Team USA Olympic Hockey- Your Complete Guide

The Team

Forwards

David Backes- St. Louis Blues,

Backes was drafted in 2003 by the St. Louis Blues and has been in the league since the 2006—2007 season. He is currently the captain of the Blues. The center is one of 3 Blues on the US team, and will provide a strong defensive-oriented presence, likely on the third line. He also has the ability to provide some additional scoring. Backes appeared in the 2010 Olympics, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists in 6 games. Hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota and will wear the number 42.

Dustin Brown- Los Angeles Kings,

Brown was drafted in the first round of the 2003 draft by the LA Kings, and has suited up for the team since the 2003-2004 season. Now serving as captain of the Kings, Brown will provide leadership and a solid right wing agitator presence. Likely to play on the third or fourth lines, Brown isn’t a scoring machine, but can be a good defensive minded forward and will add a strong physical presence to the team. Brown played in 6 games in the 2010 Olympics, but did not score any points. He will most likely play a similar role in these winter games. Hails from Ithaca, New York, and will wear number 23.

Ryan Callahan- New York Rangers

Callahan was drafted in the 2004 draft by the New York Rangers and has played in the league since the 2006-2007 season. He is now the captain of the Rangers, and provides another leadership presence to a team with a great deal of it. Callahan is another two-way, physical player, the right-winger is also a candidate for a third or fourth line checking presence. One of he or Brown could switch to left wing to build a strong third line for the US team. Callahan played in 6 games in the 2010 Olympics, notching 1 assist. He hails from Rochester, New York and will wear number 24.

Patrick Kane- Chicago Blackhawks

Kane was drafted 1^st overall by the Blackhawks in the 2007 draft, and has played in the league since the 2007-2008 season. The dynamic right-winger will play on the first line and will most likely lead the US team in scoring. Kane is one of the top players in the NHL and he will be looked to to provide the team with goals. He notched 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 games for the United States in the 2010 Olympics, and a lot will be expected of him in these winter games as well. Hails from Buffalo, New York and will wear number 88.

Ryan Kesler- Vancouver Canucks

Kesler was drafted in the first round by the Canucks in 2003, and has been in the league since the 2003-2004 season. Kesler will likely center the top line for team USA, and provides the team with an all-around player that can provide both offense and defense. He is another returning player from the 2010 Olympic team, where he played in all six games and scored 2 goals for the US team. He is from Livonia, Michigan and will wear the number 17.

Phil Kessel- Toronto Maple Leafs

Kessel was drafted in the 1^st round of the draft by the Boston Bruins in 2006. He started his career with Boston in 2006-2007 before being traded to the Leafs prior to the 2010-2011 season. Kessel will likely play right wing on the second line, and will be looked to for his offensive production. He may be one of the team’s top goal scorers, and will be essential in the USA’s goal-scoring efforts. He played in 6 games for the United States in 2010, and scored 1 goal and 1 assist. He comes from Madison, Wisconsin and will wear number 81.

T.J Oshie- St. Louis Blues

Oshie was drafted by the Blues in the first round of the draft in 2005/. He entered the league during the 2008-2009 season and has consistently been one of the team’s top forwards. The right winger could join teammate Backes on the third line, but will more likely be used as a fourth line winger to provide energy and some possible scoring depth. This will be Oshie’s first Olympic appearance. He hails from Warroad, Minnesota, and will wear number 74.

Max Pacioretty- Montreal Canadiens

Pacioretty was drafted by the Canadiens in the first round in 2007. He entered the league in 2008-2009, but spent a few years going between the NHL and AHL, until finally sticking with the team in 2011-2012. Pacioretty has become a strong offensive player for the Candiens, but will likely play less of an offensive role with team USA. He will most likely skate as a 4^th line left winger, used to provide speed, and a strong physical presence. This will be Pacioretty’s first Olympic appearance. He is from New Caanan, Connecticut, and will wear number 67.

Zach Parise- Minnesota Wild

Parise was drafted in the first round of the 2003 draft by the New Jersey Devils, and started his career with the Devils in the 2005-2006 season before signing with the Wild as a free agent before the 2012-2013 season. Parise will serve as captain of the US team and will play left wing on the top scoring line along with Kesler and Kane. Parise can provide the US with a scoring presence on the wing, but also has a strong defensive side of his game. He scored 4 goals in 4 assists in 6 games in the 2010 Olympics, and will be looked to to provide that same scoring touch this time around. Parise is from Minneapolis, Minnesota and will wear number 9.

