Olympic Fun
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 26, 2011 2:16 PM EDT
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PrintUnlike my previous fan post, born out of some mild anger, this one is out of pure fun, and is meant to piggyback on Red Army Line's post.
Predictions for a 2011 U.S. Olympic Team (yes, I'm aware its not held this year, a theoretical situation), and a 2014 one (when its actually held).
2011:
Forwards:
Parise - Stastny - Patrick Kane
Kessel - Kesler - Bobby Ryan
Ryan Malone - Pavelski - Dustin Brown
Van Riemsdyk - David Backes - Ryan Callahan
potential extras: Dubinsky, David Booth, Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, T.J. Oshie, and I'm sure I'm missing a couple
Defensemen:
Byfuglien - Suter
Yandle - James Wisniewski
Carlson - Erik Johnson
potential extras: Paul Martin, Jack Johnson, Brooks Orpik, Ryan Whitney
note: did not consider handedness when putting together d-pairs
Goalies:
Johnathon Quick
2014 U.S. Olympic Team:
Forwards:
Parise - Stastny - Kane
Van Riemsdyk - Kesler - Ryan
Kessel - Pavelski - Okposo
Dustin Brown - Backes - Callahan
extras: Dubi, Oshie, David Booth, Derek Stepan
Defense:
Carlson - Suter
Yandle - Erik Johnson
extras: Jack Johnson, Zach Bogosian, Alex Goligoski, Ryan Mcdonagh, James Wisniewski, Paul Martin, Ryan Whitney
Goalies:
Corey Schneider
Ryan Miller
Johnathon Quick
extra: Jimmy Howard
note: goalies were near impossible due to the extremely fluctuating nature of the position, for all i know any of those four as well as potentially some other american will be the starting goalie in 2014, but as of now Schneider is my best guess
Thoughts? Love to hear some commentary on this. Maybe I will even do a similar exercise for Canada in the near future.
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I was thinking for 2014
Parise- Kesler- Ryan
Van Reimsdyk- Stastny- Kane
Backes- Pavelski- Brown
Dubinsky- Oshie- Callahan
Kessel can come in in the power play or something.
I like the D, though I’d take McDonagh over Fowler.
There is no way Dubinsky makes the team over Kessel, and I’m really not sold on him even making it over okposo either.
Additionally, Fowler and Bogosian have far higher upsides than Mcdonagh, but Mcdonagh will likely be a safe pick in a few years if neither pan out
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 27, 2011 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions
For today, I think Gionta has to be there. He’s a stabilizing veteran and whatnot, but was also a great two way forward for Montreal. I’d take off Wisniewski and Byfuglien and use Martin and Orpik instead. They’re slightly safer picks.
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Byfuglien is far better than Martin and Orpik, he’s a legit first pairing defenseman. Personally, I see Wisniewski as above them as well. Additionally, who would you remove in favor of gionta?
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 27, 2011 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions
I don’t think so. Orpik is much, much better in his own end, and Martin is just solid all around, the guy Jay Bouwmeester was supposed to be. Wisniewski is the guy you’d probably say is Mike Green. If you have Canadians then maybe it’s okay to take a guy like that, but the Americans are short on top notch stoppers. Martin, Suter, and Orpik are those types.
Lose Kessel. He’s the one forward there that doesn’t have a strong two way track record.
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I believe in next year.
by red army line on Aug 27, 2011 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions
disagree big time on all three. Kessel is a premiere goal scorer, that has tons of value. He is also very young still with plenty of room to grow. He no doubt belongs ahead of the forwards that I have not included. And my opinion is byfuglien is a flat better player than orpik and martin, but not gonna argue in circles with you.
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 27, 2011 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions
There are no soft minutes against Canada or Sweden. Kessel gets eaten alive. Gionta can chip in with some offense, almost as much as Kessel, and can do anything else required of him.
Semin would get left off of Canada even though his goal scoring rates are over 35 goals per 82. Same deal here.
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I believe in next year.
by red army line on Aug 27, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Just cause a coach uses a premiere offensive player against soft minutes to try to maximize their talent doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of playing against harder comp, and his zone start was a modest 51%, hardly sheltered. Not to mention the quality of his teammates would be much higher.
Additionally a lethal power play weapon has enormous value. He would certainly make the team
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 28, 2011 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe he is capable of playing harder comp. But his production will decrease.
All else equal, you take the better scorer. But all else is not equal here. Guys like Parise, Gionta, and Backes are at a big disadvantage because of competition and still produce. Bottom line, that impresses me much more than a guy who produces a bit more offense in a much more advantageous role.
Gionta is an ace PKer, by the way.
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Aug 28, 2011 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I’d put Shattenkirk in there. I think by 2014 he’ll be a really solid defenseman not to mention racking up some points also. 43 points between two teams in a 72 game rookie season is very solid.
John Tortorella on 24/7 will be like Ari Gold on Entourage.
I am the f*cking game pal - Johnny Drama
You wanna hug it out? Let's hug it out bitch - Ari Gold
I practice Prustbyterianism
by RichieToGabbySCORE on Aug 26, 2011 5:24 PM EDT reply actions
He was sheltered like crazy last year. who would you put him ahead of? Hope you don’t say fowler….
