WC: Roster Talk '11 – USA

[usahockey22flyers]

JVR is already in Slovakia and registered with the IIHF. He will be playing tomorrow.

Since Sweden beat Switzerland today, we clinched a QF spot. Switzerland has to win tomorrow to possibly advance though over Norway where as if we win we'll just clinch the 3rd spot in our qualifying group.

Very good news.

Honestly, every team in this tournament is beatable.

 

[nomorekids]

Nice to see an unheralded Preds' prospect in Craig Smith doing so well, especially after a lot of people said, "Who?!" when he was named to the team (I love him as a prospect, and I myself was shocked).

He had a fantastic offensive year at Wisco this season, and it's rumored that he's likely not going back. Supposedly the Preds are intending on signing him and having him in Milwaukee, next season.

 

[William H Bonney]

I don't know how Scott Gordon got the golden ticket from USA Hockey but can they please take it back already?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I don't know how Scott Gordon got the golden ticket from USA Hockey but can they please take it back already?

My main issue is his stubborn refusal to mix things up when things aren't working. He appears set on a certain course....and that's it. I know we don't have a great line-up when it comes to what we normally expect from national teams, but given the nature of this particular tournament I have the nagging feeling we can have a couple of other wins under out belt if he just shifted things up a bit. Shoot-maybe they'll beat the Czechs and shut us all up!

 

[William H Bonney]

My main issue is his stubborn refusal to mix things up when things aren't working. He appears set on a certain course....and that's it. I know we don't have a great line-up when it comes to what we normally expect from national teams, but given the nature of this particular tournament I have the nagging feeling we can have a couple of other wins under out belt if he just shifted things up a bit. Shoot-maybe they'll beat the Czechs and shut us all up!

I just don't think he's a very good coach by any stretch, although he always seem to fall into situations where he gets to play the "But my roster wasn't as good as it could/should have been!" card as an excuse. He just doesn't get results, period. The only season you could say he led his team to a great season was in 2007-2008 with Providence (led to him getting the Islanders job) but even that year his team crapped out early in the playoffs.

He doesn't maximize results. He's stubborn as all hell as you mention. He makes up his mind and sticks with it whether he's taking the whole ship down with him or not. He makes some of the weirdest decisions. He doesn't adapt.

Not to say our other options would have done better because coaching, at all levels, is generally the biggest hindrance to hockey advancing in this country IMO. American coaches in general just doesn't understand the game on the Olympic ice at all. Instead of adapting, we keep trying to ram our round peg in the square hole and then we're bewildered when we don't get results. We're obsessed with trying to run a 2-man forecheck and cycle game and it doesn't work. We choose our coaches with less care than they did in Mystery Alaska. I mean, Phil Housley? Who cares what he did as a player. He coaches high school hockey in Minnesota. He shouldn't be touching the Junior National Teams, let alone the Men's National Team.

I'd love to see us go after some coaches that have experience with coaching the game on Olympic Ice. I'm sure a guy like Kevin Constantine would love a shot. The sooner USA Hockey stops pretending the game isn't any different on the bigger ice, the sooner we'll start seeing results.

 

[KaylaJ]

I just don't think he's a very good coach by any stretch, although he always seem to fall into situations where he gets to play the "But my roster wasn't as good as it could/should have been!" card as an excuse. He just doesn't get results, period. The only season you could say he led his team to a great season was in 2007-2008 with Providence (led to him getting the Islanders job) but even that year his team crapped out early in the playoffs.

He doesn't maximize results. He's stubborn as all hell as you mention. He makes up his mind and sticks with it whether he's taking the whole ship down with him or not. He makes some of the weirdest decisions. He doesn't adapt.

Not to say our other options would have done better because coaching, at all levels, is generally the biggest hindrance to hockey advancing in this country IMO. American coaches in general just doesn't understand the game on the Olympic ice at all. Instead of adapting, we keep trying to ram our round peg in the square hole and then we're bewildered when we don't get results. We're obsessed with trying to run a 2-man forecheck and cycle game and it doesn't work. We choose our coaches with less care than they did in Mystery Alaska. I mean, Phil Housley? Who cares what he did as a player. He coaches high school hockey in Minnesota. He shouldn't be touching the Junior National Teams, let alone the Men's National Team.

