Dean Blais to coach 2010 U.S. WJC Team

Excellent choice IMO: http://www.usahockey.com/world_junior_championships/default.aspx?id=262568&DetailedNews=yes

Mike Lee for one of the goaltending spots!

Excellent choice! I'm really glad they didn't just hand the job over to the NTDP coaches as they've done recently.

I was hoping for Laviolette (but I'm assuming he'll be hired this offseason) or Eaves, but Blais was the most logical choice IMO.

Excellent choice! I'm really glad they didn't just hand the job over to the NTDP coaches as they've done recently.

I was hoping for Laviolette (but I'm assuming he'll be hired this offseason) or Eaves, but Blais was the most logical choice IMO.

Blais strikes me as having a "Canadian" view of the game, which isn't a bad thing when coaching in the WJC's. He favors a lot of speed, grit, and determination. It will be interesting to see who makes the team, as there will be a ton of turnover (just four returnees I believe).

Blais strikes me as having a "Canadian" view of the game, which isn't a bad thing when coaching in the WJC's. He favors a lot of speed, grit, and determination. It will be interesting to see who makes the team, as there will be a ton of turnover (just four returnees I believe).

I think you're spot on as Blais basically says the same thing himself (http://tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=280196).

The four returnees are Schroeder, Wahl, Johnson and Kristo. You'd have to think all four are locks to return as Schroeder will be one of the top players in the tournament, and Johnson/Kristo fit the mold of Blais type players. I was really underwhelmed with Wahl in the last tournament but with so little experience here, he would be helpful.

What really hurts this team is that our #1 d-pairing could be Bogosian and Carlson. Obviously Bogo won't be there, but this team really needs to have Carlson be eligible to play.

What really hurts this team is that our #1 d-pairing could be Bogosian and Carlson. Obviously Bogo won't be there, but this team really needs to have Carlson be eligible to play.
Cam Fowler is the #1 even if Carlson makes it, he's a stud. Then you have John Moore, who can replace what Carlson brings. So can Gardiner. Plus Comrie, Ness, Warsofsky, Wrenn, etc. They shouldn't be hurting too badly on D.

Could you imagine? Bogosian, Fowler, Carlson, and Moore would all be first pairings on any other team.

Sounds like a good choice. From what he has said, I like his plan already. I feel the grit and determination factor has been slightly absent from recent teams.
I dont think that this team will be deep by any stretch of the imagination but should still be able to assemble a team that will vi for Gold.
A possible lineup could look as the following:

Cichy-McCrae-Schroeder
Wohlberg-Johnson-Wahl
Morin-Stepan-Kristo
Ryan-Shore- Brown
Hanowski
Fowler-Comrie
Gardiner-Bowman
Ness/Warsofsky-Helgeson
Merrill
Nicastro
Donovan

Lee

Cam Fowler is the #1 even if Carlson makes it, he's a stud. Then you have John Moore, who can replace what Carlson brings. So can Gardiner. Plus Comrie, Ness, Warsofsky, Wrenn, etc. They shouldn't be hurting too badly on D.

Could you imagine? Bogosian, Fowler, Carlson, and Moore would all be first pairings on any other team.

Cam Fowler is damn good but they'd both be #1's IMO and it would definitely be a nice problem to have.

It'll be interesting to see who makes the team. Hopefully since Blais is the coach and not Rolson or Haynes, we won't see 8 of the same type of d-men on the team this year like we got last year. It was such a sham that players like Carlson and Petrecki were snubbed last year.

With only four returnees, and a coach not tied to the USNTDP, I'd suspect this year's evaluation camp will mean more than one has in a long time. So many spots available, and coming off of 3 disappointing finishes in a row, I'd hope this team isn't as predictable as the past teams have been.

That defense would be amazing if possible and Bogosian would dominate beyond belief, and while it does hurt our results, it is a damn fine indicator of how far USA Hockey has come since the dead decade we had of talent after the golden generation.

I'm glad they're trying something different with coaching but Blais is going to have to really pull it together for this team to have positive results.

I think this is the weakest group in years.

The forward depth, both at the high end and overall, is really weak. Schroeder is going to have to prove he can produce without JVR and Wilson. The last time he was without them was at the U18's a few years back and he had 5 points in 7 games. He had had twice that the year before as an underager (with JVR and Wilson). The only other forward who I think has high end ability is Morin. I suspect some players will do better than people think but it will only be because there aren't any more talented players to take the ice time.

Defense isn't much better. Especially if Carlson isn't there.

Lee (who's got the job in the bag now) could go either way in goal.

Then again, this seems to be another weak group for most nations so it's possible the results will end up in thier favor.

I'm glad they're trying something different with coaching but Blais is going to have to really pull it together for this team to have positive results.

I think this is the weakest group in years.

The forward depth, both at the high end and overall, is really weak. Schroeder is going to have to prove he can produce without JVR and Wilson. The last time he was without them was at the U18's a few years back and he had 5 points in 7 games. He had had twice that the year before as an underager (with JVR and Wilson). The only other forward who I think has high end ability is Morin. I suspect some players will do better than people think but it will only be because there aren't any more talented players to take the ice time.

Defense isn't much better. Especially if Carlson isn't there.

Lee (who's got the job in the bag now) could go either way in goal.

Then again, this seems to be another weak group for most nations so it's possible the results will end up in thier favor.

Fair points, although look where talent has gotten the U.S. in recent years....My hope is Blais is enough of a differance maker at coach to make up for what might be a less talented group of players.

Fair points, although look where talent has gotten the U.S. in recent years....My hope is Blais is enough of a differance maker at coach to make up for what might be a less talented group of players.

Most US coaches tend to fall short of (my) expectations, especially at the U20s. It's nice to think of the idea of a good team of lesser talents doing what other more talented teams haven't but when you factor in US U20 teams' tendencies towards inconsistancy, lack of chemisty, and penchant for underestimating thier opponents/overestimating thier own abilities it's hard to be positive.

Most US coaches tend to fall short of (my) expectations, especially at the U20s. It's nice to think of the idea of a good team of lesser talents doing what other more talented teams haven't but when you factor in US U20 teams' tendencies towards inconsistancy, lack of chemisty, and penchant for underestimating thier opponents/overestimating thier own abilities it's hard to be positive.

I will agree that there have been more issues than coaching over the past few years, but I have a good feeling about Blais. We should get a solid read on what the team should like when the roster for the evaluation camp is released, which should be in the next week or so.

The Coaches are in a difficult postion (including Blais), it is hard to get a look at all the players with all the talent spread out from the USHL, NCAA, NTDP, WHL, OHL. Ultimately you would like to see the players more than just at Lake Placid.
In previous camps they invite way too many players, who end up playing just a hand full of shifts, then trying to get a read on them for a tournament that takes place 6 months away.
A huge advantage for the Canadian teams is the coaching staff consists of a coach from all three CHL leagues. These coaches have a pulse on seeing the potential players multiple times.