Tough Decisions on the Blue Line

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Chris Peters

I cannot stress enough the amount of depth the U.S. system has created for itself over the last half-decade. Every year, the decisions will get harder and the competition tougher. That’s a great problem to have.

There were 10 defensemen invited to USA Hockey’s pre-tournament camp. Of those 10, it’s likely they will take seven. I’d have to say the cuts are going to be gut wrenching, because each one of these guys is just different enough to have a case made for them to make the team.

We start with the easy one though:

As I mentioned in my earlier post, John Ramage, is likely a lock to make the team. His game-winning assist (yes, I said it) was part of the lore of last year’s team and he did a great job throughout the tournament. He was part of a Wisconsin team that went all the way to the NCAA Division I national championship game and he’s a product of the National Team Development Program. He’s going to be a quiet leader for this group.

Maybe this next one is also a touch easier:

NICK LEDDY – Rockford Ice Hogs – The fact that Leddy is playing professional hockey right now doesn’t make him a lock, but it makes him a very safe bet. Due to an injury to Brian Campbell, Leddy actually made the Blackhawks opening night roster and played six NHL games this season. He already has his first career goal under his belt and has played against some of the best players the NHL has to offer. That experience should make him pretty close to a lock. Not only that, though, his fluid skating and calm presence should be a nice add to this year’s team. He has decent size to him, but isn’t overly physical. Expect him to make good decisions with the puck and help put up some points from the blue line. I expect to see him on the power play as well.

Now it gets tricky:

BRIAN DUMOULIN – Boston College  – I haven’t seen much of Dumoulin, but have heard nothing but good things. Obviously, he’s a big kid who can move the puck a bit. He’s got 10 assists at Boston College this year. Last season, he helped BC win the national title as a freshman, with 22 points and a staggering plus-40 rating in 42 games. He’s played in big games, he’s played with elite players and he’s shown he belongs. He was a 2nd rounder in 2009 and maybe has exceeded expectations. He is one of three BC d-men who got the nod for the camp and of all three has the best chance of making the team, I think. At 6-4, 210, he’s going to allow Team USA to take some of those smaller, offensive defensemen that will take a look at shortly. I’d say his chances are pretty darn good.

JON MERRILL – University of Michigan – Another big body on the back end. Merrill was in the mix for last year’s team, but was one of the first cuts at the pre-tournament camp. He’s played in two IIHF World Under-18 Championship for Team USA, winning gold on both occasions. At the 2010 World U18s, Merrill was one of the best players in the entire tournament and was named one of Team USA’s three stars. Additionally, he was a 2nd round pick after many thought he’d be a first rounder in the 2010 draft. This year, he’s playing for a solid University of Michigan team and is arguably their best defenseman as a freshman. At 6-4, 209, he’s got a great frame, but isn’t overly physical. He has a tremendous defensive stick and good offensive instincts. Most of all, he is a heady player, who rarely makes mistakes or is caught out of position. Another quirky thing about Merrill is that he doesn’t look like he’s skating hard, ever. However, he’s actually got an incredibly long stride that allows him great recovery speed in transition. With his international pedigree and his brilliant play of late, I can’t see him being left off.

Tougher still:

JUSTIN FAULK – University of Minnesota Duluth – The dog on Faulk has been his size. He’s 5-11 (you call that short?), but a SOLID 200 pounds. The kid is a beast physically. Last year, I sat in Coach Kurt Kleinendorst’s (then of the NTDP, now of the Binghamton Senators) office and he told me that Faulk might be the best defenseman in the 1992 class that included first rounders, Derek Forbort, Jarred Tinordi, a potential first rounder in Adam Clendening and second rounder Stephen Johns. I was initially surprised, but as last season wore on, I wondered if Kleinendorst was right. Faulk is an offensive force, particularly on the power play. He broke Jack Johnson’s NTDP record for goals in a season with 21 last year. Faulk has a blistering slap shot and decent speed. On top of that, he’s mean. He is unafraid of contact and knows when to lower the boom. He makes up for his lack of height with incredible strength. Team USA could use a threat like Faulk. Still, I wonder if the U.S. can afford to have both Faulk and Adam Clendening (who I’m getting to next) on the roster.