Joe Pavelski- San Jose Sharks

Pavelski was drafted by the Sharks in 2003 and started his career in the 2006-2007 season. He will likely center the team’s second line and will hopefully be there to provide an additional scoring presence. Pavelski has the ability to switch to wing if needed and can also play a defensive game. The speedy center has quietly developed into a top scorer in the NHL and will definitely be someone to watch in the Olympics. He appeared in the 2010 games and notched 3 assists in 6 games. He is from Plover, Wisconsin and will wear number 8.

Paul Stastny- Colorado Avalanche

Stastny was drafted by Colorado in 2005, and broke into the league for the 2006-2007. The two-way center will likely play on the team’s 4^th line, and will be used in more of a defensive role. Stastny can usually be counted on for secondary scoring, but will be put to better use as a speed and energy guy that can chip in on offense. He played in the 2010 Olympics and had 1 goal and 2 assists in 6 games. He is from St. Louis, Missouri and will wear number 26.

Derek Stepan- New York Rangers

Stepan was drafted by the Rangers in the 2008 draft, and entered the league for the 2010-2011 season. One of the youngest guys on the team, Stepan is a natural center that will be there to provide extra two-way ability and speed. He could play 4^th line center, but given the depth at the center position, he will most likely be used as an extra forward. This will be Stepan’s first Olympic appearance. He is from Hastings, Minnesota and will wear number 12.

James van Riemsdyk- Toronto Maple Leafs

van Riemsdyk was drafted 2^nd overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007, right after team USA teammate Patrick Kane. It was the first time that two American born players were taken with the top 2 picks in the NHL draft. Van Riemsdyk entered the league with Philadelphia for the 2007-2008 season before being traded to the Maple Leafs prior to the 2012-2013 season. The left-winger will likely join teammate Kessel on the second line, and will add a scoring presence to a line that is going to be counted on for offensive production. This will be van Riemsdyk’s first Olympic appearance. He is from Middletown, New Jersey and will wear number 21.

Blake Wheeler- Winnipeg Jets

Wheeler was drafter by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1^st round of the 2004 draft. He played college hockey for the University of Minnesota and then signed with Boston as a free agent prior to the 2008-2009 season. He was traded the the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2010-2011 season and was still with the team when they relocated to Winnipeg prior to the 2011-2012 season. Wheeler is a right winger that can be used as a power forward. He could see time on the 3^rd or 4^th lines, but will more likely be used as an extra forward. This will be Wheeler’s first Olympic appearance. He is from Robbinsdale, Minnesota and will wear number 28.

Defensemen

John Carlson- Washington Capitals

Carlson was drafted by the Capitals in the 2008 draft and entered the league during the 2009-2010 season. Carlson is a big shut-down defenseman that will likely play on the US team’s top pairing. This will be Carlson’s first Olympic appearance. He is from Colonia, New Jersey and will wear number 4.

Justin Faulk- Carolina Hurricanes

Faulk was drafted by the Hurricanes in the 2010 draft, and entered the league during the 2011-2012 season. Faulk will be one of the youngest players on a very young American defense. Faulk will likely either be on the third defensive pairing or suit up as an extra defenseman. He is a strong skater that is smart defensively, but still can help to provide some offense. This is Faulk’s first Olympic appearance. He is from St. Paul, Minnesota and will wear number 72.

Cam Fowler- Anaheim Ducks

Fowler was drafted by Anaheim in the first round of the 2010 draft, and he entered the league during the 2010-2011 season. Fowler is another in a group of young up-and-coming defensemen, and he will most likely be used as an extra defenseman, but could get some time on the third pairing. Fowler is a speedy puck-moving defenseman that has a strong offensive side to his game. This will be his first Olympic appearance. He is from Farmington Heights, Michigan and will wear number 3.