I'd love to see us go after some coaches that have experience with coaching the game on Olympic Ice. I'm sure a guy like Kevin Constantine would love a shot. The sooner USA Hockey stops pretending the game isn't any different on the bigger ice, the sooner we'll start seeing results.

You wanna talk about stubborn, lol. But the point is a good one. We need someone with experience in these situations and not just "hey, you've been looking good" or "hey, you played well 10 years ago" type idea. I mean it is scary to think that we're giving some of these younger guys a chance to see what the big ice looks like, but we may not be able to capitalize on it even more so.

I also hate the "the roster wasn't good enough excuse". Like, what did you think you were signing up for?

 

[William H Bonney]

You wanna talk about stubborn, lol. But the point is a good one. We need someone with experience in these situations and not just "hey, you've been looking good" or "hey, you played well 10 years ago" type idea. I mean it is scary to think that we're giving some of these younger guys a chance to see what the big ice looks like, but we may not be able to capitalize on it even more so.

I also hate the "the roster wasn't good enough excuse". Like, what did you think you were signing up for?

Constantine was just an example since he coaches in the Swiss Elite League right now and thus is familiar with the Olympic Ice. I'd just love to see any coach that understands how to play the game on the Olympic Ice or is at least willing to understand that what works in the NHL doesn't necessarily translate over and are thus willing to approach the game differently. Other options include: Mike Eaves (Wisconsin), Scott Owens (Colorado College), and Dick Umile (New Hampshire) off the top of my head that all coach on Olympic Ice. Other than the obvious choices in guys like Dan Bylsma, Peter Laviolette, John Tortorella, Ron Wilson, etc., we need to stop throwing these gigs away as pure learning opportunities. We need results too. Scott Gordon has shown nothing to suggest he should be getting these opportunities now or that he should be "groomed" for the future either. This isn't NHL Hockey. It's a different game. And until we treat it as such, we're going to struggle to get results unless we consistently bring our best possible roster(s) which isn't happening.

Yeah, I don't like the roster excuse either. Sure, it would be great if more of our good players wanted to play in this tournament but they don't. It doesn't excuse the fact that we still send a team and it's the job of the team to find success regardless of who is or isn't there. And that job first starts with the GM(s) and coaches of the squads. Finland, Sweden, and the Czechs get results even though they don't always send their best teams. Teams like Germany, Switzerland, and Norway shouldn't be doing better than us other than the rare exception regardless if we're sending our E team or not.

 

[KaylaJ]

Constantine was just an example since he coaches in the Swiss Elite League right now and thus is familiar with the Olympic Ice. I'd just love to see any coach that understands how to play the game on the Olympic Ice or is at least willing to understand that what works in the NHL doesn't necessarily translate over and are thus willing to approach the game differently. Other options include: Mike Eaves (Wisconsin), Scott Owens (Colorado College), and Dick Umile (New Hampshire) off the top of my head that all coach on Olympic Ice. Other than the obvious choices in guys like Dan Bylsma, Peter Laviolette, John Tortorella, Ron Wilson, etc., we need to stop throwing these gigs away as pure learning opportunities. We need results too. Scott Gordon has shown nothing to suggest he should be getting these opportunities now or that he should be "groomed" for the future either. This isn't NHL Hockey. It's a different game. And until we treat it as such, we're going to struggle to get results unless we consistently bring our best possible roster(s) which isn't happening.

Yeah, I don't like the roster excuse either. Sure, it would be great if more of our good players wanted to play in this tournament but they don't. It doesn't excuse the fact that we still send a team and it's the job of the team to find success regardless of who is or isn't there. And that job first starts with the GM(s) and coaches of the squads. Finland, Sweden, and the Czechs get results even though they don't always send their best teams. Teams like Germany, Switzerland, and Norway shouldn't be doing better than us other than the rare exception regardless if we're sending our E team or not.

