 | World Cup 2004 |
 Zamboni writes "Now that I've got my tickets for all the games in the Twin Cities, I've had some time to think about the team. With the untimely passing of Herb Brooks, things were bound to change, and last month USA Hockey made a major change by naming Larry Pleau as GM. In this changing of the guard, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see some new names among those named to the roster in February. With several key players aging, and ancient warriors such us Chelios soon to be (if not already) done, there is an opportunity for our younger players to make the team. This is likely to be the last hurrah for a good number of our guys, and Pleau would be wise to get some young guys in the mix for the experience.
With the retirements of Mike Richter and Tom Barrasso, we will absolutely see some changes in net. Mike Dunham was on the Salt Lake City team, but by no means if the #1 job just his for the taking. Rick DiPietro has the most potential of any current American goalie and will almost certainly make the team. That leaves the third spot open to one of two guys that has played extremely well so far this year, Bobby Esche and Ty Conklin. Esche has more experience on the team, but with the changes in management and coaching, I feel that whoever plays best for the remainder of the season will be named to the team. Only 18 of the 23 roster spots must be named by February, and I'll bet that only 2 goalies will be named initially.
Injuries and age issues plague the selection of our defensemen right now. If Chelios wants to play, he's in. He's been too big a part of American hockey for too long to be left off, even if his skills have begun to erode. Brian Leetch is in if he can manage to stay healthy. Derian Hatcher would've been in for sure, given that these games will be played on North American sized ice, but now that depends on how quick his knee can heal. Brian Rafalski, Aaron Miller, Matthieu Schneider, and Keith Carney would likely fill out the defense. If any of those seven guys are a no go, I figure the list of potential fill ins is Tom Poti, Paul Mara, Bryan Berard, David Tanabe, and Brett Hedican. Jeff Jillson could be a darkhorse.
The forwards, always the strength of the American teams are aging too. Modano, Roenick, Weight, Guerin, Amonte, Hull, Drury, Tkachuk and Rolston are in for sure. That's nine of the 13 spots. I'd go Langenbrunner with the tenth and LeClair with the 11th if he's healthy, but the last few spots could be tricky. Mike Knuble is having a monster season so far with the Bruins. Mike York has the experience. Shawn McEachern is having a great year. Steve Konowalchuk has really come back to life with the Avs. Erik Cole is playing well. David Legwand? Tyler Arnason? Scott Gomez? Not a choice I'd want to make, especially given how strong the other teams are going to be. It's going to take the right mix of guys to have a chance at defending our '96 title."
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| "World Cup 2004" | Login/Create an Account | 19 comments |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by simplyhabby on Friday, December 05
(User Info | Send a Message) | It will be Dipietro and Conklin in goal. Conklin is making Lowe wonder what he can get for Salo. (not much now due to his injury and the abundance of quality goaltending in the league)
I am a Canadian who very much enjoys the Canada Vs USA games because it is currently the best rivalry in world hockey. Yes the Fins vs the Swedes and Canada vs Russia are always entertaining but not the passion of the USA Canada rivalry.
Unfortunately, due to the aging USA team, they are no longer the 2nd best team in the world which is dissapointing because I am not a fan of the grittless Euro players. (There are notable exceptions) Sweden is now the second best world team pedning on the health of Forsberg. They were the only team in Salt Lake City to make Canada look very weak. (It was Canada's first game though).
I hope Komisarek turns into the bruising D-man that he is supposed to be because as you can see, I love my habs.
Let's hope the USA can show us that high powered offence one more time because they are going to have problems in the future in comparison to the talent they have now. |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by Tweek on Friday, December 05
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Dunham and Esche in goal with Dipietro serving as a 3rd goalie and maybe try to get him to play if he has a good season. Goaltending will be the weakness for team USA. |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by -Swizz- on Friday, December 05
(User Info | Send a Message) | just curious,
i agree with your picks for the most part....but you mention knuble in there...now i wasnt sure i looked it up and it says he's from toronto...is he another deadmarsh/hull guy who's from canada but plays for u.s.? or did you make a mistake? |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by Habfanforever on Friday, December 05
(User Info | Send a Message) | I think that US basically have the same team since the last Olympics minus obviously Barasso and Richter and Deadmarsh if he's injured. With their current lineup, they hardly have anything to write home about, what is scary is their future. Obviously Conklin and Dipietro are skilled netminders that have #1 written all over them. A lot of people are also forgetting the very skilled Ryan Miller who's yawning his way through the AHL thus making management in Buffalo think hard.
In defense Komisarek is very promising, as well as Hainsey if he can just do some growing up and assume his defensive responsibilities.
Up front there is Eric Nystrom, Zach Parise and Christopher Higgins that all have NHL potential.
Even though most of these guys are labelled prospects or simply team "projects", no one can argue the fact that American youth hockey programs are producing more and more quality, high caliber players. USA's future is bright. |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by adambuffalo on Friday, December 05
(User Info | Send a Message) | | i'd have to put ryan miller in the mix for goalies. as for forwards i would consider drury, erik cole, jason blake, rolston, legwand and mceachern. the u.s. needs to start looking towards the future (esp. for the '06 olympics) and start integrating more of the younger players on the team. |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by LeafsFan_1710 (shutup@hotmail.com) on Saturday, December 06
(User Info | Send a Message) | I'm sorry American's, but you guys have no chance against teams like Canada and Sweden. Canada, by far, has the best goaltending. Here's a list, Brodeur, Belfour, Luongo, Theodore, Burke, even Joseph if need be, Lalime, and maybe even Marc-Andre Fleury. Now the defence. Wow. let's see, Blake, Foote, Jovo, Brewer, Nidermayer (spelling), Pronger, Macinnis (injured, may be done). Powerful as you can see. Now let's look at the forwards, the only aspect where the American's can be compared to. Look at this line, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Nolan/Smyth/Iginla/Lindross.