ADAM CLENDENING – Boston University – Clendening is a hometown boy for this tournament. He’s a native of Niagara Falls, N.Y., he’s been written about often in the local papers and is proud of his Western New York heritage. He’s also in his draft year. I don’t think that’s going to factor into the decision though. What will is the fact that, as U.S. head coach Keith Allain has mentioned, has no panic in his game. He’s calm, cool and collected at the back end, almost to a fault. The fact of the matter is, he has a great personality for this team. He’s not too high, not too low. Oh yeah, and he can play. He’s an offensive defenseman through and through. He led Team USA in points en route to the gold medal at the 2010 World Under-18 Championship. I never saw him play better. His pass to Rocco Grimaldi for the insurance goal in the gold-medal game was as dirty as they come. He raises his game to the level of play necessary to be successful. Like Merrill, he’s won two gold medals already at the U18 level and that experience is going to help. Still, he’s a little small. Like Faulk, he’s 5-11, but 10 pounds lighter. Still his vision, his hockey sense and his deadly accurate wrister from the point are going to make him a tough cut. Will the local boy make good? The inclusion of Leddy forces Team USA to wonder whether or not they want three d-men under six feet tall.

DEREK FORBORT – University of North Dakota – Up until this morning, I thought of Forbort as an absolute lock. That’s not to say I think he won’t make the team. I think he will, but he’s going to have to earn it. The knock on Forbort, who was a first-round pick at the 2010 draft, was his lack of physical play. He’s another big man at 6-5, 200 pounds, which is to his advantage. He’s got a great defensive stick, long reach and skates incredibly well. He’s another guy with a laid back demeanor, which seems to be a trend among these U.S. defensemen. Is that a good thing? Does it really matter at all? It’s hard to say. In the end, I think Forbort is there. He did miss some time this season due to mono, but from what I understand he’s back to full strength. He’s going to have to show that at camp and really assert himself right away. Still, he’d be really hard to leave off this team with his past international experience (a gold at the 2010 World U18s) and the fact that he’s had success against a very tough WCHA schedule.

Now here are the wild cards. I think all of these guys have a great chance at making this team, but I still just can’t be sure:

JAMIE OLEKSIAK – Northeastern University – This was a guy that came out of left field for a lot of people. I actually tweeted the night before that he might get a sniff at this camp. I have a feeling once USA Hockey realized that London Knights defenseman Jarred Tinrodi wasn’t going to make the camp, they wanted another big defenseman that wouldn’t back down. Well, when you’re 6-7, 240 like Jamie Oleksiak, who is there to back down from? He is having a standout year at Northeastern and I have heard he just keeps getting better. He’s not offensively gifted by any means, which actually helps his cause. If you look at the list above, pretty much everyone one of those guys outside of Ramage has a lot of offense to bring to the table. He’s the type that’s going to strike fear in the hearts of opposing forwards and coaches. Does he have the legs for a tournament like this? I really can’t be sure. Oleksiak is only 17 years old (until Dec. 21) and in his draft season. If he’s solid at camp, he may have a chance to beat out Faulk or Clendening.

PHILIP SAMUELSSON – Boston College – Samuelsson, son of NHL “bad boy” Ulf, is another big, stay-at-home defenseman. He’s listed at 6-2, 198. He’s won gold, at the 2009 U18 Worlds, and a national championship with Boston College. He’s also a second round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The knock on him has been his foot speed. He’s another guy that would be hard to cut, but in the end I don’t think his wheels are built for a tournament like this. Reportedly, Jarred Tinordi was left off because of his speed, and if that’s the case, it’d be hard to see how Samuelsson fits in. I really like this kid too. He’s tough and he is a pretty smart hockey player, but I just have a hard time putting him on this roster over some of the other guys.

PATRICK WEY – Boston College – This is a tough one for me to gauge. I have barely seen Wey play and I have heard lots of great things about him. He’s another guy that doesn’t put up a lot of points, but by all accounts, he’s been a solid contributor to Boston College’s outstanding teams of the last two years. He’s got that national championship ring to show for it. In the end, I just have a hard time putting him ahead of some of these other guys listed. That said, he could come into camp and just blow the barn doors off of the coaches and he’s in.

In summary, a big question will be, just how much offense does Team USA want from its blue line. If they think they can sacrifice one of those offensive defenseman, Wey or Oleksiak could be in.

Also, the first seven guys I listed don’t have a ton of snarl. There aren’t many big mean guys that are going to want to put a hurtin’ on opposing players. However, this is a highly competitive group. The fact that the U.S. has such a deep pool to choose from has to feel good for Keith Allain and his staff.

Again, the biggest thing that ALL of these guys have in common is that they’ve all been winners for most of their lives. They’ve played in big events and done well. Whether its World Juniors last year, the World Under-18 Championship, or the NCAA national championship, most of these guys have been there. Winning breeds confidence, but hopefully not cockiness, for this impressive group of American defensemen.

