Charlie Coyle Makes One Kid’s Day, Reminds Rest of Us There’s Still Magic in Sports

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Chris Peters

Standing against the boards, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound, 21-year-old hockey player. Chinstrap undone, pucks at his feet, focused on the battle ahead. Then come several light taps on the glass. Nervous ones, but hopeful.

Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle maybe due to excellent hearing or just the slightest glimpse out of his peripheral vision found the source of the faint claps to the glass and turned ever so slightly to get a look at a young fan desperate for acknowledgement.

Coyle gave a simple wave to the awestruck little fellow and a wry grin before going back to preparing to do the job he’s paid handsomely to do. It wasn’t much, but it was everything.

As if he had received the gift he had been dreaming about all the way to Christmas morning, the young fan beamed. Hand over his mouth, almost in disbelief. “He saw me? He saw me!” Continue reading →

Posted in Grow the Game, NHL | 5 Comments

2014 World Junior Championship: Previewing Team USA’s Camp

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Chris Peters

Sunday evening, 29 players from around the United States will gather in Minneapolis, Minn., to begin preparations to defend the gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden. Only 20 skaters and three goaltenders can make the final roster, meaning six cuts will be made at some point during the camp.

Logo_USA_hockeyThe candidates will spend four days at the University of Minnesota with a series of practices, scrimmages, other activities and one exhibition game, utilized to help in the final decision process for who will make the final roster.

The camp is always a fascinating exercise, especially when there is still a fairly high number of cuts to make as there is this year. Every coach runs this camp differently. With 29 players involved Team USA’s, Don Lucia will have to weigh the value of team cohesion against competition for roster spots.

Based on who has been named to the roster, there’s still a ton left to sort out when it comes to team construction and who will fit what roles. The U.S. has many players that can play multiple positions and fit into a variety of roles. It gives the coaching staff options, but it also leaves a very short time from for things to come together as they’ll need to. Continue reading →

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | 4 Comments

2014 World Junior Championship: Preliminary Rosters for All Participating Countries

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Chris Peters

This post was updated on Dec. 14 to add Slovakia’s preliminary roster, which was announced Dec. 13.

The 2014 World Junior Championship is two weeks away. Every country has posted their pre-tournament rosters of varying sizes. Most will be pared down to 20 skaters and three goalies by Dec. 26 when the puck drops in Malmo, Sweden.

2014WJCLogoTo help you gear up for the tournament, you can find each team’s preliminary roster in this post. Each nation will convene in pre-tournament camps and many will play exhibitions against each other within a week’s time.

If you’ve been following international hockey or the NHL Draft over the last few years, you’ll see a lot of familiar names.

Going just off of the preliminary rosters, it would appear Canada and Sweden have the two strongest camps overall. Russia and Finland will also be able to ice strong teams based on who they are bringing to camp. The U.S. is probably right in that second tier with Russia and Finland.

This may not be the most star-studded WJC in recent memory, but it should be as competitive as any. After the jump, preliminary rosters for competing teams.

Continue reading →

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL, NHL Draft, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | 2 Comments

2014 WJC: Team USA Adds Hinostroza, Stepan, Slavin to Training Camp Roster

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Chris Peters

The U.S. National Junior Team’s preliminary roster grew by three players Tuesday. Forwards Vince Hinostroza, Zach Stepan and defenseman Jaccob Slavin have been added to the training camp in Minnesota to bring the total roster to a robust 29 players.

Logo_USA_hockeyWith the additions, four forwards will have to be cut, while two defensemen will end up being sent home.

Team USA’s general manager Jim Johansson said additions could be made later after the initial announcement last week. With three new players added to the mix, the roster decisions became a lot more interesting and the camp competitions even more heated.

Both Stepan, of Minnesota State, and Notre Dame’s Hinostroza have battled some injury trouble this year, which is likely cause for the delayed additions. Both were teammates with the Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL last season.

Colorado College’s Slavin is the real surprise of the group, having not been at Team USA’s summer camp. I haven’t seen CC much this season, but Slavin has gotten a lot of good reviews from folks I’ve talked to. He brings some good size to the table and is a gifted defender with some puck-moving capabilities.

More on each after the jump and what it means for the camp process.

Continue reading →

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | 2 Comments

USofH on the Air: Breaking Down Team USA’s Camp Roster on The Pipeline Show

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Chris Peters

The U.S. National Junior Team will convene in Minneapolis, Minn., in less than a week to begin preparations for the 2014 World Junior Championship and an attempt to defend the gold medal.

We’ve already broken down the roster at length on this site, with many, many words spewed digitally on these pages. So if reading isn’t your bag, or you just need a World Junior fix today, I’ve got some audio for you.

I joined Guy Flaming and Taylor Medak on The Pipeline Show on TSN 1260 in Edmonton. We talked at length about the roster makeup, Team USA’s chances and some of those that didn’t make the camp roster.

You can listen to all of it right here.

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | Comments Off on USofH on the Air: Breaking Down Team USA’s Camp Roster on The Pipeline Show

2014 WJC: Adam Erne won’t be suspended for hit on Jonathan Drouin, per report

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Chris Peters

U.S. National Junior Team candidate Adam Erne will not be suspended for his check from behind on Jonathan Drouin in Friday night’s game between the Quebec Remparts and Halifax Mooseheads. Drouin was concussed on the play, while Erne was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

This is according to Willy Palov of the Chronicle-Herald.

Here’s another look at the hit.

Drouin’s concussion is not believed to be serious, but recovery times are never certain in situations like these.