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 27, 2011 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions
On D – John-Michael Liles and Tyler Myers are possibilities as well.
For Forwards – Drew Stafford, RJ Umberger, Kyle Okposo, Max Pacioretty, and Brian Boyle(?) stand a chance for bottom the 6.
"Clever is the eunuch version of funny"
Nah,
Liles isn’t that great a player and he’ll be on a downslope soon. Tyler Myers plays for Canada even though he’s from the States
Take it to the net and keep jamming and jamming until somebody comes on you.
- Eddie Olczyk
by Scratch and Snif on Aug 27, 2011 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions
He grew up in Calgary. Otherwise, I’d deem him a treacherous bastard…
On a good note, hopefully Alex Galchenyuk continues to play for the US.
He’s the guy who figures to go top 5 this year?
Take it to the net and keep jamming and jamming until somebody comes on you.
- Eddie Olczyk
by Scratch and Snif on Aug 27, 2011 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions
he’s american? pretty cool. especially coming off a really weak draft this past year for the americans
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 27, 2011 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions
shitttt he better follow through with that promise, if he bails and plays with russia that would be disappointing
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 27, 2011 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Out of the forwards that you named, Boyle is the only one that in my opinion has no chance at sniffing the Olympics. Not with only one decent year under his belt.
The other cats I think would have a dcent chance, especially if Pacioretty recovers from his injury, and Staffro continues his production. Most people (though obviously not Bradshaw) also forget that David Booth had a spot before he was concussed. If he returns to form, he might be a candidate as well.
This is kinda cool, I think 3 years ago I wasn’t as excited about the US roster, but guys have really begun to step up.
not anywhere near canada, but the U.S. still is looking pretty promising
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 27, 2011 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
yea its more than absurd. they pretty much get to take 20 of the best 30 in the world. canada’s B team is significantly better than the U.S.
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 27, 2011 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions
To tell you the truth, this team I think would best Canada B.
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Aug 27, 2011 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions
THN posted an article on the current crop of American stars.
It has almost become conventional wisdom that the greatest generation of American hockey players was the cohort that ran from Pat LaFontaine to Mike Modano, with Chris Chelios the constant throughout. But if you stack up the Yankees of the mid-1980s to late ’90s with today’s burgeoning crop, it’s not hard to prove the current defenders of the USA shield are on their way to usurping the crown. Actually, they’re already there.
This guy is out of his mind. Goalies, I’d say America tops everyone else. But that’s about it. It’s not even close. I really like Bobby Ryan and Parise, but there’s no way they compare to the 90s American talent.
But this is even dumber.
Would you rather have LaFontaine in his prime or Wayne Gretzky? Brett Hull or Mario Lemieux? Jeremy Roenick or Mark Messier?
The answer? Gretzky, Lemieux, and Messier. Every time. And Roenick was one of my favorite players.
I think that’s a bit harsh. Parise is easily on his way up. second best wing today, and Ryan its
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Aug 27, 2011 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Parise is a monster...
But as a collective, no I don’t think the squad that the Americans could ice now compares to the ones that were iced 15-20 years ago. The reason why I say that is exactly what you said above… most of these guys are on their way up.
Of the forwards, only Kane, Stastny, Parise, and Ryan have played at an elite level their entire careers. And while Kessel has put up almost the same stats as Ryan, having only really seen him play in last year’s Olympics, I was underwhelmed. Kesler and Pavelski have grown into stars in their own right, but no one else on the squad has really. Not yet.
Now compare those guys to Roenick, Lafontaine, Modano, Hull, Amonte, Tkachuk, Weight, all of whom were bona fide stars within their first 2-3 years in the league. And comparing Canadian and US players, I don’t think there was the disparity in the number or quality of the high-end players during that era as there is now.
As for the Canadian/American comparisons, this guy is seriously trying to make an argument that someone would choose any other player over arguably the three best centers in hockey history. That’s just absurd.
I do agree with you that the American team could stand up against the Canadian B squad. But I don’t think it’d be as dominating a performance as I would hope.
Still, I’d really look forward to see a Parise- Kesler- Ryan line. Sick.
There’s no way we beat Canada on talent straight up right now, but if we can build a cohesive unit, we aren’t that far behind. Canada might have too many stars for their own good; we saw in 2010 that the guys who were playing best were Toews and Doughty, guys who are driven and talented in every department, and weren’t looked at to be the stars of the team.
That’s what the US has with Kesler, Parise, Ryan, Suter, Brown and bientot with Van Riemsdyk, Stepan, Galyenchuk; players without ego who will sacrifice for the team. I think we have a legit shot
Take it to the net and keep jamming and jamming until somebody comes on you.
- Eddie Olczyk
by Scratch and Snif on Aug 27, 2011 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Thats not having too much talent for your own good, thats the power of small sample sizes when two teams both with top talent play one game series anything can happen
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Aug 28, 2011 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll re read, but I read that as “even in American hockey at it’s best, Canada dwarfed them in talent. Not so anymore”
Red Line Station and @RedArmyLine, featuring coverage of the most frustrating team in the NHL
I believe in next year.
by red army line on Aug 27, 2011 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions
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