Scoring a problem for Team USA?

[Rabid Ranger]

IMO, scoring was going to be the biggest question mark (among other things) for the U.S. Olympic Team this year, but I noticed that five of the top thirty scorers in the league are American, and several American players are having very good offensive seasons relative to their respective teams. Perhaps scoring won't be such a big deal? Thoughts?

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[Big Phil]

Scoring will be a problem for you guys but I think just as much a problem will be your defense and your goaltending. Rick Dipietro is probably your best goalie and yet he hasnt really lived up to his #1 overall billing yet. Then a 44-year old Chris Chelios has seen better days as well, and if Aaron Miller is on the team that's trouble.

But back to the offense. It might be your strongest point. But outside of Modano I dont see any elite forwards. Sure Gionta and Gomez are having good years but sometimes points in the NHl doesnt always translate into points in the Olympics vs. the best players in the world. Take Tony Amonte. His best years are clearly behind him as are Roenicks for sure but these guys might have been better picks just based on their experience or the fact that they've faced this kind of competiotn before. Its not as if the USA had young rookies like Crosby or AO waiting in the wings to replace these guys. USA will be in tough and looks like they might be on par with Finland or Slovakia. I predict them out of the medal podium.

 

[Herby]

I think the American offense will be fine...

Brian Gionta is having a huge season, and he is a guy who I think will be better on the big ice

Craig Conroy has more pts than Joe Sakic and Markus Naslund, Conroy is the highest scoring American and while not a gamebreaker, he is obviously a pretty damn good #1 center in the NHL. The same can be said for Modano who has returned to point per game status.

Rolston and Gomez are both pt per game guys who can play both sides of the rink.

Tkachuk looked like the TK of old in his brief stint before injury.

Knuble is on pace for 40 goals.

I think the offense will be fine, its the defense and goaltending I worry about.

 

[arrbez]

Knuble is on pace for 40 goals.

Does he come with Forsberg?

I don't think this team is going to be nearly as bad as a lot of people are saying, but they'll definitly have to work very very hard to score. Even though some guys are having great NHL season, I wouldn't pin my offensive hopes on Brian Rolston or Jason Blake during olympic play, if you know what I mean

 

[Herby]

Does he come with Forsberg?

I don't think this team is going to be nearly as bad as a lot of people are saying, but they'll definitly have to work very very hard to score. Even though some guys are having great NHL season, I wouldn't pin my offensive hopes on Brian Rolston or Jason Blake during olympic play, if you know what I mean

Knuble is a good player in his own right, and as far as being a product of another player. The same was said of Conroy, how he only got pts because of Iginla, and he had no goal-scoring ability.

Conroy has outscored Iginla by a pretty large margin this season.

And no one is relying on Rolston and Blake as scorers, they are bottom line guys, like Kris Draper and Shane Doan with Canada.

The US offense will come from Modano, Tkachuk, Conroy, Gionta, Gomez and Weight.

Thats a pretty talented group of forwards.

 

[espo*]

My thinking is that any team that has a centre line-up of Modano,Weight,Conroy,Gomez and Rolston certainly has the potential to score.Those are all world class players.If they mix with the wingers they are paired with,they should produce offense,i can't see why not.

The U.S team is under-rated going into this thing.My question for that team is not offense,it's defense.Is that group good enough? i'm skeptical.It
s not bad or terrible like some people are making it out to be but is it GOOD ENOUGH? that's the question for this poster.

 

[Big Phil]

Defense would be my concern too. If you remember in '02 they had Suter, Housley, Rafalski etc. all good puck moving defensemen. But when it came time for the gold medal game the concern against Canada was that their defense was too small. And it was. That is when they should have had a guy like Hatcher there. Now they have him in '06 and he's as slow as molasses. But even their offense I agree with the post above, you'd better not be relying on Jason Blake to score you goals.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Defense would be my concern too. If you remember in '02 they had Suter, Housley, Rafalski etc. all good puck moving defensemen. But when it came time for the gold medal game the concern against Canada was that their defense was too small. And it was. That is when they should have had a guy like Hatcher there. Now they have him in '06 and he's as slow as molasses. But even their offense I agree with the post above, you'd better not be relying on Jason Blake to score you goals.

Personally, I think the U.S. defense is pretty well-balanced. There's a nice mix of puck movers and stay-at-home guys. Hatcher isn't fast, but he's proven he can adapt to the new NHL, and I think he can do the same at the Olympics. He'll be a nice presence down low against larger players.