I’m moderately surprised the QMJHL is shying away from supplemental discipline here. The league recently suspended Laurent Dauphin for a bad hit from behind in the Subway Super Series against Russia. That wasn’t even a league game.

Erne’s hit was from behind on a league star. The Quebec Remparts forward is incredibly lucky to have not been suspended. Had he been, it could have put his World Junior hopes in jeopardy.

With no suspension looming for Erne, his World Junior hopes remain alive and healthy. He is expected to make the final roster for Team USA, which opens its pre-tournament training camp next Sunday in Minneapolis.

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | 2 Comments

VIDEO: Adam Erne Hits Jonathan Drouin from Behind, Could Have WJC Implications

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Chris Peters

Adam Erne is a virtual lock to make the U.S. National Junior Team ahead of the 2014 World Junior Championship. The same goes for Jonathan Drouin and Team Canada. Both are also Tampa Bay Lightning draft picks. The two met in the QMJHL Friday night in a game between Erne’s Quebec Remparts and Drouin’s Halifax Mooseheads.

In the first period, Erne caught Drouin in a vulnerable position and hit the dynamic forward from behind. Erne, who was immediately jumped after the hit, was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct. He also got five for fighting. You can watch all the angles of the hit here:

Drouin left the game and did not return with what was termed as a possible concussion.

Obviously, the first thought is with Drouin and his health. You hate to see a young player go down with an injury, especially if it is a concussion. Recovery time is so unpredictable at that point. Drouin was on last year’s Canadian junior team and played his way into a more prominent role later in the tournament.

Though this happened in a QMJHL league contest this could have implications not only for Canada and the injured Drouin, but Team USA and Erne as well. Continue reading →

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | 10 Comments

Fully Assessing the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary Roster

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Chris Peters

With 24 hours passed since USA Hockey unveiled its preliminary roster for the 2014 World Junior Championship, it’s worth looking at the entire roster as it’s constructed. We had the rapid reaction and player-by-player breakdowns(forwards here, defense and goalies here), but not a real thorough assessment of the roster as a whole. Until now.

2014WJCLogoThere are going to be three cuts to make, with potentially a few players added to the camp Monday if some injury issues are not cleared up in time for the camp, which opens Dec. 15 in Minneapolis.

Though the final roster is not complete, there’s obviously a lot you can learn about the makeup of Team USA in who was invited to the training camp. This year, flexibility and versatility in the lineup was the big key. Having players that are experienced in multiple positions and in roles they’ve played in the past allows the roster to remain in flux even after the puck drop. Continue reading →

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | 2 Comments

2014 U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary Roster: Defense and Goalies

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Chris Peters

This post has been edited to reflect additions to the roster made on Dec. 10.

When Team USA convenes for training camp on Dec. 15, joining the 15 forwards (detailed here) will be nine defensemen and three goaltenders. Since the team can carry three goalies, they’re all safe. Thursday defenseman will be cut before the World Junior Championship starts on Dec. 26.

Logo_USA_hockeyTeam USA’s strength coming into the tournament is in its goaltending. Jon Gillies and Anthony Stolarz are among the leaders in their respective leagues and have growing track records of success. Gillies was on last year’s team as a backup and would appear to be the favorite to take the No. 1 role again this time around.

Don Lucia wouldn’t commit to a starter during today’s teleconference however, leaving the door slightly ajar for Stolarz to wrest some minutes from Gillies. Thatcher Demko, a late 1995-born player will be the team’s third goalie and will gain some valuable experience for the next WJC, for which he’d be favored to start.

If the U.S. has any hopes at medaling this year, the goaltending is crucial.

On D, there is a lot of uncertainty. There are no returning players on the back end thanks to Seth Jones and Jacob Trouba preoccupied with NHL duties and Patrick Sieloff going down with an infection earlier this year.

With only one cut to make, it’s going to be a very interesting competition on defense.

Coming up after the jump a look at all three goalies and eight defensemen invited to camp.

Continue reading →

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL, NHL Draft, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | 3 Comments

2014 U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary Roster: Forwards

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Chris Peters

This post has been altered to reflect additions made to camp on Dec. 10

The U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary roster includes 17 forwards. That means four will be sent home before the puck drops on the tournament Dec. 26.

Logo_USA_hockey

It should be noted that there is the possibility of adding players to this roster on Monday as there are some injury concerns still lingering. UPDATE: Two additions have been made.

This group is not terribly star-studded unlike some of the other forward crops you’ll see in Malmo at the World Junior Championship. That means the U.S. has to be careful in finding the right balance.

Head coach Don Lucia said today that he is looking for versatility and flexibility within the lineup. A premium is being put on players that can play multiple positions so they can make changes on the fly and that shows in the forward selections.

The U.S. has two returnees from last year’s gold-medal team. Barber played a top-six role last time around skating on a line with Sean Kuraly and Alex Galchenyuk. Ryan Hartman returns this year after being a member of the team’s self-proclaimed “Grind Line.” Hartman skated on the wing with Cole Bardreau and Blake Pietila on team USA’s primary shut-down line. Expect him to play a more prominent role this year.

To be frank, this group is going to get challenged, regardless of who gets cut. Team GM Jim Johansson didn’t pull any punches when he said the team may lack more of a dynamic element, even though they’re comfortable with this group.

Coming up after the jump, a look at each of Team USA’s 15 forwards on the preliminary roster. Continue reading →

Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL, NHL Draft, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World Junior Championship | 3 Comments