Paul Martin- Pittsburgh Penguins

Martin was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2000, and entered the league during the 2003-2004 season before signing with Pittsburgh as a free agent prior to the 2010-2011 season. Martin comes in as one of the few US players that actually played before the 2004-2005 lockout. He can play as a left or right handed shot, which brings versatility to his use on different pairings. He can make some offensive contributions, but will be more looked at for his smart defensive play. This is Martin’s first Olympic appearance. He is from Minneapolis, Minnesota and will wear number 7.

Ryan McDonagh- New York Rangers

Drafted by Montreal in the first round of the 2007 draft. He played college hockey at the University of Wisconsin before being traded to the Rangers in 2009. He first suited up for the Rangers in the 2010-2011 season. McDonagh will likely anchor the team’s second pairing, because although young, he has the ability to play a complete game. He is a big strong defenseman who can be fast and sometimes contribute offensively. This will be McDonagh’s first Olympic appearance. He is from St. Paul, Minnesota and will wear number 27.

Brooks Orpik- Pittsburgh Penguins

Orpik was drafted by the Penguins in the first round of the 2000 draft and he entered the league in the 2002-2003 season. Orpik is a defensive-defenseman and plays a physical game. He will not be counted on for much offensive production, and will likely be paired on either the 3^rd pairing or suit up as an extra defenseman. He appeared in 6 games for the US team in 2010, and registered no points. He is from Amherst, New York and will wear number 44.

Kevin Shattenkirk- St. Louis Blues

Shattenkirk was drafted in the 1^st round by Colorado in 2007. He entered the league with Colorado in 2010-2011 before being traded to St. Louis mid-season. Another young guy on defense, Shattenkirk is a speedy and offensively gifted defenseman who will likely play alongside McDonagh on the second pairing. This will be Shattenkirk’s first Olympic appearance. He is from New Rochelle, New York and will wear number 22.

Ryan Suter- Minnesota Wild

Suter was drafted in the first round by Nashville in 2003, and entered the league with the Predators in 2005-2006. He played with Nashville until signing with Minnesota as a free agent prior to the 2012-2013 season. Suter will play top minutes for the United States and will be the anchor and leader of a very young but very talented defense. The defense will go as Suter goes, so he is someone to keep an eye on. He played for the United States in the 2010 Olympics, and notched 4 assists. He is from Madison, Wisconsin and will wear number 20.

Goalies

Jimmy Howard- Detroit Red Wings

He was drafted by the Red Wings in 2003, and entered the league on a regular basis during the 2009-2010 season. He will likely be the third string goalie and most likely will not see playing time, but he is a goalie with a lot of great skill if he were to be called upon. This will be his first Olympic appearance. He is from Ogdensburg, New York and will wear number 35.

Ryan Miller- Buffalo Sabres

Miller was drafted by the Sabres in the 1999 draft and attended Michigan State University before joining the Sabres organization. He joined the league on a consistent basis in 2005-2006. He will likely be the starter in goal after a strong season for an abysmal Sabres team, but realistically it could go either way between Miller and Quick. Miller could get the nod because he led team USA in goal during the 2010 games and won MVP of the tournament. He is from East Lansing, Michigan and will wear number 39.

Jonathan Quick- Los Angeles Kings

Quick was drafted by the Kings in 2005, and entered the league on a regular basis in 2008-2009. He could start for the US team, but more likely be the backup. Having Quick and Miller is a good problem to have, and we will most likely see Quick in net at some point in the tournament, whether it be for relief purposes or if Miller struggles. This will be Quick’s second Olympic games, although he did not see playing time in 2010. Quick hails from Milford, Connecticut and will wear number 32.

Team Positives

Offense: The US team certainly has a great deal of offensive depth and will be one of the speediest teams to suit up at the games. This will come in handy as the rinks will be bigger than the ones used in the NHL. The four lines are all solid two-way players with a lot of scoring capability and smart defensive minded players.

Defense: Like the offense, the defense will be fast and agile. They have a good balance of defensemen that are good with the puck and big bodied stay at home guys. The defense should be able to help offensively for the most part, but their speed and smart defensive play will be their greatest strength.

Goaltending: The goaltending could end up being team USA’s biggest strength in this tournament. They have three very capable goalies, two of which are former Vezina winners at the NHL level.

