OK, kids. Here it is. I have thought long and hard about this. Anyone who knows me understands what USA Hockey means to me. Trust me, I have spent way too much time analyzing my pretend roster. Without further ado, here goes:
Parise Statsny Kane
Ryan Pavelski Kessel
Malone Kesler Langenbrunner
Brown Drury Rolston
Subs: Gionta/Cole/Connolly
This team is very young. Probably the surprises here are Langenbrunner and Rolston. Both are older, but having good years. We need the leadership in my opinion. Anybody see Cole play in '06? By far our best player. He is hurt now, but I'll take a gamble on him. Not a fan of Gomez at all. Drury is only in there because of past heroics. I almost left him off, but he is in because of the "just in case" factor. There is a very real chance he doesn't make the actual team. He has fallen quite a long way.
Rafalski Eric Johnson
Martin Suter
Komisarek Bogosian
Subs: Whitney/Orpik
Clearly, things change if Martin is still hurt come Feb. He is expected back, so he makes my team. I worry about our fire-power compared to other teams. I also struggled with Komisarek. He is on this team purely for the "gut feeling" I have. I don't buy the hogwash about Bogosian being too young. He is good, and he can score. Anybody seen him skate with the puck? I think he will be left off the real team, and that could end up being a huge mistake. If you are wondering, as much as I hate to say it, Hainsey was way down my list.
Miller
Thomas
Anderson
Ryan Miller is the key to our tournament. He is good enough to steal games for us against better teams. I almost had Quick as the third goalie, but in the end I guess it doesn't really matter.
So, there you have it folks. I still think my '06 roster was better than the one Waddell put together. You know, when the only team we beat in the entire Olympics was Kazakhstan. We have a much better shot this go around. I predict we get a medal. And when you get to the medal round we all know anything can happen.
Simply can't wait.
11 comments:
My line-up is very similar. I'd swap Kane and Kessel, for some reason, and I'd bump Rolston and throw in Gionta.
And Gomez sucks forever. Good on you for putting the great Joe Pavelski in.
We are small enough without Gionta. I like Rolston's booming slapper.
I fear, however, the real team will have Gomez on it. I just hope they don't include Blake so he can play with Kessel.
As for Kane and Kessel, really doesn't matter who is where. I view them as equal.
I am ashamed to say I haven't had time to put any thought into who I would put on the roster this year. Your lineup looks very good to me, and would probably be a better team than Burke will ice.
Burke is the problem. He wants bruisers and doesn't care whether or not they can light the lamp. Yes, there is going to be a premium on toughness in this Olympics since it's going to be on North American sized ice, but that means we need power forwards, not cement-handed buffoons like Komisarek has proven to be this season. I also don't trust Burke not to pick players from his own team or to pick guys just to get on their good side come free-agency season.
I don't see Burke putting Bogosian on the team, and like you I think that could prove to be a huge mistake. Komisarek has been a liability to the Leafs this year. I think we need someone more along the lines of Matt Carle, Ryan Whitney (like there aren't enough Ryans on this team) or Rob Scuderri. Blue-collar guys who can make a pass, stand up a charging forward, and block a shot.
Komi sucks. Carle would be a nice add. Whitney offers some versatility. At the very least, Bogo should be the 7th D-man and provide a spark if one of the puck movers gets banged-up.
To hell with Gionta as well. I'd rather see a Blake Wheeler who can bang and score some greasy goals. Despite his past-heroics, I'd drop Drury and let Brown play C with Rolston and Wheeler as a pretty formidable "grinder" line that can score.
I might actually switch Pavelski and Statsny just to spread the size around. That top line might get abused by a very physical top line like:
Heatley - Thornton - Staal or
Ovechkin - Malkin - Kovalev
Komi has sucked, but has played a little bit better of late and with the small ice surface we could use some bangers.
I had the same fear about our first line, and nearly wrote what you just said. Warped minds think alike, I believe they say.
The only reason I left Wheeler off is I felt we were already so young, and I didn't see him in the top six, so I gave his spot to Langenbrunner.
I hear ya Shooter on Komi, but I've hated him ever since he started messin' with our boyz in Blueland a couple years back. He's a cheap-shotting bitch-bag and I'd rather not reward him for his "physical" play...the same can be said about Matt Cooke.
Langenbruner is always a safe bet...very sound on both ends of the ice. After last night, I would still have to consider Modano. In fact, def Modano over Walt. Mike can still shift into an extra gear...dang.
Lastly, I thought Euro rinks were bigger including IIHF. I'm prolly mistaken but does the IOC shrink things down even more than NHL for the Olympics? Guess they have no choice if they use GM Place?
You are correct. The Olympics use a bigger ice surface which is cool, but it is at GM Place and that is a NHL size rink.
Money talks, I suppose. So this time the Olympics is on smaller ice, which royally sucks.
After Madonna complained in '06 about his extended family having to make their own travel arrangements, his association with USA Hockey is over as far as I am concerned.
Yeah, that's a crybaby move fo' shizzle! Eff him.
Shooter, the smaller rink could actually help the USA as long as we're physical enough without being too much so (uh oh Burke!). But the Canadians will be tough to beat on home-ice. Sweden will be a real threat too.
Yeah, I think the smaller rink probably plays to our favor (though not as much as it does the Canadians). I just enjoy watching the big ice surface game for the Olympics.
It's what makes it different.
I love boys. Look at y'all. Like you're running this thing. Pretend rosters and all. And they say women are whimsical!
Wow, nice job Shooter!! Got 20 out of 23...must've had some insider info!! ;-)
Kind of surprised that they put Callahan on the team IN ADDITION to Drury, but Callie has very good speed and is a very dynamic player with defensive presence. The bigger surprise might be Jon Quick over Anderson, but does that really matter when you're top two goalies are Miller & Thomas?? And no surprise that Bogo didn't get chosen since he's struggled mightily of late and there are perhaps too many young D-men already with Suter, Johnson and Komisarek. I'm happy for Orpik...he really deserves it.
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