What choices are going to be 2nd guessed by USA Hockey
I was going to post this message before the Russia/US game but decided to wait and see if they lost. If they won nobody would 2nd guess US for wining silver at worst or gold. But because they lost 3 games (especially to Belarus) what decisions will be second guessed?
Heres my thoughts:
Why put Schneider on the team as he has only played 7 games in College hockey when Gerald Coleman has played 2.5 years in OHL and has played amazing all year ( I understand Schneider is next years goalie and 1st roud '04 pick). Coleman I think would have handled being in net against Belarus better than Schnieder and probably outplayed Montoya the way he played.
Next, they should have had Schremp playing on the 2nd line from the beginnig of the tourney.
Kessel should've been on 1st line w/ O'Sullivan
Jack Johnson should have been on the team.
What other questionable moves did they make? Maybe they will have a tryout camp in December, because players grow and change alot from August to December.
eff the Brian Lee fan club...why select a player if you're not going to play him? it seems Jack Johnson according to many was the biggest glaring mistake left home *haven't seen him play* I guess we won't see Coach Suckelin either
Yeah, he was good during that 5 second span when he scored those goals, but the other 59:55 of the hockey game he was useless.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...he played mostly on the powerplay, where you arent exactly asked to play two way hockey and he performed when on the power play by scoring goals. He did what he was asked.
Perhaps the choice not to take Robbie Earl could be an issue.
Choosing Lee over Johnson could be an issue.
I think the keys were beyond USA hockeys control.
The US missed Patrick Eaves and Mark Stuart this year. They were standouts on the gold medal team. That's the WJC, though. Players graduate or play in the NHL and the WJC team suffers for it.
The other key was Montoya. He was great last year and mediocre this season. His struggles weren't the fault of USA hockey any more than what happened with Fleury last year was the fault of Hockey Canada. Maybe the US could have a goalie coach next year like team Canada did this season?
Let's also not forget that if Vorobiev gets called for delay of game, the US might have won that game. I would say that the Russians carried play in the game but until that Vorobiev non-call and the subsequent Russian goal, the game was well within reach.
A bronze medal in a year where Canada is abnormally strong and the Russians have two dominant forwards wouldn't be a result to be ashamed of.
Schremp was probably the worst USA player on the ice. I hope to god he never comes back.
And you all take the time to try and argue with this brilliant and informative post??? I've got a fat seven year old cat who begs at the dinner table, I waste very little time trying to get it to stop, for I realized after a few years that she was simply untrainable.
Perhaps the choice not to take Robbie Earl could be an issue.
Choosing Lee over Johnson could be an issue.
I think the keys were beyond USA hockeys control.
The US missed Patrick Eaves and Mark Stuart this year. They were standouts on the gold medal team. That's the WJC, though. Players graduate or play in the NHL and the WJC team suffers for it.
The other key was Montoya. He was great last year and mediocre this season. His struggles weren't the fault of USA hockey any more than what happened with Fleury last year was the fault of Hockey Canada. Maybe the US could have a goalie coach next year like team Canada did this season?
Let's also not forget that if Vorobiev gets called for delay of game, the US might have won that game. I would say that the Russians carried play in the game but until that Vorobiev non-call and the subsequent Russian goal, the game was well within reach.
A bronze medal in a year where Canada is abnormally strong and the Russians have two dominant forwards wouldn't be a result to be ashamed of.
Someone said it in another thread: The USA just could not replace the horses like Eaves but especially on defense Carle, Stuart, Richmon, and Wisniewski.
It also seemed the USA lacked a system or something. They seemed to be all over the ice scrambling a lot.
USA's coaching sucked. Sandelin is absolutely overrated as a coach. If he hadn't been buddies with Dean Blais, he never would have been selected as a replacement.
I dont understand why they didn't put O'sullivan and Schremp on a line together they had great chemistry with the Icedogs, somthing team usa was missing. Team usa reminds me of the Rangers, a team full of talent and stars but no chemistry at all.
So you are impressed with big stats? How many of those points came on the power play? Fact of the matter is that Schremp was a two-way liability and recognized as such coming to the team. A talented forward, but a guy with substandard skating that could be taken advantage of in the defensive zone or during the transition game. His scoring numbers are what buys him any level of respect at all. He can make some very impressive moves in the offensive zone which makes him dangerous, but he's poor defensively and that makes him equally as dangerous, except to his own cause. Schremp is a player the U.S. could improve upon to take the next step.
So you are impressed with big stats? How many of those points came on the power play? Fact of the matter is that Schremp was a two-way liability and recognized as such coming to the team. A talented forward, but a guy with substandard skating that could be taken advantage of in the defensive zone or during the transition game. His scoring numbers are what buys him any level of respect at all. He can make some very impressive moves in the offensive zone which makes him dangerous, but he's poor defensively and that makes him equally as dangerous, except to his own cause. Schremp is a player the U.S. could improve upon to take the next step.
Perhaps, but the bottom line is Schremp was more beneficial to the team than he was a hazard. It's pretty hard for one to argue that Schremp didn't deserve more ice time, as he wasn't horrible defensively, and not any worse than a lot of forwards on that US team this year.
So you are impressed with big stats? How many of those points came on the power play? Fact of the matter is that Schremp was a two-way liability and recognized as such coming to the team. A talented forward, but a guy with substandard skating that could be taken advantage of in the defensive zone or during the transition game. His scoring numbers are what buys him any level of respect at all. He can make some very impressive moves in the offensive zone which makes him dangerous, but he's poor defensively and that makes him equally as dangerous, except to his own cause. Schremp is a player the U.S. could improve upon to take the next step.
Usa's D sucks anyways, they look like chickens with their heads cut off. Outlet passing was horrible. Did you see the goal when Robbie SKATED up pass the blue line and launched a Rocket to beat the goalie? Or when he droped the puck between his legs and threw it on net which end up a goal? He is not bad on defence either. People dont notice little things like when he back checks and gets a stick on people to slow them down.
schremp was definitely not one of the worst players on usa. i agree he isnt the best skater, but his played well in his role as a goal scorer, and i dont think his defensive liability ouweighed his offensive ability. i had many questions about the players chosen coming into the tourney, if i could have chosen the team it would have looked more like this;
forwards
osullivan
stafford
d fritsche
kessel
schremp
hennessey
callahan
t fritsche
earl
porter
hensick
bourque
pinneault
defense
suter
borer
johnson
thelen
lashoff
byfuglien
brennan/hagemo/macias
it seems Jack Johnson according to many was the biggest glaring mistake left home *haven't seen him play* I guess we won't see Coach Suckelin either
poor little otter fan.