Team Negatives

Offense: While depth and speed will give the team an advantage on the large ice, it might not be enough to go against some of the biggest powerhouses in the tournament. There are a lot of players that have the potential to provide secondary scoring, but in a short tournament, there may not be enough sure-things. The team lacks a consistent goal scoring sniper, which could prove to be problematic. The team could be fine, but if the top guys end up unable to score, it may be their downfall.

Defense: This team was built with speed and size in mind, but if anything is going to kill the USA defense, it will be their inexperience. The problem with having such a young and inexperienced team in a short tournament is that if one minor breakdown occurs it could mean the difference between winning it all and going home disappointed.

Goaltending: The goaltending could be this team’s biggest strength in that if the other positions falter, the goalies have the ability to pick up the slack, but the trouble occurs if they are unable to do that. There aren’t a lot of downsides to this goaltending tandem, but if inconsistency occurs, it could be bad for team USA.

Outlook

The USA team looks pretty good on paper. They have a great deal of speed and skill, which will work to their favor. There are certainly questions that remain about their ability to score consistently and their ability remain consistent in the defensive zone, but the team was put together pretty well. It is just a matter of whether or not they have the fire-power to go up against the skill of teams like Canada, Russia and Sweden. Another thing this team will have going for it is that they are hungry. The United States came so close 4 years ago just to have gold snatched away from them from the rival Canadians, and that could make them want it even more. I don’t think that gold is out of the question, but silver or bronze may be a more realistic expectation for this team. They should expect to medal, but even a 4^th place finish wouldn’t be out of the question. The reality is that this team is very up in the air. They could dominate, or they could falter.

Schedule

Thanks a lot Russia for being on the opposite side of the world. There won’t be very much “I’ll catch the game if it’s on” in these Olympic games. Most of the games will take place at weird hours- the middle of the night, the middle of the day, or in the case of the preliminary United States’ games: first thing in the morning.

February 13- 7:30 AM NBCSN- USA v. Slovakia

February 15- 7:00 AM NBCSN USA v. Russia

February 16- 7:15 AM NBCSN USA v Slovenia

 

My Top 10: Philadelphia Athletes

I’m going to write a series of top 10 count downs, and I figured that the best place to start would be with my favorite Philadelphia athletes. This list will only include athletes of my generation, not any of the greats that I have heard about. As I am not a big basketball fan, no 76ers will make the list, but I will give an honorable mention to Allen Iverson, who is my favorite Sixer.

10. Cliff Lee- There is just something very Philadelphia-likeable about him. It might have something to do with that time that he spurned the Yankees and chose to come to Philly for less money. Or it might be his attitude which comes off as both serious and hilarious at the same time. (Like at the all-star game when he just stared straight at the camera without any change in expression as he was booed by Mets fans). It also could have something to do with how good of a pitcher he is. For all of those reasons listed above, he cracks the top 10 on my list.

9. John LeClair- He was one of the centerpieces of the Flyers team that I grew up with, and he was one of the best on the team. Before Brayden Schenn, the number 10 belonged to John LeClair and it was probably one of the most commonly worn jersey’s in Philadelphia in the early 2000s. I have an autographed photo card of John LeClair’s and it is probably one of my favorite autographs/most prized possessions. He was one of my favorites when he played for the Flyers and he is still one of my favorites now. The only thing he has going against him is that he played for the Penguins. Ouch.

8. Brian Dawkins- I’m pretty sure he is on every Eagles’ fans list of favorite athletes. There was never anything to dislike about Dawkins. He was the definition of the Philadelphia athlete. He played the game the way we wanted him to and he loved doing it. He deserved better than he got when the Eagles chose not to resign him, but in the end it worked out okay, because he retired as an Eagle and had his legendary number 20 retired. Just as it should be.

7. Brian Westbrook- I was a bit conflicted as to whether or not I should have Dawkins or Westbrook higher on my list, but I went with Westbrook because he was the player that I claimed as my favorite back when he was on the team. His was the first Eagles jersey I ever owned, and I always wore it proudly. Like Dawkins, I think that most if not all Eagles fans loved having Westbrook play for the Birds, because he was a dynamic player that was fun to watch.

