Olympics: Could USA be the favorite heading into PyeongChang 2018?

[Makar Goes Fast]

they are far from a lock for a medal, yet alone favourite.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Sure, sure...that's how they used to talk about Justin Pogge....that he had more upside than Tuukka Rask ( who was even better as a junior imo, and who totally stoned Swedes in a do or die WJC game, as i recall )

How'd that work out for Leafs braintrust, or lack thereof?

You wanna talk potential super stars of the not too distant future. Think Vasilevskiy , Hellebuyck...

...At this pt, Blackwood's barely a blip on the radar...

JFJ is going to be the GM of Team Canada?

 

[xxxx]

I think the USA is slowly getting ahead of Sweden right now. Sweden has better D now, even though the US has Werenski, Jones, or Hanifin coming up, but their top offensive talents are Nylander and F.Frosberg if I'm not forgetting someone, while the US has Eichel, Larkin, Matthews, and their development program is getting better and better imo. While the US won't and can't really catch Canada, they have the potential to be a clear cut #2 team imo. Theri goaltending has always been solid, the D is getting better (besides Canada the only better team here is Sweden), and their offense will be ahead of both Sweden and Russia in a few years with Eichel and Matthews.

 

[keslerburrows]

Schneider would start

 

[Scotty B]

I think the USA is slowly getting ahead of Sweden right now. Sweden has better D now, even though the US has Werenski, Jones, or Hanifin coming up, but their top offensive talents are Nylander and F.Frosberg if I'm not forgetting someone, while the US has Eichel, Larkin, Matthews, and their development program is getting better and better imo. While the US won't and can't really catch Canada, they have the potential to be a clear cut #2 team imo. Theri goaltending has always been solid, the D is getting better (besides Canada the only better team here is Sweden), and their offense will be ahead of both Sweden and Russia in a few years with Eichel and Matthews.

Yanks probably won't have better forwards than Russia, ON PAPER at least...BUT in terms of cohesive team play, or lack thereof, Russia's A Team tends to be less than the sum of their parts...

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

The gap is definitely getting smaller but it is still there. Canada are the favorites unless NHLers can't go. At that point we send scrubs playing overseas and some OHL/WHL/QJMHL kids. Russia would sleep walk over everyone if that's the case.

1980 though

 

[Backami]

they are far from a lock for a medal, yet alone favourite.

This

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Man, Larkin/Matthews/Eichel/White/Gaudreau/Connor/Boeser. Incredible.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Finland will certainly enjoy its underdog status like it did in the year 2014, as well as the last three WJCs.

 

[Xokkeu]

Man, Larkin/Matthews/Eichel/White/Gaudreau/Connor/Boeser. Incredible.

Three of those guys aren't even in the NHL and I wouldn't even say are top 10 prospects not in the NHL.

 

[MardyBum]

Three of those guys aren't even in the NHL and I wouldn't even say are top 10 prospects not in the NHL.

It'd be interesting to see peoples list of top 10 prospects not in the NHL.

 

[Herschel]

McDonagh makes it over one of Vlasic or Hamhuis on the 2014 team and I don't think its close.

Vlasic was sick in the 2014 tourney and was an equal half to the best pairing by any team. I still can't believe how underrated he is.

Not sure how you break up Doughty-Vlasic given their previous success

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Man, Larkin/Matthews/Eichel/White/Gaudreau/Connor/Boeser. Incredible.

McDavid/MacKinnon/Ekblad...etc

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Three of those guys aren't even in the NHL and I wouldn't even say are top 10 prospects not in the NHL.

Maybe if you're one of those guys who puts the CHL on a pedestal and pays zero attention to college hockey. Connor is putting up numbers that even Eichel didn't a year ago. Boeser is probably the best sniper prospect in the world, and Colin White is having a year pointing towards another 19-year-old impact rookie like Larkin

 

[Xokkeu]

Maybe if you're one of those guys who puts the CHL on a pedestal and pays zero attention to college hockey. Connor is putting up numbers that even Eichel didn't a year ago. Boeser is probably the best sniper prospect in the world, and Colin White is having a year pointing towards another 19-year-old impact rookie like Larkin

so since I have NCAA hockey season tickets that validates my opinion right?

