Official Team USA Olympic Thread

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Really? Seems like it, took off two of our players and one in a position which has nothing to do with the RW spot, in Stepan. He's an extra Center in case of injury, nothing more. Callahan and Mac will be in the lineup though for sure.

Pominville is good, I agree, but don't think he was even in for consideration. Some could say Brandon Saad though..

I wouldn't have had a problem with Saad on the team. However, he has to hear the same crap Okposo does. You play with so & so.

I want the best team to represent my country in the Olympics. I don't believe Poile did that.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

I wouldn't have had a problem with Saad on the team. However, he has to hear the same crap Okposo does. You play with so & so.

I want the best team to represent my country in the Olympics. I don't believe Poile did that.

Well you'll always hear that, but with some guys, it's true. Examples are Chris Kunitz and Dupuis, as well as even Parenteau when he played with Tavares

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Well you'll always hear that, but with some guys, it's true. Examples are Chris Kunitz and Dupuis, as well as even Parenteau when he played with Tavares

Parenteau has proven that it was garbage with how he's played in Colorado. To bad he's injured right now. That team has been the surprise of the year so far.

Kunitz has more Cups than Crosby & Malkin. He's proven himself to be a very good player. The Ducks made a mistake not keeping him.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Parenteau has proven that it was garbage with how he's played in Colorado. To bad he's injured right now. That team has been the surprise of the year so far.

Kunitz has more cups than Crosby & Malkin. He's proven himself to be a very good player. The Ducks made a mistake not keeping him.

That's what i'm saying, you see these fluky guys year in and year out doing this

Though Kunitz is good, he's been much better as a Penguin and it's because who he plays with.

How could you not succeed on a PP with Neal, Malking, Crosby and Letang?

Even I would score.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Yandle is the most surprising because I feel his game would translate well to olympic size rinks.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

That's what i'm saying, you see these fluky guys year in and year out doing this

Though Kunitz is good, he's been much better as a Penguin and it's because who he plays with.

How could you not succeed on a PP with Neal, Malking, Crosby and Letang?

Even I would score.

Crosby, Neal, & Letang. All Canadian. Damn!! Canada could put a second team in the Olympics and many would expect them to play each other for the Gold.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Yandle is the most surprising because I feel his game would translate well to olympic size rinks.

Which is why he should have been in over Orpik, IMO.

Crosby, Neal, & Letang. All Canadian. Damn!! Canada could put a second team in the Olympics and many would expect them to play each other for the Gold.

Oh well, anything can happen on any given night. I wont count us out yet

 

[Cobiemonster]

Honestly, in your guys opinions, outside of Yandle and Ryan, who else of significance was left off?

Please don't tell me Okposo because of a fluky year, he's not some great big scoring threat. Ryan, Yes, but he plays lazy, can't fault them. Yandle? Definitely should have been in over Orpik, younger, fresher legs on an open ice.

How does Bobby Ryan play lazy? If he was lazy, then he wouldn't have the points that he has this season on a lousy Sens team - media and fans like to pick apart certain players and place labels on them that aren't correct

And Kyle Okposo is having a terrific season with the Islanders, he is what everyone thought he would be when he was one of the best prospects in Hockey about 4-5 years ago

 

[pixburgher66]

Guys...shhhhh...stop reminding the Canadians about Kunitz. They can go ahead and leave him off their team (even though he's top five in goals and points for Canadians...).

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

How does Bobby Ryan play lazy? If he was lazy, then he wouldn't have the points that he has this season on a lousy Sens team - media and fans like to pick apart certain players and place labels on them that aren't correct

And Kyle Okposo is having a terrific season with the Islanders, he is what everyone thought he would be when he was one of the best prospects in Hockey about 4-5 years ago

I love Bobby Ryan, always have, always will. I guess others don't see him as an ''intense'' player or aggressive as they want him to be. But in all honesty, to not be on the top PP unit on Anaheim is concerning. He was a force for them, consistent 30 goal scorer. Still playing well in Ottawa, idk though, guess they see something we don;t.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I love Bobby Ryan, always have, always will. I guess others don't see him as an ''intense'' player or aggressive as they want him to be. But in all honesty, to not be on the top PP unit on Anaheim is concerning. He was a force for them, consistent 30 goal scorer. Still playing well in Ottawa, idk though, guess they see something we don;t.

