WC: 2024 Team USA

[SK94]

This is in no way relevant to this match, but I don't understand the schedule in this tournament year after year. The preliminary round is already painfully long, so why not distribute big matchups throughout the group stage. Usually, big teams play "pointless" games in a row and after that you feel like you have aged 10 years.

 

[TLEH]

We said Hynes would be a problem.

 

[AmericanDream]

We said Hynes would be a problem.

When do you think he starts to notice Farabee more out there? Not asking for him to get double shifted but on both sides of the puck he has been imo our best overall forward through 3 games.

 

[NyQuil]

This is in no way relevant to this match, but I don't understand the schedule in this tournament year after year. The preliminary round is already painfully long, so why not distribute big matchups throughout the group stage. Usually, big teams play "pointless" games in a row and after that you feel like you have aged 10 years.

I suspect that the main reason is to leave some suspense as to who will end up at the top of the group by the end of the preliminary round.

 

[SK94]

I suspect that the main reason is to leave some suspense as to who will end up at the top of the group by the end of the preliminary round.

Yes, but it's not worth it. Group stage is too long and boring in its current form. The fact that the big games would be better distributed would help at least a little.

I support four groups of four teams. The best two to the quarterfinals. I believe that with this system, more NHL players would also be involved. The tournament would be more compact and exciting.

 

[NyQuil]

Yes, but it's not worth it. Group stage is too long and boring in its current form. The fact that the big games would be better distributed would help at least a little.

I support four groups of four teams. The best two to the quarterfinals. I believe that with this system, more NHL players would also be involved. The tournament would be more compact and exciting.

I think the IIHF takes its role in terms of growing the game internationally seriously, and that includes exposing lower ranked teams to the elite.

Playing against Italy or France or Norway or Great Britain may seem boring but for them, it's the opportunity of a lifetime.

Not to mention, the occasional upset. Team Canada has lost to France and Norway in the past. It's rare, but it does happen.

I support the fact that we have other, different tournaments (usually), like the World/Canada Cup and the Olympics, where the focus might be more exclusively on the elite competition.

I'm not necessarily against your proposal though, you still get teams exposed to better competition. The other factor is that a longer tournament and more games might mean more money for the IIHF and/or other entities with a financial stake.

I'd prefer an NHL regular season that was about 20 games shorter because it would make every game that much more meaningful, and we wouldn't have the Cup Final when it's sunny and hot out (even in Canada) but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[MeHateHe]

I think the IIHF takes its role in terms of growing the game internationally seriously, and that includes exposing lower ranked teams to the elite.

Playing against Italy or France or Norway or Great Britain may seem boring but for them, it's the opportunity of a lifetime.

Not to mention, the occasional upset. Team Canada has lost to France and Norway in the past. It's rare, but it does happen.

I support the fact that we have other, different tournaments (usually), like the World/Canada Cup and the Olympics, where the focus might be more exclusively on the elite competition.

I'm not necessarily against your proposal though, you still get teams exposed to better competition. The other factor is that a longer tournament and more games might mean more money for the IIHF.

Just to add to this:

A lot of folks on these boards who support North American teams are pretty heavily blinkered, and wonder why the tournament doesn't make a few tweaks here and there that would overwhelmingly benefit their teams. I see it most from Canadian posters, but that's the place I tend to end up.

The most common complaint about international hockey is that there are only five or six teams who have a legitimate chance to win. But if you don't put a specific effort into bringing other countries up, you'll never increase that number. Germany, Switzerland and to a lesser extent Denmark and Latvia, have started knocking on the door, but for international hockey to really take off, there needs to be more work to bring along top European sports nations, like France, Italy, Great Britain and the like.

Setting conditions at the worlds to encourage basic fairness for the minnows - as opposed to giving prefential treatment to the top 6 - doesn't neccessarily improve development, but the opposite would absolutely set back any improvement.

Overall, when we North Americans look at this tournament, we need to see it through the lens of countries where hockey still needs help to get it into the collective consciousness.

 

[AmericanDream]

I think the IIHF takes its role in terms of growing the game internationally seriously, and that includes exposing lower ranked teams to the elite.

Playing against Italy or France or Norway or Great Britain may seem boring but for them, it's the opportunity of a lifetime.

Not to mention, the occasional upset. Team Canada has lost to France and Norway in the past. It's rare, but it does happen.

