International TournamentsDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
I don't think he'll be a better "defenseman" than any of those 7 in 2014, but sure I could see him playing both wing and d in a tournament. I really think that's his best shot to make the team - as a part time forward/defenseman and power play specialist.
Leddy
Potter
McBain
McDonagh
Leopold
Gardiner
Stuart
Gilbert
Blum
Wisniewski
McCollum
DiPietro
Montoya
This is a combination of current and projections. If I'm missing any names let me know. Obviously this is highly subject to change and I'm sure there will be several disagreements on this one. I'll probably update it every month or two.
The way I see it, the U.S. will have to put a premium on skating and puck moving-in particular from the blueline. That will probably result in a slightly different line-up than seen in 2010, but the good news is the current crop of U.S. skaters is by and large a very good skating group. Here's my early look:
Goaltenders (x3):
Tim Thomas *
Ryan Miller
Jonathan Quick
* If Thomas has hit the skids Jimmy Howard or Cory Schneider
Defensemen (x7):
Ryan Suter/Keith Yandle
Erik Johnson/Jack Johnson
Brooks Orpik/Cam Fowler
John Carlson
Forwards (x13):
Zach Parise-Paul Stastny-Bobby Ryan
Ryan Kesler-Patrick Kane-Phil Kessel
Drew Stafford-Joe Pavelski-Jason Pominville
Dustin Brown-David Backes-Ryan Callahan
JVR
Those top two lines and the D pairings are making me drool.....I called it then, its our time in 2014.
I don't worry about any of those players. It all comes full circle for talented playesr like them.
As for the D pairs, If anything they are a shade under their canadian counterparts. Go through it. I will.
Suter Yandle
Jack Johnson
Weber Doughty
Keith
The gap isn't as large as you think.
I don't think it is as close as you think...
Suter is very good. Jack Johnson however has had the worst +/- in the NHL over the last 3 years. Yandle was horrible in the playoff against the Red Wings and is unproven in big games.
Maybe we are both wrong and it is somewhere in the middle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by analog4ndy
And I think the open ice plays right into the U.S. hands with the speed our forwards have.
I'm not sure. Year in and year out, the U.S. does horribly at the World Championship - on the big ice. I have seem some of your favourites play at the WC and they do not play well.
On the small ice, IMO, it is Canada and the U.S. for Gold going forward. One the big ice, either team could fall on their face.
Suter is very good. Jack Johnson however has had the worst +/- in the NHL over the last 3 years. Yandle was horrible in the playoff against the Red Wings and is unproven in big games.
Maybe we are both wrong and it is somewhere in the middle.
On the small ice, IMO, it is Canada and the U.S. for Gold going forward. One the big ice, either team could fall on their face.
I'll play ball here. I think if anything the gap has narrowed since 2010. The larger ice really does help the US more the Canadians. Our DMen are very close I think to the Canadian DMen. Letang has a lot of momentary lapses in judgment. We aren't as talented as the forward core of Canada, but we have fast and good skaters with very good hands.
And there's no question where the advantage lies for netminders.
And I completely agree, if they don't come out one hundred percent focus, either team that is, they will get run over. This one's on their turf now, and you know who is not going to roll over and die like they did in 2010.
Suter is very good. Jack Johnson however has had the worst +/- in the NHL over the last 3 years. Yandle was horrible in the playoff against the Red Wings and is unproven in big games.
Maybe we are both wrong and it is somewhere in the middle.
I'm not sure. Year in and year out, the U.S. does horribly at the World Championship - on the big ice. I have seem some of your favourites play at the WC and they do not play well.
On the small ice, IMO, it is Canada and the U.S. for Gold going forward. One the big ice, either team could fall on their face.
You're too caught up in paper analyzing and names. Now, I understand that's part of the fun and killing the time until the next tournament process, but this is the same stuff people spewed (although this is obviously much more subdued) leading up to the 2010 Olympics. Everyone wrote off Team USA except some of us USA fans. Most of the top hockey nations are filled with world class players. Anything can happen. Majority of those ended up with serious egg on their face. Everyone here gets it. We did this rodeo last time. Paper roster vs. Paper roster Canada is going to win every time against any country you match them up against. Thankfully for our enjoyment, they still play the games and there's tons of ways they can shake out.
The truth of the matter is a lot of the teams are true gold medal contenders. It just depends on how it all shakes out. Did you expect Brian Rafalski to have such a great 2010 Olympics? Demitra to lead the tournament in scoring? Niklas Hagman to finish Top 10 in scoring? Handzus and Zednik to outscore Gaborik? I guarantee you no one did. That's because at this level these players are all good enough to do damage. It just depends on which players gel and get hot in a 7 game stretch. That's it.
Sure, the US usually sucks at the World Championships but it's for more reasons than it just being on the big ice, although that plays at part. USA Hockey treats the tournament like an obligation instead of an opportunity. The players treat it even worse than that. And frankly, most American players just don't care about it. They didn't grow up reading about it, hearing about it, watching it, or even wanting to play in it. It still gets next to no coverage in the US. It is what it is. We all wish they cared more and treated it with more respect but they don't. Hopefully that will change. And while they've struggled, they've also had bad luck in that tournament recently that led to them missing out on a few medals. The results they've had historically are still pathetic though.
I hope the IIHF and NHL can compromise. NHL will allow the players to play in 2014 as long as the games are on NHL ice. Sure, it's beneficial to North American players and I like that but frankly, it's just much more entertaining hockey than the Olympic sized ice.
