WJC: 2018 Team USA Roster Talk

[William H Bonney]

Tkachuk's composure this tournament has been very impressive. He's got more snarl than his brother, but he's also more intelligent. Matt would have put his stick through Zaitsev's teeth.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Way to hang in and get by the stubborn Russians.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Yamamoto looks to be finding his game a bit, which is huge. Could really use Brown for the SWE game.

 

[sabresfan129103]

Woll locked it down as the game went on, but that 1st goal was bad. I still don't feel super confident about our goaltending going forward.

 

[ecemleafs]

need brown back if poehling, frederic, and norris are gonna contribute so little.

 

[Jaykay]

Samberg has been a godsend.

 

[William H Bonney]

Good win and once you get to the knockout games that's all that matters.

• Still need more consistent offensive presence beyond the few big guys (Mittelstadt, Tkachuk, Bellows).
• Mittelstadt was over-handling the puck tonight. He can pull off some amazing stuff, but he's at his best when he keeps it simpler.
• Samberg was again our best d-man. He got caught flat-footed once, but he's so steady and smart. He's still raw, but he has a lot of untapped potential, especially offensively. Fox gets the headlines, but Samberg's been our best d-man all tournament, although Fox has definitely been the #2 guy.
• Woll with another softie. He made some good saves after, but wasn't tested very much either. I imagine Motzko's going back to him, but I'd probably start Oettinger. Not that Oettinger is a guarantee, but you can't spot the opposition a goal every game and Woll's doing that.
• PP wasn't good that game. Too much stationary triangular passing between Mittelstadt - Fox - Bellows. Fox is very good at getting simple wristers on net, and the staff should make that a focus of the PP. Fox always cutting the puck back across the grain to Mittelstadt has become painfully predictable for the opposition.
• Hopefully Brown is 100% and ready to go for the semifinal. The top 6 could use his skill set.
• Sure feels good to come out on top against Russia two years in a row. They always seem to end our WJC, even when we've had a stacked team or dominated the game. They just always seemed to pull it off, so it's nice to provide them some misery for a change, even if we still need to provide a lot more to make it even.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

need brown back if poehling, frederic, and norris are gonna contribute so little.

Getting Brown would be so nice.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Yikes...that wasnt fun.

We play for a medal. Thats always my first wish. Now we get to wish for more.

 

[Woodhouse]

Hughes definitely got benched in this one. Tufte maybe too since he's accomplished nothing and was possibly dinged in a net collision.

 

[Xokkeu]

I don't feel confident on this performance vs Sweden but hopefully we get more 1st period USA and less second period USA.

 

[SI90]

Tkachuk's composure this tournament has been very impressive. He's got more snarl than his brother, but he's also more intelligent. Matt would have put his stick through Zaitsev's teeth.

I love Matty but I feel like Brady is actually better at the same age.

 

[SI90]

Samberg has been a godsend.

He’s been a Rock. So impressed with him.

 

[William H Bonney]

I love Matty but I feel like Brady is actually better at the same age.

I think they're really similar. Brady is more of a late bloomer than Matthew, although both are following similar trajectories.

They both joined the NTDP with name recognition and intriguing tools, but neither were high-end guys at the U17 level, although the potential was obvious. Both really started to realize their potential as U18 players. Matthew put up much better stats, but he also played on one of the best NTDP squads ever, whereas Brady's team was pretty average by NTDP standards.

I think Matthew was a bit more skilled at the same age, but I think Brady's closing that gap pretty quickly. Brady's bigger and a better skater. I'm pretty interested to see how Brady fills out as he has the frame to pack on some weight.

 

[Finnflash]

Hey guys.

Great win today. Is there anyone that can break down Sambergs game. I’ve watched all the games and he looks smart. But interested in why some posters are impressed with him.

 

[93LEAFS]

I love Matty but I feel like Brady is actually better at the same age.

I'd lean Matt at the same age, I'd think he has the better vision and hockey-IQ.

Now, Brady has a better frame to fill-out and is the better skater. That may give him more upside at the NHL level.

 

[migi]

Fox has been Dahlin level in this tournament. And that is complementary for Fox. I mean he has been so smooth, his skill is off the roof with the puck in small areas. There has been a lot times when I think "now Russia or Finland or Canada takes the puck away from him and go 2vs0" but he just dangles them or make the smart pass or dump it when the time is right.

Clever, elegant and mobile defenseman. Flames have a beauty there.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

“Logan Brown (OTT), who has been out since partway through the Slovakia game, skated with Team USA in practice today, in a non-contact jersey. Was the last player off the ice.”

Hoping!

 

[AmericanDream]

come on Logan, need you big man! team hasn't really looked the same since he went out.

 

[derriko]

Man does he have injury troubles. This past summer with his new exercise regiment was supposed to put that behind him...it hasn’t.

