A long while back I decided to make my own like projection/picks of the various Olympic squads. It was a nice way to bring some hockey discussions during the warm summer and it’s always interesting to hear the varied opinions of our vast community on HB. I don’t always agree with everybody, but then most don’t agree with me either, so you know…internet fisticuffs it is. Verbal jousting. A veritable slugfest of bombastic pomposity.
The United States of America (Not to be confused with America…thank you one reader) recently came out with their squad. I feel that the USA’s roster is the second most anticipated roster outside of Canada, because truly they are the only other team with the kind of overall depth at all positions to cause great controversy. They did not disappoint and there was a lot of whining and guffaws of bafflement on the twitter sphere (why is it called that?) and here on HB. This is a look at the team I predpickted in the summer versus the actual USA selection and a little bit of reworking and analysis.
Some of my picks look particularly…suspect, in retrospect. Remember though, these were in July!
Forwards
Zach Parise (C) – Derek Stepan – Patrick Kane
Max Pacioretty – Joe Pavelski – Phil Kessel
David Backes (A) – Paul Stastny – Bobby Ryan
Ryan Callahan – Ryan Kesler – Dustin Brown (A)
Blake Wheeler
Defense
Ryan Suter – Keith Yandle
Ryan McDonagh – John Carlson
Zach Bogosian – Kevin Shattenkirk
Dustin Byfuglien
Goalies
Jonathan Quick
Ryan Miller
Craig Anderson
Actual USA Team taken from NHL.com. Bolded are who I got "right" (though a chimp could have gotten these ones).
# FORWARDS CLUB HEIGHT WEIGHT DOB BIRTHPLACE 42 D. BACKES STL 6'3" 221 5/1/1984 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 23 D. BROWN LAK 6'0" 212 11/4/1984 ITHACA, NY 24 R. CALLAHAN NYR 5'11" 180 3/21/1985 ROCHESTER, NY 88 P. KANE CHI 5'11" 181 1/19/1988 BUFFALO, NY 17 R. KESLER VAN 6'2" 202 8/31/1984 LIVONIA, MI 81 P. KESSEL TOR 6'0" 202 10/2/1987 MADISON, WI 74 T.J. OSHIE STL 5'11" 189 12/23/1986 WARROAD, MN 61 M. PACIORETTY MTL 6'2" 219 11/20/1988 NEW CANAAN, CT 9 Z. PARISE MIN 5'11" 190 7/28/1984 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 8 J. PAVELSKI SJS 5'11" 190 7/11/1984 PLOVER, WI 26 P. STASTNY COL 6'0" 205 12/27/1985 ST. LOUIS, MO 21 D. STEPAN NYR 6'0" 196 6/18/1990 HASTINGS, MN 21 J. VAN RIEMSDYK TOR 6'3" 200 5/4/1989 MIDDLETOWN, NJ 26 B. WHEELER WPG 6'5" 205 8/31/1986 ROBBINSDALE, MN
# DEFENSE CLUB HEIGHT WEIGHT DOB BIRTHPLACE 74 J. CARLSON WSH 6'3" 212 1/10/1990 COLONIA, NJ 27 J. FAULK CAR 6'0" 215 3/20/1992 SOUTH ST. PAUL, MN 4 C. FOWLER ANA 6'1" 196 3/5/1991 FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 7 P. MARTIN PIT 6'1" 200 3/5/1981 ELK RIVER, MN 27 R. MCDONAGH NYR 6'1" 213 6/13/1989 ST. PAUL, MN 44 B. ORPIK PIT 6'2" 219 9/26/1980 AMHERST, NY 22 K. SHATTENKIRK STL 5'11" 207 1/29/1989 GREENWICH, CT 20 R. SUTER MIN 6'1" 198 1/21/1985 MADISON, WI
# GOALIES CLUB HEIGHT WEIGHT DOB BIRTHPLACE 35 J. HOWARD DET 6'0" 218 3/26/1984 SYRACUSE, NY 30 R. MILLER BUF 6'2" 175 7/17/1980 EAST LANSING, MI 32 J. QUICK LAK 6'1" 218 1/21/1986 MILFORD, CT
Forwards
So let’s start with forwards. Obviously the number one stunner is the lack of Bobby Ryan, let alone the crap talking about him by Burke and some of the other selection members. Lack of intensity being the major phrase. I’m Canadian so this doesn’t really matter to me, but they did just leave off their third best goal scorer…so…ya, weird. To go along with that Kyle Okposo was left off despite his great season thus far (second highest point producing American), yet I can understand this one. He has never shown this kind of ability before and last season he was all but tossed in the junk pile. 40 great games is nice and all, but understandably not enough for Team USA. I guess you could add Brandon Saad in this mix as well, though at his age I think he can understand why he was left off...see him next time.
