Team USA's Future?

[Rabid Ranger]

I don't really have the facts in front of me but I wouldn't be surprised if most of the registered players in the US just don't take the game seriously enough to become elite players. The situation could be similar to soccer where I'd have to imagine that we've got more kids playing here than there are in some of the major soccor powers but the kids here are just doing it for fun. The US has the potential to rival Canada but it's really a big question mark as to whether or not it will ever really happen. I'd definitly say that the answer to that question falls well out of the scope of the next 15 to 20 years.

I agree that if Russia could get their act together they too have enormous potential.

I don't think all of the registered players are hardcore either, but when you're talking close to 500,000 and growing, IMO that suggests alot of potential. The fact is, the U.S. has the following to be successful at all levels of hockey:

1) Numbers
2) Funding
3) Facilities
4) Coaching

 

[Postman]

As previously mentioned by a few others, the problem with US talent is the big gap between generations. There really wasn't a lot of American talent in many of the 1990's drafts. Only since 2000 has there really been a rise in American talent (thanks largely in part to the USNTDP), with 2003 (a record 8 Americans in the 1st round) having the best showing of American prospects in a single draft, maybe ever.

It may be a little early to say, but 2006 looks like it could be even better than 2003. 2004 wasn't bad either (6 Americans in the 1st round), and 2005 again looks to be pretty good, especially on defense (Johnson, Lashoff, Heshmatpour, Lee, Macias, Hagemo, Stuart), but we'll just have to wait and see.

Nevertheless, I think this is a pretty good base of talent to draw from for the future:

G: DiPietro, Miller, Bacashihua, Howard, Montoya, Schneider

D: Leopold, Orpik, Liles, Martin, Komisarek, Suter, Tanabe, Gleason, Whitney, Ballard, Hale, Jillson, Welch, Hainsey, Stuart, Thelen, Johnson, Lashoff

F: Gomez, Legwand, Malone, Higgins, Parise, O'Sullivan, Brown, Fritsche, Kesler, Eaves, Taffe, Slater, Umberger, Stafford, Jessiman, Schremp, Hennessy, Nystrom, Pineault, Wheeler, Morris, Boyle, Ryan, Skille, Lawrence, Hensick, Gerbe, Kessel, Mueller, Okposo, Geoffrion, Foligno

 

[Jormungandr]

D: Leopold, Orpik, Liles, Martin, Komisarek, Suter, Tanabe, Gleason, Whitney, Ballard, Hale, Jillson, Welch, Hainsey, Stuart, Thelen, Johnson, Lashoff

you forgot Paul Mara