Coming up tomorrow, we’ll look at some of the head-to-head battles amongst the forwards fighting for spots on this year’s U.S. Junior Team. There are some dandies in that group as well.

Posted in 2011 WJC, NHL Draft, NTDP, U.S. National Teams | 2 Comments

U.S. World Junior Returnees

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Chris Peters

The final weeks of preparation are upon us for the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship. Team USA’s camp will begin on Friday, December 17, and the competition is going to be fierce.

Twenty-nine players were invited to the camp and only 22 will make the team. The U.S. has the luxury of having eight returnees from last year’s gold-medal winning squad. I can’t see how any of the eight get left off the roster. So let’s take a look at who’s coming back and what we can expect from this outfit.

RETURNEES:

JACK CAMPBELL – G – Jack Campbell was a hero for last year’s team, coming on in relief in the gold medal game. He made several key stops throughout the contest and never flinched when giving up two late goals to Jordan Eberle. When this guy wears the USA sweater, he is an absolute monster. His focus and competitiveness are unmatched. Just like the U.S. relied on Ryan Miller in the Olympics, Campbell can be relied on by this team. He’s already won three gold medals in international competition and he’s hungry for a fourth. He was the first goaltender selected in the draft last year for good reason. This kid is a BIG GAME goalie. No matter the opponent, he’s going to give you a chance.

JOHN RAMAGE – D – Ramage is the only defenseman returning from last year’s team. He was last seen sending a pass to John Carlson that led to Carlson’s overtime winner against Canada. I think last year’s success has given Ramage a quiet confidence that will be a huge boost to his game this year. He’s the definition of a blue collar player. He will do everything you ask of him and keep his game awfully simple. He’s not going to put up a ton of points, but he is going to give you some leadership and great character on the back end. Additionally, Ramage will hit. He’s going to battle every time out and that’s all you can ask for. If he plays his steady game, he’s going to be a big help to his goaltender. He’s having a great start to his sophomore year at Wisconsin, contributing eight points in 20 games.

The forwards coming back for this team include, Jerry D’Amigo (Toronto Marlies, AHL), Jeremy Morin (Chicago Blackhawks, NHL), Kyle Palmieri (Syracuse Crunch, AHL), Ryan Bourque (Quebec Remparts, QMJHL), Chris Kreider (Boston College, HEA) and Jason Zucker (University of Denver, WCHA).

JEREMY MORIN – F – We’re assuming Morin is available, though he has been up and down with the Blackhawks for the last month or so. The Hawks may have Patrick Kane and Fernando Pisani returning from injury, so the need for Morin could decrease this week. Additionally, the Hawks may be even more inclined to let him come to Team USA, seeing as his teammate in Rockford, Brandon Pirri, was left off of Team Canada’s WJC roster. Morin has scored in his last two NHL games on a Blackhawks team that’s had an anemic offense in spells this year. It’s going to be tight, but I think he’ll be there for the U.S. They’ll hold a spot for him if he is unavailable for camp, just like they did for John Carlson last year.

JERRY D’AMIGO – F – D’Amigo was a sixth round draft pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2009. I thought, at the time, that was the steal of the draft. I think the Leafs think so too. After one year at RPI, D’Amigo was signed by the Leafs and was a late cut from their training camp. He’s been playing with the Marlies in the AHL and hasn’t looked out of place as a pro. It should be mentioned that a big reason the Leafs signed D’Amigo was due to his superb play in last year’s World Juniors, when he scored six goals. In international competition, he has been a beast and I don’t expect that to change now. His speed and scoring touch are going to give opponents fits.

KYLE PALMIERI – F –  Palmieri was another guy who impressed the club that drafted him in 2009. So much so, that he was signed by the Anaheim Ducks after one year of college. The Notre Dame product has played in 10 NHL games this year, scoring a goal in his debut. He’s another guy that has shone on the international stage. Save for his near disastrous penalty in the gold medal game last year, he was a big time player for Team USA. He plays hard, and as many of the U.S. players, he’s got great wheels. You want guys like Palmieri to be tough to play against, and he will be again this year.

RYAN BOURQUE – F- Ryan, the son of Hall of Famer Raymond, has always been one of my favorite players to watch. He is all energy all the time. In the one year I was able to watch almost every game he played at the NTDP, I never remember him taking a shift off. He’s small, but feisty and he’ll bring that game to Team USA.  Bourque already has 20 goals in the Q, and his 39 points rank 15th in the league. He’s another guy that should have an expanded role for the U.S. He’s won gold at the U18 and U20 levels, and I think he’d like to add to his collection.

