WC: 2020 Team USA Roster Talk

[William H Bonney]

Too early to talk roster options but Drury is back as GM. I'm good with it as long as he learned his lesson about the need for RHD. I'd rather a former star player that the players followed being the one begging them to play instead of say Don Waddell doing that sales pitch. Hopefully Blashill isn't returning with him.

Click to read more...

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Teams at the bottom of the NHL standings have real good American players. Of course the question is which ones will come.

 

[Gold Standard]

Hope always springs eternal for a Canada v USA Gold Medal game.

Maybe this year... maybe.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

This would be a good gig for Peter Laviolette.

 

[jaro]

Switzerland is beautiful country, i think, manny superstars will come.

 

[Gold Standard]

played around with a potential roster this morning...it looks as though potentially (and I stress potentially) a lot of the top players will be free of any playoff commitments and not a lot of RFAs/UFAs.

I included Matthews as well, only because I anticipate an early Leafs playoff exit (even if they make it) and have a few TML players on the Team Canada roster.

so, potentially a pretty decent team shaping up.

 

[jaro]

Peter Laviolette will be head coach USA mens national team in IIHF WC. It is great news. Blashil never win nothing . Laviolette with solid squad similiar as last year will win WC in my opinion

 

[William H Bonney]

It'll be nice to have a bonafide top tier coach for a change. It doesn't guarantee anything but it's an improvement over what we usually end up with. We've only had 1 in the last 10 years and that was Laviolette in 2014. That team didn't do well (6th) but it wasn't a great roster. Outside of Tyler Johnson and Brock Nelson, most of the best players were really young at the time (Jones, Trouba, Gaudreau, etc.) and we had a washed up Tim Thomas in goal.

Other than Laviolette, you'd have to go back to Ron Wilson in 2009 or John Tortorella in 2008 for when we've had a bonafide coach.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Great choice as coach and given the location should attract a good team. Another year for optimism!

 

[De Montreal]

USA tend to go with a young roster for that tournament. Do you think Cole Caufield might get a shot? Maybe reunite him with Jack Hughes?

 

[William H Bonney]

USA tend to go with a young roster for that tournament. Do you think Cole Caufield might get a shot? Maybe reunite him with Jack Hughes?

Too early to say. Certainly possible, although you'd hope it's not necessary (not meant as a slight on Caufield). If he signs with Montreal and sees some NHL action to end the year I think the odds go up significantly, especially if he shows well after having such a poor WJC.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jack Hughes doesn't play unless Quinn is available and playing. His primary focus in the off-season needs to be a serious commitment to adding weight and strength and the WC doesn't advance that goal. I think Hughes and the Devils seriously overlooked that need after the draft, so I'd imagine the Devils might ask him not to play to focus on weight and strength training instead.

 

[William H Bonney]

We finish undefeated!