US team announced

[RangerBoy]

Defenseman Michael Sauer returned from nursing his bruised shoulder Nov. 12 and Portland went on its best streak (five wins in row) of the year. Coincidence? No. The steady 18-year-old from Minnesota is the Hawks’ pillar on the blue line. He had two goals Sunday against Tri-City and has a plus-10 rating, tied with Jannik Hansen for the team lead

http://www.portlandtribune.com/archview.cgi?id=32870

 

[thomasincanada]

This team should knock the stuffing out of the Canadian team. The Americans are getting better every year. Look at the projected top players in the draft. Most are Americans.

According to McKeen's the top 4 defensemen in the draft in the 06 draft are American.

They may indeed win and are the favourites but it would seem you are seriously underestimating the Canadian team (or overestimating the Americans). I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see the Americans lose to Canada or Russia.

 

[espo*]

This team should knock the stuffing out of the Canadian team. The Americans are getting better every year. Look at the projected top players in the draft. Most are Americans.

According to McKeen's the top 4 defensemen in the draft in the 06 draft are American.

This is the stuff i love to hear...............your teams achilles heel exposing itself.

Come and get it darth,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,we're waiting right here for you and your whole team of can't lose favourites.

 

[Chimaera]

Glad there's no anti-Bourque Backlash this year.

 

[Spectacular_Bid]

Glad there's no anti-Bourque Backlash this year.

I see Bourque being one of the captains.

 

[firstroundbust]

can't wait for all the "ray bourque's kid" bs on american stations

 

[nomorekids]

http://www.portlandtribune.com/archview.cgi?id=32870

and?

nowhere in the article does it say "...and would be better than anyone else Team USA could choose for their blueline."

No one said Sauer's not a good prospect, but the committee picking obviously didn't feel he was the best option. It's not, and nothing is, worth getting this worked up about.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

and?

nowhere in the article does it say "...and would be better than anyone else Team USA could choose for their blueline."

No one said Sauer's not a good prospect, but the committee picking obviously didn't feel he was the best option. It's not, and nothing is, worth getting this worked up about.

I pretty much guarantee you it was because he was injured for the summer camp and not because of his play.

 

[mazmin]

As a fan of team Canada I am happy to see that team USA is not as good as it could be.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

This team should knock the stuffing out of the Canadian team. The Americans are getting better every year. Look at the projected top players in the draft. Most are Americans.

According to McKeen's the top 4 defensemen in the draft in the 06 draft are American.

And there's been many of times when the top 4 players let alone defencemen were Canadian and we weren't yapping, Canada is ALWAYS a threat and we have produced the best players in the world, the United States probaly will win the gold, but every time Canada and the US have both had competitive teams Canada has always had the better team, the year you guys won the gold medal we had a better team, a fluke goal won it for you guys that year I still think either our team is underrated or you're team is overrated it's either one of the two but I for sure don't see you guys "beating the stuffing" out of us.

 

[nomorekids]

As a fan of team Canada I am happy to see that team USA is not as good as it could be.

Says who? This, to me, looks like the best team imaginable. Any changes would have been mostly lateral...

 

[USA!]

As a fan of team Canada I am happy to see that team USA is not as good as it could be.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

As a fan of team Canada I am happy to see that team USA is not as good as it could be.

Your happiness is misplaced. This team is about as good as it gets.

 

[Claypool_*]

And there's been many of times when the top 4 players let alone defencemen were Canadian and we weren't yapping, Canada is ALWAYS a threat and we have produced the best players in the world, the United States probaly will win the gold, but every time Canada and the US have both had competitive teams Canada has always had the better team, the year you guys won the gold medal we had a better team, a fluke goal won it for you guys that year I still think either our team is underrated or you're team is overrated it's either one of the two but I for sure don't see you guys "beating the stuffing" out of us.

...so it begins

 

[Gophers]

I dont know if he was eligible or not, but if he was, I would return Jeff Likens to the team.

 

[RangerBoy]

and?

nowhere in the article does it say "...and would be better than anyone else Team USA could choose for their blueline."

No one said Sauer's not a good prospect, but the committee picking obviously didn't feel he was the best option. It's not, and nothing is, worth getting this worked up about.

You are one getting worked up.I just wanted to point out Sauer was born in Minnesota and there are quality American kids who decide to go the major junior route instead of college hockey.Michael is a better player than most of the defensemen on the US team

 

[RangerBoy]

I pretty much guarantee you it was because he was injured for the summer camp and not because of his play.

The injury which knocked out Sauer of the summer evaluation camp was a hip surgery to repair a birth defect.It was something beyond his control

 

[Form and Substance]

That is one crazy team! though I dunno if it's better than the 2004 edition. I still think it could have been better. But the defense is woah. Having two guys under 5-8 might hurt in the finals though.

 

[Quiet Robert]

As a fan of team Canada I am happy to see that team USA is not as good as it could be.

They have an extremely strong team imo.

Reading some Americans' analysis, it seems like the '86 CHL guys such as Thelen, Lashoff, Dubinsky etc...wouldn't be that much of an improvement. I have to say I don't follow the NCAA too closely so at first glance it looked like they were missing those CHL guys, but I'm sure those NCAA guys will do fine. I'm sure they were close in talent, but things like chemistry etc...came into play.

