Olympics: You're the GM for Team USA 2018. Who gets an invite back?

[nwaZ*]

You guys seriously wanna cut Kessel?

He choked when the games mattered. So did the others except Quick, but that was extremely disappointing considering how he'd played before that.

 

[Pez68]

Unbelievable that an internet poster understand these things but not Bylsma. Good post!

Like I said in the thread about Bylsma, Lavy would've suit the bigger ice better with his system. But then again, I think the US lacked skill anyway upfront.

Pavelski, Kessel, Kane, Backes, JVR, Oshie, Stastny is plenty of skill up front. The problem was the line combos. The most skilled players weren't out there together. They didn't mixup the lines at all. An Okposo or Saad would have helped up front too.

Also, why is team USA's most creative and dynamic offensive player not playing his natural position? I can't tell you how often I saw Kane on the left wing. I would have liked to see JVR, Pavelski, and Kane together. Or Parise, Pavelski, Kane together. Did that ever happen? I saw Kane out there with Kesler 99% of the time, and I thought Kesler was invisible most of the tournament. Admittedly, I didn't watch as much as I would have liked, but I can't recall seeing Kane with Pavelski. Team USA could have used another strong left winger, which is a big reason I was disappointed to see Saad left off the roster. Especially given his speed and puck possession.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Kreider/Stepan/Kane
Pacioretty/Galchenyuk/Ryan
JVR/Eichel/Kessel
Parise/Backes/Okposo
Bjugstad
Saad

McDonagh-Jones
Suter-Trouba
Fowler-Shattenkirk
Faulk
Hanifin

Gibson
Quick
Schneider

 

[nobuddy]

Kessel, JVR, Parise, Kane, Kesler, Pacioretty, Pavelski, Stepan, Faulk, Fowler, Suter, McDonagh, Shattenkirk, Carlson Quick.

JVR-Galchenyuk-Kessel
Kreider-Eichel-Kane
Parise-Kesler-Pavelski
MaxPac-Stepan-Ryan
Saad-Bjugstad

McDonagh-Faulk
Jones-Trouba
Suter-Fowler
Shattenkirk
Carlson

Quick
Schneider
Gibson

 

[Sacha Baron Corbin]

Quick, Kane, Kessel, JVR, Fowler, McD, Shattenkirk, Faulk, Patches, Oshie, Backes, Stastny, Stephan.

I think guys like Kesler, Pavelski, Suter, and Parise will all be too old and past their prime.

 

[BMOK33]

Brock Nelson

 

[LV*]

He choked when the games mattered. So did the others except Quick, but that was extremely disappointing considering how he'd played before that.

Lol... So the answer is cutting your best player? OK bro

 

[BlackAdam]

He choked when the games mattered. So did the others except Quick, but that was extremely disappointing considering how he'd played before that.

Kessel had a few good chances especially the one off the opening face off.
He's defintley on the all Olympic team.
Jack Eichel will be on the 2018 team.

 

[JS19]

He choked when the games mattered. So did the others except Quick, but that was extremely disappointing considering how he'd played before that.

Can you really say that's Kessel's fault? It seems like the team as a whole simply didn't show up.

 

[BlackAdam]

These accusations against Kessel are asinine.
He was the best forward in this tournament and he will be given that title by the IIHF after the gold medal game.

 

[Tripod]

Ryan-Pavelski-Kane
JVR-Galchenyuk-Kessel
Saad-Backes-Okposo
Pacioretty-Kesler-Wheeler
Stastny Callahan

McDonagh-Jones
Suter-Byfuglien
Yandle-Trouba
Faulk

Quick
Gibson
Howard

lol...so you Galchen, Saad to the forwards.
Canada adds Stamkos,MacKinnon, Hall Seguin...maybe Giroux, Johansen,Turris, RNH

I like Canada's chances.

 

[Pugs35]

lol...so you Galchen, Saad to the forwards.
Canada adds Stamkos,MacKinnon, Hall Seguin...maybe Giroux, Johansen,Turris, RNH

I like Canada's chances.

No one asked about Canada's chances.

 

[ecemleafs]

they need to grow some centers.

galchenyuk and eichel becoming high scoring centers would go a long way. eichel is a huge projection but he'd be the same age as toews was in 2010 next olympics.

 

[Machinehead]

I have the same solution for team USA that I've been proposing for the Rangers for 3 years: let's just clone McDonagh.

 

[startainfection*]

they need to grow some centers.

well bjugstad and nelson will be entering their primes in 2018

 

[startainfection*]

Brock Nelson

why is that sarcasm

 

[srsly989]

Ryan-Pavelski-Kane
JVR-Galchenyuk-Kessel
Saad-Backes-Okposo
Pacioretty-Kesler-Wheeler
Stastny Callahan

McDonagh-Jones
Suter-Byfuglien
Yandle-Trouba
Faulk

Quick
Gibson
Howard

Howard/Gibson over Bishop?

 

[x Tame Impala]

Strange thread since 4 years is a long way away. Health and talent can change so much over that time period.

It's easier to say who shouldn't have been on the team IMHO.

Parise
Brown
Wheeler
Martin
Orpick
Faulk

 

[Fire Shero*]

Shero, Piole and Bylsma should clearly not be involved in ANY capacity.

Orpik, Callahan, Stepan should not be allowed back. Martin will be past his prime. You don't need Callahan AND Brown, id rather just have Brown.

I still don't know how Orpik and Stepan made this team.

I knew Shero and Poile were incompetent, but they took it to a new low.

 

[Incognito]

He choked when the games mattered. So did the others except Quick, but that was extremely disappointing considering how he'd played before that.

So Kessel gets condemned for being a force through the first four games of the tournament and then dropping off in the last two, while the guys who never really showed up at all get a free pass? As crazy as it sounds, it almost seems as though Kessel would have been held in higher esteem if he had played poorly during the preliminaries.

 

[91Stammer*]

Get rid of Bylsma hes crap.

Players that comeback:

Kesler
Kane
Backes
Pavelski
Pacoretty
Shattenkirk
T.J Oshie
McDouogh
Parise
Stastny
Callahan
Suter
Fowler
Wheeler (Maybe)
Quick

Basically just get rid of the non scorers and ppl who shouldn't be there.

I can see the strong hate for the leafs lol. Parise, Wheeler, Pacioretty, Callahan all ahead of the most successive players Kessel and JVR? I don't mind though Kane, Callahan, Wheeler couldn't even score once.

I don't mind watching Canada win gold again without any effort.

 

[nwaZ*]

So Kessel gets condemned for being a force through the first four games of the tournament and then dropping off in the last two, while the guys who never really showed up at all get a free pass? As crazy as it sounds, it almost seems as though Kessel would have been held in higher esteem if he had played poorly during the preliminaries.

I haven't said Kessel would be cut or the only one if that happened. I offered an explanation.

I'd look more to a player like Parise.

 

[Beerz]

I'll just say who shouldn't have been on the team this year...

Howard
Martin
Orpik
Callahan
Brown
Oshie
MaxPac

 

[91Stammer*]

Can you really say that's Kessel's fault? It seems like the team as a whole simply didn't show up.

I agree. I saw a lot of Parise, Kane out there but less Kessel, JVR. You give your successful players more mins than caring about players like Kane and Parise. They didn't deserve the mins ahead of Kessel, Pavelski, JVR. Also ******* Backes was playing in front of goalie when JVR has the best intangibles, hands, skills, size, strength at that position.

Suck it Bylsma you are the worst coach team USA ever had. You made this team worst.

 

[DaveG]

The 26 who are playing the best heading into the Olympics and the start of the selection process.