Olympics: 2014 - U.S. Roster Discussion

[magic school bus]

I don't think he'll be a better "defenseman" than any of those 7 in 2014, but sure I could see him playing both wing and d in a tournament. I really think that's his best shot to make the team - as a part time forward/defenseman and power play specialist.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

No Buff on the Big Ice... more room for him to make mistakes.

Zach Parise may never be the same based on his play this year.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

My Outlook:

LOCKS:
Stastny
Parise
Kesler
Kane
Ryan
Kessel

Suter
J.Johnson
Yandle

Miller
Quick

PROBABLES:
Pavelski
Brown
Callahan

Orpik
Martin

Howard

IN THE HUNT:
Backes
Dubinsky
Pominville
JVR
Stafford
Wilson
Malone
Smith
Booth

Liles
Byfuglien
Carlson
Fowler
Shattenkirk
E Johnson
Bogosian
Goligoski
Gleason
Whitney
Carle

Campbell
Schneider
Anderson

LONGSHOTS:
Connolly
Gaustad
Gerbe
Legwand
Pacioretty
Gionta
Gomez
Oshie
Stepan

Leddy
Potter
McBain
McDonagh
Leopold
Gardiner
Stuart
Gilbert
Blum
Wisniewski

McCollum
DiPietro
Montoya


This is a combination of current and projections. If I'm missing any names let me know. Obviously this is highly subject to change and I'm sure there will be several disagreements on this one. I'll probably update it every month or two.

 

[magic school bus]

No Buff on the Big Ice... more room for him to make mistakes.

Zach Parise may never be the same based on his play this year.

I've been tracking his stats this season .. very disappointing. hopefully it's just a bad slump.

Re: Big Buff, don't you think he'd be extra motivated on the big stage? He's a monster when he's on his game.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

I've been tracking his stats this season .. very disappointing. hopefully it's just a bad slump.

Some NJD fans have mentioned that he does not seem the same. He is your best player. The 2014 U.S. team will need him.

Re: Big Buff, don't you think he'd be extra motivated on the big stage? He's a monster when he's on his game.

Canada has learned from their past mistakes of using big, big D-Men on the big ice.

If I was an American fan, I would not him in Sochi.

As a Canadian, I say... "Benvenuto in Italia".

 

[Cory Trevor]

I think because it's played on such open ice JVR is worth being in there. His skating ability is great.

 

[Cory Trevor]

Team Canada has a thread so why not the U.S.?

The way I see it, the U.S. will have to put a premium on skating and puck moving-in particular from the blueline. That will probably result in a slightly different line-up than seen in 2010, but the good news is the current crop of U.S. skaters is by and large a very good skating group. Here's my early look:

Goaltenders (x3):

Tim Thomas *
Ryan Miller
Jonathan Quick

* If Thomas has hit the skids Jimmy Howard or Cory Schneider

Defensemen (x7):

Ryan Suter/Keith Yandle
Erik Johnson/Jack Johnson
Brooks Orpik/Cam Fowler
John Carlson

Forwards (x13):

Zach Parise-Paul Stastny-Bobby Ryan
Ryan Kesler-Patrick Kane-Phil Kessel
Drew Stafford-Joe Pavelski-Jason Pominville
Dustin Brown-David Backes-Ryan Callahan
JVR

Those top two lines and the D pairings are making me drool.....I called it then, its our time in 2014.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Those top two lines are making me drool.....

I don't know buddy... Parise, Stastny, Kesler and Ryan are have less then stellar seasons.

the D pairings are making me drool.....I called it then, its our time in 2014

Have you seen what Canada will be throwing at you?

 

[magic school bus]

Have you seen what Canada will be throwing at you?

Hey, we have good young players too

By 2014, Bobby Ryan could be a 50 goal scorer. you never know ...

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Hey, we have good young players too

By 2014, Bobby Ryan could be a 50 goal scorer. you never know ...

Fair enough but your team will have to be awfully good to stop...

Stamkos- Crosby- Bergeron
Giroux- Getzlaf- Perry
Skinner-RNH- Seguin
M. Richards- Toews- Nash

 

[Cory Trevor]

I don't know buddy... Parise, Stastny, Kesler and Ryan are have less then stellar seasons.





Have you seen what Canada will be throwing at you?

I don't worry about any of those players. It all comes full circle for talented playesr like them.

As for the D pairs, If anything they are a shade under their canadian counterparts. Go through it. I will.

Suter Yandle
Jack Johnson

Weber Doughty
Keith

The gap isn't as large as you think.

And I think the open ice plays right into the U.S. hands with the speed our forwards have.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

I don't worry about any of those players. It all comes full circle for talented playesr like them.

As for the D pairs, If anything they are a shade under their canadian counterparts. Go through it. I will.

Suter Yandle
Jack Johnson

Weber Doughty
Keith

The gap isn't as large as you think.

I don't think it is as close as you think...

Suter is very good. Jack Johnson however has had the worst +/- in the NHL over the last 3 years. Yandle was horrible in the playoff against the Red Wings and is unproven in big games.

Maybe we are both wrong and it is somewhere in the middle.

