but they aren't picking an all-star team, they are trying to pick a team that will win a gold medal

Stepan has captained a Team USA junior team to a gold medal, led the tourney in scoring and has been a better player than Okposo their entire careers, except the first 41 games this season

And, Stepan is a center, he is an excellent defensive forward and he kills penalties
- jimbro83

Yes agree complete this I why Stephan made it brings many differnt things to the table.
Also it sounds the like the fact that the ice size is bigger played a big role in players like Okposo and Ryan not making it. Wanted a more skating team.

Yes agree complete this I why Stephan made it brings many differnt things to the table.
Also it sounds the like the fact that the ice size is bigger played a big role in players like Okposo and Ryan not making it. Wanted a more skating team.
- fquicks

Isles fans gonna go ape poop
- jimbro83

Yes they are and making it a Rangers thing, makes total sense though

[quote=B2B76]

Yea I'm not big on the whole spelling things correctly

No, I'm mad at him cause he does nothing to improve his skating to go with his great skills.
- OLDSCHOOL#6

It's not his skating, it's his strength

It's not his skating, it's his strength
- cranford93

Maybe it's both.

I've got a big problem with Howard making it ahead of Schneider and Bishop, I would have made a sacrifice for Ryan plus Yandle and Johnson snubbed in favor of Fowler? Really?

And it's pretty clear bylsma wanted his defenseman in Martin and orpik which is dumb
- mrhattrick27

Also maybe I'm a bit crazy but the article said "Ryan Callahan is playing red hot and sliding up to a 2nd line role" am I watching the same games???

So reading that article it seems the team is as follows:

Parise-Pavelski-Kane
Brown-Backes-Kessel
JVR-Kessler-Callahan
Patch-Step-wheeler

Suter-Martin
Mac-Shattenkirk
Carlson-Faulk

Also maybe I'm a bit crazy but the article said "Ryan Callahan is playing red hot and sliding up to a 2nd line role" am I watching the same games???

So reading that article it seems the team is as follows:

Parise-Pavelski-Kane
Brown-Backes-Kessel
JVR-Kessler-Callahan
Patch-Step-wheeler

Suter-Martin
Mac-Shattenkirk
Carlson-Faulk
- mrhattrick27

Butch said it best. This team was picked a long time ago.

Yes agree complete this I why Stephan made it brings many differnt things to the table.
Also it sounds the like the fact that the ice size is bigger played a big role in players like Okposo and Ryan not making it. Wanted a more skating team.
- fquicks

Stephan

I don't want to beat a dead horse. But simply put Yandle, Buff and Ryan got screwed. Stepan doesn't have enough skating ability or foot speed to skate on the big ice. No good

I don't want to beat a dead horse. But simply put Yandle, Buff and Ryan got screwed. Stepan doesn't have enough skating ability or foot speed to skate on the big ice. No good
- tomburton99

Yea I absolutely agree with you on this. I love Steps but I was shocked he made it and Bobby Ryan didn't. With regards to Okposo not making it and Steps making it over him, who cares. K.O is having a very nice season but lets get real here he was a long shot to begin with. Steps is the better overall player as well.

Stephan
- mighty13duck

Still crying, I see,

Yea I absolutely agree with you on this. I love Steps but I was shocked he made it and Bobby Ryan didn't. With regards to Okposo not making it and Steps making it over him, who cares. K.O is having a very nice season but lets get real here he was a long shot to begin with. Steps is the better overall player as well.
- adwolf130

Sush, some homer isles fans might hear you .

I don't want to beat a dead horse. But simply put Yandle, Buff and Ryan got screwed. Stepan doesn't have enough skating ability or foot speed to skate on the big ice. No good
- tomburton99

No, you're no fing good, just stfu.

No, you're no fing good, just stfu.
- JohnnyNYR

Waah. Paul Martin has 11 point and 16 hits. He's not an Olympian. Stepan as a center isn't an Olympian. Please provide something to tell me I'm wrong.

No, you're no fing good, just stfu.
- JohnnyNYR

Sush, some homer isles fans might hear you .
- JohnnyNYR

Funny calling other fans homers, but when someone has a negative opinion about any Ranger player you go nuts.

Waah. Paul Martin has 11 point and 16 hits. He's not an Olympian. Stepan as a center isn't an Olympian. Please provide something to tell me I'm wrong.
- tomburton99

They seem to be going for the chemistry
Backes-Oshie
Kessel-JVR
Callahan-Stepan
On defense with Orpik-Martin

Plus LeBrun added in his blog that they like Callahan and Stepan to be a duo on penatly kills as well. They built this team for players with specific roles, not necessarily the top 25 best players.

