World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team USA

[ijuka]

What? Buff has been the worst d-man so far by a wide margin, and EJ was fantastic in his first appearance. This is 100% the right move for now.

EJ Corsi was 36.36%, worst for a D on the team.

Buff's was 44% which isn't great but was the 3rd best D on the team. Buff also was 2nd best in Corsi out of Ds in game 1 vs Canada.

 

[Ivan13]

What? Buff has been the worst d-man so far by a wide margin, and EJ was fantastic in his first appearance. This is 100% the right move for now.

Corsi man, corsi. That's all that matters.

 

[P10p]

As a concerned wild fan who hasn't seen a game yet, how has parise looked?

 

[JetsHomer]

What? Buff has been the worst d-man so far by a wide margin, and EJ was fantastic in his first appearance. This is 100% the right move for now.

Byfuglien has been the best American defenseman to this point. He's the only on the the D that doesn't handle the puck like its a grenade

 

[William H Bonney]

EJ Corsi was 36.36%, worst for a D on the team.

Buff's was 44% which isn't great but was the 3rd best D on the team. Buff also was 2nd best in Corsi out of Ds in game 1 vs Canada.

Corsi, sweet. Is it still too late to add Alex Goligoski, Jake Gardiner, and Alec Martinez to our team?

Corsi man, corsi. That's all that matters.

Apologies for my error. I also just heard the breaking news that Team Canada has called an emergency meeting as their staff must answer for their snubs of Brayden McNabb, Josh Manson, and Brendan Smith. What corsi!

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

In Torts we trust

 

[Runner77]

Ah, Canada responded and was clearly the better team tonight.

What can be expected against Finland tonight?

How close will it be?

 

[Scotty B]

What can be expected against Finland tonight?

How close will it be?

I dunno. Will Yanks play on the edge ( over it really! ) and drive guys heads into the boards ( if this was an IIHF tourney Kesler wouda got 1 game suspension for that hit on Weber )? Will they get behind Suomi D, and own the greasy areas surrounding the blue ice, like they did for significant stretches vs Canada, to great affect? Or will they save their A game for when the real tourney starts?

If they play like they did vs Canada in game one, I think Suomi's young D will be crying for mommy. But Finland isn't in USA's group, and they don't have a hate-on for them, so I don't see that happening. Yanks will probably still win though. But I don't see either side really bringing it...

though I hope to be pleasantly surprised...

 

[SanDogBrewin]

US needs to step on the gas hard when they get a lead. Glad Finland came back so the US doesn't ever coast, when they are up and with a big lead, like that again in this tournament.

 

[Irishguy42]

McDonagh-Niskanen shouldn't be a pairing ever again. Go back to McDonagh-Carlson please.

I understand that things were a bit shifted around because of Buff moving up to RW.

 

[adsfan]

I watched some of the USA - Finland game. The US was up 3-0 after 2 periods. With 9:30 remaining, it was still 3-0. After about 5 more minutes it was 3-2. The USA defended well at the end, even after the Finns pulled their goalie. The last 1:30 went very fast. Quick held the fort when it counted, especially with some 6-on-4 at the end!

The USA looked good to me tonight!

 

[Whileee]

Corsi, sweet. Is it still too late to add Alex Goligoski, Jake Gardiner, and Alec Martinez to our team?



Apologies for my error. I also just heard the breaking news that Team Canada has called an emergency meeting as their staff must answer for their snubs of Brayden McNabb, Josh Manson, and Brendan Smith. What corsi!

Umm... Buff is also a scoring monster on D. He wasn't an All-Star by accident. So, let's recap. His team outshoots opponents while he's on the ice, he's one of the best offensive defensemen in the league, and he's a physical beast.

 

[WreckItRask]

Does Jack Johnson have nude pictures of Torts...he has to, right? There's no explanation for how he's on the roster with Faulk, Shattenkirk, and even Krug (for those that are planning to tell me it's because he's a lefty) not invited. I'm befuddled with how many subtly terrible plays he makes during the game. Forced passes, losing guys in his own end, terrible gap control. He just allows SO many high quality scoring chances over the course of a game.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Does Jack Johnson have nude pictures of Torts...he has to, right? There's no explanation for how he's on the roster with Faulk, Shattenkirk, and even Krug (for those that are planning to tell me it's because he's a lefty) not invited. I'm befuddled with how many subtly terrible plays he makes during the game. Forced passes, losing guys in his own end, terrible gap control. He just allows SO many high quality scoring chances over the course of a game.

Yeah, I think we can all acknowledge his inclusion is the biggest head-scratcher. It's even more of a mystery since he was left off the most recent Olympic team and hasn't really gotten any better as a player.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Didn't see the game last night. What were the D pairings? What do you guys expect the pairings to be in the real games?

 

[JTD]

Does Jack Johnson have nude pictures of Torts...he has to, right? There's no explanation for how he's on the roster with Faulk, Shattenkirk, and even Krug (for those that are planning to tell me it's because he's a lefty) not invited. I'm befuddled with how many subtly terrible plays he makes during the game. Forced passes, losing guys in his own end, terrible gap control. He just allows SO many high quality scoring chances over the course of a game.

Yeah, it's baffling how he made this team. He's just flat out bad. He doesn't possess the puck, can't make plays and is a trainwreck defensively. Don't get why he was selected. It's crazy to think what their defensemen group would look like if they made sensible selections.
Suter-Byfuglien
McDonagh-Shattenkirk
Niskanen-Faulk
Carlson

I could understand some wanting to put in Carlson instead of Niskanen there but Niskanen is really good. That group would have very good possession players who drive play and can create offense and there's guys there that can play the physical style Torts loves so much.

 

[HanSolo]

I've always gotten the sense that USA Hockey overrates JJ

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I've always gotten the sense that USA Hockey overrates JJ

He's been a loyal foot soldier for USA Hockey and generally elevates his play while doing so. On average though he's a mediocre d-man (especially in his own zone) who gets somewhat of a pass due to his physical gifts.

 

[neelynugs]

anyone have the current lines and D pairings? haven't been watching much exhibition stuff.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I've always gotten the sense that USA Hockey overrates JJ

He has been awesome when the lights are on at the tournaments he has represented them in.

I understand those that don't like Jack Johnson but I cannot think of a game he wasn't really good in that actually mattered for them. In the ESPN story where they were embedded it was said a lot during that story. How do you not include a guy that always plays in at an incredibly high level when he pulls on that jersey? They left him off, but you could tell that was a tough call for a lot of the guys in that room.

Remains to be seen what he does here. But he has showed up for Team USA whenever they call and he has generally been pretty dynamic in the games that actually count. I think for years the bigger question for me has been why can't the guy that plays for Team USA show up more often night in and night out. JMFJ has left me wanting little when with the national team though.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

I didnt want JJ on the team but I agree w everything in the post above. He has shown up for Team USA...no doubt.

 

[ludaslol]

How did the PP lines look like the last last games?

 

[Irishguy42]

 

[Irishguy42]

 

[theMajor]

where are all the "Quick is overrated" and "lol Schneider is 2x the goalie Quick is" posters?
there were so many of them around during the NHL awards