nhl 2004 rebuilt 2016 world cup of hockey 2016

selection committee and things won't be any easier for whoever ends up heading up the group in 2016 (right now, it should be Ray Shero or Dean Lombardi). Thoughts: We understand how difficult choosing the Sochi team was for the U.S. Still, loads and loads of options for the red, white and blue come the fall of 2016. lost to Canada and Finland to finish out of the medals. After hitting the elimination round as the team to beat, the U.S. 'Disappointing' doesn't really cover how the U.S. Typical Canadian dilemma: the ability to ice two and maybe three medal-worthy teams. Goaltending remains an interesting position, although given the play of Carey Price, that discussion/concern became an absolute non-factor.

Thoughts: Canada boasts, what, 20 worthy centers, so the dilemma facing a selection group won't get any easier in the summer of 2016 than it was a year ago for the Sochi Games, when Canada essentially squeezed the life out of the competition by playing some of the best team defense seen anywhere, at any time. Will Mike Babcock be behind the bench? Will it matter? The two-time defending Olympic gold medalists will again be heavy favorites playing at home, but it won't make the decision any easier for whoever takes over for executive director Steve Yzerman. We included only those North American players who will be 25 or younger on our Team Sham, er, Team Young Guns roster. We also included our Team Euro Leftovers Roster and the Young North American Guns roster (which makes a mockery of the entire tournament and is a kick in the shins to the Swiss and the Slovaks, who should have their own teams in this competition). Plus two other composition teams will round out a field of eight.įor the national teams we know will be in Toronto, we went with a 25-man roster of three goalies, eight defensemen and 14 forwards, and tried to take into account the maturation of young players and the durability of older players. Right now, we expect these six hockey nations will take part: Canada, the United States, Finland, Sweden, Russia and the Czech Republic.

We still don't know if Sochi was the swansong for NHL participation in the Olympics, but we do know the NHL and its players are hoping for a return of best-on-best hockey in the fall of 2016 in a revamped World Cup of Hockey. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserĪ year ago, the hockey world was anticipating the announcement of the Olympic rosters for the 2014 Sochi Games.

Nhl 2004 rebuilt 2016 world cup of hockey 2016