Ducks had all kinds of depth there, it's not like they didn't have depth - if they didn't have depth and he wasn't on the first PP unit then you'd have a point

David Poile has turned this team into too much of what his Preds team is - lack of offensive skill, which comes back to bite his teams - Dean Lombardi should be the GM of this team, he's got a Stanley Cup recently and a lot of teams would kill to have him as a GM

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Ducks had all kinds of depth there, it's not like they didn't have depth - if they didn't have depth and he wasn't on the first PP unit then you'd have a point

David Poile has turned this team into too much of what his Preds team is - lack of offensive skill, which comes back to bite his teams - Dean Lombardi should be the GM of this team, he's got a Stanley Cup recently and a lot of teams would kill to have him as a GM

Kane, Kessel, Parise, Kesler, I don't think we lack any offensive skill. Yeah we have a decent amount of two way guys, but you go top heavy with all offensive talented forwards and who is out there to PK, who is out there to shut down the opposing teams top lines?

IMO, you need guys like Brown, Backes, Callahan on this team. Unless you want consistently lose games 6-5 and bounced out early. I have faith in what they're doing.

 

[Dacks]

Guys...shhhhh...stop reminding the Canadians about Kunitz. They can go ahead and leave him off their team (even though he's top five in goals and points for Canadians...).

If only one winger goes from the Pens, I'd prefer Neal. In the couple games he's played with Sid since injury, he's been lighting it up. I just don't think Kunitz can keep up on the world stage.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Kane, Kessel, Parise, Kesler, I don't think we lack any offensive skill. Yeah we have a decent amount of two way guys, but you go top heavy with all offensive talented forwards and who is out there to PK, who is out there to shut down the opposing teams top lines?

IMO, you need guys like Brown, Backes, Callahan on this team. Unless you want consistently lose games 6-5 and bounced out early. I have faith in what they're doing.

I have no problem with those captains being on the team, it's the Pacioretty's, Wheeler's and Oshie's of the world, that aren't really great at any one thing or aren't really special in any category

Bobby Ryan is a special goal scorer, one of the best pure goal scorers in the league - and Kyle Okposo has been great for the Islanders - a guy like Pacioretty can be great for a 3-5 game stretch but then he's invisible for that same amount of stretch - Blake Wheeler's a solid player(one of the better Jets this season) but he's not great at any one category - and Oshie's on the team because of the chemistry w/ Backes

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

I have no problem with those captains being on the team, it's the Pacioretty's, Wheeler's and Oshie's of the world, that aren't really great at any one thing or aren't really special in any category

Bobby Ryan is a special goal scorer, one of the best pure goal scorers in the league - and Kyle Okposo has been great for the Islanders - a guy like Pacioretty can be great for a 3-5 game stretch but then he's invisible for that same amount of stretch - Blake Wheeler's a solid player(one of the better Jets this season) but he's not great at any one category - and Oshie's on the team because of the chemistry w/ Backes

Honestly, only one I would replace is Wheeler. Patches has been on fire since coming back, he can score goals. he's got some grit and fight in him, will fit in well on the 3rd line. Oshie I think was strictly brought on to play with Backes, much like he does now in St Louis. And if something is working, why break it?

 

[Cobiemonster]

Honestly, only one I would replace is Wheeler. Patches has been on fire since coming back, he can score goals. he's got some grit and fight in him, will fit in well on the 3rd line. Oshie I think was strictly brought on to play with Backes, much like he does now in St Louis. And if something is working, why break it?

There's been rumblings in MTL about Patches not getting along with some of the management/coaching staff there, don't know how true that is but I wonder if that'd be anything alarming to anyone

I get the whole chemistry thing, but I think you try to put your absolute best roster that you can

 

[craigk217]

Crosby, Neal, & Letang. All Canadian. Damn!! Canada could put a second team in the Olympics and many would expect them to play each other for the Gold.

There's alot of truth to that one! Canada is loaded, but I always wonder about the goalies ... that's just me.

 

[element1286]

Guys...shhhhh...stop reminding the Canadians about Kunitz. They can go ahead and leave him off their team (even though he's top five in goals and points for Canadians...).

Truth, they should take Kunitz-Crosby-Neal and make it a line, just like they did with Heatley-Thornton-Marleau last time around.

 

[forty_three]

Team USA GM Poile apologizes to Senators' Ryan for comments

I haven't been following much of what was said, but looks like David Poile wants to apologize to Bobby Ryan. And that Ryan was on the "final" roster and looks like Burkie cut him at the last minute?

I have no idea.



Oh, and the Jackets on air guys said that Jack Johnson found out he wasn't on the team by watching the show after the Winter Classic. With a house full of friends. Granted, I didn't want him on the team and he hasn't played well enough consistently to be there...

But that sucks. Who's runnin this show?

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Well you have to hope that rather than crush their confidence the guys that got snubbed will play balls to the wall here on out to make them look foolish for leaving them off.