team usa olympic team

[Kwame_Kilpatrick 0]

who do you guys think will play for usa, i am american so i like them but i know there are lots of canadians and other global fans around so please tell me what you think from a foreigners perspective

here is my hopeful team

Parise - Stastny - brown

Malone - Kesler - Kane

van reimsdyk - umberger - kessel

pavelski - dubinsky - ryan

erik johnson - goligoski

carle - bogosian

rafalski - wisnewski

miller

backup: conklin

i think its a great team i was actually surprised we had this much talent when i looked at our selection of players, i mean i thought kesler was canadian and he is one of the best defensive forwards in the league. the only ones i dont like are kessel and kane but they are talented and we will need the goals

[Gordie Howe hat trick 110]

I would rather the backup goaltender be Dipetro or Thomas...

[Kwame_Kilpatrick 0]

conklin has a better mentality, he is used to being the 2nd guy and he is clutch when he needs to be good, thomas and dipietro will just be angry and who needs angry players, besides dipietro is weird and thomas is old, a lot of people think conklin is a nice guy

[Gordie Howe hat trick 110]

conklin has a better mentality, he is used to being the 2nd guy and he is clutch when he needs to be good, thomas and dipietro will just be angry and who needs angry players, besides dipietro is weird and thomas is old, a lot of people think conklin is a nice guy

I think that if you are named to the USA Olympic team it is an honor, and I don't think anyone would ***** too much if they were named backup...I think they would rather think for the betterment of the team rather than personal ego.

[Booster313 138]

When do they announce the Team USA roster?

I was hoping to be able to get a Hasek Czech jersey this year, but since that's out it might be a Team USA Miller or Rafalski.

[Yellowknife Redwing 57]

You'd think at this point Craig Anderson would be getting serious consideration for being team USA's starter. Jonathan Quick would be another guy that should get a look for backup.

Also,

Ryan Whitney, Ryan Suter, Mike Komisarek on D would be excellent choices

As far as forwards are concerned, I would scratch Pavelski and JVR in favor of

Gomez

Booth

Gionta

Drury

Pominville

Wheeler

Tkachuk

Langenbrunner

That said, at the risk of sounding like an elitist dickhead I'm going to ask this anyway:

Do any Americans on here believe they have a decent shot of medaling in Vancouver?

[Kwame_Kilpatrick 0]

yeah i am actually excited except for canada and russia every team is rebuilding. i would say we are just behind sweden on paper but we usually underperform and finland always overperforms

i think we will at least get a bronze medal, we have a new generation of players and especially kesler, he is the future i think he will become a legendary player

[Kwame_Kilpatrick 0]

btw regarding wheeler i think he was a one season wonder and the rest are old or i just dont like them very much, sorry i was sort of biased towards young players cause i think we need to get a new core instead of oldies like tkachuk (i like tkachuk but he is old)

[detroitsportsman05 1]

these are my thoughts

Parise-Kesler-Kessel

Ryan-Pavelski-Kane

Langenbrunner-Stastny-Brown

Malone-Drury-Byfuglien

(Gomez)

Rafalski-Suter

Martin-E Johnson

J Johnson-Komisarek

(Gologoski)

Miller

Thomas

(Anderson)

[Finnish Wing 110]

yeah i am actually excited except for canada and russia every team is rebuilding. i would say we are just behind sweden on paper but we usually underperform and finland always overperforms

i think we will at least get a bronze medal, we have a new generation of players and especially kesler, he is the future i think he will become a legendary player

It's not about overperforming. You can't judge a team based only on it's list of players (which many of you do). As said before, Finland has one of the best coaches in the world along with Canada, Sweden and Russia. Finland also had a great coach in last Olympics.

[RedWingAbner 13]

I would take Chelios on the team over Rafalski. Without Lidstrom to make him look decent, that guy is a waste, and I really don't think he's a "Brian Burke guy." Realistically, it'll probably be Komisarek.

[mmamolo 287]

these are my thoughts

Parise-Kesler-Kessel

Ryan-Pavelski-Kane

Langenbrunner-Stastny-Brown

Malone-Drury-Byfuglien

(Gomez)

Rafalski-Suter

Martin-E Johnson

J Johnson-Komisarek

(Gologoski)

Miller

Thomas

(Anderson)

You wuold really have Pavelski as your second line centre while Stastny plays third line minutes? That's amazing to me. Hell, I'd probably want Stastny on the first line ahead of Kesler even.

At the end of the day I don't know how Pominville isn't on this team. He is the man. He's got leadership, a good work ethic, and scorign ability. Drury could work his way onto this team just because of his leaderhip abilities and with so many young players it'd be good to have a veteran pressence. With Gionta's injury he is all but not going to make it and I don't think Gomez has much of a shot against some others who could easily replace him.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

Parise - Stastny - Kane

Ryan - Connolly - Kessel

Malone - Kesler - Brown

Langenbrunner - Modano - Pavelski

Pominville or Dubinsky

Martin - Rafalski

Suter - Carle

Orpik - E. Johnson

Goligoski or Whitney

Miller

Thomas

Anderson

There are a ton of solid players that could potentially play on the third and fourth lines. A lot of the players in there could probably play on higher/lower lines and still be effective. Defensive pairings look solid, Carle and Goligoski fill the same spot. They've looked good so far this season.

[T-Ruff 47]

When do they announce the Team USA roster?

