WJC: 2022 Team USA Roster Talk

[William H Bonney]

I don't think I said they would. I think I was explicit that they probably wouldn't have. I don't think they would've completely bombed out of this tournament in the fashion that your preferred selections did. In fact, the 2001 age group lost the U18 tournament also, despite dominating like the 2004 age group did. They then came back and won the 2021 WJC. You can't always look at the final result. That group of 2004 players dominated that tournament, and lost a fluky final. The 2001 group dominated their U18 tournament and lost due to a great goaltending performance. They then came back at this level, and the law of averages went their way.

You can't take a bunch of nobodies who no one believes are good players and will them into being good players because they are older players or have a chip on their shoulder from having a low draft position or no draft position. We saw the same thing in 2020. Complete disregard for pedigree. Same thing happened again. There was a choice to make. Take the 19 year old nobodies with a chip on their shoulder or select a younger team with a lot of high pedigree players. And I'm not suggesting we were winning a title if we select the team differently, but what does anyone gain from this? Red Wings fans get some excitement from Carter Mazur playing on a line with an NHL'er for a few games before he returns to being a mid-level prospect.

I'm not even sure what your point is by mentioning Bode Wilde. Besides, I'm not even sure I was upset about him not making a team in prior years. Any proof of that? How about you just admit you were wrong about this team and it should've been selected differently? I didn't call you out specifically, but since you want to come at me for saying what I did, you were absolutely one of the people that approved of how this team was selected and you apparently still think we should select a bunch of guys with no pedigree over high skilled first round picks.

Only country that has fans where they prefer some chip on their shoulder 19 year old grinder over the high skill first round picks that are the best NHL prospects.


Shot was blocked by the Czech player.

"My preferred selections" lol. The team that was there isn't the team I would have picked but you need to pretend as if that's the case for your claims to have legs.

Yeah, the '01 birth group won the 2021 WJC. You know the difference there? They were 19/20 not 18. More '04s in the 2022 WJC is comparable to the 2019/2020 WJCs, not when the 01s won gold.

You know the exact point of Wilde or the litany of other failed prospects you've advocated for. The point is you're not infallible, so don't act like it and throw some "I'll give periodic updates to prove you wrong" retort to others that are saying Mazur was justified to be here. No Red Wings fans are in here pretending like he's an elite prospect because of 5 games in the WJC, you're just sour the poster child you picked to make a pre-tournament point backfired.

Best NHL prospects does not mean best current players. Nor does everyone stating that obvious point to you mean they wanted every player that made the team to be there.

Remind me in a few years where they are in their careers.

Why? That has no relevance to now, which is all that matters for the WJC. Remind me how Boucher did last season compared to Mazur.

 

[ORRFForever]

Shot was blocked by the Czech player.

I know but it's still a shock that it didn't go in - Mike Johnson's reaction was priceless.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yeah, the '01 birth group won the 2021 WJC. You know the difference there? They were 19/20 not 18. More '04s in the 2022 WJC is comparable to the 2019/2020 WJCs, not when the 01s won gold.

You know the exact point of Wilde or the litany of other failed prospects you've advocated for. The point is you're not infallible, so don't act like it and throw some "I'll give periodic updates to prove you wrong" retort to others that are saying Mazur was justified to be here. No Red Wings fans are in here pretending like he's an elite prospect because of 5 games in the WJC, you're just sour the poster child you picked to make a pre-tournament point backfired.

Best NHL prospects does not mean best current players. Nor does everyone stating that obvious point to you mean they wanted every player that made the team to be there.



Why? That has no relevance to now, which is all that matters for the WJC. Remind me how Boucher did last season compared to Mazur.

I didn't say I was infallible. Thats a complete straw man. Meant to avoid the topic at hand. Is it so hard to admit you were wrong or someone else was right that you have to try to add some qualifier for it that has no relevance to this team?

Mazur was not justified. You seem to have not learned from what happened with this team. You want to create a situation where you can't lose. You refuse to take blame for Duran, McKown, James, Truscott,, but you want to take credit for Mazur. I am consistent, and don't try to revise history. I could be right. I could be wrong, but I'm not going where the wind blows.

Mazur got carried by the best player on the team. He's not within the top 10 players on the team, and probably will be a marginal NHL'er, at best. Thats my opinion. I stand by it. But since other players that fall into the same category as him didn't get to play on a line with the team's best player, you will throw them under the bus and say they didn't deserve spots and you didn't advocate for them. There's really not much difference between Mazur, Duran, McKown, James. These are all marginal prospects. We don't need any of them on the team.

