USA Hockey does an excellent job of covering their World Championship team, and ahead of Friday’s Worlds opener vs. Canada (10 AM EDT on the NHL Network), Team USA posted a video in which Dylan Larkin and Jeff Blashill (among others) discuss the Americans’ tasks at hand…
“I think we proved to ourselves last year we were good enough to win this tournament,” said Blashill, who just completed his third season as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. “We were in a great position and unfortunately we lost the wrong game.”
Four players return from last year’s National Team, including forwards Johnny Gaudreau (Salem, N.J./Calgary Flames), Dylan Larkin (Waterford, Mich./Detroit Red Wings) and Anders Lee (Edina, Minn./New York Islanders) and defenseman Connor Murphy (Dublin, Ohio/Chicago Blackhawks). Murphy captained Team USA while the three forwards combined for 13 goals and 29 points to fuel the U.S. effort.
With that core in place, along with a barrage of newcomers led by 2018 U.S. captain Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./Chicago Blackhawks), Blashill believes this group has the talent to compete for gold.
“We were a talented group last year and we’re equally as talented this year,” said Blashill. “We need to believe in ourselves and build as a hockey team throughout the tournament.”
And the Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a “Red Wings at the World Championship” primer:
Detroit Red Wings at the tournament
Forward Dylan Larkin is back for a second straight year, this time as an alternate captain for the U.S. Coach Jeff Blashill will be behind the bench, also for a second straight year. Defenseman Nick Jensen was named to the U.S. squad on the strength of his skating ability.
Gustav Nyquist is on Sweden’s squad. Former Wings great Nicklas Lidstrom is expected to be part of the color commentary for the Swedish games.
Frans Nielsen headlines the Danish team.
Defense prospects Filip Hronek and Libor Sulak were both named to the Czech roster.
…
Sizing up the competition
Each group has three hockey power houses – A has the Czechs, the Russians and the Swedes, and B has the Canadians, the Finns and the Americans. All six teams made it to the quarterfinals of the 2017 tournament, and are expected to do so again this year. Sweden ended up winning last year, defeating Canada in everybody’s least favorite way to end a major tournament: a shootout. Russia took bronze by beating Finland (which beat the U.S. in a quarterfinal).
Quiet day. Seems some people only post to argue with me or try to mock me. Instead of being so juvenile, maybe someone would like to start a hockey discussion? Share an idea and start a discussion…
“fatsavage
Quiet day. Seems some people only post to argue with me or try to mock me. Instead of being so juvenile, maybe someone would like to start a hockey discussion? Share an idea and start a discussion…”
Or perhaps we are contributing to discussions at other sites that do not put up with self-victimization and members who openly mock others who disagree with them for weeks on end?
Meanwhile, the rest of us are spending time being productive at work or having glorious days with our families to be staring at our computer screens on this very quite day in Red Wing Land.
Haha. Yet just over an hour later, you still logged in…were openly invited to talk hockey…and still don’t.
I’m really hoping that all the disputes between you and I has caused everyone to use the ignore feature on us both.
“fatsavage
Quiet day. Seems some people only post to argue with me or try to mock me. Instead of being so juvenile, maybe someone would like to start a hockey discussion? Share an idea and start a discussion…”
Or perhaps we are contributing to discussions at other sites that do not put up with self-victimization and members who openly mock others who disagree with them for weeks on end?
Well said, Bob.
But, in spite of his in-depth hockey knowledge, FS is a very slow learner!
Hint: Fatty is just regurgitating what is being said on other blogs. He’s not saying anything new or revolutionary.
Fatty has all the signs of an abuser. And we all enable him.
More attacks. More slander. Stick to hockey please. We all thank you.
Just remember your “stick to hockey” statement the next time you choose to abuse us while declaring yourself to be the victim.
As I said above, you are a very slow learner!