Team USA right now

[MNRube]

Gaudreau-Eichel-Wheeler
Boeser-Matthews-Kane
Tkachuk-Larkin-Kessel
Zucker/Kreider-Trochek-Keller

Werenski-Jones
Suter-Carlson
McDonagh-McAvoy
Ghost

I like Zucker or Kreider to add speed. Dislike seeing lines with Kane and Gaudreau. Need more balance.

 

[HanSolo]

He's won a bronze at the men's worlds as well.

Stole the job from Ben Bishop and finished second among goaltenders with a 95.3 sv% and 1.56 GAA, and that was before he'd even made the NHL.

 

[Ezekial]

Boeser-Matthews-Kane

I can't imagine how much money I would pay to watch this line play a whole game. It'd be a lot.
That might be my favorite combination of 3 players in the league.

 

[AmericanDream]

You might have the biggest issues in net. This is a good team, but they still lose to Canada.

lol, of course they would Big Phil....

 

[Big Phil]

lol, of course they would Big Phil....

On paper is all we can judge by right now. But this is a team superior to Canada right now? I'm not seeing it. I am seeing them as the solid 2nd best hockey country right now.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Goalie is not a weakness. Might've been a year ago. Not anymore.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

JGaudreau-AMatthews-ADeBrincat
MTkachuk-BWheeler***-PKane
BNelson*-JEichel-ALee
CKreider-DLarkin-TOshie

VTrocheck

RSuter-KYandle**
ZWerenski-SJones
SGhostisbehere-JCarlsson

JSlavin,JPetry

JGibson
CHellebuyck
KKinkaid

* Nelson has 16 goals, 28 points and is +17 in 32 WC games for Team USA, his 8 goals this season is 6th most among US players
** For some reason Yandle always gets overlooked, dude has been a machine yet again this season
*** Wheeler played insane good hockey last season in Winnipeg as a center when Scheifele was injured

 

[Exit Dose]

He's won a bronze at the men's worlds as well.

The heat maps for the shots he's had to face this season are unreal, too. He has carried Anaheim through its injury troubles over the last six weeks, and also carried them to the playoffs last season with similar injury problems.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

JGaudreau-AMatthews-ADeBrincat
MTkachuk-BWheeler***-PKane
BNelson*-JEichel-ALee
CKreider-DLarkin-TOshie

VTrocheck

RSuter-KYandle**
ZWerenski-SJones
SGhostisbehere-JCarlsson

JSlavin,JPetry

JGibson
CHellebuyck
KKinkaid

* Nelson has 16 goals, 28 points and is +17 in 32 WC games for Team USA, his 8 goals this season is 6th most among US players
** For some reason Yandle always gets overlooked, dude has been a machine yet again this season
*** Wheeler played insane good hockey last season in Winnipeg as a center when Scheifele was injured

Yandle is always overlooked. I agree. Much better defensively than the reputation he gets. Petry over McDonagh and Suter?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Yandle is always overlooked. I agree. Much better defensively than the reputation he gets. Petry over McDonagh and Suter?

Yes...i forgot Suter...oops. McDonagh thou...meh.

 

[AmericanDream]

On paper is all we can judge by right now. But this is a team superior to Canada right now? I'm not seeing it. I am seeing them as the solid 2nd best hockey country right now.

I know, just giving you a jab...you are as pro Canada as I am US.

I will say this:

This would be the best collection of talent that the US has ever had at it's disposal, better than 1996, 2002,or 2010...

This is not the best collection of talent that Canada has ever had, I think if this was a best of 3 series between the two, I would flip a coin....

 

[Big Phil]

I know, just giving you a jab...you are as pro Canada as I am US.

I will say this:

This would be the best collection of talent that the US has ever had at it's disposal, better than 1996, 2002,or 2010...

This is not the best collection of talent that Canada has ever had, I think if this was a best of 3 series between the two, I would flip a coin....

Hopefully the schedule makes it that the format favours a Canada/U.S. final. They did this all of the time in the Canada Cup with Canada/Soviets. So that if all went as expected they met in the final, not semis. Yes, a three gamer between these two would be nice right now. I don't see any other country close quite frankly after these two.

We will have to see come 2020 how this roster looks in comparison to the 1996 team. Right now there is quite a bit of projection because the U.S. has some young players right now. I know one thing, it is easily the best batch of American players since 1996. I have a bit of a soft (hard?) spot for the 1996 U.S. squad because even if I didn't want to admit it at the time they scared me. Even before the tournament. The roster was much better than in 1991 and previous years. I compared them to Canada and I got a bit of a lump in my throat.

