How Close in Talent Will Team USA be to Team Canada at Next International Meeting With NHLERS?
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JT Kreider
FIRE GORDIE CLARK
Canada still has crazy depth, especially down the middle.
McDavid
Crosby
Bergeron
MacKinnon
Tavares
ROR
Stamkos
Scheifele
Seguin
Couturier
Barzal
Could still go on, and I feel like I'm missing a big obvious one. Pretty much a who's who of the best centers except Matthews, Eichel, Draisaitl and Barkov.
And then they have wingers like Marchand, Marner, Hall, Huberdeau, Point, Stone.
USA would shape up like
Matthews
Eichel
Larkin
Hayes? Hughes?
Both Tkachuks
Boeser
Kane
Gaudreau
Wheeler
Oshie
Debrincat
Guentzel
Connor
Dont even come close to stacking up offensively, though our defense would probably be better, but not enough to close the gap.
McDavid
Crosby
Bergeron
MacKinnon
Tavares
ROR
Stamkos
Scheifele
Seguin
Couturier
Barzal
Could still go on, and I feel like I'm missing a big obvious one. Pretty much a who's who of the best centers except Matthews, Eichel, Draisaitl and Barkov.
And then they have wingers like Marchand, Marner, Hall, Huberdeau, Point, Stone.
USA would shape up like
Matthews
Eichel
Larkin
Hayes? Hughes?
Both Tkachuks
Boeser
Kane
Gaudreau
Wheeler
Oshie
Debrincat
Guentzel
Connor
Dont even come close to stacking up offensively, though our defense would probably be better, but not enough to close the gap.
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Depends when that would be. Hypothetically if it’s the Olympics in 2022 Canada’s D would be fine with Doughty and AP anchoring it with Reilly, Chabot, Parayko, etc.
it gets a bit more questionable once AP and DD age out. USA future D core is better than what Canada is producing.
right side would then be Hamilton (2011), Parayko (2012), Dumba (2012), and Makar (2017)
Left side would be Reilly (2012), Chabot (2015), and Morrissey (2013)?
who else would be a future Canadian Dman?
USA with Jones, McAvoy, Warenski, Q Hughes, Trouba, Fox, Fowler, Slavin.
it gets a bit more questionable once AP and DD age out. USA future D core is better than what Canada is producing.
right side would then be Hamilton (2011), Parayko (2012), Dumba (2012), and Makar (2017)
Left side would be Reilly (2012), Chabot (2015), and Morrissey (2013)?
who else would be a future Canadian Dman?
USA with Jones, McAvoy, Warenski, Q Hughes, Trouba, Fox, Fowler, Slavin.
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Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
It'll be close, but Canada's top-end talent is slightly better and their depth is also slightly better. Canada still has Crosby and McDavid. USA doesn't. Canada has an elite player in every spot. USA might have 2-3 spots on the team where they use a very good player instead of an elite player.
Apotheosis
Registered User
Canada still claps. US has made huge strides but they still don't match up, especially offensively
Forwards:
Canada >>> USA
Defense-man
Canada > USA
Goalies
USA > Canada (wildcard is Binnington though, he could sway this)
Canada >>> USA
Defense-man
Canada > USA
Goalies
USA > Canada (wildcard is Binnington though, he could sway this)
Machinehead
GoAwayTrouba
I think the best 23-man rosters are already even 
The difference is that Canada could send four teams that could win a best-on-best tournament.
The difference is that Canada could send four teams that could win a best-on-best tournament.
HabsQC
Registered User
That Crosby Bergeron Marchand line is one of the best ever for sure. Then you add McDavid. To me it's not that close
ItWasJustified
Registered User
- Jan 1, 2015
- 4,363
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Cowumbus
Registered User
Canada MIGHT be better on paper, but until you play the games there is no way to tell.
Top end offense is an absolute landslide. Having said that, the US could ice a decent enough roster to not get blown out and probably win occasionally.
PatriceBergeronFan
Registered User
I do not think this is the case anymore.
Gone are the days of Orpik playing for team USA.
Canada definitely has an edge on offensive talent but the USA youth is better than ever and the defense should be impressive as well.
It would be nice to have the Olympics back.
NorCalhockey
Registered User
- Jan 6, 2017
- 3,239
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Well I’d sure like to see how this shakes out in actual games. Wish the NHL & IOC folks would hash out the differences so we could see best on best at the senior level again.
Bounces R Way
Registered User
Is John Carlson getting the Phil Kessel treatment here? I’d maybe take Jones over him. You say Fox, Fowler, Trouba, and Hughes? Seriously?
Shakey Rustie
Smile
Laphroaig
Registered User
It's definitely closer than it's ever been before. Canada still has the edge but if a second Team Canada team was assembled it would be weaker than the American team.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
He didn't name McDonagh or Suter either. It seems like he was trying to name younger defensemen.
Fully aware of Carlson, but I'm looking at the next wave of Dmen. Carlsson is from the same draft as AP and DD, so if I'm excluding them from anything post Olympics in 2022, I have to do the same for Carlsson.
Which is why I give the edge of the next wave of Dmen to the USA over Canada.
These Are The Days
Oh no! We suck again!!
You are badly selling USA short on offense by saying "Don't come close." Kane is still arguably the best winger in the world not named Kucherov, Eichel is arguably top 5 in the league in terms of pure talent but doesn't get enough credit because he's stuck on crap Sabres teams (no offense Buffalo fans I'm really trying to be objective here) and Matthews alongside any of those wings is going to be a nightmare to deal with.
No mistake, Canada gets the edge on offense but it's like comparing an 85 out of 100 to like a 95 out of 100. USA, on the other hand, has the edge defensively with guys like Jones, Carlson, Werenski, Trouba, Q Hughes, McDonagh, Fowler, Slavin etc.
Honest to God for all the advantages Canada has up front their matchup with the USA is still even as it gets. Add the fact that Sullivan is likely to coach that group and Babcock probably goes by the wayside for Canada it's probably USA's best chance at gold in decades. At least since Vancouver anyhow. If you gave these teams a best of 7 I'd bet it going 7 with an edge to Canada. Any American should still love those odds. Especially if Binnington is in net. God knows he can steal games.
PS- You forgot Brayden Point and Brad Marchand for Canada and whoever is coaching Canada is going to have to utilize Point as the shutdown/possession center no differently than Jon Cooper does every time we play the Bruins. If Bergeron/Marchand are out there so is Point.
Defense and goalies are pretty similar with maybe an edge to USA right now, but Canada's forwards are still clearly better. Only 3 team USA forwards would potentially make Canada's roster.
razor ray
Registered User
- May 8, 2011
- 1,511
- 1,587
For the OP question it’s maybe getting better for the USA but for every Eichel Canada has McDavid and so on. The amount of Canadians is the lowest percentage it’s been in the NHL but the high end talent is still there and still the strongest. Canada in hockey and USA in basketball....both are still the best and I doubt that changes in my lifetime....I’m 43.
