Team USA is in it to win it, bringing a whole herd of top-quality prospects with them to the Swedish west coast. The last five tournaments have brought a mixed bag of results for the Americans. Three medals, one of each value, but also a couple of quarter-final exits against European competition. Is this one of those years, where Team United States can be up there and challenge constant favourites Canada for the tournament win, or will this be another one of those years where a European side can get the better of them before the fun even begins? Let’s have a look at the preliminary roster.
Preliminary roster
| # | Player | Position | League | Current team (NHL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trey Augustine | G | NCAA | Michigan State University (DET) |
| 31 | Jacob Fowler | G | NCAA | Boston College (MTL) |
| 30 | Sam Hillebrandt | G | OHL | Barrie Colts |
| 28 | Zeev Buium | D | NCAA | University of Denver (2024) |
| 25 | Seamus Casey | D | NCAA | University of Michigan (NJD) |
| 71 | Ryan Chesley | D | NCAA | University of Minnesota (WSH) |
| 5 | Drew Fortescue | D | NCAA | Boston College (NYR) |
| 20 | Lane Hutson | D | NCAA | Boston University (MTL) |
| 14 | Aram Minnetian | D | NCAA | Boston College (DAL) |
| 23 | Eric Pohlkamp | D | NCAA | Bemidji State University (SJS) |
| 8 | Sam Rinzel | D | NCAA | University of Minnesota (CHI) |
| 4 | Gavin Brindley | F | NCAA | University of Michigan (CBJ) |
| 16 | Quinn Finley | F | NCAA | University of Wisconsin (NYI) |
| 19 | Cutter Gauthier | F | NCAA | Boston College (PHI) |
| 27 | Gavin Hayes | F | OHL | Flint Firebirds (CHI) |
| 22 | Isaac Howard | F | NCAA | Michigan State University (TBL) |
| 9 | Ryan Leonard | F | NCAA | Boston College (WAS) |
| 2 | Rutger McGroarty | F | NCAA | University of Michigan (WPG) |
| 11 | Oliver Moore | F | NCAA | University of Minnesota (CHI) |
| 91 | Frank Nazar | F | NCAA | University of Michigan (CHI) |
| 17 | Danny Nelson | F | NCAA | University of Notre Dame (NYI) |
| 34 | Gabe Perreault | F | NCAA | Boston College (NYR) |
| 6 | Will Smith | F | NCAA | Boston College (SJS) |
| 81 | Jimmy Snuggerud | F | NCAA | University of Minnesota (STL) |
| 10 | Carey Terrance | F | OHL | Erie Otters (ANA) |
2023 tournament returnees in bold
Strengths
Yesterday, we previewed USA’s group rival Czechia, a team which one year ago went all the way to the final. Czechia has a roster consisting of eight players who have been drafted by an NHL team. Team USA currently consists of 25 players, with 23 having already been chosen by a National Hockey League franchise. One of the remaining two, defenceman Zeev Buium, is a probable first-rounder next summer, leaving third choice goaltender Sam Hillebrandt as the only player without draft pedigree in this strong roster.
What is even more impressive with the USA team is the level of depth throughout the roster. Only two of the 23 players, defencemen Aram Minnetian and Eric Pohlkamp, have been selected with a pick outside the top three rounds in either 2022 or 2023.
In short, there is something for every occasion on this team. You want a top class-goaltender? Just go with the hotter hand out of Michigan State’s Trey Augustine and Montreal hopeful Jacob Fowler. You need someone to hold the blue line and steady the ship? Enter Sam Rinzel and Ryan Chesley. You need a few transition players who can skate figure eights around the opposition and provide points from that same blue line? Voilà, Lane Hutson and Seamus Casey will do that for you all day long.
This is before we have even started on the forwards. Ryan Leonard, Cutter Gauthier and Will Smith were top-10 draft selections for a reason, and to make matters better, the latter two already know each other from Boston College. Sprinkle a Jimmy Snuggerud, a Rutger McGroarty and a Gabe Perreault around the former three, and what you have is, on paper, a formidable offence ready to go to town on whatever the opposition throws at them.
Weaknesses
The only thing which could stop Team USA from a medal berth in the new year are themselves. If they do the job properly, and don’t underestimate their quarter-final opponents (Germany?), this is a team with potential to give Canada a run for its money. It is hard to see a potential weakness on this roster, apart from potentially being overconfident in one’s own ability.
It will, however, be interesting to see first-year head coach David Carle’s transition into national team hockey. A long time NCAA prodigy child, Carle has spent the last 10 seasons as part of the coaching staff at the University of Denver. Thirty-four years young, he has already spent five full seasons at the realm in Colorado, with an NCAA Championship title in 2022 as the biggest moment during his tenure.
Carle should have the skill set to make this roster gel, but a first-year head coach is always a first-year head coach. There is always a possible extra weight on your shoulders when there are two minutes left of a decisive game and a crucial decision has to be made. Will he be up for the task? Will Carle remain cool under pressure?
Projection
Gold! We all remember that wonderful image of Cole Caufield skating around Rogers Place draped in an American flag back in 2021. That title was USA’s fifth in total, and moved them up to third all time, tied with Finland. That team had, apart from Caufield, players like Spencer Knight, Jake Sanderson, Matty Beniers, Matt Boldy, Trevor Zegras, and Cam York.
This year may very well prove to be another one of those golden American generations we see once every five or so years. If Team USA wants to leave Finland behind them in the medal table, this seems like an opportune year to do so.
Who knows? In a few weeks’ time, we may have a new photo of an undersized American juggernaut draped in the star-spangled banner to admire. Lane Hutson will certainly do his very best to make that dream a reality.
