WC: 2019 US Roster Discussion Part II

[William H Bonney]

In another thread someone commented, you can’t measure your tournament until after the quarters. Beat Russia and it is a hell of a tourney right? That’s what I am telling myself now anyway.

Pretty much. Year after year in this tournament the teams winning medals have survived a lot of really close games and won matchups over teams that outplayed them in the preliminary round. Facing Russia in the QFs is still a nightmare scenario. Thanks a lot, Finland.

Remember 2017? We got upset by Germany to start but then swept our remaining games to take #1 in our group over Russia and Sweden. Then we played Finland in the QFs, who'd looked awful in the prelims losing to France among others and barely beating Switzerland, Norway, and Belarus, and they beat us. Sweden ended up with gold and Russia bronze. We beat both and yet ended up in 5th.

 

[Nexon]

Watching Canada vs our boys is like Swiss vs Denmark, you know it won’t be blowout but it’s seems like rebounds always ends by Canadian players but that’s because Americans seem like they saw big ice today for the first time while Canadian really found their comfort, honestly it looks worse than last year.

 

[jj cale]

Watching Canada vs our boys is like Swiss vs Denmark, you know it won’t be blowout but it’s seems like rebounds always ends by Canadian players but that’s because Americans seem like they saw big ice today for the first time while Canadian really found their comfort, honestly it looks worse than last year.

Canada has come to play today, hope they keep it up in the 3rd period and beyond, they look real sharp now at both ends.

 

[Friar85]

Watching Canada vs our boys is like Swiss vs Denmark, you know it won’t be blowout but it’s seems like rebounds always ends by Canadian players but that’s because Americans seem like they saw big ice today for the first time while Canadian really found their comfort, honestly it looks worse than last year.

Really hoping we look elsewhere for coaching next year, even if we go on run in playoff round.

 

[Nexon]

Canada has come to play today, hope they keep it up in the 3rd period and beyond, they look real sharp now at both ends.

You know what is sad? Canada put decent effort into their games since beginning, even if they were uncomfortable, they didn’t seem lost out there. US is obviously trying but it’s to late to get used to it.

 

[AmericanDream]

we do strangely play well against Russia - most of our International tournament success has had us getting through Russia to play for a Gold...or beat them for a Gold..

 

[jj cale]

You know what is sad? Canada put decent effort into their games since beginning, even if they were uncomfortable, they didn’t seem lost out there. US is obviously trying but it’s to late to get used to it.

Still have time to put it together, the U.S haven't played bad today overall. They've sure had their chances

 

[Nexon]

Really hoping we look elsewhere for coaching next year, even if we go on run in playoff round.

Blashill is trash, he is not type of coach who can easily earn any respect in cabin. I thought it’s beneficial if one coach is in charge for more than just year but it must have been somebody else.

 

[Nexon]

we do strangely play well against Russia - most of our International tournament success has had us getting through Russia to play for a Gold...or beat them for a Gold..

I hope so but they are on a way to blowout Sweden, 6-1 at the moment, my guess is they will blow out everybody out of water. Fingers crossed we make it.

 

[William H Bonney]

we do strangely play well against Russia - most of our International tournament success has had us getting through Russia to play for a Gold...or beat them for a Gold..

It'll be tough. Russia is only missing a couple players from what would be their team in a best-on-best tournament whereas we're missing a majority. And Russia has been preparing for this tournament since the beginning of April when we didn't even have a player named to our roster yet.

 

[William H Bonney]

Still have time to put it together, the U.S haven't played bad today overall. They've sure had their chances

Yeah it's been mostly even but Canada has made less mistakes whereas the US mistakes end up in the net.

 

[jj cale]

Yeah it's been mostly even but Canada has made less mistakes whereas the US mistakes end up in the net.

True.

 

[AmericanDream]

It'll be tough. Russia is only missing a couple players from what would be their team in a best-on-best tournament whereas we're missing a majority. And Russia has been preparing for this tournament since the beginning of April when we didn't even have a player named to our roster yet.

oh I know, just trying to spin this as positive as I can lol...

 

[SK94]

With this D core and Schneider it would be almost miracle if this team beat Russia. Schneider has least been better lately. But let hope for the best.