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I think the USA is slowly getting ahead of Sweden right now. Sweden has better D now, even though the US has Werenski, Jones, or Hanifin coming up, but their top offensive talents are Nylander and F.Frosberg if I'm not forgetting someone, while the US has Eichel, Larkin, Matthews, and their development program is getting better and better imo. While the US won't and can't really catch Canada, they have the potential to be a clear cut #2 team imo. Theri goaltending has always been solid, the D is getting better (besides Canada the only better team here is Sweden), and their offense will be ahead of both Sweden and Russia in a few years with Eichel and Matthews.

USA < Finland

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Yanks probably won't have better forwards than Russia, ON PAPER at least...BUT in terms of cohesive team play, or lack thereof, Russia's A Team tends to be less than the sum of their parts...

Americans have better defense but they have not won Russia in a long time. Last time in home crowd.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

A still prime Crosby and young McDavid will be on Team Canada in 2018.

I repeat.

A still prime Crosby and young McDavid will be on Team Canada in 2018.

That'll make Swiss the favourites.

 

[helax]

A still prime Crosby and young McDavid will be on Team Canada in 2018.

I repeat.

A still prime Crosby and young McDavid will be on Team Canada in 2018.

That'll make Swiss the favourites.

Crosby has a long way to go becoming "prime" again..

 

[arrbez]

Crosby has a long way to go becoming "prime" again..

He's got 30+ points in his last 20 or so games, and he's basically carried his team back into a playoff spot over the last couple weeks. Despite his awful start to the season, he's 5th in scoring and climbing quickly.

I'm ready to believe again.

 

[Stats01]

He's got 30+ points in his last 20 or so games, and he's basically carried his team back into a playoff spot over the last couple weeks. Despite his awful start to the season, he's 5th in scoring and climbing quickly.

I'm ready to believe again.

Crosby will be 30 in 2018. He'll still be in his prime. Like you said he looks like he's back.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Larkin-Eichel-Kane
Gaudreau-Matthews-Wheeler
JVR-Johnson-Kessel
Pacioretty-Dubinsky-Kesler
Connor/Boeser

Suter-Faulk
Hanifin-Carlson
Werenski-Jones
Yandle-Shattenkirk

Quick
Bishop

 

[Xokkeu]

Larkin-Eichel-Kane
Gaudreau-Matthews-Wheeler
JVR-Johnson-Kessel
Pacioretty-Dubinsky-Kesler
Connor/Boeser

Suter-Faulk
Hanifin-Carlson
Werenski-Jones
Yandle-Shattenkirk

Quick
Bishop

Would take Pavelski over Dubinsky, even in two years. Saad over Kesler. Kessel will be unlikely to ever be a third line forward for the US, so might be passed over for a guy like Trochek, Stepan even JT Miller depending on how he does over the next two years.

 

[Daximus]

Not yet. With Canada likely having McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, Seguin, Tavares, Toews, Stamkos, Bergeron, Scheifele, Giroux, O'Reilly, Getzlaf, Monahan, Couturier and RNH just down the middle and possibly Reinhart, Bennet, Horvat, Dubois, Patrick, Jost, Strome and Barzal making themselves known by then.
On the back end we have Doughty, Keith, Weber, Letang, Subban, Vlasic, Brodie, Burns, Ekblad, Parayko, Reilly, Murray along with the rest of the vets and whomever makes themselves known of the young guys.

Canada is just so damn strong everywhere still. I think 2022 will be when things get flipped upside down. Finland will be really strong then, USA as well, Sweden will be as strong as ever and Russia will likely have some ridiculous defencemen as well as Sorokin who I think will be the next best goalie of his generation. Plus the Czechs have some very interesting prospects coming up the ranks. The playing field will really level out by 2022.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Canada is just on another tier in depth.

Every position is deep with superstar talent to the point you're leaving absolute game breakers at home (i.e. Subban, Letang) just cause you can.