Olympic Rosters

[Shep]

How did Orpik make it over Erik Johnson? Jeez..

[KapG]

Orpik is essential for their PK.

Orpiks garbage now

[KapG]

How did Orpik make it over Erik Johnson? Jeez..

I can only think that was a shero and bylsma influenced pick there.

[Nick]

My team, not to be confused with what I think the Canadian Board will select.

Nash - Crosby - Giroux
Staal - Getzlaf - Perry
St Louis - Tavares - Stamkos
Toews - Couture - Sharp
Bergeron

** because I believe many of the choices is about weighing risk vs reward, I believe playoff performances will be given extra preference, and having left handed players on the left side, right handed players on the right. Olympic caliber skill is first priority, follower by my belief of hockey IQ + foot speed, I picked MSL over Duchene/Hall because there is less risk, more how to win and a better defensive game, sharp because of the same reasoning + right handed

All on correct side, firm belief on the importance of this:

Keith - Weber
Vlasic - Doughty
Bouwmeester - Pieterangelo
Subban


Price
Luongo
Crawford

[Nick]

How did Orpik make it over Erik Johnson? Jeez..

I can only think that was a shero and bylsma influenced pick there.

Read the article , it's great. GM's all wanted orpik, coaches influence used on fowler and oshie was my take away.

[Robin Hood]

I personally don't understand the uproar regarding Bobby Ryan on bbkl.

The US cannot be built like Team Canada. They don't have 20 Franchise players to choose from who are all swiss army knives like Jonathan Toews. They have to take a toolbox team. Bobby Ryan is not better than Parise, Kane, Kessel, and arguably JVR (who has to play with Kessel). He can't PK nor is he good enough to be on a PP Unit with those 4 elite wingers.

Why the hell would you take him?

[kimmer]

Bevause he is sheps MSP

[Shep]

I personally don't understand the uproar regarding Bobby Ryan on bbkl.

The US cannot be built like Team Canada. They don't have 20 Franchise players to choose from who are all swiss army knives like Jonathan Toews. They have to take a toolbox team. Bobby Ryan is not better than Parise, Kane, Kessel, and arguably JVR (who has to play with Kessel). He can't PK nor is he good enough to be on a PP Unit with those 4 elite wingers.

Why the hell would you take him?

I would easily take him over JVR, Pac, Oshie, Wheeler.I'd take him over Brown and Callahan, too. They both PK 1min/G or less and there are more than enough other forwards to PK and Ryan is twice the offensive player as Brown and Callahan.

[Shep]

Bevause he is sheps MSP

No he isn't. That would be Semin.

[Robin Hood]

I personally don't understand the uproar regarding Bobby Ryan on bbkl.

The US cannot be built like Team Canada. They don't have 20 Franchise players to choose from who are all swiss army knives like Jonathan Toews. They have to take a toolbox team. Bobby Ryan is not better than Parise, Kane, Kessel, and arguably JVR (who has to play with Kessel). He can't PK nor is he good enough to be on a PP Unit with those 4 elite wingers.

Why the hell would you take him?

I would easily take him over JVR, Pac, Oshie, Wheeler.I'd take him over Brown and Callahan, too. They both PK 1min/G or less and there are more than enough other forwards to PK and Ryan is twice the offensive player as Brown and Callahan.

Cannot agree with any of this. But fair enough.

[shooker]

Although JVR has turned into a legit scoring threat in Toronto he is still no where the player that Ryan is and certainly not close to Kane, Kessel and Parise. Ryan however, is close. Ryan makes his line whereas JVR's linemates (kessel) make him better. I don't think JVR belongs in the same sentence as those 4 names. I do believe he belongs on the team, just in a bottom 6 role. I think Ryan should have made it as a top 6 without question.

As for your argument about US not being able to be built like team Canada I completely agree but as for this as your reasoning for Ryan being left off the team I couldn't agree less. In fact that there is almost too much focus on that rational. What the states have in excess are two way players such as Callahan, Backes, Kesler, Pavelski, Brown, Stepan, JVR, Wheeler, Oshie and even Parise but what they lack is pure offensive talent. Yes the have Parise, Kessel and Kane but the list for high end offensive punch drops off after that and that is where Bobby Ryan would have fit in nicely.