__________________ "I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough." - Mark Twain.
I'll play ball here. I think if anything the gap has narrowed since 2010..
I will agree because Canada will have lost Boyle, Pronger and Niedermayer on the back end. But if you were to list Canada's Top 6 D-Men in 2014 as
Keith
Doughty
Weber
Letang
Staal or Pietrangelo if he continues to improve
Myers
the only U.S. D Man that would crack that line up is Suter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by analog4ndy
The larger ice really does help the US more the Canadians..
Again, I disagree. In recent years I have seen just about every American who will be on your team in 2014 play at the WC (all on the Big Ice) and they never play well.
Here is the U.S.'s record over the last 10 years at the World Championships...
2002 - Finished in 7th place
2003 - Finished in 13th place
2004 - Won bronze medal
2005 - Finished in 6th place
2006 - Finished in 7th place
2007 - Finished in 5th place
2008 - Finished in 6th place
2009 - Finished in 4th place
2010 - Finished in 13th place
2011 - Finished in 8th place
Quote:
Originally Posted by analog4ndy
Letang has a lot of momentary lapses in judgment.
I think he has been terrific this year.
Letang : 15 Games / 14 Points / +1
Yandle : 15 Games / 9 Points / -3
Quote:
Originally Posted by analog4ndy
And there's no question where the advantage lies for netminders.
You're too caught up in paper analyzing and names. Now, I understand that's part of the fun and killing the time until the next tournament process, but this is the same stuff people spewed (although this is obviously much more subdued) leading up to the 2010 Olympics. Everyone wrote off Team USA except some of us USA fans. Most of the top hockey nations are filled with world class players. Anything can happen. Majority of those ended up with serious egg on their face. Everyone here gets it. We did this rodeo last time. Paper roster vs. Paper roster Canada is going to win every time against any country you match them up against. Thankfully for our enjoyment, they still play the games and there's tons of ways they can shake out.
Fair enough.
I also have to agree that in 2010, 3 U.S. players would have made Team Canada - Miller, Kane and Parise. In 2014 it might be as high as 5 - Kane, Parise (altho I am wondering if he will ever be the same), Suter, Yandle (not sure) and Miller.
But, as you say, so much can change.
Quote:
Originally Posted by William H Bonney
Did you expect Brian Rafalski to have such a great 2010 Olympics? Demitra to lead the tournament in scoring? Niklas Hagman to finish Top 10 in scoring? Handzus and Zednik to outscore Gaborik? I guarantee you no one did.
Well, I don't want to brag but I did.
Quote:
Originally Posted by William H Bonney
Sure, the US usually sucks at the World Championships but it's for more reasons than it just being on the big ice, although that plays at part. USA Hockey treats the tournament like an obligation instead of an opportunity. The players treat it even worse than that. And frankly, most American players just don't care about it. They didn't grow up reading about it, hearing about it, watching it, or even wanting to play in it. It still gets next to no coverage in the US. It is what it is. We all wish they cared more and treated it with more respect but they don't. Hopefully that will change. And while they've struggled, they've also had bad luck in that tournament recently that led to them missing out on a few medals. The results they've had historically are still pathetic though.
I hope the IIHF and NHL can compromise. NHL will allow the players to play in 2014 as long as the games are on NHL ice. Sure, it's beneficial to North American players and I like that but frankly, it's just much more entertaining hockey than the Olympic sized ice.
I will agree because Canada will have lost Boyle, Pronger and Niedermayer. But if you were to list Canada's Top 6 D-Men in 2014 as
Keith
Doughty
Weber
Letang
Staal or Pietrangelo if he continues to improve
Myers
the only U.S. D Man that would crack that line up is Suter.
Again, I disagree. In recent years I have seen just about every American who will be on your team in 2014 play at the WC (all on the Big Ice) and they never play well.
Here is the U.S.'s record over the last 10 years at the World Championships...
2002 - Finished in 7th place
2003 - Finished in 13th place
2004 - Won bronze medal
2005 - Finished in 6th place
2006 - Finished in 7th place
2007 - Finished in 5th place
2008 - Finished in 6th place
2009 - Finished in 4th place
2010 - Finished in 13th place
2011 - Finished in 8th place
I think he has been terrific this year.
Letang : 15 Games / 14 Points / +1
Yandle : 15 Games / 9 Points / -3
I will give you that.
I'll give you the Dmen. Though with an amendment. Letang has been burnt several times this year, often embarrassing. I caught a couple in the past few games and was not impressed. I thought he'd threaten Norris, not with this kind of play.
Dont know how to post video. Bear with me hear but at :45 in this video.
This one's on their turf now, and you know who is not going to roll over and die like they did in 2010.
I don't think that is fair. Canada deserves credit for smoking them in the Semis. Russia did not roll over and die... Canada just had our greatest game ever.
I'll give you the Dmen. Though with an amendment. Letang has been burnt several times this year, often embarrassing. I caught a couple in the past few games and was not impressed. I thought he'd threaten Norris, not with this kind of play.
Dont know how to post video. Bear with me hear but at :45 in this video.
I don't think that is fair. Canada deserves credit for smoking them in the Semis. Russia did not roll over and die... Canada just had our greatest game ever.
They did. I mean the U.S. came to play and we did not have the kind of talent to be as good as we were. Russia was twice as talented as we were then. Russia WAS that bad in 2010, it's the truth.