I don't know, that 1996 team was quick. They were very fast. They had proven game breakers. I remember Leetch scaring me in 1996 every time he had the puck. It reminded me of when Makarov had the puck for the Soviets. Just that lump-in-your-throat type of fear. Hull too at that time, and Richter was the classic "x-factor" and look what happened.

I know I haven't had that lump in my throat over the U.S. since 1996 but the 2020 team would be fierce. No doubt. I just am looking at Canada and this is a team that is not going to have room for at least a couple of the following: Seguin, Toews, Stamkos, Scheifele, Giroux. I don't see those omissions from any other country right now.

 

[QJL]

McDonagh thou...meh.

Tampa fans say he’s been their best player this year. Same team with Kuch, Stammer, and Hedman.

Right now Mac is a team USA lock.

 

[Eye of Ra]

why do everyone have wheeler on their team, he was bad in both olympics and world cup.

 

[Newsworthy]

US really has come along way when you look at these teams.

 

[Newsworthy]

Are either of them that "lights out" kind of goalie from past years like Mike Richter? None of them scare you in particular. Richter always scared me because when he hit that zone he was freakish. Bobrovsky has won the Vezina but he isn't a guy I'd worry about facing either.

Canada doesn't have anyone who scares you either. That's today's NHL. I'm not too worried about Team America.

 

[Big Phil]

Canada doesn't have anyone who scares you either. That's today's NHL. I'm not too worried about Team America.

I'd say Price. Olympic/Hart/World Cup winner. Has shown he can do it. Holtby as a recent Conn Smythe candidate, Cup winner. I don't think Canada is inferior to anyone in net.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I'd say Price. Olympic/Hart/World Cup winner. Has shown he can do it. Holtby as a recent Conn Smythe candidate, Cup winner. I don't think Canada is inferior to anyone in net.

.....except it's a what have you done for me lately position.

 

[Newsworthy]

Yes. America has a great shot at gold this time around.

 

[Sstroh84]

Atkinson may be the most underrated US Winger. He is lock for this team.

 

[Spirit of 67]

lol, of course they would Big Phil....

Here's how I look at it, to be the man you gotta beat the man.
With that, we're coming to the end of one of the great eras of Canadian hockey. We are also on the precipice of one of the great eras in USA hockey. So while I think we do win today, and maybe tomorrow, your day is coming. It maybe sooner rather than later but it is coming.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

yeah, sorry Ra, your wingers are off for my liking...

and if injuries are factored in then Matthews would be a no go...but if not, then Jones lines up in the top 4 hands down.

Johnny Gaudreau - Auston Matthews - Patrick Kane(A)
Blake Wheeler - Jack Eichel - Phil Kessel
Anders Lee - Dylan Larkin - Clayton Keller
Matthew Tkachuk -Vincent Trocheck - T.J Oshie
Joe Pavelski(C)

EX:Kyle Connor/Alex DeBrincat/Brock Boeser

Ryan Suter(A) - John Carlson
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Jaccob Slavin - Charlie McAvoy
Ryan McDonagh

EXustin Byfuglien/Cam Fowler/Shayne Gostisbehere

John Gibson
Connor Hellebuyck
Jon Quick - needs to be healthy

EX:Ben Bishop

Good luck playing against Tkachuk, Trocheck, Oshie lol
The only other country that can compete top to bottom in depth is obviously Canada who would still be ahead of this group, but put anyone but Torts behind this bench and this squad should be playing for the Gold.

The future of USA defense is bright. They're set for years with how young and talented that group is.

Gostisbehere 25
Jones 24
Slavin 24
Werenski 21
McAvoy 20

Similar situation with the goalies as well.

 

[AmericanDream]

Atkinson may be the most underrated US Winger. He is lock for this team.

Atkinson is a very streaky player...like a month off streaky type of player. he has answered the call for team USA, he came to the WC last year and I like his shot out there, but it would be a tough go for him to make this team...a lot of talent all around right now and depending on what type of team you want to have Atkinson for me doesn't make my top 6 or my 4th line...you could make a case for Atkinson over Lee or Keller, but that would be the only spot I could see him challenging for right now..

 

[dwright5314]

I posted a similar thread with Canada but fire away with your hypothetical Team USA.

God, I hope Bettman and the NHL send players in 2022. **ASSUMING NHL PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED TO GO

 

[ziggyjoe212]

Gaudreau Matthews Kane
Wheeler Eichel Kessel
Boeser- Trocheck- JVR
Pavelski-Stastny-Oshie
Atkinson, Brown, Parise, Lee

Suter
Carlson
Dumoulin
Niskanen
Jones
Mcdonough
Byfuglien

Gibson
Quick

That is, by far, the most talented top 9 USA had had since the 90's.
For those questioning Dumoulin in the D-core, if team Canada brings Vlasic every year then Dumo sure as hell needs to be a lock.