Huh, I had never realized what happened to Constantine after Houston. But he is the type of guy the US needs. He's stubborn, but not to a point where he doesn't realize that sometimes you need to adapt. I thought after last year and the regulation round that maybe, just maybe, it would open up some people's eyes, but apparently not enough. And it is annoying when you see other teams not only take advantage of that, but also improve upon their teams while we just seem stuck in a rut and make excuses. I will admit that at least they are accepting some of the younger kids, though like I said I just hope we're not messing them up in the end.

What is odd is cheering for the team knowing if they do well, even if it is just winning by the skin of their teeth, that we'll be stuck with the same thing

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Big game tomorrow!

Game should be on versus correct

 

[ed bruin]

i've been busy lately and sorry if this was mentioned but how does JVR just join the team mid tournament? Is there a set date when you can add in players to the roster?

 

[William H Bonney]

Big game tomorrow!

Game should be on versus correct

Yep. It's airing live.

According to Kevin Allen, Gordon hasn't decided yet on who's starting in net.

i've been busy lately and sorry if this was mentioned but how does JVR just join the team mid tournament? Is there a set date when you can add in players to the roster?

IIHF rules dictate you can add 2 players after the Round Robin (opening 3 games). The most you can have is 20 skaters + 3 goalies registered to start the tournament and the most you can have registered after the round robin additions is 25. Team USA had 25 players with them but only recently registered Andy Miele and Jack Campbell after the round robin games to get to 24 total. Once JVR became available and was able to arrive so quickly, they added him in their last available spot, thus Jake Gardiner is with the team basically as an observer.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

One of my favorite US players - Mike Brown.

 

[doakacola*]

Constantine was just an example since he coaches in the Swiss Elite League right now and thus is familiar with the Olympic Ice. I'd just love to see any coach that understands how to play the game on the Olympic Ice or is at least willing to understand that what works in the NHL doesn't necessarily translate over and are thus willing to approach the game differently. Other options include: Mike Eaves (Wisconsin), Scott Owens (Colorado College), and Dick Umile (New Hampshire) off the top of my head that all coach on Olympic Ice. Other than the obvious choices in guys like Dan Bylsma, Peter Laviolette, John Tortorella, Ron Wilson, etc., we need to stop throwing these gigs away as pure learning opportunities. We need results too. Scott Gordon has shown nothing to suggest he should be getting these opportunities now or that he should be "groomed" for the future either. This isn't NHL Hockey. It's a different game. And until we treat it as such, we're going to struggle to get results unless we consistently bring our best possible roster(s) which isn't happening.

Yeah, I don't like the roster excuse either. Sure, it would be great if more of our good players wanted to play in this tournament but they don't. It doesn't excuse the fact that we still send a team and it's the job of the team to find success regardless of who is or isn't there. And that job first starts with the GM(s) and coaches of the squads. Finland, Sweden, and the Czechs get results even though they don't always send their best teams. Teams like Germany, Switzerland, and Norway shouldn't be doing better than us other than the rare exception regardless if we're sending our E team or not.

Dick Umile would be completely overwhelmed. You'd be better off with co-coaches like Parker & York who actually know muck of the talent as most played in the NCAA.

 

[doakacola*]

One of my favorite US players - Mike Brown.

Mike Brown played very well in every game I watched. He has speed and grit, plays like a Canadian, really enjoyed his play.

 

[William H Bonney]

Dick Umile would be completely overwhelmed. You'd be better off with co-coaches like Parker & York who actually know muck of the talent as most played in the NCAA.

I was just naming American coaches off the top of my head that coach on the Olympic ice, not advocating he get the gig.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

Mike Brown played very well in every game I watched. He has speed and grit, plays like a Canadian, really enjoyed his play.

IMO, American's have more speed and grit....Canadians have the goal scoring, high point per game totals

Best US born players that fits this mold and plays for the US internationally... Dustin Brown, Joe Pavelski, David Backes, T.J Oshie, Ryan Callahan...The list goes on and on