With just a handful of weeks remaining on the calendar until the first puck drops at the inaugural World Cup of Hockey, players from all corners of the globe are ready to begin preparation for the tournament. On Sunday, September 2, those selected for the final rosters will be reporting to camp for two weeks of practice and exhibition competition. During that time, the lineup structure for all eight teams will begin to form.
With that in mind, we here at LightningShout are going to pull on our meteorologist hat and forecast the lineup that Team USA will ice in the tournament opener on September 17 against Team Europe.
The Top-Six:
Max Pacioretty – Joe Pavelski – Patrick Kane
Zach Parise – Ryan Kesler – Blake Wheeler
Why it makes sense: With an excellent mix of size, speed and skill, Team USA will boast one of the tournament’s most dynamic top-six forward groups. The first line, anchored by three-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Kane, should be a threat to score each and every time on the ice. With budding superstar Joe Pavelski at center and a physical force on the left flank in the form of Max Pacioretty, the American first line will pose an immensely difficult challenge for all opposing defenses.
On the second unit, the Americans are led by former Olympic captain Zach Parise. Arguably the most important offensive player for Team USA over the past decade of international competition, the Minnesota native will don the Red, White and Blue for the third time in his storied career. Skating beside him, we’ve penciled in Winnipeg power-forward Blake Wheeler and rugged Anaheim centerman Ryan Kesler; two Olympic veterans whose aggressive play style should open up plenty of space for Parise to generate offense.
The Bottom-Six:
James van Riemsdyk – Derek Stepan – David Backes
Kyle Palmieri – Brandon Dubinsky – T.J. Oshie
Extra/Injury Replacement: Justin Abdelkader
Why it makes sense: If you hadn’t yet noticed the prevailing theme in the roster composition of Team USA, it can be summed up in just one word: size. Of the 13 forwards invited to training camp, only four weigh in at less than 195 pounds. In contrast, five of team’s thirteen forwards hover close to the 225-pound mark, per team USA’s official roster. It is this part of the lineup where the personalities of head coach John Tortorella and senior adviser Brian Burke have had their greatest effect on the roster. Both known proponents of an physically-engaging, old-school brand of hockey, Burke and Tortorella have tailored the roster to suit their preferred play style. With international tournaments traditionally favoring an emphasis on skill rather than brawn, the viability of this strategy remains unknown.
The Defense:
Ryan McDonagh – Dustin Byfuglien
Extra/Injury Replacement: Jack Johnson
Why it makes sense: When examining the roster of Team USA’s 2016 World Cup squad, it is the defense that stands out as the team’s most likely weakness. While the tournament’s age rules have left mega-talented youngsters like Seth Jones and Jacob Trouba ineligible for the roster, the U.S. also passed on the chance to bring along one of the country’s top-five overall defenders; Kevin Shattenkirk. To a lesser extent, Carolina Hurricane blueliner Justin Faulk‘s absence from the roster is also fairly conspicuous.
A pair of Ryans; McDonagh and Suter, will be the catalysts of the American defense, regardless of whom they are paired with. Given the relatively shallow depth on the back-end, separating these two dynamic minute-eating monsters should provide the American coaching staff with the clearest path to a steady and consistent top-four.
Goaltending:
2) Ben Bishop
Why it makes sense: After delivering a Vezina-quality campaign in 2015, Tampa Bay netminder Ben Bishop could perform well enough in camp to force a platoon situation between the pipes. However, Los Angeles Kings’ starter Jonathan Quick, the only goaltender on the roster with prior Olympic experience, is most likely to take the reigns as Team USA’s number one goalie once again.
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