And you've created another straw man about our results if we selected some higher pedigree players. No one claimed we would've won this tournament. I don't know how many times I have to say I don't think we would've won with any types of selections. However, we would've put ourselves in a better position for success in future editions, and we wouldn't have had to watch a dreadful team of players that is very unlikable and really not that talented. Entertainment matters also. There's very little enjoyment in watching a bunch of marginal NHL prospects over first round picks.

 

[57special]

How did Kleven look in the tournament.

Solid, to my eyes. Nothing flashy.

 

[William H Bonney]

I didn't say I was infallible. Thats a complete straw man. Meant to avoid the topic at hand. Is it so hard to admit you were wrong or someone else was right that you have to try to add some qualifier for it that has no relevance to this team?

Mazur was not justified. You seem to have not learned from what happened with this team. You want to create a situation where you can't lose. You refuse to take blame for Duran, McKown, James, Truscott,, but you want to take credit for Mazur. I am consistent, and don't try to revise history. I could be right. I could be wrong, but I'm not going where the wind blows.

Mazur got carried by the best player on the team. He's not within the top 10 players on the team, and probably will be a marginal NHL'er, at best. Thats my opinion. I stand by it. But since other players that fall into the same category as him didn't get to play on a line with the team's best player, you will throw them under the bus and say they didn't deserve spots and you didn't advocate for them. There's really not much difference between Mazur, Duran, McKown, James. These are all marginal prospects. We don't need any of them on the team.

And you've created another straw man about our results if we selected some higher pedigree players. No one claimed we would've won this tournament. I don't know how many times I have to say I don't think we would've won with any types of selections. However, we would've put ourselves in a better position for success in future editions, and we wouldn't have had to watch a dreadful team of players that is very unlikable and really not that talented. Entertainment matters also. There's very little enjoyment in watching a bunch of marginal NHL prospects over first round picks.

I said we're all wrong all the time. That includes me. I'm wrong all the time, too. The difference is you die on that hill and go from one excuse to another. First it was Mazur didn't belong. Then he performs well and you claim Bordeleau carried him, even though Bordy wasn't that good this tournament. It didn't matter how the tournament went or not, you would have died on the hill. See the endless, endless examples of you doing it on these boards.

Why would I take blame for Duran, McKown, Truscott, or James? I didn't pick them for the team, and I only projected James to make the team. Again, just because you're wrong about Mazur and everyone keeps calling you on it does not mean they're justifying every selection. You have to make this leap because you're wrong about Mazur and you know it.

The NHL prospects of the players is irrelevant. No matter how many times you bring it up it won't change the fact that it doesn't matter. Again, because you keep losing the point, that doesn't mean those of us pointing that out to you over and over wanted every player that made the team to have done so.

"Entertainment matters." "Very unlikable" (WTF? Lol). Keep moving those goalposts, Pavel

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Boucher brings speed, physicality, hitting, and his offense is way underrated. He goes to the net. How many players went to the net yesterday? There's also a real fear factor with him on the ice. The other team knows they need to keep their heads up. He even had a good camp supposedly, but they didn't select him. Makes no sense.

Boucher is not good. I would have thought McGroaty and Nazar would have been nice adds, though.

Meh, the team never looked good really. The chemistry was off. It happens, it's a short tournament, not going to read too much into it. Cooley is a guy that for me looked borderline frantic, which is such a departure from what I've read about him in USNDTP. Will be watching him closely this year in Minny.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Boucher brings speed, physicality, hitting, and his offense is way underrated. He goes to the net. How many players went to the net yesterday? There's also a real fear factor with him on the ice. The other team knows they need to keep their heads up. He even had a good camp supposedly, but they didn't select him. Makes no sense.

Bordeleau had more points than the other two line-mates. Two guys that no one viewed as highly touted before the tournament. Take Mazur out of this for a second. Am I supposed to believe Landon Slaggert was the fourth best offensive player on this team? Bordeleau was having success scoring with anyone as his line-mates. I don't think the same could be said for his line-mates, and I think if we gave him some high-end offensive players as his line-mates then the line would've had more success than it did. While it was our highest scoring line, they weren't good defensively, Bordeleau never got going the way he can, and they didn't carry possession the way I'd expect out of a first line.

Offense is underrated? Despite being bigger stronger and faster than like everyone in the OHL he put up just barely 0.5PPG as a 10th overall pick….

This is after leaving college after scoring one single goal.