6. Eric Desjardins- Thinking about Desjardins makes me cringe at what the Flyers defense has become. For over a decade, Desjardins quietly led the Flyers defensive corps, and gave the Flyers a solid and consistent defensive presence for a long time. He always seemed to fly under the radar, but when it came down to it, there wasn’t a Flyers fan out there that didn’t like and respect Desjardins. He was one of my favorite Flyers growing up (as the ones that stick around always are), and looking back at the years we had with him makes me wish we had a Desjardins on our roster today.

5. LeSean McCoy- My favorite Eagle of all time also happens to be the best Eagle of right now, and also possibly the best rusher (at least one of the best) in the NFL today. Maybe my appreciation and love for Shady is based on the fact that he plays right now and that he had a magnificent year, but I think he is in a solid position to remain as my favorite Eagle for a long time. I wear my McCoy jersey proudly every Sunday, and I love watching him dart around the football field. The best part is that I think he still has a lot more in him, and I am looking forward to seeing that.

4. Cole Hamels- He is my favorite Phillies pitcher. I don’t know how you can’t love the 2008 World Series MVP that helped Philadelphia to its first championship in 25 years. The Phillies are special because they have so many players that have only ever played for the Phillies. Players like Cole Hamels, we had the pleasure of watching as they progressed into fantastic players. With Cole Hamels on a new contract, I just hope he sticks around so that the Phillies can have another lifelong player and that he can lead us into a new generation of great Phillies years. 

3. Claude Giroux- My two and three were really close, but Giroux gets third place just out of my unwavering loyalty to my number two. I hope the people appreciate Giroux for what he is: the kind of talent that really doesn’t come along often, and even when it does come around, it doesn’t always pan out (remember Eric Lindros). Watching Giroux play is special, and if the Flyers are to get that elusive Stanley Cup for the first time in over 40 years sometime soon, it will be Giroux that leads us there. He like most players on the list, isn’t only a talented player, but a Philadelphia athlete through and through. If you watch a lot of hockey like I do, you can see that Philly attitude in him. He plays off of the fans, and he always gets into the game. My advice is to appreciate Giroux when you watch him play, because he really is a superstar, and he absolutely could be one of the greats.

2. Chase Utley- I have this serious attachment to Chase Utley that can’t actually be explained. He is everything that you would want in a player. He is hard-working, extremely talented, and he has been the face of the Phillies for as long as they’ve been good. Chase Utley was once the best second baseman in the game, and he was once on track for a hall-of-fame career before knee problems seemed to put an end to that discussion. Many people think of Utley as a has-been, but that isn’t necessarily the case. The thing with Utley is that he has to stay healthy to be effective, but he hasn’t been able to do that consistently for a long time. But when he is on the field, he is still probably the best player the Phillies have. And believe it or not, I do believe that says more about him  than it necessarily does about the team. I believe Chase Utley is the kind of player that really should always be a Phillie. There are very few athletes that play for one team for their entire careers, because at the end, they just go where they can get a contract. I really hope that of all of the players that is still a possibility for that Chase Utley is the one that it becomes a reality for. Because seeing Chase Utley in any other jersey would just be wrong. We’ve got him for a few more years, and hopefully he can finish out his career here with the love and respect that he has earned over the years.

1. Simon Gagne- I don’t know if there is much more I can say about Simon Gagne that hasn’t been said already. He is my favorite athlete of all time. Hockey is my favorite sport, and Gagne was my favorite as a kid, and he is still my favorite now, and he will probably always be my favorite. He was always the kind of player that was really, really good, but never great. He was the player that came to the Flyers when I was just a little kid, and I grew up watching him play and rooting for him to win, even after he was on the Flyers. He loved being a Flyer just as much as fans loved him being a Flyer. Sometimes the players that are really good are the best because it is usually only the fans of the team that they play for that really respect and love them. The superstars are known by everyone, but the players that were just always there and always good and consistent with flashes of brilliance? Simon Gagne was that kind of player, so Flyers fans were the only ones that ever really got the chance to see how great he was. His is another story of what could have been a great career derailed by injuries, but Flyers fans were lucky enough to see and appreciate and fall in love with the classy and talented Simon Gagne, and I was lucky enough to go from a fan of his as an eight year old kid to a fan of his as a college student. Simon Gagne was the player that I grew up with. All of the other players on this list either came into my life later or left much earlier, but to me it feels like Gagne has been around forever, and that is why he is my favorite athlete of all time. 

