WC: 2019 US Roster Discussion

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AmericanDream

Thank you Elon!
Oct 24, 2005
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Oh boy. Germans beat us if they defending like this against them. I know they bring full effort against Canada but games against Germany and Denmark could produce disaster. IMO Eichel has been best American forward in this tournament. Least he is trying out there.
honestly, playing against teams like Germany and Canada are better for us..anytime we play teams like GB or France, things never seem to get going - but teams with tempo and some skill really bring out the best in our individual players. I agree this isn't looking good, but I do believe in the talent we have here, and talent typically rises to the occasion/competition.
 
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AmericanDream

Thank you Elon!
Oct 24, 2005
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so far all the interviews from our guys is pretty ho-hum like it isn't a big deal, still have time, just have to play our game..I want to see at least one guy here say "yeah, we have to be a lot better than this, it only gets tougher from here on out and playing like this we will not win a medal"...I don't expect them to bash the team, but they have to get much better very very quickly here.
 
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SK94

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Apr 11, 2016
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I think guys like Wolanin and Vatrano should play much more in games like this.
 

William H Bonney

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Feb 27, 2002
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One of the most embarrassing efforts I can remember in my many years following Team USA. That was pathetic. You could count on one hand the amount of body contact the team initiated today and that wouldn't have even necessitated all five fingers. Today's mentality was apparently to only try fly-by poke checks and if that didn't work, oh well. Most players weren't moving their feet, weren't hustling on either end, and seemingly didn't care. They looked like a team that went out partying last night and thought today would be an easy day to rack up points. And while with some puck luck today, they probably easily put up 12+ goals (I lost count of the number of posts or big saves by the British goalie), it still would have been a shameful performance. A team like that should not put up 26 shots and 3 goals on us, ever. I wouldn't go so far as to say we're lucky we were playing Great Britain though because they likely show a lot more effort against anyone else. They wouldn't have thought it would be a cakewalk like they so clearly showed they thought today would be.

Eichel is the only player I'd even say played well. He's been our best forward all tournament and today was no different. He's had horrible puck luck (what is he on now, like 5 posts?), so hopefully one goes in soon. But he's hustling hard all over the ice and generating chances on nearly every shift.

Hopefully Gaudreau is ok. He barely played after that awkward fall.
 

AmericanDream

Thank you Elon!
Oct 24, 2005
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when we fail here it is because our teams play down to the level of competition we typically see instead of playing to our true potential. a lot of guys did not want to crash the net/create chances by going to the "dirty" areas. maybe they just assumed it is GB so we are going to smoke them, but I have not seen much of a killer instinct in any of our players..hope that changes soon, as Canada is going to be knocking then a medal round that has no mercy for half ass efforts.
 
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OKOptimistic

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Feb 15, 2017
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I think this is overblown, the US dominated from the puck drop, and yes that included the first period. Sure the British were able to get a few break always in transition and threw some pucks on the net within the blue line. But by mid-way through the second period GB were non-existent standing in their own zone defending the whole time. Demko stopped all he could except maybe the first one which was pretty much some puck bounces. And we had 65 shots.
 

Nexon

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Apr 18, 2019
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One of the most embarrassing efforts I can remember in my many years following Team USA. That was pathetic. You could count on one hand the amount of body contact the team initiated today and that wouldn't have even necessitated all five fingers. Today's mentality was apparently to only try fly-by poke checks and if that didn't work, oh well. Most players weren't moving their feet, weren't hustling on either end, and seemingly didn't care. They looked like a team that went out partying last night and thought today would be an easy day to rack up points. And while with some puck luck today, they probably easily put up 12+ goals (I lost count of the number of posts or big saves by the British goalie), it still would have been a shameful performance. A team like that should not put up 26 shots and 3 goals on us, ever. I wouldn't go so far as to say we're lucky we were playing Great Britain though because they likely show a lot more effort against anyone else. They wouldn't have thought it would be a cakewalk like they so clearly showed they thought today would be.

Eichel is the only player I'd even say played well. He's been our best forward all tournament and today was no different. He's had horrible puck luck (what is he on now, like 5 posts?), so hopefully one goes in soon. But he's hustling hard all over the ice and generating chances on nearly every shift.

Hopefully Gaudreau is ok. He barely played after that awkward fall.
Totally highlight of this behaviour was when Davies knocked out Demko and only defenceman reaction was when Suter came 10 seconds later to pat him on the back. I haven’t seen killer instinct that American dream mentioned in any of previous matches as well. I’m afraid they will take it lightly till it’s too late.
 

Thedogo

Dogs are superior to humans in every way
Mar 16, 2019
528
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Chicago's south side
One of the most embarrassing efforts I can remember in my many years following Team USA. That was pathetic. You could count on one hand the amount of body contact the team initiated today and that wouldn't have even necessitated all five fingers. Today's mentality was apparently to only try fly-by poke checks and if that didn't work, oh well. Most players weren't moving their feet, weren't hustling on either end, and seemingly didn't care. They looked like a team that went out partying last night and thought today would be an easy day to rack up points. And while with some puck luck today, they probably easily put up 12+ goals (I lost count of the number of posts or big saves by the British goalie), it still would have been a shameful performance. A team like that should not put up 26 shots and 3 goals on us, ever. I wouldn't go so far as to say we're lucky we were playing Great Britain though because they likely show a lot more effort against anyone else. They wouldn't have thought it would be a cakewalk like they so clearly showed they thought today would be.