And I think the open ice plays right into the U.S. hands with the speed our forwards have.

I'm not sure. Year in and year out, the U.S. does horribly at the World Championship - on the big ice. I have seem some of your favourites play at the WC and they do not play well.

On the small ice, IMO, it is Canada and the U.S. for Gold going forward. One the big ice, either team could fall on their face.

 

[Cory Trevor]

I don't think it is as close as you think...

Suter is very good. Jack Johnson however has had the worst +/- in the NHL over the last 3 years. Yandle was horrible in the playoff against the Red Wings and is unproven in big games.

Maybe we are both wrong and it is somewhere in the middle.



On the small ice, IMO, it is Canada and the U.S. for Gold going forward. One the big ice, either team could fall on their face.

I'll play ball here. I think if anything the gap has narrowed since 2010. The larger ice really does help the US more the Canadians. Our DMen are very close I think to the Canadian DMen. Letang has a lot of momentary lapses in judgment. We aren't as talented as the forward core of Canada, but we have fast and good skaters with very good hands.

And there's no question where the advantage lies for netminders.

And I completely agree, if they don't come out one hundred percent focus, either team that is, they will get run over. This one's on their turf now, and you know who is not going to roll over and die like they did in 2010.

 

[William H Bonney]

I don't think it is as close as you think...

Suter is very good. Jack Johnson however has had the worst +/- in the NHL over the last 3 years. Yandle was horrible in the playoff against the Red Wings and is unproven in big games.

Maybe we are both wrong and it is somewhere in the middle.





I'm not sure. Year in and year out, the U.S. does horribly at the World Championship - on the big ice. I have seem some of your favourites play at the WC and they do not play well.

On the small ice, IMO, it is Canada and the U.S. for Gold going forward. One the big ice, either team could fall on their face.

You're too caught up in paper analyzing and names. Now, I understand that's part of the fun and killing the time until the next tournament process, but this is the same stuff people spewed (although this is obviously much more subdued) leading up to the 2010 Olympics. Everyone wrote off Team USA except some of us USA fans. Most of the top hockey nations are filled with world class players. Anything can happen. Majority of those ended up with serious egg on their face. Everyone here gets it. We did this rodeo last time. Paper roster vs. Paper roster Canada is going to win every time against any country you match them up against. Thankfully for our enjoyment, they still play the games and there's tons of ways they can shake out.

The truth of the matter is a lot of the teams are true gold medal contenders. It just depends on how it all shakes out. Did you expect Brian Rafalski to have such a great 2010 Olympics? Demitra to lead the tournament in scoring? Niklas Hagman to finish Top 10 in scoring? Handzus and Zednik to outscore Gaborik? I guarantee you no one did. That's because at this level these players are all good enough to do damage. It just depends on which players gel and get hot in a 7 game stretch. That's it.

Sure, the US usually sucks at the World Championships but it's for more reasons than it just being on the big ice, although that plays at part. USA Hockey treats the tournament like an obligation instead of an opportunity. The players treat it even worse than that. And frankly, most American players just don't care about it. They didn't grow up reading about it, hearing about it, watching it, or even wanting to play in it. It still gets next to no coverage in the US. It is what it is. We all wish they cared more and treated it with more respect but they don't. Hopefully that will change. And while they've struggled, they've also had bad luck in that tournament recently that led to them missing out on a few medals. The results they've had historically are still pathetic though.

I hope the IIHF and NHL can compromise. NHL will allow the players to play in 2014 as long as the games are on NHL ice. Sure, it's beneficial to North American players and I like that but frankly, it's just much more entertaining hockey than the Olympic sized ice.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

I'll play ball here. I think if anything the gap has narrowed since 2010..

I will agree because Canada will have lost Boyle, Pronger and Niedermayer on the back end. But if you were to list Canada's Top 6 D-Men in 2014 as

Keith
Doughty
Weber
Letang
Staal or Pietrangelo if he continues to improve
Myers

the only U.S. D Man that would crack that line up is Suter.

The larger ice really does help the US more the Canadians..

Again, I disagree. In recent years I have seen just about every American who will be on your team in 2014 play at the WC (all on the Big Ice) and they never play well.

Here is the U.S.'s record over the last 10 years at the World Championships...

2002 - Finished in 7th place
2003 - Finished in 13th place
2004 - Won bronze medal
2005 - Finished in 6th place
2006 - Finished in 7th place
2007 - Finished in 5th place
2008 - Finished in 6th place
2009 - Finished in 4th place
2010 - Finished in 13th place
2011 - Finished in 8th place

Letang has a lot of momentary lapses in judgment.

I think he has been terrific this year.

Letang : 15 Games / 14 Points / +1

Yandle : 15 Games / 9 Points / -3

And there's no question where the advantage lies for netminders.

I will give you that.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

You're too caught up in paper analyzing and names. Now, I understand that's part of the fun and killing the time until the next tournament process, but this is the same stuff people spewed (although this is obviously much more subdued) leading up to the 2010 Olympics. Everyone wrote off Team USA except some of us USA fans. Most of the top hockey nations are filled with world class players. Anything can happen. Majority of those ended up with serious egg on their face. Everyone here gets it. We did this rodeo last time. Paper roster vs. Paper roster Canada is going to win every time against any country you match them up against. Thankfully for our enjoyment, they still play the games and there's tons of ways they can shake out.

