Who's Gonna be The New Generation of U.S. Players?

[two out of three*]

Probably been a thread on this..

But with Weight, Modano, Tkachuk, Guerin, Chelios, Schneider, Hedican, Conroy, Hatcher, and probably even some more guys playing in their last Olympic Games.. What new U.S. players are gonna step in?

The U.S. has a few young guys that will be around for awhile.. But whats the U.S. team gonna look like 4 years from now?

Click to read more...

 

[The_Eck]

They do have kessel and the two johnsons coming up, but other than that, the US will have a tough time in terms of developing new superstar talent.

 

[two out of three*]

They do have kessel and the two johnsons coming up, but other than that, the US will have a tough time in terms of developing new superstar talent.

Schremp, Parise, J. Johnson, E. Johnson, and Kessel.. who else?

Probably Fristche.. But still need some more.

 

[Old Hickory]

Gleason should have gotten the nod over Hatcher

 

[joshjull]

Tim Connolly is only 24 is starting to come into his own

 

[hockeyfan125]

Ryan Kesler.

 

[jaydub*]

O'Sullivan, Suter, Oshie.....

 

[two out of three*]

So if you had to create a team for 2010 who would it consist of?

I personally like what I saw from the U.S. in the WJC's, and think they will still contend.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Dustin Brown, Eaves, Umberger, Keith Ballard, O'Sullivan, Kessler, Ryan Whitney, Brooks Orpkik, Suter....

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Patrick Eaves...11 goals in 33 NHL games. He'll be there, and he can play in any role.

 

[two out of three*]

Dustin Brown, Eaves, Umberger, Keith Ballard, O'Sullivan, Kessler, Ryan Whitney, Brooks Orpkik, Suter....

Some of these guys could play on the team now.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Thought of a couple more: Mike Komisarek, Chris Higgins.

I think think the future for US hockey may be a lot brighter than some think... Of course that's assuming most of these players pan out.

 

[Patty Ice]

Schremp, Parise, J. Johnson, E. Johnson, and Kessel.. who else?

Probably Fristche.. But still need some more.

Going strictly with the young faces you might see in the next few Olympics not just the next Olympics.

Ryan Suter, Ryan Whitney, Keith Ballard, Leopold and Matt Carle on defense as well as the two Johnsons. Nigel Williams could be a huge presence with Erik that could be a nightmare for future Olympic teams.

Dustin Brown is gonna be one of those crucial guys upfront. Jim Slater might work his way on the team to work the lower lines with the likes of Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves. Gionta had a huge series as well as Gomer, they'll be go-to guys. A guy like Peter Mueller could be a major player for USA if he develops into his potential.

DiPietro and Cory Schneider (maybe not next Olympics but thereafter) should keep them solid in net.

The talent is there and its a good mix of skill, speed, and grit to compete with other teams. As the Swiss have shown though, its how well they work as a team rather than individual efforts that'll get you the win. One thing they should look into is using the players coming through USNTDP for their Olympic team rather than just NHL merits. I think that could make up for the lack of time for these teams to gel.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Thought of a couple more: Mike Komisarek, Chris Higgins.

I think think the future for US hockey may be a lot brighter than some think... Of course that's assuming most of these players pan out.

JM Liles will still be around. If Kurt Sauer gets his game turned around he could be a candidate. Ryan Stoa looks like he could be a player for Colorado in the future. Ryan Miller from the Sabers, and Tim Thomas from the Bruins have to be the Goalies you think of right now.

 

[SmokeyClause]

Thought of a couple more: Mike Komisarek, Chris Higgins.

I think think the future for US hockey may be a lot brighter than some think... Of course that's assuming most of these players pan out.

I think the future is very bright. There is a plethora of U.S. talent coming out right now. Each year, it seems the U.S. is generating more and more. The stretch of '02 to '06 (and beyond) could define this team. Names like Whitney, Ballard, Suter, Brown, Parise, Stuart, Kesler, Eaves, Fritsche, O'Sullivan, Wheeler, Montoya, Thelen, Stafford, Schremp, Schneider, Pineault, Ryan, J. Johnson, Skille, Lee, Lashoff, Oshie, Stoa, E. Johnson, Kessel, Mueller, Okposo, Sanguinette, Williams, and Forney can become the foundation for the U.S. in 2010 (more likely to be 2016). There has been more U.S. talent taken in and around the first round since '02 than in any era I can remember.

