example, play nobody from the QMJHL or WHL, unless their team makes the Memorial Cup. The benefit of selecting kids who have head-to-head experience against fellow CHLers is mostly illusory.
Agreed, I stated that in another post as well...
This isnt a cop out or an excuse, but if we are picking teams with players from the USNDP or NCAA that are familiar with one another, and the outcome is this....then we need more CHL Americans every year.
I simply want more players that play a more professional schedule, a more physical schedule, against players that they will see from other countries....
I also want the best players possible, and we simply didnt bring the best this year and it showed.
Anyone watch Zucker's post game comments? I think having him as the captain was one of the major problems.
"We played an excellent game and our team was outstanding. We had a near perfect game..."
What game were you watching,
captain?
What really kills me is both of these games were there for the taking. Third period collapses really point to a lack of leadership and coaching, which is surprising considering who is at the helm.
to your last part, not sure why so many of you arent understanding this. you are missing the point.
its not about seeing all of your enemies, it is about having CHL Americans on this team because they play a tougher schedule, or more physical game in the CHL, and will play against opponents they see on a nightly basis. It might only be a couple, but I would rather have kids that have experience playing against 2-3 kids on Finland, then having 0 which we did. It does make an overall difference, especially with the type of game that is played in the CHL.
When we have a balanced team of CHL to NCAA Americans on our team, we win medals....hardly illusory....it is proven more times then naught.
Lets look at it for real. US hockey is not as good as US hockey fans think. Every player that plays for the US team is GREAT if you do not believe it just ask an US hockey Fan.
You won the gold two years ago came third last year what did you do before that. So the last two years was a fluke.
Your best players would not make team Canada.
By your logic every decent 15 year old American kid should be setting his sights on playing for a CHL team, so they "play a more professional schedule, a more physical schedule, against players that they will see from other countries", right?
Where does that leave the NCAA, the NTDP, and USA Hockey for that matter?
I'm no fan of USA Hockey, but your slant is simply unrealistic. Besides, USA hockey has improved greatly since the advent of the NTDP.
Let's not get carried away because of one disappointing tournament.
This is the arrogant lunacy that caused this Canadian expat to start cheering for the US in hockey.
Get lost, troll.