 

[AmericanDream]

another bad penalty call - Couturier totally held Kane's stick lol

 

[William H Bonney]

another bad penalty call - Couturier totally held Kane's stick lol

Yeah, that was pretty blatant holding the stick even live. If you're an NHL fan, the IIHF is a great way to appreciate the NHL refs, because as bad as they are, they're not IIHF bad.

 

[Friar85]

Pretty much. Year after year in this tournament the teams winning medals have survived a lot of really close games and won matchups over teams that outplayed them in the preliminary round. Facing Russia in the QFs is still a nightmare scenario. Thanks a lot, Finland.

Remember 2017? We got upset by Germany to start but then swept our remaining games to take #1 in our group over Russia and Sweden. Then we played Finland in the QFs, who'd looked awful in the prelims losing to France among others and barely beating Switzerland, Norway, and Belarus, and they beat us. Sweden ended up with gold and Russia bronze. We beat both and yet ended up in 5th.

Remember 2017 very well. Went to the US-Slovakia and US-Latvia games that year. Was a great hockey experience.

 

[SK94]

We knew this is not complete team because defense and goaltending. Both areas was worrying even before tournament started but i expected least medal. If this team can't go to the medal round its huge disappointment. Anything can happen in one game but they need massive step up against Russia.

Blashill as a coach is really frustrating. In every game you think how much better this team would be with better coach. One thing is what i dont understand is that same PP line play pretty much whole power play every time. Blashill was gifted with this kinda forward group and he can't used it properly.

 

[William H Bonney]

No bounces today but the biggest difference is Canada looked like a team playing a system most of the game whereas the US did not.

Losing Larkin is a huge blow, especially if he can't play in the QF.

Really odd coaching today. Why weren't Werenski and Hanifin paired up? Why did there seem to be little to no urgency in the lineup management in the 3rd? It was like we conceded the game.

Drury really failed this team by grabbing all LHD, especially when Blashill isn't playing our only RHD. Martinez is getting abused. Asking 3 guys to play their off side has been disastrous. Canada doesn't have studs at RHD either but it makes such a huge difference by having a guy on his natural side and it showed today.

Dress Jack Hughes next game. Start Demko. Ride your top 9 until the wheels fall off. Pair Suter - Fox and Hanifin - Werenski. Sporadic shifts for the other 3 d-men. Coach with some urgency.

 

[The Iron Goalie]

I'd role these 3 pairings on D,

Hanifin, Werenski
Suter, Hughes
Skjei, Fox
Martinez

 

[AmericanDream]

No bounces today but the biggest difference is Canada looked like a team playing a system most of the game whereas the US did not.

Losing Larkin is a huge blow, especially if he can't play in the QF.

Really odd coaching today. Why weren't Werenski and Hanifin paired up? Why did there seem to be little to no urgency in the lineup management in the 3rd? It was like we conceded the game.

Drury really failed this team by grabbing all LHD, especially when Blashill isn't playing our only RHD. Martinez is getting abused. Asking 3 guys to play their off side has been disastrous. Canada doesn't have studs at RHD either but it makes such a huge difference by having a guy on his natural side and it showed today.

Dress Jack Hughes next game. Start Demko. Ride your top 9 until the wheels fall off. Pair Suter - Fox and Hanifin - Werenski. Sporadic shifts for the other 3 d-men. Coach with some urgency.

pretty much all of this.....

 

[William H Bonney]

I'd role these 3 pairings on D,

Hanifin, Werenski
Suter, Hughes
Skjei, Fox
Martinez

I don't know if moving a new LHD to the right side is the solution. We could actually play our only true RHD with Suter and then hope Hanifin/Werenski can find their old chemistry enough to make the lack of RHD an issue there.

 

[Chainshot]

Martinez on the right side has been a nightmare.

 

[William H Bonney]

Martinez on the right side has been a nightmare.

Yup. Out there for all 3 goals and two of which he made the wrong play: leaving PLD to try and cover Stone even though Suter was already on it (and it was on Suter's side of the ice) and the 2-on-1 he didn't take away the pass and leave the puck carrier (Mantha) for Schneider, which is defense 101.

He's really struggled here, so much that you either need to move him down the lineup or move him to the left side and try someone else on their off side.

 

[Star Ocean]

I hope you guys can take out russia. You cant play run and gun against that team. Trapping them is the only chance.

Channel your inner lemaires.