Olympic Hockey Outlook- A Flyers Fan Perspective

February will be a cold month as usual, but for fans of the NHL, it will be especially cold because of the 2 week absence of games on the schedule due to the 2014 winter Olympics. I am actually looking forward to the Olympics this year, mostly because it is the only way to get a hockey fix. Your view on the Olympics is all about perspective, and my perspective is that I will take hockey in any form I can get it in. 

The winter Olympics are extremely underrated. Most people just don’t find the games as appealing as the summer event. Skiing instead of swimming? Figure skating instead of gymnastics? And sports like curling and luge are seemingly laughable to most people. But the winter games are exciting to hockey fans. For those few weeks, the Olympics give us our only chance to watch the game that we love.  

Hockey has a special place in the Olympics, because it takes the fan base of the NHL and puts a divide among North America. During the NHL season, we split up by city and region, but for the Olympics, we split up by country, and there may be no greater Olympic rivalry than that of the United States and Canada for the sport of hockey. The NHL is a league in which there are teams in both the United States and Canada competing against one another on a regular basis, and the players don’t always represent teams in their own country. Then the Olympics come along, and your favorite players are playing for the enemy, and the guys that you never root for are suddenly the ones representing your country. It’s a battle of loyalty and pride like no other. Hockey is special because it captures that national pride in such a different way than other sports. It’s hard not to get excited about it.

As a Flyers fan, this year’s Olympics have brought up some serious debates. Are we happy or mad that our best player wasn’t chosen to represent his country, which also happens to be our enemy in all of this? What about the local player that was blasted by the US committee and left off the roster, does that even change anything? The debates created over the past few weeks in regards to hockey rosters for the Olympics have been interesting to say the least, but the best part is that at the end of the day, none of it matters.

Claude Giroux is a great player, and as fans of his, it is bothersome that he wasn’t chosen for the Canadian Olympic team. But at the same time, now we don’t have to root against him (barring an injury replacement). We can happily watch the US go up against Sidney Crosby and the Canadians and wholeheartedly root against them. We can look at Giroux and see him as what he is to us- the dynamic captain and leader of our favorite hockey team.

Bobby Ryan is from Cherry Hill. Bobby Ryan has never played for the Flyers, yet for some reason we look at him as one of us. The people that follow hockey enough to know about Bobby Ryan were rooting for him to be on the US Olympic team, because he would not only be representing the United States, but Philadelphia as well. Like Giroux, he was snubbed by his country, but unlike with Giroux there was a quite a stir created by this snub because of the in depth story that came out about the selection process and the harsh words spoken about Bobby Ryan as a player. Even though he never played for the Flyers, in a way, this seemed like slap in the face to many Flyers fans who are also big fans of Bobby Ryan.

We root for the players that play for our team, and sometimes we root for players that have never played for our team. But what the Olympics really shows us is that we really and truly do root for the name on the front of the jersey more than we root for the name on the back. It’s one of the biggest cliches in sports- but it is also one of the truest concepts. As players or as fans, our allegiances will always lie with our cities, or our countries long before they lie with the players. Because as much as we love our players, and as much as we look to them for the great sports moments, the players come and go, but a team is forever.

After the Olympics are over, Claude Giroux is going to be our star in Philadelphia. It doesn’t matter that he isn’t playing in the Olympics, just like it won’t matter if he ends up on the roster because of an injury replacement. We wouldn’t be rooting for him anyway. it doesn’t matter that Bobby Ryan isn’t playing for the United States, because we are still going to root for our country. All politics aside, the Olympics are what they are- a chance to cheer for your country. Hockey fans all over the country will put their differences aside and cheer for Jonathan Quick, Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, Patrick Kane and the rest of team USA. And when the Olympics are over we will go back to rooting for our NHL teams and the players that we love. We’ll go back to borderline-disliking many of the players that we cheered for just weeks earlier, and we’ll get into arguments over why our team is better. It’s one of the great things about sports. People can put their differences aside and unite over a common goal, and then people can go back to what they know. It’s what makes sports exciting, and it is exactly what is going to make these Olympics great.