During the summer I had three bubble guys, Blake Wheeler, JVR and T.J. Oshie. All three made it and for good reason as far as it goes. Wheeler I felt had a bit of the “X-Factor… being 6’5 with insane wheels (lol) and coming off a really good season, his skillset is a bit more unique than the other two. JVR and Phil Kessel have developed major chemistry together and in a tournament where chemistry and quick malleability is key they form a fast and easy duo. Together the duo has a combined 35 goals and 68 points. T.J. Oshie falls into the same category, his play with David Backes on his right wing has been excellent. Yet again we have chemistry being a major factor as well as the fact that he could if needed play a grinders role. He has 33 points in 39 games for the Blues.
Everybody else pretty much made it, though after the dreadful start to his season I highly doubt that Derek Stepan sees the top line duty unless he clicks in practice. I am very interested in 1. Who centres JVR-Kessel? Paul Stastny who has shown he can be a solid point producer and good enough in his own end? Maybe Joe Pavelski to provide the hard work?
Defense
The defense I did slightly worse…
So apparently they really don’t like Keith Yandle and they really love Brooks Orpik. Upon reflection I guess I understand why they left Yandle off, and no, it isn’t because he is bad defensively. That’s a garbage comment by people who haven’t seen him play. It’s because Fowler is 21 and getting close to Yandle in terms of ability, both provide similar strengths, yet one will be expected to be a major player next Olympics while Yandle will be 31 and getting up there. Personally I would have taken Keith Yandle over all of Cam Fowler, Kevin Shattenkirk, John Carlson and Justin Faulk, but I get what they want to do and that they are gearing up to be a fairly young defense.
I figured at the time of originally writing that article that Zach Bogosian would evolve some more, but he hasn’t and has no business on this team…hell his 19 year old teammate Jacob Trouba deserves it over him. Paul Martin makes this team and as I caved in after I wrote the original article, Ryan Wilson the Penguins writer on here convinced me of why he’s useful…I would be more comfortable if he was healthy and 100%, but regardless Martin is a solid defenseman…Brooks Orpik though…somebody rationalize this, please. If you want a physical guy who can shut players down bring Erik Johnson or Andy Greene or…I don’t know somebody. Dan Bylsma pick all the way, though he’s the coach so I guess he’s entitled to it.
Dustin Byfuglien whether you think he’s fat, lazy or slow is an X-FACTOR…the X-FACTOR, the guy brings the most unique skillset outside of maybe Milan Lucic. He’s the highest scoring American defenseman, he’s deadly on the PP in any capacity whether on the blueline or in front of the net and he’s a physical game changer when he needs to be. I don’t understand why they left him off when he could be used primarily as a specialty player. John Jaeckel on this site understands this reasoning and brings it up a lot himself. Big Buff provides something few in the world can and would have been a fine addition as an extra.
The future is bright for the American defense, especially with the likes of Jacob Trouba and Seth Jones knocking on the door next go around and some of these young guys further in their development. Watch for Ryan McDonagh and Ryan Suter to be the big horses on defense.
Some of my more devoted readers know of my unabashed hatred for the most overrated player in the NHL Jack MotherMinus Johnson...and so does Poile! “He never seems to be living up to his potential or to his play,… Poile said in a meeting, as quoted by ESPN.com. “I’m getting this consistently across the board.… Exactly, thank you Mr. Poile.
Goalies
Lastly we come to goalies. Ryan Miller and Jonathan Quick are easy picks and were before the season. Quick has been a wall in the playoffs and seems to be a big game goalie. Miller was the MVP of the last Olympics and seems to go into a trance during the Olympic years and plays lights out. His play on the pitiful Sabres has been rather miraculous and I expect it to be his net to lose with Quick coming off a slew of injuries. Now the USA had their pick of the loveliest group of 3rd stringers you could imagine. You have pedigree and current play off the charts. Craig Anderson had his “Vezina… year in the half season. Ben Bishop is young, 6’7 and dominating right now. Tim Thomas’ hatred of other cultures fuels his passion for victory over the Socialist havens of Canada, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Jimmy Howard has been very good for the Wings and fairly consistent. Lastly Cory Schneider was expected to take the world by storm in New Jersey as the clear number one.
Well we had a few issues. Anderson has been widely inconsistent and easily lost his place. Howard was injured for a long stretch and when healthy hardly impressive. Thomas has been ok, but he never had a chance anyways. Schneider has been good…sometimes great, but the Devils refuse to score for him and he’s only splitting games. Bishop would be my guy personally because he has been the hottest goalie of the lot and sometimes a hot goalie is all you need, yet they went with Howard…that’s the final head scratcher for me, but I guess they liked pedigree (Wait Howard has pedigree?) and experience (Ditto?).
I don’t think I did too badly all things considered. Some picks I was pretty stupid (Bogosian…yikes). Hope you enjoyed this little nothing article, back to the WJC. Oh and I’ll be doing this with some of the other squads as they announce their selections…can’t wait for Oh Canada.