 

[AmericanDream]

tomorrow is going to be a big game no doubt. this team hasn't even come close to reaching its peak which is crazy, but scary because they have won some ugly games. there is a lot of talent on this team, but just doesn't seem to be clicking outside of our #1 top line. maybe Logan Brown can step right back in and help that situation out by taking some pressure off of Poehling and Norris who both have been solid defensively but near invisible offensively.

Yamamoto is starting to get going which is huge, we need him to be the buzz saw that he has been the past 2 years - no more side seat watching, he needs to start driving whatever line he plays on.

Max Jones and Riley Tufte haven't offered much, but they have been playing more defensive roles so I can give them some passes here as both have been physical and involved around the crease.

Trent Frederic started to show a bit more against Finland, but really didn't do much against Russia which was disappointing as we need someone to step up for secondary scoring.

I guess the bottom line is we just need a few more guys to step up here to the pedigree and talent level that they have and stop watching that #1 line do everything...if Logan Brown comes back, maybe that happens, but that is a lot to ask of Brown as well who has missed much of the tournament.

defensively, this group has been solid. they have made some bad passes and mistakes, but overall their in-zone coverage has been good, they have limited the odd-man rush in most games, and have generated some scoring from the point which we needed.

Fox and Samberg have been the top 2 guys by a wide margin, very impressed with what both of them brings to the table. Samberg reminds me of what Jake McCabe did for us a few years back on that blue line. I would like to see a bit more out of Peeke and Lindgren, especially the nasty hitting they can do - need a physical presence against Sweden and need to knock their forwards around a bit- so hopefully the hitting picks up tomorrow.

I am not sold on Woll like most of you guys, but it has been working somehow so the team has trust and faith in him, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see a 2010 switch mid game like Lee/Campbell and we go to Oettinger.. fingers crossed as this is going to be one hell of a game, need some others to step up for us to win.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Great thoughts, American Dream. Loved reading it. Thx.

Poehling and Norris, to me, have been the most frustrating guys on the team. If I see them reach with their sticks instead of moving their feet one more time, I'm going to throw something. They both look like high school players..... fishing for everything rather than taking one more stride and leaning on somebody.

Honest to God, I cringed every time #4 got near the puck last night. I hate being this harsh, but I just expected so much more.

 

[wings5]

Great thoughts, American Dream. Loved reading it. Thx.

Poehling and Norris, to me, have been the most frustrating guys on the team. If I see them reach with their sticks instead of moving their feet one more time, I'm going to throw something. They both look like high school players..... fishing for everything rather than taking one more stride and leaning on somebody.

Honest to God, I cringed every time #4 got near the puck last night. I hate being this harsh, but I just expected so much more.

They are still underagers don't forget.

 

[Mdamico]

Great thoughts, American Dream. Loved reading it. Thx.

Poehling and Norris, to me, have been the most frustrating guys on the team. If I see them reach with their sticks instead of moving their feet one more time, I'm going to throw something. They both look like high school players..... fishing for everything rather than taking one more stride and leaning on somebody.

Honest to God, I cringed every time #4 got near the puck last night. I hate being this harsh, but I just expected so much more.

I understand the frustration on Norris, as his wingers are skating all over the place and he seems to always be late on the play. However, Poehling seems to be in the play and simply not using his body enough. This is a pretty young roster full of 18 year olds that I think will be dominant next year. It is totally normal to go through all of these growing pains because, as you said, they look like high school players ( which Norris was about 6 months ago), while Poehling is still getting used to the speed and size of these elite hockey players.

The same criticisms were made of Brown and Bellows last year, and I'm pretty sure Bellows is doing more than fine now. Can these players get better? Absolutely, and they must if the US wants to win this year. The good thing for these two is that they have an entire year to mature, get stronger and faster, to come back in 2019 and try to repeat ( assuming the US wins this year).

But it is clear that the US is missing a top end center on their roster right now, hopefully Logan Brown will be ready to play tomorrow.

 

[Jaykay]

I understand the frustration on Norris, as his wingers are skating all over the place and he seems to always be late on the play. However, Poehling seems to be in the play and simply not using his body enough. This is a pretty young roster full of 18 year olds that I think will be dominant next year. It is totally normal to go through all of these growing pains because, as you said, they look like high school players ( which Norris was about 6 months ago), while Poehling is still getting used to the speed and size of these elite hockey players.

The same criticisms were made of Brown and Bellows last year, and I'm pretty sure Bellows is doing more than fine now. Can these players get better? Absolutely, and they must if the US wants to win this year. The good thing for these two is that they have an entire year to mature, get stronger and faster, to come back in 2019 and try to repeat ( assuming the US wins this year).

But it is clear that the US is missing a top end center on their roster right now, hopefully Logan Brown will be ready to play tomorrow.

The D core maybe, but there are only three forwards that are eligible to return next year (Poehling, Norris, Tkachuk) and Tkachuk might be in the NHL.