Yeah, THAT guy is a difference maker for sure…

 

[Hale The Villain]

Passing up Gauthier, Nazar, McGroarty and Snuggerud for the likes of Stramel, McKown, Duran and James was just silly.

Not only did they clearly outperform the others in the USHL and in limited NCAA competition (albeit exhibition), but they will be key contributors in December and possibly in 2024 as well, and it would have been valuable to get them some experience on this stage.

Got away with the lack of skill and scoring ability on the roster in the preliminary round, but when the Czechs game to play and put forward and excellent defensive effort the team lacked gamebreakers and players talented enough to create offense for them and their linemates.

Boucher brings speed, physicality, hitting, and his offense is way underrated. He goes to the net. How many players went to the net yesterday? There's also a real fear factor with him on the ice. The other team knows they need to keep their heads up. He even had a good camp supposedly, but they didn't select him. Makes no sense.

Bordeleau had more points than the other two line-mates. Two guys that no one viewed as highly touted before the tournament. Take Mazur out of this for a second. Am I supposed to believe Landon Slaggert was the fourth best offensive player on this team? Bordeleau was having success scoring with anyone as his line-mates. I don't think the same could be said for his line-mates, and I think if we gave him some high-end offensive players as his line-mates then the line would've had more success than it did. While it was our highest scoring line, they weren't good defensively, Bordeleau never got going the way he can, and they didn't carry possession the way I'd expect out of a first line.

Boucher was an easy cut.

He's coming off a terrible season where he couldn't even score at the same pace as plugs like McKown, Duran and James, plus he has discipline issues and would have racked up many unnecessary PIMs at a tournament with IIHF rules and European refs.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Boucher was an easy cut.

He's coming off a terrible season where he couldn't even score at the same pace as plugs like McKown, Duran and James, plus he has discipline issues and would have racked up many unnecessary PIMs at a tournament with IIHF rules and European refs.

I think it's a little more nuanced than that.

Boucher was better towards the end of last season, and you can't forget that he missed his whole draft season. I don't think thats insignificant. He was rusty when he initially came back. He wasn't great after joining Ottawa in the OHL either, but he was better. He's also been good two summers in a row at the WJC selection camps. He's building in the right direction.

While I'm all for adding more skill and offense, I think a team also needs to create roles. I would've liked to see Boucher on the team as a low-minutes player on the fourth line or as the 13th forward. I feel like he adds an element to the game that almost no player does at this level of hockey, and that would've helped the team.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

It's pointless getting into a so-and-so should have been on the team debate. There is no way to know if a different roster (apart from the no-show locks) would have helped produce a win last night.

The team was plenty good enough to win, if it could compensate for the inevitable bad goal or two against. They clearly demonstrated that in the preliminary round, but not against an inspired underdog Czech team that played smothering defensive hockey most of the game. That horrific 3rd goal was ultimately the difference.

It wasn't a disaster that could have been prevented by some roster tweaking, just one poor game, with our best player hobbled, in which the opponent deserved to win. We don't expect consistent excellence from NHL players, nor should we from our U20s.

On to 2023, with better goaltending and returnees a half-season more experienced.

 

[AmericanDream]

Boucher would've definitely been one of them. Some of McGroarty, Gauthier, Nazar, Snuggerud, Howard, Chesley, Hutson.

Instead we got guys like McKown, Duran, James, Moore, Truscott. Mid/late/undrafted picks, while first round or highly touted second rounders miss it.

Stramel shouldn't have been the 14th forward. And we shouldn't have had a first line with Slaggert and Mazur, nor should've Pastujov rotated between 12th and 13th forward. None of the lines had any chemistry. I think the first line looked good at times, but I'm pretty sure that was only Bordeleau carrying two guys who didn't belong in those spots.

Decisions were pretty awful all around, and not only in hindsight.


I don't consider it gloating. I didn't want to be right.

However, I am not shutting my mouth about this. I had a lot of USAH shills that felt my opinion was so outrageous that I wasn't allowed to voice it. They tried to choke off my right to not be a USAH shill, and then I end up being the one that was right all along.

If my opinion was treated fairly, I wouldn't come back to say I was right. Funny how the people who were wrong don't even try to show their face now.

How are you right still?

Duran and Mazur were horses out there all tourney long. You didn't want them on the team at all and they were two of the best damn forwards we have.

I agreed with you on skill level. Team USA had enough talent available to roll 3 strong scoring lines. They left some younger skill at home in favor of some older players. Duran and Mazur weren't the problem at all.

