WJC: USA WJC Team Prediction 2013-2014

[Rabid Ranger]

Hopefully they deviate from whatever the plan was for the PK. Lack of discipline is going to scare the management from picking guys like Matteau.

Yeah, another penalty filled day against the Swedes. It's interesting that the U.S. brass seems committed to a glorified goon squad given the way teams have been constructed of late.

 

[SabresBillsBuffalo]

Based on what?

Hmmmm did you watch the game today? And that forward group is dismal.... Based on common sense. The USHL/NCAA bias ringing it's ugly head again.

 

[William H Bonney]

Hmmmm did you watch the game today? And that forward group is dismal.... Based on common sense. The USHL/NCAA bias ringing it's ugly head again.

One exhibition in August means nothing.

USHL/NCAA bias? What noteworthy CHL forward is missing that is making this a dismal forward group? And no, Justin Bailey doesn't fit that bill.

 

[Lollipop]

One exhibition in August means nothing.

If this exhibition in August means nothing then why did they play the game at all?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

If this exhibition in August means nothing then why did they play the game at all?

To evaluate the player pool for a tourney that happens in Dec? This game means little in the big scheme of things. I've seen U.S. squads waste the competition at the camp and do jack at the actual event. Lets keep a little perspective here.

 

[Lollipop]

To evaluate the player pool for a tourney that happens in Dec? This game means little in the big scheme of things. I've seen U.S. squads waste the competition at the camp and do jack at the actual event. Lets keep a little perspective here.

Yes and then we also have the US squads that failed big time.

As you said this is a chance for the team leaders to evaluate the players. Then it's a little bit ignorant to say it mean nothing. Only fans to the losing team are saying this.

 

[William H Bonney]

If this exhibition in August means nothing then why did they play the game at all?

The result means nothing. I could have stated better but basically what RR and then you said.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Yes and then we also have the US squads that failed big time.

As you said this is a chance for the team leaders to evaluate the players. Then it's a little bit ignorant to say it mean nothing. Only fans to the losing team are saying this.

Okay-kudos to Sweden for beating the U.S. at a summer evaluation camp.

 

[JoeyBeans]

The result means nothing. .

The result means more then nothing. It means something

 

[cagney]

It was a miserable game for the US team but it's too early to draw any firm conclusions. Let's see how the next few games go.

 

[William H Bonney]

The result means more then nothing. It means something

Not really, no. The final score means nothing. For Team USA, these camps aren't about who wins or loses (although the players obviously want to win) but are about player evaluation, chemistry, and a little bit about the coaches laying the foundation for the system they want the team to play come December.

Every team is at a different stage of the process. Sweden and Finland have smaller teams closer to what they imagine their final team would be whereas Team USA brings two full teams and spends half the camp just whittling their split-squads down by a dozen players.

Lucia is shuffling players in and out of roles trying to see who can do what and who fits where, if at all. Team USA's PK has sucked. Why? Is it because they have barely practiced it and they're trying all kinds of players in every role to see what they're capable of? Come the real games, they will be practicing it and they'll have PKers only out there. Now, does that mean at the actual WJC they'll be good at the PK (or in general)? Of course not but this is just the first step building towards that possibility.

Team USA split-squads used to regularly dominate this camp against Sweden/Finland (before the second December camp implementation and a shift in focus) but it didn't translate at the real tournament because this is summer exhibition hockey where the players are just starting to get in shape for the upcoming hockey season and all the teams are in different stages of their team building process.

These tournaments mean something for the individual players so a guy like Samuelsson - having a horrible camp - is probably playing themselves off a team USAH wants him on. But the scoreboard results here mean nothing. The results at the WJC mean something.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Sorry if I'm missing something, but no Gostisbehere for the WJC?

 

[William H Bonney]

Sorry if I'm missing something, but no Gostisbehere for the WJC?

He's too old. It's now 1994 or younger.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Really? Didn't realize he was drafted when he was 19.

 

[AmericanDream]

Hartman will make the overall group of forwards look a bit better but I do agree that this will be a lunch pail group that hopefully has a few risers that steps up and carries the offense...namely Cammarata.

 

[AmericanDream]

Forwards (x13):

Nic Kerdiles - Danny O'Regan - Riley Barber
Taylor Cammarata - Boo Nieves - Adam Erne
Tyler Motte - J.T. Compher - Ryan Hartman
Michael McCarron - Quentin Shore - Jimmy Lodge
Henrik Samuelsson

Defense (x7):

Brett Pesce - Pat Sieloff
Steve Santini - Connor Carrick
Brady Skjei - Ian McCoshen
Matt Grzelcyk

Goalies (x3):

Jon Gillies
Thatcher Demko
Anthony Stolarz

this is my team coming out of this camp. I obviously added Hartman who is a lock and if Lodge wasn't hurt, he is a lock for this squad imo as well..Lodge can play wing or center though I would prefer him at center and possibly slide Shore to wing/

I no longer can see both Samuelsson and Matteau making this team as I think Matteau might be playing with the Devils next year regardless so I went with Samuelsson who would be a top 6 player but needs to show a lot more.