And it's a good mix of talent with scoring snipers like Kessel and Schremp and bruisers like Johnson (both) and Stuart to physical forwards to slick defenseman to goalies. Unless they bust at considerable rates, the U.S. should have a firm foundation. And provided three/four year streak isn't a fluke, it should only get better. We may be witnessing the rebirth of U.S. hockey or just a blip on the radar.

 

[Melrose_Jr.]

Some of these guys could play on the team now.

Some of those guys SHOULD have played on the team now.

Don't forget Al Montoya in net.

 

[Herby]

Patrick Eaves...11 goals in 33 NHL games. He'll be there, and he can play in any role.

He should have made it this year.

I think Patrick Eaves and Dustin Brown gaining some experience while playing on the bottom lines would have been invaluable for the future.

But instead we get Bill Guerin and Mark Parrish.

But to answer the original question, I am not sure we'll see Kessel, Erik Johnson, Bobby Ryan, Rob Schremp or guys like that in 2010, they will all be anywhere from 21 to 23, which is still really young. One or two should make it to get experience, like they should have this year. But I doubt all of them.

Here goes... with age in 2010

Goaltender-

Rick DiPietro- 28 years old
Ryan Miller- 29 years old

Defense-
Jordan Leopold- 29 years old
Paul Mara- 30 years old
Tim Gleason- 27 years old
Ryan Suter- 25 years old
Keith Ballard- 27 years old
Brian Rafalski- 36 years old
Jack Johnson- 23 years old
J-M Liles- 29 years old

Forwards-

Brian Gionta- 31 years old
Scott Gomez- 30 years old
Erik Cole- 31 years old
Chris Drury- 33 years old
Zach Parise- 25 years old
Dustin Brown- 25 years old
Patrick O'Sullivan- 24 years old
RJ Umberger- 27 years old
Phil Kessel- 22 years old
Ryan Kesler- 25 years old
Patrick Eaves- 25 years old
Chris Higgins- 26 years old
Mike York- 31 years old

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Guys in the NHL that could make the team: Tyler Arnason is only 26. Drury is only 29. Rory Fitzpatrick might get a look. Erik Cole is only 27. Scott Gomez is only 26. Jammie Langenbruner is 30, and could be a player to be considered. Someone already mentioned Gionta, Liles, Eaves, Suter, Kesler, and Leopold. Mike York is only 28. Parrish is 29. DePietro is only 24. Marty Reasoner is 28. Dustin Brown is only 21. Esche is only 28. R.J. Umberger is 23. Ryan Malone is 26. John Grahame is 30. Jeff Halpern is only 29.

That's not a lot of talent to build a potential Gold Medal winning team on. The young guys not yet in the league are going to have to make an impact for the USA.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Guys in the NHL that could make the team: Tyler Arnason is only 26. Drury is only 29. Rory Fitzpatrick might get a look. Erik Cole is only 27. Scott Gomez is only 26. Jammie Langenbruner is 30, and could be a player to be considered. Someone already mentioned Gionta, Liles, Eaves, Suter, Kesler, and Leopold. Mike York is only 28. Parrish is 29. DePietro is only 24. Marty Reasoner is 28. Dustin Brown is only 21. Esche is only 28. R.J. Umberger is 23. Ryan Malone is 26. John Grahame is 30. Jeff Halpern is only 29.

That's not a lot of talent to build a potential Gold Medal winning team on. The young guys not yet in the league are going to have to make an impact for the USA.

Rory Fitzpatrick? I say this somewhat tongue in cheek, but you've lost all credibility with me with that one. The fact is, the U.S. will be very good in net and on the blueline. I just hope the next generation of U.S. forwards can step up.

 

[SmokeyClause]

Rory Fitzpatrick? I say this somewhat tongue in cheek, but you've lost all credibility with me with that one. The fact is, the U.S. will be very good in net and on the blueline. I just hope the next generation of U.S. forwards can step up.

We just need to avoid missing out on the big time players. Players like Legwand, Mara, Rasmussen, Bonsignore, Connolly, Dipietro, Komisarek all had huge expectations and have all failed to deliver to some degree. The mid 90's hasn't been a strong few years for U.S. players coming through the draft. The aforementioned big names have failed to deliver. Instead, the U.S. is relying on production from late first rounders and a plethora of middle round players. These are the young guns that came out of the mid 90's. That needs to change.

 

[McDonald19]

no mention of Bobby Ryan yet?

maybe he won't be an impact player by 2010 but he is as much a part of the USA hockey future as some of these kids being mentioned.

 

[McDonald19]

So if you had to create a team for 2010 who would it consist of?

here is the thread you're looking for:

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=223458