They're announcing it at the Winter Classic... Phenomenal idea IMO

they'll be the last team to announce the roster

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

conklin has a better mentality, he is used to being the 2nd guy and he is clutch when he needs to be good, thomas and dipietro will just be angry and who needs angry players, besides dipietro is weird and thomas is old, a lot of people think conklin is a nice guy

Are we actually allowed to post players other than yours without you browbeating everybody for their selections?

First off, no way I would send Conklin over the reigning Vezina trophy winner Thomas. Conklin is good but he ain't good enough to start for most teams so what would make him good enough to start for Team USA if Miller got hurt?

My Locks for making the team, these guys will be on the roster without a doubt.

Ryan Miller (starter)

Tim Thomas

Forward Locks (there's talent here but size and physicality to match up with Canada will be big, hence why Kesler, Ryan and Brown will likely make it)

Patrick Kane

Zach Parise

Dustin Brown

Paul Stastny

Ryan Kesler

Bobby Ryan

Callahan

Group 2 (playing well)

Malone

Okposo

Langenbrunner

Possibles

Backes (just because he's huge and physical and has some touch but finishes checks)

Big Buff (same as Backes, US typically smallish team so size could be important, you know Canadians will have lots of size)

Uncertain

Booth (concussion)

Kessel (just back from injury)

Pavelski (just back from injury as well I think)

Drury (hasn't played all that well but great big game player and leader)

Gomez (not played that well but not much leadership on the roster)

Modano (can't see him making it at all honestly)

Oshie (not a snowball's chance in hell of him making it)

Defense Locks

Rafalski (might even be named Captain)

Orpik (Komisarek's injury pretty much squashes any doubt as Orpik is the other big, physical guy)

Suter (puck mover and some offense)

Whitney (puck mover and some offense)

Possibles

Gleason (not having great year but fairly solid and a big boy on the back end)

Martin (just coming back from injury I think)

Erik Johnson (playing well)

Uncertain

Gilbert (no way he makes it)

Hainsey (no way)

Komisarek (injured)

Jack Johnson (not playing that well on a good Kings team)

Scuderi (overrated IMO. Doesn't offer much. Like a less useful version of Lilja IMO)

Obviously, IMO the defense is more wide open for spots. Could be any number of guys slide into what looks to me like 2 pairings of #5 and #6 dmen as there's not a real superstar in there, which might be a good thing.

Guys missing that due to injury or whatever might find a way on the team by some miracle

I'm not endorsing any of these guys just saying that with all the injuries and such, sometimes things happen with olympic rosters. Keep in mind that none of these guys were even invited to camp.

Matt Cullen

Bill Guerin

David Legwand

Erik Cole (think he's hurt though)

Brian Gionta

Tim Connolly

JM Liles (injured)

RJ Umberger

Jason Pominville

Keith Ballard

Chris Higgins

James Wisniewski

Matt Carle

Lee Stempniak

Alex Goligoski

Brandon Dubinsky

James Van Riemsdyk

Biggest thing for me aside from the obvious of them doing well, I really want to see us combine talent and size so we don't get pushed around by the Canadians.

One need only gander at the canada lineup and you'll see some big boys over there.

Pronger

Phaneuf

Bouwmeester

Regehr

Weber

Heatley

Iginla

Getzlaf

Nash

Staal

Thornton

Lecavalier

Carter

Lucic

Perry

even their smaller guys play big like Richards and Morrow

Not sure they'll all make it but those are some giant sized fellas.

One of my fondest memories is the early minutes of a game years ago when Tkachuk fought Claude lepuke and Guerin fought Kieth Primeau literally in the opening minutes. Good stuff.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Its a young team, but its a good looking team. Better then I ever thought the US would be able to throw together. 2014 this team will be scary good, but as of right now I think Canada and Russia have the edge.

Edited November 19, 2009 by Yzerfan1999

[T-Ruff 47]

nice post GS&T

I don't think Callahan is a lock, and Komisarek is only out 3 weeks (as of a week ago), he'll be on if he stays healthy....

My team USA

Parise - Stastny - Kessel

Kane - Pavelski - Ryan

Brown - Kesler - Malone

Backes/Callahan - Drury - Byfuglien

Suter - Martin

Rafalski - Komisarek

Whitney - Orpik

Miller

Thomas

had some difficulty with the 4th line and bottom D pairing other than that is what I'd pick/estimate...

Edited November 19, 2009 by T-Ruff

[BeeRYCE 2]

No Brett Lebda consideration for Team USA?

Edited November 19, 2009 by BeeRYCE

[Tommy_Like_Wingy 25]

Its a young team, but its a good looking team. Better then I ever thought the US would be able to throw together. 2014 this team will be scary good, but as of right now I think Canada and Russia have the edge.

This.

Not only is it chocked with talent but there's some decent speed there too.

[Datsasuk 2]

You'd think at this point Craig Anderson would be getting serious consideration for being team USA's starter. Jonathan Quick would be another guy that should get a look for backup.

Also,

Ryan Whitney, Ryan Suter, Mike Komisarek on D would be excellent choices

As far as forwards are concerned, I would scratch Pavelski and JVR in favor of

Gomez

Booth

Gionta

Drury

Pominville

Wheeler

Tkachuk

Langenbrunner

That said, at the risk of sounding like an elitist dickhead I'm going to ask this anyway:

Do any Americans on here believe they have a decent shot of medaling in Vancouver?

No, I do not. I'd have to say Russia, Canada, and Sweden. The U.S. roster will not have enough fire power, depth, or experience. Who knows, they might surprise us, but right now I don't consider them to be a contender. Maybe next Olympics.