My first instinct was to say they screwed up on those CHL prospects, but I don't follow the NCAA closely enough to know how good guys like Butler, Mitera, Davis etc...will be. Again, reading some comments though, it doesn't seem as though those CHL kids would have offered significant advantages.

 

[puck swami]

Listening to the press conference, you can tell that a ton of deliberation goes on with a lot of very qualified hockey people before a coach makes a final decision on a player. Kyle has said over and over again that he doesn't care where a player plays during the season as much as what they bring to the team he's trying to build. With the depth of the talent pool he's got now, he will, by design, be leaving excellent hockey players off the team. In the early 90s when Kyle was a coach with this program, it was an absurd idea that the US would cut a first-round draft pick. Today, the pool is so much deeper, and he's got many options for each role he's trying to fill, so it's not all that surpising that some excellent players aren't going to make the team.

"Skill package" is just one of the components that the Kyle is looking for when they evaluate a guy - they aren't really looking at stat sheets very much, They are looking for guys that are playing well now, and they look for work ethic, ability to grasp concepts quickly, leadership, experience, chemistry, off-ice personality, and how they play during the season. Ultimately, though, the proof is on the ice when the pressure is on....

 

[nomorekids]

You are one getting worked up.I just wanted to point out Sauer was born in Minnesota and there are quality American kids who decide to go the major junior route instead of college hockey.Michael is a better player than most of the defensemen on the US team

According to you. You'll notice that no one that isn't a Ranger fan has a problem with Sauer being left off. In fact, some Ranger fans are fine with it, too. You have nothing to base the statement that he's "better than most of the defenseman on the US team." If he was, he would have been picked.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

According to you. You'll notice that no one that isn't a Ranger fan has a problem with Sauer being left off. In fact, some Ranger fans are fine with it, too. You have nothing to base the statement that he's "better than most of the defenseman on the US team." If he was, he would have been picked.

This is one of the few times I completely disagree.

Sauer would've been one of the best d-men on the team most likely. He's perfectly fine in the hip department since it was surgically repaired and he is at 110%. It's a shame he was left off. I guarantee it was because of his surgery in the summer and his lack of exposure since then to the guys running the team. If it's not, then they are downright Pejorative Slured.

 

[cagney]

Regarding Sauer, here's a comment from ushr.com...

"Micheal Sauer of the Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) was another candidate whose chances were hurt by injury, though he also didn't play particularly well when watched."

His stats look very good so far this year but I'll take thier word on it as I'm sure they spoke to people who were direstly involved in putting the team together.

 

[AmericanDream]

I posted it awhile back on how I felt that the US team does have a CHL bias, and I still feel that way. When Bobby Ryan, Matt Lashoff, and A.J. Thelen were not chosen last year, it definitely made me wonder. But, they also didnt select Jack Johnson for that team, so you have a valid argument there. After reading all the posts on this I really do have to say some of the CHL kids got screwed because some were more talented. I gave a pre-lim roster a few weeks back on this team, and most of my guys are on this team with 2 big omissions: Matt Lashoff, and Michael Sauer. I am sure Chris Butler is a fine kid, but he is a surprise, as well as both Niskanen and Chorney, I felt only Niskanen would be picked. We can go on and on about this, but there is a bias, but it is not that bad of a thing.

I read an earlier post that said we should be happy and proud about the fact that this country is finally starting to put out a ton of talented players each year. I couldnt agree more. We are really starting to produce some players here, and we are finally catching up to Canada when it comes to top notch prospects for the draft. Competition is the best thing for this team and our hockey future, and this years WJC team is a prime example of it. Somebody had to be left off this team, and unfortunately it was mainly the CHL kids who really dont get to play with the majority of the team. Chemistry is the big issue here, and as long as Dubinsky, Lashoff, Yandle, Thelen, Collins, Sauer, etc. play in another league, they wont get chosen for this tourney.

How many Canadian kids playing in the NCAA get picked for their team? There are a solid group of Canadians in the NCAA right now, and maybe 1 or 2 might get picked for this team. The point is chemistry. I am a little upset about a few guys being left off, but nowhere near upset as I was compared to last years horrible picking process. This is a great team, probably our best ever, we really need to support them and just enjoy what they have a chance at doing this year. Go get em boys, it is going to be a tough fight!

 

[DarthSather99]

And there's been many of times when the top 4 players let alone defencemen were Canadian and we weren't yapping, Canada is ALWAYS a threat and we have produced the best players in the world, the United States probaly will win the gold, but every time Canada and the US have both had competitive teams Canada has always had the better team, the year you guys won the gold medal we had a better team, a fluke goal won it for you guys that year I still think either our team is underrated or you're team is overrated it's either one of the two but I for sure don't see you guys "beating the stuffing" out of us.

Canadians not brag about their hockey players?? You brag in your answer above. "Canada is ALWAYS a threat and we have produced the best players in the world" The year USA won we had superior defense and outstanding goaltending. Isn't that what wins in NHL playoffs? I'm not bragging just trying to push the buttons of the Canadian fans. I knew you Canadian fans would take that "stuffing" comment personally. Nothing like a good ole rivalary to get the juices flowing. Drop the puck and let 'em play.