This team didn't lose because Cutter and Nazar and others weren't here. We lost because the team simply got outworked, outcoached and outgoaltended.

Imagine trashing two of our best players this tourney yet thinking you are right because the entire team shit the bed. Sure....

 

[AmericanDream]

I still think Leaman is a very good coach. This game won't change that overall for me. But something wasn't registering inside him if he couldn't see how the team was performing and a hobbled Hughes that literally was useless out there despite the huge heart.

His refusal to switch up lines was borderline insane with how poor they looked.

His refusal to sit Hughes was infuriating and how a trainer didn't throw a damn towel in and say enough is enough is beyond me.

Leaman has had a great coaching career and many highlights for us...but this game will go down as one of his worst ever.

All of this is moot because this team would be playing tomorrow if we had one damn guy show up. Not all these kids Pavel screeched about but one guy in net, Commesso.

Mberko was the worst starting goalie I have seen this country use in a decade plus. It isn't his fault he was put in this spot but the team could only shield his weaknesses and flaws so much.

In the end that is what did us in. Those of us who feared this and this alone were the right ones sadly.

 

[AmericanDream]

I said we're all wrong all the time. That includes me. I'm wrong all the time, too. The difference is you die on that hill and go from one excuse to another. First it was Mazur didn't belong. Then he performs well and you claim Bordeleau carried him, even though Bordy wasn't that good this tournament. It didn't matter how the tournament went or not, you would have died on the hill. See the endless, endless examples of you doing it on these boards.

Why would I take blame for Duran, McKown, Truscott, or James? I didn't pick them for the team, and I only projected James to make the team. Again, just because you're wrong about Mazur and everyone keeps calling you on it does not mean they're justifying every selection. You have to make this leap because you're wrong about Mazur and you know it.

The NHL prospects of the players is irrelevant. No matter how many times you bring it up it won't change the fact that it doesn't matter. Again, because you keep losing the point, that doesn't mean those of us pointing that out to you over and over wanted every player that made the team to have done so.

"Entertainment matters." "Very unlikable" (WTF? Lol). Keep moving those goalposts, Pavel

I would say you, me and Rabid are probably the 3 OGs on here for USA Hockey lol...

I can't recall a time we all ever fully agreed on a US roster. Hell, we have had plenty arguments over the years with it as well. And that is 100% the way it should be. We all see things and value skillsets differently.

Pavel I am sure has a good heart but comes off on the bat shit crazy at times..sorry bud but you do! But guess what, like Bonney said we ALL have been dead wrong or looked like asses on here. Main difference is we can own it...nobody is going to be at your local Whole Foods pointing at you going "there is that buffoon who said Mazur didn't belong on team USA"...lol..

I can't count the amount of times I was wrong on a young player or who I thought was going to be the top young gun at the WJC. My opinion on players and teams is not one anyone should put weight on as we all have love of the game and our national teams but we are not paid to discuss this.

I wouldn't have gone with this exact roster. I would have liked to have seen a few more skilled guys like Nazar here but outside of bitching about a 13th forward in Mckown, everyone looked like they belonged here. The defense was astounding as a unit...well Peart excluded lol.. The chemistry as a group was here you could see it clearly with how the group bonded and joked with each other.

A lot of things went wrong in one night...it happens. I think having the December tourney 4 months away was the worst thing possible for us this go around but might be the best thing for us now to have a quick turnaround to avenge this shit finish.

It sucks when we lose. We all care which is why we are here in August posting about this shit...move forward and let this pile of shit motivate us in 4 months to redemption.

 

[swoopster]

USAhockey is a joke, nothing but a old boy network. The USNDTP and the USHL is also a joke. It was developed so that NCAA coaches could create a convenient farm system to store recruits. There is not ONE USHL team that could go head to head with any of the top OHL teams, never mind the lower teams.

 

[William H Bonney]

I would say you, me and Rabid are probably the 3 OGs on here for USA Hockey lol...

I can't recall a time we all ever fully agreed on a US roster. Hell, we have had plenty arguments over the years with it as well. And that is 100% the way it should be. We all see things and value skillsets differently.

Pavel I am sure has a good heart but comes off on the bat shit crazy at times..sorry bud but you do! But guess what, like Bonney said we ALL have been dead wrong or looked like asses on here. Main difference is we can own it...nobody is going to be at your local Whole Foods pointing at you going "there is that buffoon who said Mazur didn't belong on team USA"...lol..