2nd line Sakic, Kariya, Lecavalier. 3rd line, Tanguay, Shannahan, and Yzerman they way he is playing. 4ht line, Nieuwy, Peca, and one of those guys from the possible 1st line. And i didn't even mention Lemieux. Potentials: Gagne, Recchi, Comrie, if he plays, Morrison, Heately, if he plays, and even Doan. As you can see, a powerful team. I think i even left some players out. o well. |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by RangerSteve on Saturday, December 06
(User Info | Send a Message) | I hope our guys can just do it for Herbie Brooks. I'm a Ranger fan, and if anything I pray that Tom Poti DOES NOT make the US Squad. Rafalski was shaky at the Olympics, but I think it had to do w/ him making his first appearence. Drury and York can definately help this team with their speed and heart. We all know what Drury brought to Colorado and now Buffalo, as well as Yorkie w/ NYR and now Edmonton.
If I could have my 6, if they all are healthy on the blueline I'd do the following...
Hatcher-Leetch
Carney-Rafalski
Miller(maybe)-Schneider
Chelios I really think is done regardless but who knows. Mara could make a big enough impression to get on. |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by cgolding on Saturday, December 06
(User Info | Send a Message) | honestly, i don't think ANYTHING is a sure thing with the american team going in. i really believe we can assume very little, especially in goal. as much as you have to look to get experience for your players internationally, that is something that goes on every year during the playoffs in the world champs and so forth.. so the World Cup is NOT a must get experience situation for anyone.
so from that i would say that Rick D. by no means is a lock to get on this team, he simply has done nothing on the ice to deserve the nod for the national team with goalies like dunham, esche, miller, conklin, etc... all really being at the same level. that level is that we really don't know. what we do know is that esche has performed very well in international competition in his past, and is doing very well behind a sold flyers team.
as a flyer fan i will say the following of esche. he is not going to come up with incredible, game saving, save that richter was capable of, on a regular basis. he is, however, very stable and makes almost every save that you would expect him to make, and will also have his moments. esche is simply not flashy in general, very solid. but esche is a fighter, and a competitor which i view as incredibly important for a goalie in my opinion. and i will not dismiss the fact that he and his family have a tremendous amount of national pride(his brother is a marine) and i also believe that is extremely important in international play as well.
forwards... ugh!
leclair has no business being on the team as is, as i said i'm a flyer fan i see him on a regular basis. as incredible as his salt lake city showing was, he simply is not the same player now that he was anytime in recent memory and we need to look elsewhere for talent on our roster... not sure where that comes from but we need to find it.
roenick and amonte are proving that they still have the ability to perform at that level of play. the others that have been specifically mentioned i believe for sure belong.
chelios should not be on this team. he doesn't bring enough to the table and we need to get someone else in there. the idea of him being an assistant coach on this team i find very interesting and an idea that has some merit. Hatcher is a must on this team assuming his knee operates correctly. so on and so forth.
clearly looking at the american squad we can garner that the team could struggly greatly. it is getting old and not bringing in a large amount of talent that is younger which is disconcerting for american hockey.
but here is what i will say of america, and americans that people too often discredit and try to ignore in our history both athletic and otherwise. we are sore motherf$ck*#@ losers. we do not take it well, and we never have. we rise to the occasion. we come from nowhere and defeat the largest and most powerful empire the world has known(an empire that canada is ALL too familiar with). we have an attitude that we are better than everyone in the world(which earns us some hate rightfully so) which we like to back up. so while you canadians are up there in your igloo(:-P) feeling bad for us that Sweden or whoever else that lives in an igloo(:-P) as well has passed us in hockey talent... all i gotta say is wait til the puck drops and we'll see where the cards fall. No one expected us to win in '80. and no one expected us to win in the last world cup. american athletes aren't on the score sheet, we're gamers who show up when it matters. and if i gotta walk into a battle with a bunch of over the hill players, i'll let roenick, tkachuk and hatcher draw a line in the sand and assume they'll back that up... but that the fun of it all isn't it?
all this being said, it is really a moot point for me. i'm pretty convinced this is gonna be the year the flyers kill me with their postseason fall from grace...
-chris from philly |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by cwthrash on Saturday, December 06
(User Info | Send a Message) | Ultimately, it's up the the GMs to pick the squad. Some of the more familiar US players will be there, that's obvious. Others will emerge with their play. Same with every country.
But what I like most is the staff of the US team. Larry Pleau, in my opinion, is a great selection as GM of this team. Think what you will of the St. Louis, Pleau is one hell of a GM for this country. He has a great knowledge of this game (Blues fans please corroborate this for the masses). And Don Waddell as assistant. The US team is in good hands.
Will we win? Who the hell knows?
But we'll have as good a chance as any. With our management, the US will at least bring the challenge. |
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Re: World Cup 2004 (Score: 1)
by koho (akowal@hotmail.com) on Sunday, December 07
(User Info | Send a Message) | Sorry to say, and I wish it was different, but, the US has no chance in this tournament. The Canadians will dominate period. We learned our errors in Nagano. We proved that in Salt Lake. And if the Canadians don't take it, I would rank Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Slovakia ahead of the US. The problem for these European teams in the past has always been goaltending and defence. These nations have made significant strides in both these areas over the past 4-6 years.
So, sorry US, this is something you will not dominate in. |
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