Omicron, the Olympics and Team USA

What’s Happening: It’s been a whirlwind two weeks in the NHL. With game postponements and a league-wide shutdown once again a possibility, the Olympics seem like a distant priority. But as the NHL tries to keep the season on the rails, Olympic roster decisions are only three weeks away. The NHL and NHLPA have right up to the start of the games to withdraw from the competition. 

Those decisions extend to individual players as well. As the NHL and NHLPA await the IOC’s final “playbook” for players testing positive while in China — currently a three-week quarantine in Beijing is the policy — players are unlikely to formally commit until that’s ironed out. Robin Lehner is the only NHL-er thus far to formally withdraw from the Olympics, though surely many more are having those conversations privately. With Lehner, some might say that’s a good decision for him personally with the heightened restrictions in China, while a skeptic would say that’s an easier decision for him to make given Jacob Markström’s hold on Team Sweden’s net. 

What’s happening on the ice:

With all that said, it’s business as usual, for now, and Team USA GM Bill Guerin has to put a team together. The biggest question mark is Jack Eichel. Presumed not to participate, TSN’s Chris  Johnston said recently that Eichel remains a possibility. He’s right on track with his recovery from neck surgery and hasn’t been ruled out. For now, let’s assume he’s not going to play. 

Without Eichel, here’s our best guess at what Team USA will look like. 

Projected Roster

Forwards:

Gaudreau         Matthews         Kane

Connor             Larkin                Matthew Tkachuk 

DeBrincat       JT Miller             Pacioretty

Kreider             Jack Hughes      Boeser

*Extras: Guentzel, Brady Tkachuk 

Defence:

Adam Fox              Charlie McAvoy

Zach Werenski       Seth Jones

Quinn Hughes        Ryan McDonaugh

*Extras: John Carlson, Jaccob Slavin

Goaltenders:

Connor Hellebuyck

John Gibson

Jack Campbell

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Your 1980 Olympic hero: Jim Craig. Great shot. #USAHockey

December 16th 2021

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The Discussion

As with our piece on Team Canada last week, final roster construction will come down to what style head coach Mike Sullivan wants to institute. 

The locks of Matthews, Kane, Gaudreau, Seth Jones and the like won’t depend on the coach. There are some decisions to be made, however. 

Two names to watch up front: 

1. Joe Pavelski. If Eichel and Hughes are both healthy, it’s tough for him to make the team, but he’s called Captain America for a reason. For a roster that’s plentiful on the wing and not so much down the middle, will Pavelski get one more crack at the can? This is especially true if Jack Hughes’ injury is longer than expected. 

2. T.J Oshie. There are other, younger options this time around, but can Team USA leave his shootout prowess at home? We all remember his Sochi heroics in 2014, and knowing how often advancing in the Olympics comes down to a shootout, he’d be hard to leave at home. 

Of course, there’s Jack Eichel, too. 

The blueline is pretty rock-solid, though youthful. The only real decisions come on the third pair and spares. Does GM Bill Guerin go with McDonaugh, Tory Krug, or even a Jeff Petry (if healthy) to counterbalance the inexperience? Or with more defensive-minded players like Jaccob Slavin and fellow Hurricane Brett Pesce? Both played heavily against elite competition last season.

In a short tournament, the goaltender is almost always the most important player. This team seems destined to go as far as Connor Hellebuyck can take them. If he’s cold or injured, it’s an uh-oh moment. The best of the rest is also a solid group if not spectacular, and we’ve gone with the track record of John Gibson and the unproven yet on-fire Vezina candidate Jack Campbell. Honorable mention to Thatcher Demko. 

Links from the Rink

• COVID Playbook: What should the NHL do?

• Is 3-on-3 Broken? How to fix overtime 

• Is John Tortorella Bad for Hockey? Discussing his take on the Zegras goal

• Stepping Down: Paul Maurice resigns as Jets head coach

• World Junior Hockey Championship: See the schedule and get ready to watch all the action