CHRIS KREIDER – F – Kreider may be one of the fastest players in the world. He certainly is in this age group. He’s not an entirely complete player, but he is getting there. Needless to say, his speed is going make it tough for defensemen on any team. USA Hockey thought so highly of him that he was named to the U.S. Men’s National Team for the 2010 IIHF World Men’s Championship in Germany. So he’s played against top level talent and he’s won a national title at Boston College. This guy knows pressure and he’ll be ready to answer for the U.S. I’m told he had a slow start at BC this year, but is beginning to turn it up. Perhaps he’s kicking it into high gear at just the right time.

JASON ZUCKER – F – Zucker is another one of those players that I just enjoy watching. I was lucky enough to see him grow as a player in his two years at the National Team Development Program and I can honestly say, I wasn’t a bit surprised he made the team as an under-ager last year. He’s lighting it up at the University of Denver right now and I see him in a more expanded role this year at the World Juniors. Team USA will look to him to play a fast and physical game, but I think they can count on him to put the puck in the net. He can be an absolute pest, and he’s good at it. He might chatter on the ice, but he’s always backed it up. Check this stat: Zucker has already won three gold medals at IIHF competition (Jack Campbell has also). He won as an under-ager at the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Fargo, N.D., the 2010 World Juniors and the 2010 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Belarus. Zucker and Campbell are the only two American men, in history, to have won THREE gold medals. Neither is even 20 yet.

As you can see, the returning group is a solid one. The experience they gained is going to come in handy when they play the world’s best in Buffalo. The other factor that all of these guys bring is that they are winners. Yes, they won last year at the World Juniors, but they have elsewhere. Ramage, Morin, Palmieri, Bourque, Zucker and D’Amigo have all won at the U18 World Championship. Kreider is a national champion with BC. These guys don’t know how to lose. That’s going to help build a winning culture with this new group.

Coming up a little later, we’ll take a look at the battles that will be waged during camp. There are quite a few to keep an eye on.

You can check out the complete camp roster here.

Posted in 2011 WJC, NTDP, U.S. National Teams | Comments Off on U.S. World Junior Returnees

Welcome to the United States of Hockey

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Chris Peters

Welcome to the United States of Hockey. This is the first of many posts about hockey, as I see it, in the United States of America. It might fall below many’s radar screens, but to the passionate fan base that currently exists, hockey is the best thing going today.

This blog has been a few months in the making in my brain. Blogging, social media and the internet in general may be no more important to any sport than they are to hockey. There’s no doubt about that. Everyone gets a voice, and I just finally picked up that microphone to join in.

The blog has a fairly broad focus, but is distinctly different from what you may have found on other blogs. This one is strictly about American hockey. The sport has gone through peaks and valleys over the years and, the way I see it, it’s climbing right back up to one of those peaks in this country. The United States of Hockey will partly focus on U.S. National Teams, from the upcoming World Junior Championships, to the World Under-17 Challenge, to the Olympics. No matter the team, we’ll find a way of talking about it.

Another big focus will be on American hockey prospects. The U.S. has begun to produce elite-level NHL players at a rate that far exceeds years past. There are more Americans in the NHL than ever before and we’ll examine that a lot. We’ll also take a look at the NCAA, USHL, NAHL and National Team Development Program. We might even occasionally dabble in the always controversial Canadian Hockey League-NCAA battle.

This blog will certainly have a USA Hockey flavor. That’s probably because that’s what I know best.

I recently made a family decision to leave USA Hockey after three years with the national governing body, with the last two of those years coming at the vaunted National Team Development Program. I hope to provide a unique insight on why USA Hockey does certain things and also take a look at how some of these national teams are put together. Hopefully we’ll even get some in depth interviews from my former co-workers around big events like Hockey Weekend Across America, the World Junior Championship and a variety of other events and tournaments happening throughout the course of the year.

Occasionally, we’ll get into some of the numbers on the growth of hockey and also examine some of the initiatives taking place across the country to help grow the game.

Lastly, we’ll talk a lot about the Americans in the NHL. From the old guys right down to the fresh faced teenagers starting to dot NHL rosters. As the U.S. continues to produce top-end talent, it shouldn’t be long before we start seeing an American mentioned along with the Crosbys and Ovechkins of the world.

I can’t wait to get started and I hope you’ll enjoy the insight you’ll find here. First up, we’ll talk about the looming World Junior Championship, taking place out in Buffalo, N.Y. The pre-tournament camp starts on December 17, so be on the look out for some analysis on that very soon.

Also, if you’re not already, you can follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chrismpeters

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments