USA WJC thread

[Rabid Ranger]

And the reason Sauer was absent, I believe, was due to his injury at the time.

The simple fact of the matter is that the USA brass better get a longer evaluation at one point because they left off a guy who is a workhorse and could've logged serious, serious minutes and been one of our top PKers.

I'm seriously disappointed with the lack of Sauer and Ryan on this squad.

I agree with you. Sauer should have been on this team not only this year but last year as well. I'd be interested to hear the explantion as to why he was left on the squad. Couldn't they have called a guy like Kevin Constantine to get a first hand view of what Sauer brings to the table?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

And there were better defenseman in Sauer and Summers who were left off the team in favor of Zimmerman who will probably ride the pine most of the time.

That's just something you don't do in team building. I've said it before: I like Zimmerman a lot as a pro prospect. I just don't see how he fits onto this team as he hardly brings the talent that the aforementioned players do. Only reason he made the squad over Sauer is that Sauer was injured during the camp.

I think he fits in if his role is going to be the 7th defenseman. Let's face it, the Johnsons, Lee, and Chorney are going to get the bulk of the minutes with McBain and Lawson getting spot duty. I have no doubt Zimmerman can step in and play his role well.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I think he fits in if his role is going to be the 7th defenseman. Let's face it, the Johnsons, Lee, and Chorney are going to get the bulk of the minutes with McBain and Lawson getting spot duty. I have no doubt Zimmerman can step in and play his role well.

My problem is that they could've had more depth and more talent. The team has never made such glaring omissions as this year, IMO. Even when Jack Johnson was left off -- he was an underage at the time.

I just don't get it sometimes, RR.

 

[Fripp]

Sauer has looked uninterested at times this year. That said, he's a rock defensively and smart offensively. Its not his fault the Hawks are god awful this year and the youngest team in the WHL. I'd probably be counting the days till moving on also if I was on a team of 16-year olds and a few undrafted overagers.

Its a real shame he was left off the roster.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

My problem is that they could've had more depth and more talent. The team has never made such glaring omissions as this year, IMO. Even when Jack Johnson was left off -- he was an underage at the time.

I just don't get it sometimes, RR.

While I agree that some of the omissions are puzzling, I don't know if I can go as far as to say the team will fail as a result. While this team might not be as skilled as it could have been, I think there is enough skill to go along with plenty of grit and leadership to do well.

 

[xander]

Who are the CHL players you would have selected for the team?

first off: My point with Sanguinetti isn't that he should have been on the team (I think there are arguments to be made for and agaist putting him on the roster) but that it's completely absurd not to invite him to the evaluation camp. Sanguinetti was crossed off the list out of principle 3 years ago and that's completely wrong.

2. The only glaring CHL ommisions are Sauer and Ryan.
Sauer because he's a defensive rock that can play well in any situation you put him in.

I know Ryan has strugled this year, but when I look at the Foward Corps I have questions about they're size and they're scoring depth. Ryan adds both of those dimensions. And, as Jon said, the speed throughout this team's lineup could have made up for his skating deficiencies.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

first off: My point with Sanguinetti isn't that he should have been on the team (I think there are arguments to be made for and agaist putting him on the roster) but that it's completely absurd not to invite him to the evaluation camp. Sanguinetti was crossed off the list out of principle 3 years ago and that's completely wrong.

2. The only glaring CHL ommisions are Sauer and Ryan.
Sauer because he's a defensive rock that can play well in any situation you put him in.

I know Ryan has strugled this year, but when I look at the Foward Corps I have questions about they're size and they're scoring depth. Ryan adds both of those dimensions. And, as Jon said, the speed throughout this team's lineup could have made up for his skating deficiencies.

I can't agree with you on the size factor. I actually think the U.S. forward group as a whole has excellent size. There are couple of shrimps (Gerbe for one), but I don't think that's a factor, especially on the international ice.

 

[Oilers Chick]

I can't agree with you on the size factor. I actually think the U.S. forward group as a whole has excellent size. There are couple of shrimps (Gerbe for one), but I don't think that's a factor, especially on the international ice.

Do you think that the larger international ice surface works more in favor of the collegians than it does for the CHLers due to them all playing on larger surfaces regularly (some more than others) or does that really matter?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Do you think that the larger international ice surface works more in favor of the collegians than it does for the CHLers due to them all playing on larger surfaces regularly (some more than others) or does that really matter?

I think it helps that EVERYONE on the U.S. team can skate. It also doesn't hurt that many of players (such as the guys from Minny) play on the larger ice.

 

[C-Saku Koivu MTL]

Would like some tought on David Fisher. Was he considered at all, coud he have made, should he have made it along with Sauer and possibly Summer or Sanguinetti.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Would like some tought on David Fisher. Was he considered at all, coud he have made, should he have made it along with Sauer and possibly Summer or Sanguinetti.

Fischer's a bit green this year. Look for him next year.

 

[xander]

I can't agree with you on the size factor. I actually think the U.S. forward group as a whole has excellent size. There are couple of shrimps (Gerbe for one), but I don't think that's a factor, especially on the international ice.

you make a good point about the international, which I had failed to consider. So I will retract my size comment.

I still wonder about the overall skill level of the foward group, and that's somthing that Ryan brings to the table.


In the end it may not matter, I'm not sure if I see anyone getting through Canada's defense.

 

[xander]

You'd be surprised. There was a report out somewhere a long time ago with an american player who ended up chosing the CHL over NCAA and he was talking about his pro and cons list, and that was definitly on there.

Also I said it isn't the right way to pick the team, but the USA brass is doing it to pimp the NCAA system there is no question about it.

no offense, but claiming that there was 'some report a while ago' about a guy who listed the WJC as a factor yet still chose the CHL is a pretty awful way to support your argument.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

you make a good point about the international, which I had failed to consider. So I will retract my size comment.

I still wonder about the overall skill level of the foward group, and that's somthing that Ryan brings to the table.


In the end it may not matter, I'm not sure if I see anyone getting through Canada's defense.

I think the U.S. top six forwards are as good as anyone's. The key is whether we can get some auxiliary scoring from the third line, and a timely goal here and there from the fourth. We'll see.

 

[Randall Graves*]

Then explain Trevor Lewis, Kane and Zimmerman being on the team...

I believe they all went through the development program before going to the CHL.

 

[therealdeal]

Sorry, bad memory here, didn't Ryan get a goal against Canada last year on a breakaway from the blue line?

Has he been struggling this year or something?

 

[GKJ]

I believe they all went through the development program before going to the CHL.

That's valid then. Maybe USA Hockey just doesn't buy the hype on Bobby Ryan.

 

[Randall Graves*]

first off: My point with Sanguinetti isn't that he should have been on the team (I think there are arguments to be made for and agaist putting him on the roster) but that it's completely absurd not to invite him to the evaluation camp. Sanguinetti was crossed off the list out of principle 3 years ago and that's completely wrong.

2. The only glaring CHL ommisions are Sauer and Ryan.
Sauer because he's a defensive rock that can play well in any situation you put him in.

I know Ryan has strugled this year, but when I look at the Foward Corps I have questions about they're size and they're scoring depth. Ryan adds both of those dimensions. And, as Jon said, the speed throughout this team's lineup could have made up for his skating deficiencies.

Some of Ryans struggles are him some are not, but he's played well since the start of November. He's in a situation that in reality he doesn't want to be in..

 

[Randall Graves*]

That's valid then. Maybe USA Hockey just doesn't buy the hype on Bobby Ryan.

Having seen what he can do with the puck myself, I find that hard to believe, say what you want with what he does away from it but with it his skills are elite.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

That's valid then. Maybe USA Hockey just doesn't buy the hype on Bobby Ryan.

Guys, he was on the team LAST YEAR. I think it's pretty simple why he was on the team last year and is not on the team this year: the size of the ice sheet.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Guys, he was on the team LAST YEAR. I think it's pretty simple why he was on the team last year and is not on the team this year: the size of the ice sheet.

He was on the team last year as a 13th forward, though, wasn't he?

The US squad was just looking for any damn reason they could dump him off the team, IMO.

 

[inferno98]

He was on the team last year as a 13th forward, though, wasn't he?

The US squad was just looking for any damn reason they could dump him off the team, IMO.

Yes they were looking for reasons to leave him off.
So they must of found reasons, whether its that they dont like him, or they dont like his skating or what im not sure but it is true they were looking for reasons to leave him off even though they shouldn't have.

I am not sure if the kid has cofindence issues or what but I hope it doesn't negatively effect his play the rest of the year for OSA, i hope it makes him pissed off and he goes on a scoring rampage.

 

[PuckFan01]

Even a guy like Jase Weslosky, who's looked good in spot duty.

You are going to put a guy with two college games against weak teams as a potential goalie before a goalie that has way more experience and has played many more games against this kind of competition? What a

 

[Hunter Gathers]

You are going to put a guy with two college games against weak teams as a potential goalie before a goalie that has way more experience and has played many more games against this kind of competition? What a

Okay, tough guy. So you tell me this: Are you confident that Frazee can carry the load for this team?

 

[RayLeeCharles]

I believe they all went through the development program before going to the CHL.

I dont believe Zimmerman had gone through the development program. Hes played on in Spokane since hes been 15, whether it was with the Spokane Braves or Chiefs.