I can't count the amount of times I was wrong on a young player or who I thought was going to be the top young gun at the WJC. My opinion on players and teams is not one anyone should put weight on as we all have love of the game and our national teams but we are not paid to discuss this.

I wouldn't have gone with this exact roster. I would have liked to have seen a few more skilled guys like Nazar here but outside of bitching about a 13th forward in Mckown, everyone looked like they belonged here. The defense was astounding as a unit...well Peart excluded lol.. The chemistry as a group was here you could see it clearly with how the group bonded and joked with each other.

A lot of things went wrong in one night...it happens. I think having the December tourney 4 months away was the worst thing possible for us this go around but might be the best thing for us now to have a quick turnaround to avenge this shit finish.

It sucks when we lose. We all care which is why we are here in August posting about this shit...move forward and let this pile of shit motivate us in 4 months to redemption.

Don't forget Cagney, although I haven't seen him around in seemingly forever. He was a great poster, probably got tired of the HF nonsense.

 

[newfy]

You are a Canadian fan and come here to tell us who we should want on our team. Arrogant.

Youre right, I shouldnt comment at all on USAs team despite the fact I've watched these players a bunch because a little line on a map was drawn 4 kms the other side of my house.

Youre getting lit up for a horrible take because you dragged Mazur the whole time leading up to the tourney and he turned around and was arguably USAs best player. He played better than plenty of other higher picks but I'm not allowed to comment on USA because I'm Canadian as if I dont have eye balls and cant watch hockey.

Then you turn around and say Tyler Boucher would have been a good add over a guy like Mazur who was drafted later. Yeah, I'm the arrogant one lol

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Youre right, I shouldnt comment at all on USAs team despite the fact I've watched these players a bunch because a little line on a map was drawn 4 kms the other side of my house.

Youre getting lit up for a horrible take because you dragged Mazur the whole time leading up to the tourney and he turned around and was arguably USAs best player. He played better than plenty of other higher picks but I'm not allowed to comment on USA because I'm Canadian as if I dont have eye balls and cant watch hockey.

Then you turn around and say Tyler Boucher would have been a good add over a guy like Mazur who was drafted later. Yeah, I'm the arrogant one lol

Speaking on behalf of nobody but myself, fans of other teams are most welcome here as long as they focus on discussing the USA roster, results, staff, etc. And I'll endeavor to do likewise in their teams' threads.

 

[AmericanDream]

Don't forget Cagney, although I haven't seen him around in seemingly forever. He was a great poster, probably got tired of the HF nonsense.

Cagney for sure. He was a good one too.

 

[AmericanDream]

USAhockey is a joke, nothing but a old boy network. The USNDTP and the USHL is also a joke. It was developed so that NCAA coaches could create a convenient farm system to store recruits. There is not ONE USHL team that could go head to head with any of the top OHL teams, never mind the lower teams.

You okay?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Youre right, I shouldnt comment at all on USAs team despite the fact I've watched these players a bunch because a little line on a map was drawn 4 kms the other side of my house.

Youre getting lit up for a horrible take because you dragged Mazur the whole time leading up to the tourney and he turned around and was arguably USAs best player. He played better than plenty of other higher picks but I'm not allowed to comment on USA because I'm Canadian as if I dont have eye balls and cant watch hockey.

Then you turn around and say Tyler Boucher would have been a good add over a guy like Mazur who was drafted later. Yeah, I'm the arrogant one lol

Hilarious. You claim I'm getting lit up when I was literally the one who was correct about what I said would happen. There are neutral observers that came into this thread and admitted I was the one who ended up correct. If anyone can't admit that and is going to keep going against what I was proven right about, thats a problem with their ego. MOD. You couldn't care less about the results of this team.

Funny how you don't want to actually discuss Mazur compared to other players who could've been picked. I know you don't want to discuss that because it's the actual topic and it doesn't help your point to stay on topic, but I asked you about that and you didn't seem to have any response to that. Are you not confident in his ability to be successful at the next level? Why is that?

 

[newfy]

You couldn't care less about the results of this team.

Funny how you don't want to actually discuss Mazur compared to other players who could've been picked. I know you don't want to discuss that because it's the actual topic and it doesn't help your point to stay on topic, but I asked you about that and you didn't seem to have any response to that. Are you not confident in his ability to be successful at the next level? Why is that?

I dont really care if the States win or lose, but I can still objectively talk about what players belong. Anyone that watched Denver last year knew Mazur wasnt going to hold this team back but you had it in your head he was a big issue. Now you have egg on your face because you were so adamant about it.

