WJC: 2020 Team USA Roster Talk

[Jaykay]

So it would be Finland then Canada?

 

[TheBeastCoast]

So it would be Finland then Canada?

If things play out with no upsets that would be correct.

 

[SabresSharks]

Guys, USA hockey has matured to the extent that our U20 team can compete with anyone at any stage of the medal round.

I'm certainly not underestimating the Finns, but let's not fret about them. Head-to-head history is meaningless.

Happy New Year to all! Go USA!

 

[Rainmaker]

So it would be Finland then Canada?

Incorrect, it'll be US/Finland winner versus the Sweden/Czech winner. Not the worst draw but would have been better if Finland had beaten Switzerland today

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Incorrect, it'll be US/Finland winner versus the Sweden/Czech winner. Not the worst draw but would have been better if Finland had beaten Switzerland today

That is not correct. If all the expected winners happen it will be Canada-USA in the Semi's.

 

[ASPIFC]

That is not correct. If all the expected winners happen it will be Canada-USA in the Semi's.

Wrong. It is Sweden or Czechs. It should be time that we send Finns home with a loss. Canada game was still costly because now they have to travel to Trinec and face Finland. Staying in Ostrava and face Slovaks sounds much better even if it would mean that we have to face Russia in SF.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Wrong. It is Sweden or Czechs. It should be time that we send Finns home with a loss. Canada game was still costly because now they have to travel to Trinec and face Finland. Staying in Ostrava and face Slovaks sounds much better even if it would mean that we have to face Russia in SF.

1 - Sweden
2 - Canada
3 - Switzerland
4 - USA
5 - Finland
6 - Russia
7 - Czech Republic
8 - Slovakia
These are the teams seedings after the prelims. Lets say Sweden,Canada,USA and Russia win their quarter final matchups. Sweden plays Russia and Canada play USA. The only way you play Sweden is if the Swiss beat Russia along with Canada and Sweden winning. So no I wasn't wrong.

 

[Star Ocean]

1 - Sweden
2 - Canada
3 - Switzerland
4 - USA
5 - Finland
6 - Russia
7 - Czech Republic
8 - Slovakia
These are the teams seedings after the prelims. Lets say Sweden,Canada,USA and Russia win their quarter final matchups. Sweden plays Russia and Canada play USA. The only way you play Sweden is if the Swiss beat Russia along with Canada and Sweden winning. So no I wasn't wrong.

This is correct

 

[ASPIFC]

I has been wrong in many places then.

 

[SabresSharks]

delete

 

[SpartanProdigy]

I’ll be honest, for me selfishly, QFs is the biggest game (unless they make it to gold medal game) because if they win I know I get to watch 2 more games no matter what. If they lose, no more games to watch sucks so much they win 3 in group play and end up with Finland in the QFs.

 

[SpartanProdigy]

Guys, USA hockey has matured to the extent that our U20 team can compete with anyone at any stage of the medal round.

I'm certainly not underestimating the Finns, but let's not fret about them. Head-to-head history is meaningless.

Happy New Year to all! Go USA!

I have know doubt this team can compete with anyone in the tournament, but just saying, in a single game elimination round I would have really preferred our chances against Switzerland over Finland.

But who knows, maybe the 38-22 shot advantage Finland had over Switzerland was just a fluke and Switzerland is really the better team of the two.

Happy New Years!

 

[SabresSharks]

I have know doubt this team can compete with anyone in the tournament, but just saying, in a single game elimination round I would have really preferred our chances against Switzerland over Finland.

But who knows, maybe the 38-22 shot advantage Finland had over Switzerland was just a fluke and Switzerland is really the better team of the two.

Happy New Years!

Cheers, mate. Kazakhstan would have been even better! Alas.

Let's agree that the Finns probably aren't thrilled about facing us.

Can't like your post, because I'm a very bad man. +1 instead.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Mercy just saw Knight's SV%. That better get turned around fast.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Mercy just saw Knight's SV%. That better get turned around fast.

Seems to be getting beaten high a lot so far.

 

[ASPIFC]

I don't feel confident at all about this game. We played pretty good preliminary round and still our guys have to face Finns and go to Trinec. Canada game annoyed the shit out of me. Our record is actually good against Finns at U20 level. Recent years there has been many frustrating defeats against them tho.

Recent losses
2016 U18 semi-final. They ruined our home tournament.
2017 WC QF they beat us 2-0 after their horrible preliminary round. We won our group.
2018 U18 final
2019 U20 final

Our coaching has been questionable in those games. We won couple finals against them at u18 level tho. 2015 and 2017. 2018 was this age group so it is rematch time. Teams are bit different of course.

 

[ASPIFC]

 

[ASPIFC]

This team really miss players like Greenway and Thompson. Size is still needed.

 

[ASPIFC]

Finland is like kryptonite for us. Finland is just so good at slowing game down. Boring but it works.

 

[Rainmaker]

Still waiting for this team to show up to the tournament. Oh well, it's not like the u18's who were dominating everyone and then had gold snatched away on a bad day. This team was doomed from the outset and played far beneath the sum of their parts.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Some top guys not showing up and horrendous coaching were only going to get you so far

 

[ASPIFC]

Embarrassing effort again against Finns. USA hockey really have to start figure it out how to play against Finns. This game went just like i expected. It is not acceptable that Finns are dominating us like this. Same story once again against them.

Finns dominated us specially in the last period. Our guys can't keep it together against Finns and then everybody try to create something but you have to play as a team if you want to achieve something.

For me QF is not acceptable anymore for USA Hockey. It should be clear that Sandelin is not going to be there again next year. There is many guys who can return as 19 year old but now i am too frustrated even think about next year.

Guys like Samuelsson and Wahlstrom have faced exit against Finland now three times. Lost two times in finals and now once in QF. Must be frustrated because every game has been similar. Still no answer how to play against them. Now player pool in every age group are really good but our coaching is behind every other top hockey nation and it is massive problem.

Coaches have to figure it out. Canada game was missed opportunity because our best players was bench warmers. Canada game also cost us easy QF opponent and medal round. I honestly rather lose against Canada or Russia in entertaining game than watch these snoozefests against Finns who dominate us with their system. Next year we also need more size. It is still important and it was clear that physicality was a huge problem this year.

Team showed a lot of heart against Russia so this kinda perfomance against Finland was again disappointing. Unfortunately it is also typical that Finns frustrate our guys.

 

[Ainec]

This team really miss players like Greenway and Thompson. Size is still needed.

how much more size is needed? they look a lot bigger than finland

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Was the team I was expecting to compete/win gold pre-tournament...Far less impressive on the ice then they were on paper though.

 

[kabidjan18]

how much more size is needed? they look a lot bigger than finland

US was the 3rd smallest team in the tournament. Finland was the 2nd smallest. So they were maybe a little bigger, but not much.