I support the fact that we have other, different tournaments (usually), like the World/Canada Cup and the Olympics, where the focus might be more exclusively on the elite competition.

I'm not necessarily against your proposal though, you still get teams exposed to better competition. The other factor is that a longer tournament and more games might mean more money for the IIHF and/or other entities with a financial stake.

I'd prefer an NHL regular season that was about 20 games shorter because it would make every game that much more meaningful, and we wouldn't have the Cup Final when it's sunny and hot out (even in Canada) but I'm not holding my breath.

I don't have an issue with the amount of teams here. The atmosphere is wild and some of these countries that have fans travel with them to see this are truly greatful to be here.

Only issue I have is with starting off with the best matchups right out the gate. Surely the IIHF knows that Sweden, Slovakia and Germany are the likely best teams with the US. Not having one of these games before the QF just feels insane to me. I don't know the other countries schedules but now after a tough few games the US gets France, Poland, Kazakhstan & Latvia. Latvia being the only potential threat there.

This isn't going to help the US a ton because these are games they should win, dare I say easily..it will allow them to work on somethings but it also sets up a false sense of how good they are playing as Latvia is the last litmus test...which despite last year shouldn't be much of a test this year.

Maybe I am just bitching to bitch..

 

[SK94]

I'm not necessarily against your proposal though, you still get teams exposed to better competition. The other factor is that a longer tournament and more games might mean more money for the IIHF and/or other entities with a financial stake.

I'd prefer an NHL regular season that was about 20 games shorter because it would make every game that much more meaningful, and we wouldn't have the Cup Final when it's sunny and hot out (even in Canada) but I'm not holding my breath.

This here is the main point. Money is a reason why NHL regular season is not going to become shorter and money is the reason why Worlds is what it is.

Of course, the development of smaller countries is very important, but in groups of four teams, the number of teams would be the same. In the big picture, it doesn't matter if, for example, Poland is now playing at the highest level if the right things are not done in the country at the grassroots level. Okay, maybe it brings a little visibility, but it doesn't do anything in itself.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

I don't have an issue with the amount of teams here. The atmosphere is wild and some of these countries that have fans travel with them to see this are truly greatful to be here.

Only issue I have is with starting off with the best matchups right out the gate. Surely the IIHF knows that Sweden, Slovakia and Germany are the likely best teams with the US. Not having one of these games before the QF just feels insane to me. I don't know the other countries schedules but now after a tough few games the US gets France, Poland, Kazakhstan & Latvia. Latvia being the only potential threat there.

This isn't going to help the US a ton because these are games they should win, dare I say easily..it will allow them to work on somethings but it also sets up a false sense of how good they are playing as Latvia is the last litmus test...which despite last year shouldn't be much of a test this year.

Maybe I am just bitching to bitch..

This teams needs as much time as they can get to figure out chemistry and who belongs where, no cohesion at all right now with the passing. These games coming up are a god send for a short form tournament.

 

[SK94]

This teams needs as much time as they can get to figure out chemistry and who belongs where, no cohesion at all right now with the passing. These games coming up are a god send for a short form tournament.

Of course, this is also a good point. Fewer games would mean that countries like Finland, who play a lot of training games and hold a long camp, would be even more difficult to win if there weren't these "pointless" games where North American teams can develop their game and chemistry.

 

[William H Bonney]

A poor start, Nedeljkovic, and coaching lost us that one.

I'm sorry, but this early in the tournament the team should not be getting full days off like they had yesterday. There is zero reason to not have a practice yesterday when your team has only been together for a week and needs to build chemistry and a system. That's bad coaching and poor prioritization for why you're there. You're not there to f***ing golf. Zero reason to not be practicing this early in the tournament on days without games. Embarrassing commitment from USAH staff, and a big reason why they look like a confused mess for half a game.

Ned was brutal. Goals 3 and 4 cannot go in, especially after your team finally showed up and got on the board. It should be Augustine's net unless we get a star goalie to show up or he falls apart.

Gaudreau is a liability out there. Get him off the top line and PP. Please let this be the end of any delusion that his name should be in contention for a best-of team.

Stop running the PP to set up Caufield. His shooting was poor all season and it's the same here. Yes, he's normally a sniper, but not this season, and you can't wait around for him to figure it out.

The ice time distribution, especially at forward, has been mind boggling.

Some costly mistakes by guys who got little ice time in the game.

Poor Werenski being saddled with Jones again.