And yeah we can discuss who would have been picked if you want. Mazur outperformed a guy like Cooley who was the highest pick in the tournament I believe. So it kinda throws your whole "the only thing that matters is draft position" thing out the window. I would love to hear who would have made a difference over him, given that Cooley didnt and hes better than everyone youve listed as options in this thread.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

They had a bad game, it happens.

2 gold
1 silver
2 bronze

in the previous 6 years. That's pretty good. No reason to overhaul the system.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I dont really care if the States win or lose, but I can still objectively talk about what players belong. Anyone that watched Denver last year knew Mazur wasnt going to hold this team back but you had it in your head he was a big issue. Now you have egg on your face because you were so adamant about it.

And yeah we can discuss who would have been picked if you want. Mazur outperformed a guy like Cooley who was the highest pick in the tournament I believe. So it kinda throws your whole "the only thing that matters is draft position" thing out the window. I would love to hear who would have made a difference over him, given that Cooley didnt and hes better than everyone youve listed as options in this thread.

I don't think thats how I phrased anything I said. I said there were better players not selected that I think would've done better. No one thinks the two wingers on the first line are high-end offensive players. We will never know what things would've looked like in a parallel universe.

However, I think the fact that the team crashed and burned with this roster building strategy that emphasized 19 year old grinders in high positions leaving numerous first round picks at home tends to prove that the roster should've been built differently. And please don't say I said the only thing that matters is draft position. Not something I said, so please don't misrepresent what I've said.

If I was building this team, this is what the forwards would've looked like.

Samoskevich-Bordeleau-Coronato
Knies-Cooley-Pastujov
McGroarty-Gauthier-Berard
Janicke-Stramel-Slaggert
Nazar/Snuggerud/Savage

As far as I'm concerned, there was no room for players like Mazur, McKown, Duran, James. Those types of players would need to do something really great to find their way into the picture. They wouldn't be seriously considered otherwise. Pedigree matters. Don't confuse that with draft position. It's similar, but not always the same thing.

 

[William H Bonney]

I don't think thats how I phrased anything I said. I said there were better players not selected that I think would've done better. No one thinks the two wingers on the first line are high-end offensive players. We will never know what things would've looked like in a parallel universe.

However, I think the fact that the team crashed and burned with this roster building strategy that emphasized 19 year old grinders in high positions leaving numerous first round picks at home tends to prove that the roster should've been built differently. And please don't say I said the only thing that matters is draft position. Not something I said, so please don't misrepresent what I've said.

If I was building this team, this is what the forwards would've looked like.

Samoskevich-Bordeleau-Coronato
Knies-Cooley-Pastujov
McGroarty-Gauthier-Berard
Janicke-Stramel-Slaggert
Nazar/Snuggerud/Savage

As far as I'm concerned, there was no room for players like Mazur, McKown, Duran, James. Those types of players would need to do something really great to find their way into the picture. They wouldn't be seriously considered otherwise. Pedigree matters. Don't confuse that with draft position. It's similar, but not always the same thing.

Pastujov couldn't keep up with the play but you want to elevate him?

You have concerns with guys like Mazur but you want Janicke on the team? Lol

 

[Statsy]

I don't think thats how I phrased anything I said. I said there were better players not selected that I think would've done better. No one thinks the two wingers on the first line are high-end offensive players. We will never know what things would've looked like in a parallel universe.

However, I think the fact that the team crashed and burned with this roster building strategy that emphasized 19 year old grinders in high positions leaving numerous first round picks at home tends to prove that the roster should've been built differently. And please don't say I said the only thing that matters is draft position. Not something I said, so please don't misrepresent what I've said.

If I was building this team, this is what the forwards would've looked like.

Samoskevich-Bordeleau-Coronato
Knies-Cooley-Pastujov
McGroarty-Gauthier-Berard
Janicke-Stramel-Slaggert
Nazar/Snuggerud/Savage

As far as I'm concerned, there was no room for players like Mazur, McKown, Duran, James. Those types of players would need to do something really great to find their way into the picture. They wouldn't be seriously considered otherwise. Pedigree matters. Don't confuse that with draft position. It's similar, but not always the same thing.

I hate to pile on here, but for you to leave out Mazur AFTER he played and is in contention for tournament All-Star team is absolutely mind-boggling. Not on the third line or the fourth line or even, God forbid, a fifth line press box guy, but completely off the team!

This is pure insanity. You honestly need to look at your inability to admit you’ve made a mistake. Most of us are stubborn with our opinions, but this is far beyond that.