Alex Nedeljkovic could be the huge addition to the squad in December and possibly could be the Jack Campbell of this team and overtake Gillies at some point.

 

[Xokkeu]

Alex Nedeljkovic could be the huge addition to the squad in December and possibly could be the Jack Campbell of this team and overtake Gillies at some point.

 

[wings5]

Forwards (x13):

Nic Kerdiles - Danny O'Regan - Riley Barber
Taylor Cammarata - Boo Nieves - Adam Erne
Tyler Motte - J.T. Compher - Ryan Hartman
Michael McCarron - Quentin Shore - Jimmy Lodge
Henrik Samuelsson

Defense (x7):

Brett Pesce - Pat Sieloff
Steve Santini - Connor Carrick
Brady Skjei - Ian McCoshen
Matt Grzelcyk

Goalies (x3):

Jon Gillies
Thatcher Demko
Anthony Stolarz

this is my team coming out of this camp. I obviously added Hartman who is a lock and if Lodge wasn't hurt, he is a lock for this squad imo as well..Lodge can play wing or center though I would prefer him at center and possibly slide Shore to wing/

I no longer can see both Samuelsson and Matteau making this team as I think Matteau might be playing with the Devils next year regardless so I went with Samuelsson who would be a top 6 player but needs to show a lot more.

Alex Nedeljkovic could be the huge addition to the squad in December and possibly could be the Jack Campbell of this team and overtake Gillies at some point.

Kind of reminds me of a roster I posted.

Kerdiles-Cammarata-Barber
Erne-O'Regan-Hartman
Nieves-Vail-McCarron
Matteau-Compher-Samuelsson
Eichel

Grzelcyk-Santini
Sieloff-Butcher
McCoshen-Pesce
Skjei

Gillies
Olson
Demko

 

[AmericanDream]

hahaha love that.

 

[AmericanDream]

Kind of reminds me of a roster I posted.

Kerdiles-Cammarata-Barber
Erne-O'Regan-Hartman
Nieves-Vail-McCarron
Matteau-Compher-Samuelsson
Eichel

Grzelcyk-Santini
Sieloff-Butcher
McCoshen-Pesce
Skjei

Gillies
Olson
Demko

at least I am finally giving in and putting Grzelcyk on the team!

 

[SabresBillsBuffalo]

Canada beat Sweden 7-3 O.O

 

[SabresBillsBuffalo]

One exhibition in August means nothing.

USHL/NCAA bias? What noteworthy CHL forward is missing that is making this a dismal forward group? And no, Justin Bailey doesn't fit that bill.

I am aware but it doesn't take a genius to see the talent disparity up front for the United States compared to last year, and on the backend as well. Do you think Bailey isn't better than at least two of those guys? And I'm not even saying just him, this team is gonna have some problems scoring I think. Nedeljkovic should be there too.

 

[William H Bonney]

I am aware but it doesn't take a genius to see the talent disparity up front for the United States compared to last year, and on the backend as well. Do you think Bailey isn't better than at least two of those guys? And I'm not even saying just him, this team is gonna have some problems scoring I think. Nedeljkovic should be there too.

It's obvious there's a talent gap between last year and this year. USAH can't lose guys like Gaudreau and have eligible players like Galchenyuk, Trouba, Jones, and Hartman missing this camp and expect it to be business as usual. Canada can survive and replace those types with similar talents but not USAH at this stage. It's ok to think there is the talent dropoff this year, which is true, but to suggest it's due to a USHL/NCAA bias is completely false.

Bailey better than what two guys? He's not versatile enough to compete for any of the four lines so he's not competing against everyone. He's not better than potential top six wingers like Barber, Hartman, Kerdiles, Erne, McCarron, etc. He's a raw prospect who had a decent rookie campaign in the OHL and was outplayed at the NJEC. He doesn't come close to being a (or the only CHL name you offered up as evidence to your point) missing piece to rectifying the potential offensive woes. I hope he has a great start to this season (possible as he is raw) to get in play again but he's not a snub, missing piece, or offensive dynamo at this point.

Nedeljkovic is with Team USA at the Ivan Hlinka and in the gold medal game. He's rightfully there at this point.

 

[Kingpin794]

Lodge can play wing or center though I would prefer him at center and possibly slide Shore to wing/

It would probably be better to keep Lodge at wing. It's what he played his rookie year in Saginaw, it's what he played last year, and it's where he'll be playing again this year.

That's not do say he can't play center well. I've just never seen him play that position while in Saginaw. Would be interesting to see though.

 

[William H Bonney]

Team USA ended camp with a 5-1 victory over Canada. Probably one of the more difficult or least decisive (in terms of player evaluations) camps they've had in awhile but for a team that will lack top-end talent, it's probably not a bad thing to have a lot of players still in play for the December camp and eventual team. It usually (at least recently) has felt like there are only a handful of spots actually up for grabs for the WJC team but with Galchenyuk, Trouba, Jones, and possibly Matteau all unavailable, lots of guys still have a very good shot at this team with good starts to their '13-14 seasons.

Here's a couple of clips from today's game:

Acrobatic Gillies Save

SHG by Quentin Shore

There are some other clips on FastHockey's site but they're not very organized.