Who would play for the U.S. if you were picking the Olympic team? Join the discussion by submitting your roster picks at he bottom of this page.
The USA Olympic hockey team will likely look a lot different in 2010, as the old guard of Chelios, Weight, Modano, et al give way to the next generation. There could be as few as two or three holdovers from the 2006 USA Olympic hockey team.
Here's a guess at which American players will make the trip to Vancouver.
Players are listed by name, age as of February, 2010, and NHL team.
Goaltenders
- Tim Thomas, 35 (Boston Bruins)
- Ryan Miller, 29 (Buffalo Sabres)
- Craig Anderson, 28 (Colorado Avalanche)
Jonathan Quick, the Kings goalie of the future, was the third man invited to the summer orientation camp. But many lists (like this one) included Anderson even before his great start in Colorado this season.
So if the tournament started today, who's number one? Maybe split the early starts between Miller and Anderson. Most likely, the team goes with whoever is hot in the weeks leading up to the Olympic break.
Defense
- Brian Rafalski, 36 (Detroit Red Wings)
- Ryan Suter, 25 (Nashville Predators)
- Paul Martin 28 (New Jersey Devils)
- Ryan Whitney, 27 (Anaheim Ducks)
- Erik Johnson, 21 (St. Louis Blues)
- Brooks Orpik, 29 (Pittsburgh Pittsburgh)
- Zach Bogosian, 19 (Atlanta Thrashers)
- Keith Ballard, 27 (Florida Panthers)
Johnson and Bogosian are playing their way onto the team. Mike Komisarek and John-Michael Liles have been dropped.
Ballard wasn't invited to the summer orientation camp, but has a leading role in Florida.
Pittsburgh's Alex Goligoski coule be there. Largely unknown but off to a great start this season.
Others who could yet play their way onto the team include Matt Niskanen (Dallas), Joe Corvo (Carolina), Matt Carle (Philadelphia), and Tom Gilbert (Edmonton).
Forwards
- Zach Parise, 25 (New Jersey Devils)
- Chris Drury, 32 (New York Rangers)
- Dustin Brown, 25 (Los Angeles Kings)
- Jamie Langenbrunner, 34 (New Jersey Devils)
- Paul Stastny, 24 (Colorado Avalanche)
- Scott Gomez, 30 (Montreal Canadiens)
- Patrick Kane, 21 (Chicago Blackhawks)
- Phil Kessel, 22 (Toronto Maple Leafs)
- Ryan Kesler, 25 (Vancouver Canucks)
- Bobby Ryan, 22 (Anaheim Ducks)
- David Booth, 25 (Florida Panthers)
- Ryan Malone, 31 (Tampa Bay Lightning)
- Mike Knuble, 37 (Washington Capitals)
Parise, coming off a 94-point season, could be team captain. Drury is suited for a third-line center job. Brown is growing into a model power forward. Those three are the pillars.
Kelser and Malone are off to great starts in 2009-10. Kane and Kessel are game-breakers. Langenbrunner is as solid a winger as you will find.
After that, the questions begin.
Gomez and Stastny are sure to make the team. But what will they deliver? Gomez lost his game with the Rangers, while Stastny has little playoff experience and missed much of 2008-09 with a broken arm.
Ryan played his way into contention with a breakout 2008-09 season. Can he keep it up?
Will Booth be recovered from his concussion and playing well by the time the roster is named?
A guy like Jason Pominville (Sabres) might look like a safer pick than Knuble. But Knuble has been the more reliable winger in recent years. He at least bears watching up until the day the roster is picked.
Worth watching:
- T.J. Oshie (Blues)
- Keith Tkachuk (Blues)
- Joe Pavelski (Sharks)
- Tim Connolly (Sabres; great start, but health always an issue)
- James van Riemsdyk (Flyers; top rookie scorer as of early November)
- Brian Gionta (Canadiens)
The roster selected for the summer orientation camp differs from this pick. Among the veterans, Knuble isn't invited, but Mike Modano (Stars) was. Plenty of young players were there, like David Backes (Blues) and Kyle Okposo (Islanders).
The team will be named on January 1. But final rosters don't have to be submitted until the Games begin on February 13.
Invitees to Team USA Summer Orientation Camp:
Goaltenders: Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick, Tim Thomas
Defencemen: Tom Gilbert, Tim Gleason, Ron Hainsey, Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson, Mike Komisarek, Paul Martin, Brooks Orpik, Brian Rafalski, Rob Scuderi, Ryan Suter, Ryan Whitney
Forwards: David Backes, David Booth, Dustin Brown, Dustin Byfuglien, Ryan Callahan, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, Phil Kessel, Jamie Langenbrunner, Ryan Malone, Mike Modano, Kyle Okposo, T.J. Oshie, Zach Parise, Joe Pavelski, Bobby Ryan, Paul Stastny
See Also: Team Canada 2010: A Projected Olympic Hockey Roster for Team Canada