I am all for a team based on 200 ft players but at some point you need the game breakers. This American team will be a bitch to play against because of the heart and work ethic of their top players, minus kessel of course haha, so overall I like their chances to win a medal. I just really don't get the omissions of both yandle + ryan.

This opinion is what I think most share and why bbkl conveys a sense of disbelief in Bobby Ryan's absence.

[Shep]

Although JVR has turned into a legit scoring threat in Toronto he is still no where the player that Ryan is and certainly not close to Kane, Kessel and Parise. Ryan however, is close. Ryan makes his line whereas JVR's linemates (kessel) make him better. I don't think JVR belongs in the same sentence as those 4 names. I do believe he belongs on the team, just in a bottom 6 role. I think Ryan should have made it as a top 6 without question.

As for your argument about US not being able to be built like team Canada I completely agree but as for this as your reasoning for Ryan being left off the team I couldn't agree less. In fact that there is almost too much focus on that rational. What the states have in excess are two way players such as Callahan, Backes, Kesler, Pavelski, Brown, Stepan, JVR, Wheeler, Oshie and even Parise but what they lack is pure offensive talent. Yes the have Parise, Kessel and Kane but the list for high end offensive punch drops off after that and that is where Bobby Ryan would have fit in nicely.

I am all for a team based on 200 ft players but at some point you need the game breakers. This American team will be a bitch to play against because of the heart and work ethic of their top players, minus kessel of course haha, so overall I like their chances to win a medal. I just really don't get the omissions of both yandle + ryan.

This opinion is what I think most share and why bbkl conveys a sense of disbelief in Bobby Ryan's absence.

Exactly the way I feel. They went too far in the two-way player direction. At some point, they need that gamebreaker and Ryan scores clutch goals. He had 4 straight 30 goal seasons before the lockout and is on pace for another one this year.

Callahan, Oshie, Van Riemsdyk, Brown, Pacioretty and Wheeler have 2 30 goal seasons combined in their careers. These names aren't cherry-picked they are the wingers that I'd have easily taken Ryan over.

Oh well. When they are losing a bunch of 2-1 games, they'll be wondering why their team isn't scoring.

[kimmer]

Ya. Its bevause they know the sharp heavy shooters will lose 5 mph ln theirs regular shots on a longer ice surface

[Robin Hood]

Although JVR has turned into a legit scoring threat in Toronto he is still no where the player that Ryan is and certainly not close to Kane, Kessel and Parise. Ryan however, is close. Ryan makes his line whereas JVR's linemates (kessel) make him better. I don't think JVR belongs in the same sentence as those 4 names. I do believe he belongs on the team, just in a bottom 6 role. I think Ryan should have made it as a top 6 without question.

As for your argument about US not being able to be built like team Canada I completely agree but as for this as your reasoning for Ryan being left off the team I couldn't agree less. In fact that there is almost too much focus on that rational. What the states have in excess are two way players such as Callahan, Backes, Kesler, Pavelski, Brown, Stepan, JVR, Wheeler, Oshie and even Parise but what they lack is pure offensive talent. Yes the have Parise, Kessel and Kane but the list for high end offensive punch drops off after that and that is where Bobby Ryan would have fit in nicely.

I am all for a team based on 200 ft players but at some point you need the game breakers. This American team will be a bitch to play against because of the heart and work ethic of their top players, minus kessel of course haha, so overall I like their chances to win a medal. I just really don't get the omissions of both yandle + ryan.

This opinion is what I think most share and why bbkl conveys a sense of disbelief in Bobby Ryan's absence.

