Sochi Games: Team USA

[jstewismybastardson]

USA not bringing a goalie coach as per Kevin Woodley

does it matter?

/fwiw: no official goalie coach for canada either ... i think they need one ... as woodley said ... not to change anyones style in a 2 week tournament but for advice/mental soothing (lol)

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

USA not bringing a goalie coach as per Kevin Woodley

does it matter?

I think it does. Goalies under Bylsma & Lavy have played like shit for the past two years. We need somebody to keep both of them away from our goalies.

 

[Trudem]

I think it does. Goalies under Bylsma & Lavy have played like shit for the past two years. We need somebody to keep both of them away from our goalies.

yes they need to keep their mitts off of Howard.

 

[DevilishWon]

Ben Kuzma ‏@benkuzma 13m
Laviolette, Richards, Granato named assistants to Bylsma for U.S. Olympic team. No Tortorella, assistant in 2010. #canucks

Nothing official but I heard they wanted to make the team less douchy

 

[mattola]

Nothing official but I heard they wanted to make the team less douchy

and they still invited Kesler?

 

[DevilishWon]

and they still invited Kesler?

less douchy....not douche free

 

[mattola]

less douchy....not douche free

Fair

 

[pixburgher66]

Is a goalie coach really that necessary? It's a few weeks...and if one seems to crumble, there's a very suitable backup and backup's backup. Well...for the US that is. I would be confident with any of the goalies on that roster being the starter.

 

[naslundfan19]

Craig Anderson may have something to say about that.

So will Cory Schneider.

 

[Darkstone42]

He could but I really think Howard is coming into his own now. HAd a great year and then also got the nice contract. I think Howard takes the next step...not to take anything away from Anderson. In all honesty, I think they both had better years than Quick.

I think Anderson's the best goaltender in hockey right now. If he's healthy, I think he's the starter. I'd put Howard, Miller, and Schneider tied for third on the depth chart after Anderson and Quick, with an order depending on their performance at the time.

 

[Darkstone42]

Also, I like this roster overall. They'll have to slow the game down and play a low-scoring style, but they have a great set of goaltenders, some very sound defensive defensemen, and a glut of defensively responsible forwards and grinders. I think they could wear teams down and frustrate them. Whether or not it will be enough to win the gold, I'm not sure, but I do expect them to medal.

 

[esls79]

I'm probably the only one out there that sees it this way, but I'd go Quick, Mr. Anderson and Gibson as my three.

In what have you done for me lately, Gibson did lead the WC team to a bronze, which is pretty impressive when you look at the roster and who the head coach was.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Strength of our team is goaltending. I think we will have the best goaltending in the tournament.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Is a goalie coach really that necessary? It's a few weeks...and if one seems to crumble, there's a very suitable backup and backup's backup. Well...for the US that is. I would be confident with any of the goalies on that roster being the starter.

I'm just glad my team's goalie isn't going to be talking to Bylsma or Laviolette.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

No Brodeur for Canada, please no Schneider for USA. Let those boys rest, they'll be doing some heavy lifting this year and could use a 2 week break.

 

[TiLoBrown]

IDK Canada should bring Marty. They may need more scoring

 

[dash]

Craig Custance ranks the US goalies:

Here's an early handicap of how the American goalies line up heading into the season:

1. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings

Back in 2010, when Quick was in Vancouver as the third Team USA goalie (essentially to gain international experience at the highest level), I asked him what it was like to have the label of USA Hockey's goalie of the future. Even being at the Olympics in the flesh didn't make it any easier to the expectations that he'd be starting in goal for the Americans down the road.

"That's too hard to even think about," he said. He's accomplished so much since then that's it's almost hard to envision anybody else in Sochi as the American No. 1 goalie. He'll return to the Olympics, not as a kid gaining experience, but as an experienced goalie with a Stanley Cup ring, a Conn Smythe trophy and a career playoff save percentage of .929, including .946 and .934 the last two seasons. He starts the season as the favorite.

2. Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings

We look back now at the 2013 playoffs and remember Corey Crawford's resiliency and ability to bounce back from bad moments to help propel the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup. And at times, we forget just how close Howard came to ending Chicago's run and carrying Detroit to the Western Conference finals in an outcome that might have further raised his profile like Crawford's. The Red Wings were up 2-1 in the third period of a Game 6 that could have eliminated Chicago and Howard's strong play that series was a huge reason.

Howard finished the 2013 playoffs with a .924 save percentage and in three Detroit wins over the eventual champs, allowed just two goals in a postseason that solidified him as a playoff performer. He gained international experience in the 2012 World Championships, where he went 5-2 with a .910 save percentage.

Custance lists the rest of the goalies in this order, 3. Ryan Miller, 4. Craig Anderson, 5. Cory Schneider and 6. John Gibson.

 

[mattola]

new unis

 

[dash]

^

Can't say I'm a fan of those unis...

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Yuck