Monday, January 6, 2014

Opinion: Breaking Down Team USA’s 2014 Winter Olympic Hockey Roster (Part Two - Forwards)




In Part One, I detailed the eight defencemen and three goaltenders charged with keeping opposition pucks out of the net throughout the men’s hockey tournament at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, which are only about a month away from starting, and my thoughts on each of the selected players.

Now, in Part Two, I present the fourteen forwards who’ll hopefully be up front, getting the better of opposition goalies, and my thoughts on each one. Some interesting choices – and snubs – amongst this group, which has generated plenty of debate in the days since the roster was announced.

Forwards

David Backes: The St Louis Blues captain is probably, at best, an outside chance to be named captain of his country, and, of course, is a solid choice. There’s a reason why the Blues are surging in the Central Division of the Western Conference, and Backes is a big part of it. By my estimation, the third best centre on the team, and, in a short tournament where there isn’t always the time to develop chemistry amongst guys who rarely, if ever, play together, will probably find himself on a line with his St Louis teammate T.J. Oshie.

Dustin Brown:  The Kings captain is one of those dependable two-way guys, of which the Team USA roster has many. Obviously, they are worried about skating on the bigger ice surface in Sochi, and have gone for players whose on-ice awareness is, if not legendary, certainly well-renowned. A safe choice, and a player who’s been in enough big-game situations not to get overawed.

Ryan Callahan: The New York Rangers captain is well respected for his toughness and grit, and will doubtless be one of the candidates for captain of Team USA. A proven leader, a solid contributor in Vancouver four years ago, and capable of a clutch goal. Another one of those players who just about picks themselves at the selection table.

Patrick Kane: Probably the best player on the Team USA roster, and the guy who you’d finger as the one most likely to turn something into nothing when his team needs it the most. Kane has all the intangibles: he can skate, he can pass, he can create and he definitely knows how to score. Building another great season in Chicago, opposing defencemen and goalies should look out if he gets on a tear in Sochi.

Ryan Kesler: One of my favourite players in the league, and routinely one of Vancouver’s very best. Good at everything he does. Two-way player who can really hustle when he has to. The big ice surface shouldn’t slow him down. A timely goal scorer, and a handy penalty-killer. Responsible on the defensive end, which is hugely important in a tournament stacked with so many superstars that a bad defensive play could very easily turn the tide of a contest and cost your team a medal.

Phil Kessel: Having a brilliant season for Toronto, Kessel was doubtless an automatic pick when the selection committee first sat down to determine the make-up of the Team USA squad for Sochi. Like Patrick Kane, Kessel, a bonafide superstar, has the innate ability to take over a game that all great players possess, and is no stranger to scoring big goals at the most opportune moments. A big Olympics for the Kessel clan: his sister, Amanda, will go for gold as part of the Team USA women’s team.

T.J. Oshie: Will likely end up on a line centred by his St Louis teammate, David Backes. A solid two-way player, Oshie, a graduate of the University of North Dakota, is also a noted penalty killer and has a knack for scoring magical goals. He celebrated USA selection by scoring a pair against Los Angeles Kings on January 2. Dependable, flashy player, who would’ve been considered unlucky if overlooked, but was apparently right on the selection bubble. 

Max Pacioretty: I really love this selection. A favourite up in Montreal, Pacioretty is a big-bodied guy who isn’t afraid to get to the net and get amongst the physical stuff. Strong skater, who should adapt easily to the Olympic-sized rinks we’ll see in Sochi, and has gotten markedly better with every season that he’s been in the league. 

Zach Parise: Remembered for scoring the goal that sent the 2010 Gold Medal Game to overtime, the captain of the Minnesota Wild was probably amongst the first players named to the 2014 roster. When healthy – it’s worth noting that he’s been somewhat slowed by injuries of late – he’s right up there with Kessel and Kane as one of the most dangerous players Team USA is going to be able to put on the ice. Will face a test to be fit for the tournament, which is only about a month away.

Joe Pavelski: The best centre on the Team USA roster, and putting together a huge season in San Jose, I can see the guy once known as Little Joe (in deference to Sharks teammate Jumbo Joe Thornton) perhaps skating with Kane and Parise on either side.

Paul Stastny: Another returnee from 2010, Stastny, a former University of Denver Pioneer and now a member of the Colorado Avalanche (and a dual US/Canadian citizen), will probably see most action from the fourth line, and on the penalty-kill. A long-time Team USA representative. Selection for Sochi is a tip of the hat to a guy who’s always made an effort to represent his country at non-Olympic international tournaments, and last year lead USA to their first World Championship medal – a bronze – since 2004.

Derek Stepan: Stepan, the third New York Ranger on the Team USA roster, and another  University of Wisconsin product, is finally hitting some good form after a contract dispute kept him out of the Rangers pre-season preparations. As much as I’m a Rangers fan, Stepan isn’t a guy I’d have chosen ahead of the snubbed Bobby Ryan, but when he gets going, he’s tough to stop.

James Van Riemsdyk: Another big-bodied guy who Team USA will look to when they need to establish themselves physically, Van Riemsdyk, who scored an important goal in the Winter Classic in rather trying conditions, may very well skate with his Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Kessel. 

Blake Wheeler: Falls into the same category as Stepan. Personally, I’d have chosen the talented Islanders forward Kyle Okposo before Wheeler, a winger from the Winnipeg Jets, but I digress. He does bring size and an imposing physical presence. His skating should be an asset on the bigger ice surface, but, still, I’m not a huge fan of this selection. Will likely see limited ice time.

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