1. From a coaching standpoint, You HAVE to pair JVR with Kessel. On the PP, on ES. It's a foregone conclusion.
2. I also do not think the gap between Ryan and JVR is as big as people are making it sound.
3. Ryan doesn't PK
4. The overload of two-way guys you are talking about cannot all PK, play PP and ES. The bottom 6 needs to take pressure off the top 6 guys in terms of ice time for the US to succeed. Hence Oshie before Ryan (and the Oshie-Backes connection is part of it). You have to take Stepan/Stastny so you can carry 5 Cs minimum. If Callahan, Backes, Kesler, Pavelski, Parise play PP1 and Pp2 and PK1 and PK2, you will have an under utilized bottom 6.
5. You have to also think about what type of game the US will play. They will try to win games 2-1 and 3-2 by using goaltending and their grinders to pull off wins.

Those are my reasons. I see the argument "for" Ryan but I don't think it deserves uproar - that is, I think there is an argument on both sides and it is not black and white. Whereas, I'd say the Yandle exclusion deserves a bigger uproar. They went too safe with the D. Yandle will be missed the minute their PP struggles.

[Nick]

You think Fowler to Yandle is a big drop off on the PP2 ?

Ryan has lots of PK experience IMO - I think this was an intensity based decision a the group of GMs wanted every player to be a self-motivator, and they didn't believe he was .


Now - I'm with Shep and the others, Ryan should be on that team everyday ahead of Wheeler or JvR and is too different from oshie to compare - I think the wheeler over Ryan is a real mistake. That's top line talent versus can use space made by first liners.

[Robin Hood]

You think Fowler to Yandle is a big drop off on the PP2 ?

Me? No I don't. But Yandle is a guy you could bring in to mix things up in games.

The one thing here though to keep in mind is that the American's roster > almost every roster except Canada's. When facing Canada/one of the elite teams, they KNOW they will have to own us on the defensive side of the puck or else they are dead in the water. In a Canada vs US game, I'd rather the roster they chose than bringing in Yandle or Ryan as they have to limit as many mistakes as possible and ensure everyone is firing on all cylinders.

[Nick]

I don't think they have the forwards of Russia or the same epic team Sweden will be icing.


Remember, the Russians will be motivated.

[Shep]

Want to know which team is underrated? The Czech's. They could sneak into the Bronze Medal game.

Patrik Elias - David Krejci - Jaromir Jagr
Jiri Hudler - Tomas Plekanec - Jakub Voracek
Ondrej Palat - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata
Tomas Fleischmann - Vladimir Sobotka - Roman Cervenka
Ales Hemsky - Michael Frolik

Marek Zidlicky - Ladislav Smid
Jakub Kindl - Zbynek Michalek
Jan Hejda - Petr Caslava
Tomas Kaberle - Radko Gudas

Ondrej Pavelec
Michal Neuvirth
Jakub Kovar

[shooker]

You think Fowler to Yandle is a big drop off on the PP2 ?

I think it is a massive drop. Yandle would be PP1. He is also likely the most under rated offensive Dman in hockey. He has lead his team in scoring and put up elite point totals despite being on a team with very little offensive talent. If he were in a big market or had some players to play with this guy would be appreciated a lot more. While Fowler is much better then just sufficient on the PP, he is no where near the caliber Yandle is imo. Yandles are rare imo. Fowler likely made it over him because he isn't quite as bad defensively which creates a whole new argument haha. I was just talking about the PP drop off as that is the only aspect of play where they would actually miss yandle.

[shooker]

Want to know which team is underrated? The Czech's. They could sneak into the Bronze Medal game.

Patrik Elias - David Krejci - Jaromir Jagr
Jiri Hudler - Tomas Plekanec - Jakub Voracek
Ondrej Palat - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata
Tomas Fleischmann - Vladimir Sobotka - Roman Cervenka
Ales Hemsky - Michael Frolik

Marek Zidlicky - Ladislav Smid
Jakub Kindl - Zbynek Michalek
Jan Hejda - Petr Caslava
Tomas Kaberle - Radko Gudas

Ondrej Pavelec
Michal Neuvirth
Jakub Kovar

one big gaping hole here though. Between those pipes. They will likely be forgotten about and if Pavs gets hot you never know. I agree that they are a darkhorse.