They seem to be going for the chemistry
Backes-Oshie
Kessel-JVR
Callahan-Stepan
On defense with Orpik-Martin

Plus LeBrun added in his blog that they like Callahan and Stepan to be a duo on penatly kills as well. They built this team for players with specific roles, not necessarily the top 25 best players.
- TPC

I only have a problem with Martin, Faulk and Stepan. Not saying I hate Stepan. But strictly speaking. He's going to get eaten alive at the dot. He's a gamer, that can't be denied. But he's an Olympic caliber center in my mind.

I only have a problem with Martin, Faulk and Stepan. Not saying I hate Stepan. But strictly speaking. He's going to get eaten alive at the dot. He's a gamer, that can't be denied. But he's an Olympic caliber center in my mind.
- tomburton99

It wouldn't surprise me if Stepan is more of a 4th liner - penalty kill guy on this USA team. He might not see much ice time anyway. He is a pretty good defensive forward. Could be huge asset to team USA

this is some nucks lightning game right now

It wouldn't surprise me if Stepan is more of a 4th liner - penalty kill guy on this USA team. He might not see much ice time anyway. He is a pretty good defensive forward. Could be huge asset to team USA
- TPC

This. He will have a similar role that drury had last olympics. Usa knows that adding ryan or KO or whoever still doesn't bridge the ridiculous talent gap between canada and them so they're building a hockey team and not an allstar team as jimbo said.

Stepan is bergeron-esque defensively and will be on the ice whenever crosby is to shut him down.

I am surprised ryan didn't make it though mainly because I thought he was our best and most confident forward the last olympics. He's having a good year too.

Okposo is still an unknown compared to the other wingers, which is usa's strength in terms of depth, since the rest of them have more proven track records. If okposo keeps up this play for the next 4 years, he'll be on the next olympic team.

Defense was a little shocking but they picked some shutdown guys because again, a guy like yandle or buff aren't going to make up the difference offensively against teams like canada. Orpik and martin are able to shut canada down though.

This. He will have a similar role that drury had last olympics. Usa knows that adding ryan or KO or whoever still doesn't bridge the ridiculous talent gap between canada and them so they're building a hockey team and not an allstar team as jimbo said.

Stepan is bergeron-esque defensively and will be on the ice whenever crosby is to shut him down.

I am surprised ryan didn't make it though mainly because I thought he was our best and most confident forward the last olympics. He's having a good year too.

Okposo is still an unknown compared to the other wingers, which is usa's strength in terms of depth, since the rest of them have more proven track records. If okposo keeps up this play for the next 4 years, he'll be on the next olympic team.

Defense was a little shocking but they picked some shutdown guys because again, a guy like yandle or buff aren't going to make up the difference offensively against teams like canada. Orpik and martin are able to shut canada down though.
- rangerdanger94

I am all for building a team and not a collection of all stars, but even cognizant of that, Ryan still deserves a place on the team.

I like Stepan but there is no way he is Bergeron-esque defensively, especially when you factor in how weak he can be at times on faceoffs. If that concerned about center men, which is why Stepan and Stastny made it, I would have added Dubinsky as a fourth line, grit, physical, penalty killing center and also had Ryan on the squad.

On D, Faulk is not a shut down D man, though think he is the eighth defenseman. I would have taken Yandle over him, Buff as well, since he can be physical in front. Understand he is overweight, but don't think that would have been as big of a detriment that others believe it is.

I like Stepan but there is no way he is Bergeron-esque defensively, especially when you factor in how weak he can be at times on faceoffs. If that concerned about center men, which is why Stepan and Stastny made it, I would have added Dubinsky as a fourth line, grit, physical, penalty killing center and also had Ryan on the squad.
- airjan23

Agreed. I would have used Dubinsky as the 2nd coming of Michael Peca for the Olympics

I am all for building a team and not a collection of all stars, but even cognizant of that, Ryan still deserves a place on the team.

I like Stepan but there is no way he is Bergeron-esque defensively, especially when you factor in how weak he can be at times on faceoffs. If that concerned about center men, which is why Stepan and Stastny made it, I would have added Dubinsky as a fourth line, grit, physical, penalty killing center and also had Ryan on the squad.

On D, Faulk is not a shut down D man, though think he is the eighth defenseman. I would have taken Yandle over him, Buff as well, since he can be physical in front. Understand he is overweight, but don't think that would have been as big of a detriment that others believe it is.
- airjan23

I definitely think Dubinsky would have been a good choice over Stepan, and that's what it came down to, the coaches chose Stepan.

Okposo wasn't even a consideration, he had 6 points his last two games, and most certainly the team was already determined by then.