Eichel is the only player I'd even say played well. He's been our best forward all tournament and today was no different. He's had horrible puck luck (what is he on now, like 5 posts?), so hopefully one goes in soon. But he's hustling hard all over the ice and generating chances on nearly every shift.

Hopefully Gaudreau is ok. He barely played after that awkward fall.
When you mentioned "fly by poke checks" that's what the hawks been doing the past two years instead of hitting. For all the people who think hitting fighting and toughness dont belong in the modern game look at the teams that made the playoffs, with exception of Toronto you'll see all the teams have players that can do all three.
 
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The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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I think we have peaked too early at times in this tournament lately. But we need to see a lot more out of this group out of the two day break moving forward. The expectations for this group are higher this year and it is time for the players to focus in and start playing better.

The turnovers and goalie play are elimination in a period or ten minute funk vibe. It is time to focus in. I believe in this group, but I am going to be deeply concerned if they aren't spectacularly better on Saturday.
 

SK94

Registered User
Apr 11, 2016
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Yeah when you play wihtout any effort against weaker opposition it many times happen also in bigger games. Against Germans and Danes they can't play like this. They already gave three points away against Slovakia.
 

FLpanthers16

#CatsAreComing
Jan 30, 2014
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Glad to see Vatrano doing good with the ice time hes getting.

Always had more talent then he got to show in Boston and a hell of a shot to top it off.
 

SK94

Registered User
Apr 11, 2016
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I don't really know what to make of this team. Very inconsistent.

Before tournament started for me Russia and Sweden was only teams i thought could beat this team. Now you just don't know what to expect from these guys.
 

Nexon

Registered User
Apr 18, 2019
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Before tournament started for me Russia and Sweden was only teams i thought could beat this team. Now you just don't know what to expect from these guys.
Definitely not beating those two you mentioned.
 

SK94

Registered User
Apr 11, 2016
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Definitely not beating those two you mentioned.

For me Swedes are favourites once again. Russia is another team that you never know how bad they can be sometimes even if their line up is stacked. You never know but we need three wins that we can play against Czechs or Switzerland in QF.
 

Nexon

Registered User
Apr 18, 2019
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Well Czechs beat Sweden so if they win all the matches now (they have only easier opponents now except Switzerland) will end up 2nd in their respective group. So if we end up 2nd as well we may actually play against Sweden in QF. I hope not, with our inconsistency we should have problems with anybody.
 

AmericanDream

Thank you Elon!
Oct 24, 2005
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Chicago Manitoba
Well Czechs beat Sweden so if they win all the matches now (they have only easier opponents now except Switzerland) will end up 2nd in their respective group. So if we end up 2nd as well we may actually play against Sweden in QF. I hope not, with our inconsistency we should have problems with anybody.
that is like that worst outcome here lol...need to avoid Sweden in the QF at all costs..
 

William H Bonney

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
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So Faulk could or couldn’t be added at this point ?

They have 1 skater spot available, so technically yes, but I wouldn't count on it. He used to play here a lot but he's turned down the team the last 3 years and with how late it is in the tournament, and how quick his turnaround would be, it seems highly unlikely. Pesce and Slavin have perpetually declined.
 

William H Bonney

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
24,495
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Colorado
I think it's a little too early to worry about seeding. If we win the next two games (Denmark, Germany) as we should, we either finish 2nd or 3rd in the group depending on the outcome against Canada, assuming Finland wins their final three (Great Britain, France, Germany).

That's especially true because Group B is a crapshoot. You could easily see Russia lose to Sweden and have 18 points, the Czechs beat Italy, Austria, and Switzerland and end up with 18 points, and Sweden beat Switzerland, Latvia, and Russia to end with 18 points. Sweden would have had to beat Russia in regulation to end up with 18 points, so then you'd have a three-way tie that wouldn't be broken by their sub-games point totals, so then you'd have goal differential in those sub-games, where Sweden would need to beat Russia by 3 to send it to another tiebreaker, or if they beat them by more than 3, Sweden would be #1, Czechs #2, Russia #3. If they didn't beat them by more than 3, it would be Russia #1, Czechs #2, Sweden #3. Another possible scenario is Russia wins out (18 points), Sweden ends up with 15 points, Switzerland beats the Czechs and both Switzerland and the Czechs end up with 15 points, thus you're in another 3-way tie breaker where goal differential again would determine ranking (as you'd need regulation wins to end up with those point totals) amongst their sub-games where the Czechs would be +3 and Sweden -3 before 2 games (Sweden - Switzerland and Czech Republic - Switzerland) have been played. That's not even considering possible OT games, and the more traditional outcomes, too.

The point is there's still a lot of options left in a tournament where there's probably still an upset or two coming. And with a spot in the QF not yet guaranteed, let's just lock that up first and then worry about the QF matchup when we're down to everyone's 7th game in the round robin as things will crystallize in terms of scenarios. The only likely outcome right now is Finland ends up #1 in Group A barring an upset. Everything else is in play.

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Hischier and Hughes

“I love to hockey”
Jan 28, 2018
9,408
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Do we think J Hughes’s time is going to rise this weekend?

Played 13+14 the first two, then 9+11 the next two.

I really do think Jack needs to be with a skill guy or two but then again he’s behind two studs in Eichel and Larkin... and the tournament isnt about development (even if thats the case solely for Jack)
 
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