We have some guys making their presence known every shift (Werenski, Boldy, Tkachuk, etc.) but far too many passengers right now, or guys who have been black holes (Caufield, Gaudreau).

Blow up the lines.

They look like a John Hynes team.

 

[AmericanDream]

This teams needs as much time as they can get to figure out chemistry and who belongs where, no cohesion at all right now with the passing. These games coming up are a god send for a short form tournament.

It could, it also could create a false sense of "figured shit out" because you played 4 games in a row and beat teams you should clearly be beating...I am not sure a few 6-1 wins against these teams is going to put us in the right frame of mind come QF's against a dangerous opponent since we are in danger of not being in the top 2. But I hope it (these next 4 games) does help, there are no other options here.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Gaudreau is a liability out there. Get him off the top line and PP. Please let this be the end of any delusion that his name should be in contention for a best-of team.

He leads the team in scoring?

 

[William H Bonney]

He leads the team in scoring?

Because he's talented, he's getting #1 line and PP1 time. And points don't tell the story.

He's not driving the play or the goals where he's getting points. He's turning it over every other time he touches it.

He got a rebound goal on the PP sitting by the side of the net and a few secondary assists. He's not dictating the play out there.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

It could, it also could create a false sense of "figured shit out" because you played 4 games in a row and beat teams you should clearly be beating...I am not sure a few 6-1 wins against these teams is going to put us in the right frame of mind come QF's against a dangerous opponent since we are in danger of not being in the top 2. But I hope it (these next 4 games) does help, there are no other options here.

I would imagine these two losses would remove all notion of underestimating the opponent or not being serious in later rounds.

 

[AmericanDream]

I will say this, much rather have this shit happen now and not in the QF or SF like it usually happens. Maybe this year we pull a reversal and struggle in the prelims and dominate the rest of the way. Our teams usually do well in the preliminary round only to shit the bed come elimination time.

 

[William H Bonney]

Playing less games would not be good for USAH unless they were to use the extra time that comes with that to have a camp, which they won't do. They can't even be bothered to practice on off days.

 

[AmericanDream]

Playing less games would not be good for USAH unless they were to use the extra time that comes with that to have a camp, which they won't do. They can't even be bothered to practice on off days.

This ain't the 40's & 50's anymore coach Shore!!! lol...

I am sure team bonding and going out to do things as a group is a perk for the players and their families here- but yeah, I think that shit could be done tail end of this week and not between your toughest matchups with barely any practice as a group as is...

 

[William H Bonney]

This ain't the 40's & 50's anymore coach Shore!!! lol...

I am sure team bonding and going out to do things as a group is a perk for the players and their families here- but yeah, I think that shit could be done tail end of this week and not between your toughest matchups with barely any practice as a group as is...

It's one thing to give players the day off in the round robin. But no need to rest this early.

I get wanting to entice players with a vacation feel to the tournament but that's a big reason why we don't win here. We treat it like a vacation with a beer league tournament folded in, and other teams treat it like premier tournament worth winning.

 

[Zero Pucks Given]

I'm just saying, last time a US team turned to Augustine in net...

 

[William H Bonney]

I'm just saying, last time a US team turned to Augustine in net...

Should be his net until he relinquishes it. He's looked good, the other options have not.

 

[AmericanDream]

It's one thing to give players the day off in the round robin. But no need to rest this early.

I get wanting to entice players with a vacation feel to the tournament but that's a big reason why we don't win here. We treat it like a vacation with a beer league tournament folded in, and other teams treat it like premier tournament worth winning.

Unfortunately, we are dealing with millionaire athletes who have been pampered all season long. Many of us have advocated for USA Hockey to do more to lure top players here that includes more things for them to do with players families- or things their families can do without the players.

Treating this as a vacation, I think is inevitable if they have families here - but finding that balance of taking this seriously has to be there. And that is on the coaching staff 100%. I know Canada deals with this even more than we do most years, as their talent pool is even deeper and still struggle to fill out rosters most years.

This team not practicing yesterday is idiotic. I don't have any defense for that especially looking at this schedule and seeing the gap after today plus the "lighter" matchups the rest of the way.

 

[AmericanDream]

Did anyone else hear that the US has the 2nd youngest overall team in the tournament? That does surprise me, thought for sure with some of the vets we added like Nelson, Nedeljkovic and Petry that wouldn't be the case.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Just got home and realized I screwed up setting up the recording. Kind of glad….I guess. I’ll read this thread to piece it all together.