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My Picks for Team USA forwards (and who they compare to from the past) |
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As many of you remember, I attended Team USA Camp in Chicago and I left with three major impressions:
#1. Brian Burke was building a team. Burke himself said that he wasn't looking for the 23 most talented Americans, he was looking for the 23 Americans that could best help this team compete in the Olympic Games in Vancouver. That meant two scoring lines and then grit. If you were generally classified as a "top 6 forward" but you weren't a "top 6 forward on this team" you weren't going to be on this team. At the time of the camp the two names everyone was sort of throwing around that could get left out were Bobby Ryan and Phil Kessel. Both players are unquestionably top 6 guys who are purely on the ice to score goals.
#2. Just because players weren't in camp, it didn't mean they were not being considered. The list was far bigger than the guys invited to Chicago, and Burke himself personally called many of the non-invitees to tell them that they were still on the radar and that he didn't have to decide until the last second. These players were told that October through the end of December were the real tryout for team USA. Not the camp in Chicago.
#3. I also left with the distinctive knowledge that there were some stone cold locks on this team. Some of the ones I was told were obvious: Parise, Stastny and Brown. Others were a little surprising...Backes and Kesler...
So as we sit here now, roughly a month from decision day I thought it was worth a shot to take those three factors into play and come up with my team USA. The group of Burke, Poile, Waddell, Holmgren, Shero, Lombardi and Jimmy Johansson are a tight knit group. In fact it is my opinion the best and most experienced leadership group of any country competing in these Olympics. It is perhaps the best, unwritten story (although I am sure it will be written) that the state of Hockey in America and Team USA have never been more capably handled.
I also thought it would be fun to try to compare the current forwards who remind me of the best American hockey players to ever play the game.
Line 1:
Zach Parise: He will likely be the team's captain and in my opinion will one day challenge Modano, Roenick, Lafontaine and the rest and could be the most talented American Hockey player we have yet seen. Parise is the Lafontaine of this group.
Paul Stastny: One of the smartest hockey players in the game, Paul sees the ice better and anticipates the play better than almost anyone. Stastny is the Neil Broten of this group.
Phil Kessel: He was a question mark, but surely is no more. If they were worried about his gut and if he could handle pressure they must worry no more...being called on to be the savior of the Maple Leafs and performing. Kessel is the Amonte of this group.
Line 2:
Joe Pavelski: Since returning from Injured Reserve he has 6 points in his last five games. Joe brings some true playmaking to the second line. He is the Doug Weight of this group.
Patrick Kane: Another slow starter but he is back to his point a game self. Kane is the most dynamic American right now in that he can make something out of nothing and can light up the arena at any point. Kane is the Roenick of this group.
Bobby Ryan: He is in my opinion going to become the Mike Modano of this group as the years go by. Bobby is such a smooth skater and has abilities upon which you always feel he is just starting to touch. I always felt Modano was the most raw talented American to play the game and had he played at his highest level all the time he would have been right up there with ANY player that has ever played the game.
Line 3:
Dustin Brown: Another possible choice for captain, Brown is simply the hardest working player I have ever seen. If there is a player that never takes a shift off and will put it all on the line it is Dustin Brown. He is this team's Mike Eruzione.
Ryan Kesler: Another fierce character who will go through walls to win a game. He is a very popular player and will block a shot as quickly as he will score a goal. I feel that Kesler is the Guerin of this team.
Ryan Malone: I love this line. So much heart and grit. Malone brings another true stabilizing force and great leadership along with the experience of being a lifer in hockey. Ryan will do anything to score and he goes to the net with incredible determination. Malone is the Tkachuk of this group
Line 4:
Chris Drury: Forget about his stats. I know the team USA heads don't care about his 6 points in 18 games. If you pull the goalie and are looking for a guy to come in as your 6th man who you can be assured will score a clutch goal from an impossible angle Chris Drury is your guy. Tough to find the right comparison, but perhaps Drury is the Rolston of this group.
Kyle Okposo: An Islander and a Ranger playing together??? To me this spot is between Gionta and Okposo, but since you know that Okposo will be on this team for the next 4 Olympics and since Okposo has put up an impressive 13 points in 20 games on a team that has a hard time scoring I would look to Kyle over Brian. Plus this team needs size and while Kyle is 6'1" Gionta at 5'7" doesn't help you there. Kyle is the Kevin Stevens of this group.
R.J. Umberger: I am going with R.J. because of what he has shown he can do in pressure situations, his ability to score points with limited ice time, and his size. In 21 playoff games over the last two NHL seasons R.J. has scored 13 goals and 5 assists for 19 points. He scored 10 goals in 17 games in Philly playing on the third line. Last year despite the Jackets being swept by the Red Wings he had 3 goals in 4 games. Some guys have a knack for performing under pressure and where besides the Olympics will the pressure ever be greater?
Taxi Squad:
My theory here is to bring scoring. Guys who you know you can pop into the lineup if one of your top 6 goes down. If you are going to go with a team with two defined scoring lines then really you should have insurance against one of those 6 going down.
David Booth: Booth has struggled this season, but watching the camp and also watching David Booth I could argue that he is the best pure "sniper" the Americans have and his slow start is a testament to this. Snipers are by their nature streaky players. Prior to his injury he was Ice cold, but if Booth gets healthy and can get hot at the right time you would probably want him on your top unit. Booth is the Joey Mullen of this group.
James van Riemsdyk: There are so many opinions on James that are out there, but there are only two factors that are keeping him off the main roster right now.
#1 is his physicality. Sometimes reputations die long deaths in the NHL. Last year the knock on James was his lack of killer instinct. That I believe has morphed into him not being a physical enough player. James isn't exactly a power forward, but he also isn't getting pushed around.
#2 his experience. This is valid, although just because James chose the college route and took more time developing doesn't mean he is totally inexperienced. Remember, he is the same age and was drafted directly behind Patrick Kane. I had my doubts that he belonged here when the camp invitees were sent out as well. But watching him so far, I have zero doubts he belongs on this team. 17 points in 15 games and a 3 game goal scoring streak are only stats. He is always in the right areas to score and has the "it" factor working for him. I have tlaked to people who tell me he is a definite for 2014 and beyond so why not bring him along and get him the experience. It work for Canada when they brought a youngster named Jarome iginla along. James is the John LeClair of this group.
Rumors to come.
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