Fair enough.

I also have to agree that in 2010, 3 U.S. players would have made Team Canada - Miller, Kane and Parise. In 2014 it might be as high as 5 - Kane, Parise (altho I am wondering if he will ever be the same), Suter, Yandle (not sure) and Miller.

But, as you say, so much can change.

Did you expect Brian Rafalski to have such a great 2010 Olympics? Demitra to lead the tournament in scoring? Niklas Hagman to finish Top 10 in scoring? Handzus and Zednik to outscore Gaborik? I guarantee you no one did.

Well, I don't want to brag but I did.

Sure, the US usually sucks at the World Championships but it's for more reasons than it just being on the big ice, although that plays at part. USA Hockey treats the tournament like an obligation instead of an opportunity. The players treat it even worse than that. And frankly, most American players just don't care about it. They didn't grow up reading about it, hearing about it, watching it, or even wanting to play in it. It still gets next to no coverage in the US. It is what it is. We all wish they cared more and treated it with more respect but they don't. Hopefully that will change. And while they've struggled, they've also had bad luck in that tournament recently that led to them missing out on a few medals. The results they've had historically are still pathetic though.

I hope the IIHF and NHL can compromise. NHL will allow the players to play in 2014 as long as the games are on NHL ice. Sure, it's beneficial to North American players and I like that but frankly, it's just much more entertaining hockey than the Olympic sized ice.

I agree.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

I think we all agree on one thing... it sure will be a shame if they do not go to the Olympics in 2014.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

NHL will allow the players to play in 2014 as long as the games are on NHL ice.

I heard the ice will be either :

1) half way between international and NHL sized ice (a compromise);
2) International sized ice.

But I nothing more.

What have you heard on this?

 

[Cory Trevor]

I will agree because Canada will have lost Boyle, Pronger and Niedermayer. But if you were to list Canada's Top 6 D-Men in 2014 as

Keith
Doughty
Weber
Letang
Staal or Pietrangelo if he continues to improve
Myers

the only U.S. D Man that would crack that line up is Suter.



Again, I disagree. In recent years I have seen just about every American who will be on your team in 2014 play at the WC (all on the Big Ice) and they never play well.

Here is the U.S.'s record over the last 10 years at the World Championships...

2002 - Finished in 7th place
2003 - Finished in 13th place
2004 - Won bronze medal
2005 - Finished in 6th place
2006 - Finished in 7th place
2007 - Finished in 5th place
2008 - Finished in 6th place
2009 - Finished in 4th place
2010 - Finished in 13th place
2011 - Finished in 8th place



I think he has been terrific this year.

Letang : 15 Games / 14 Points / +1

Yandle : 15 Games / 9 Points / -3



I will give you that.

I'll give you the Dmen. Though with an amendment. Letang has been burnt several times this year, often embarrassing. I caught a couple in the past few games and was not impressed. I thought he'd threaten Norris, not with this kind of play.

Dont know how to post video. Bear with me hear but at :45 in this video.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020224&cmpid=ggl1bx

And in this one, at :06, 2:10, 2:15,

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020232&cmpid=ggl1bx


And these are their last two games.

I'll concede to you the point based on those numbers in terms of the U.S. skating abilitiy

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

This one's on their turf now, and you know who is not going to roll over and die like they did in 2010.

I don't think that is fair. Canada deserves credit for smoking them in the Semis. Russia did not roll over and die... Canada just had our greatest game ever.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

I'll give you the Dmen. Though with an amendment. Letang has been burnt several times this year, often embarrassing. I caught a couple in the past few games and was not impressed. I thought he'd threaten Norris, not with this kind of play.

Dont know how to post video. Bear with me hear but at :45 in this video.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020224&cmpid=ggl1bx

And in this one, at :06, 2:10, 2:15,

http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2011020232&cmpid=ggl1bx


And these are their last two games.

I'll concede to you the point based on those numbers in terms of the U.S. skating abilitiy

I wasn't able to pull up the video buddy but I will assume you are correct. I still believe he will be mentioned for the Norris this year.

Having said all that, even with lapses in judgement, I still believe he will be in Sochi because he has such "good hair". Lucky b@stard!!!

 

[Cory Trevor]

I don't think that is fair. Canada deserves credit for smoking them in the Semis. Russia did not roll over and die... Canada just had our greatest game ever.

They did. I mean the U.S. came to play and we did not have the kind of talent to be as good as we were. Russia was twice as talented as we were then. Russia WAS that bad in 2010, it's the truth.

 

[Cory Trevor]

I wasn't able to pull up the video buddy but I will assume you are correct.

I still believe he will be mentioned for the Norris this year.

Having said all that, even with lapses in judgement, I still believe he will be in Sochi because he has such "good hair". Lucky *******!!!!

On flow alone he should be allowed entry. That hair is stylin....

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

On flow alone he should be allowed entry. That hair is stylin....

LMAO!!!!

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Off to bed boys. Thanks for the give and take.