This looks like a very strong age group. Many highly skilled forwards and big D. The two best players on this team should be William Nylander and Rasmus Andersson.
Why isn't Petter Mäkitalo on the roster? I thought he was one of the best 96' Swedes. Or has he regressed/stagnated?
Not sure. He broke an old record for goals scored on the U16 national team, his numbers in J18 look good this year but he has not played many games in J20 Superelit. Another notable name who did not make the team is Fredrik Forsberg who has not played in Superelit this season either.
Chris Birdsall does indeed make the USA team. 4 non NTDP players made thr roster.
And none of them are Blake Clarke. Is Team U.S.A. really THAT stacked that they don't have room for one of the OHL's top 16 year olds?
Now I'm no WHL expert, but two of the non NTDP players are Keegan Iverson and Dominic Turgeon of Portland. TOGETHER they have 11 points. Clarke has 28 and is 3rd in rookie scoring in the OHL.
And none of them are Blake Clarke. Is Team U.S.A. really THAT stacked that they don't have room for one of the OHL's top 16 year olds?
Now I'm no WHL expert, but two of the non NTDP players are Keegan Iverson and Dominic Turgeon of Portland. TOGETHER they have 11 points. Clarke has 28 and is 3rd in rookie scoring in the OHL.
Bogus.
Something may have happened with Clarke and USAH. They liked him (he was on youth olympic games roster) but now has been passed over for this team and the select team over the summer (where almost none of the NTDP play). Screams falling out to me, especially since they never bring CHLers to this tournament and just added two.
__________________ "I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough." - Mark Twain.
Something may have happened with Clarke and USAH. They liked him (he was on youth olympic games roster) but now has been passed over for this team and the select team over the summer (where almost none of the NTDP play). Screams falling out to me, especially since they never bring CHLers to this tournament and just added two.
That makes sense. Probably sour grapes from the USNDP's end.
And none of them are Blake Clarke. Is Team U.S.A. really THAT stacked that they don't have room for one of the OHL's top 16 year olds?
Now I'm no WHL expert, but two of the non NTDP players are Keegan Iverson and Dominic Turgeon of Portland. TOGETHER they have 11 points. Clarke has 28 and is 3rd in rookie scoring in the OHL.
Bogus.
This is one of those that you bookmark under "USA Hockey biases." It's not so much anti CHL, since there are obviously two CHL players, it's just sort of unexplainably stupid.
Still can't believe Pomerleau made team Québec over Raphael Maheux who is 4 inches taller (as if our defence is not small enough) and playing better in the Q this year (looks like a federation snub due to Maheux going prep and not Midget) or top 97 defenceman Jeremy Roy who was already better as an underaged Midget AAA player last year than perhsps all of the 96 defencemen playing in the same league, including those who made Team Québec.
It's beyond bizarre that in the first instance where USA Hockey adds CHL players to their roster for this tournament that they'd brings players who've never appeared to be on their radar and don't seem to be impact players within their league. The only thing I can imagine is that they feel these players fit roles within the team better than a player like Clarke or any number of USHL or high school players that I'd consider better prospects at this point.
It's beyond bizarre that in the first instance where USA Hockey adds CHL players to their roster for this tournament that they'd brings players who've never appeared to be on their radar and don't seem to be impact players within their league. The only thing I can imagine is that they feel these players fit roles within the team better than a player like Clarke or any number of USHL or high school players that I'd consider better prospects at this point.
Not taking Blake Clarke, Nick Schmaltz and Shane Gersich probably has more to do with USA not wanting to rearrange their entire system. Those guys would obviously warrant top line minutes. I'm sure in USAs eyes they just want guys they can plug in without shaking things up too much.
Except for Mäkitalo, I also wonder why Axel Holmström isn't on the Swedish roster. His J18 stats looks pretty decent.
The answer is probably just that's there is a hard competition over the spots for this team. 1996 looks like a good agegroup so far. Plenty of guys playing some games and producing in Superelit allready this year.
The answer is probably just that's there is a hard competition over the spots for this team. 1996 looks like a good agegroup so far. Plenty of guys playing some games and producing in Superelit allready this year.
