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Hotstove: Biggest Snub From A World Cup Roster? |
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Follow me on Twitter @ToddCordell
Todd Cordell: Kyle Palmieri
Palmieri may not be as big of a name as the likes of Taylor Hall and/or Phil Kessel but I think his omission is just as inexcusable.
Only three American born players (Patrick Kane, Joe Pavelski and Brandon Saad, who is on Team North America) scored more goals than Palmieri did last season. Considering the objective of hockey is to out score the opposition I don't understand how a 30-goal scorer can be left off the roster in favor of Ryan Callahan, for example, when the latter didn't even register 30 points.
There were bigger names left off teams but, based off last year's play and who was chosen instead, Palmieri is as big of a snub as anyone.
Ryan Wilson: Phil Kessel
There are certainly other big name snubs (Taylor Hall comes to mind) but when you take into consideration the roster Team USA has submitted it is pretty galling that Phil Kessel was left off of the team. There isn't really isn't any way to justify the decision. You can't even make the claim Phil doesn't perform on the big stage because he led Team USA at Sochi and now has his name in the running for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Team USA does a second rate job of selecting talent at their highest level.
Jason Lewis
Neck to neck for me between Tyler Johnson and Phil Kessel
Both are world class players, have proven themselves world class players time and time again, yet they are snubbed from the U.S. team
It is extremely curious considering some of the players that made it were Abdelkader, Callahan, Backes and Brandon Dubinsky. Lombardi and his team certainly had a "mold" he was looking for, and apparently players like Johnson and Kessel don't fit it.
I mean, let's be real, in a 1v1 selection is anyone taking Justin Abdelkader or Brandon Dubinsky over Phil Kessel or Tyler Johnson? Not a chance.
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