US Team Announced

[Collegehockeynut]

Here is the link to the US Team Announcment.


http://www.usahockey.com/usa_hockey/news/main/home/news_womnat_082505/

[kustomice]

Here is the link to the US Team Announcment.


http://www.usahockey.com/usa_hockey/news/main/home/news_womnat_082505/

Are there really only 3 current NCAA players on this team or is it just the way USA hockey listed the roster?

[dave1381]

The distinction of last team is somewhat arbitrary -- Engstrom for instance was on the last World roster.

There are five players on the roster yet to graduate from college -- Cahow, Resor, Chu, Darwitz, Parsons. Another handful graduated this past year. The vast majority of these players graduated since the last Olympics. So U.S. college hockey has a big presence on this roster.

Probably the biggest surprise is Cahow and Brodt in, Lyndsay Wall out. Congrats to those who made the cut.

Oh wow, I missed the Granato cut at first glance. Must for something else going on there that I don't know about.

[rhody123]

no cammi granato??

[hockeygrrl08]

So what's the deal? Is this the team that's going to the Olympics? Or come January is Smith going to cut two goaltenders and call that the Olympic team? Or, as in past years, will another team be named in Jan/Feb (i.e. "Select Team" vs. "National Team"; "National Team vs. Olympic Team").

I know some of you guys thought Granato should have been gone long ago, but I am still shocked, and sad.
--
Dave brings up a good point: Brodt over Wall? Yeah, I'm biased, but I'm hoping this isn't the Olympic team. Maybe Smith is just letting the newbies get some experience.

Sure, I can cling to that ;)

[1996]

Wow, Cami gone. I'm new to this game, but she was heart and soul of USA Hockey I thought. I am a little suprised by the team, but the Olympics are 6 months away, things could change.

I don't think I would have wanted to be around when Cami was ushered out though. Not Good!!!

Only time will tell......

[moxie]

So what's the deal? Is this the team that's going to the Olympics? Or come January is Smith going to cut two goaltenders and call that the Olympic team? Or, as in past years, will another team be named in Jan/Feb (i.e. "Select Team" vs. "National Team"; "National Team vs. Olympic Team").USA Hockey announced it as "a 22-player roster that will compete at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games."

With no Granato, who will be wearing the "C", Wendell or Ruggiero?

[3703]

Injuries can and will happen, and USA Hockey has been known to do things that they don't always explain to the general public, but the only things we can say for sure is that 4 goalies will have to be trimmed down to 2, and that will leave the roster at 20 players, which is the size allowed... Smith said this will happen in December, and when it happens this team will no longer be the National Team, it will be the Olympic Team.

We could (and some probably will) argue for weeks on some of the individual selections and who is better than who. But what I am most interested by are the possible larger ramifications of these picks.

With only five players who have yet to graduate from college on the roster, the tryout camp proved, at least to Coach Smith, that the other players could still compete at the top level.

And in women's hockey, where after college, players have to really fight to find decent competition or places to train if they want to continue playing, Smith making these picks kind of says to me that we are getting there.

For those who don't follow this closely, 13 of the 22 players on the current team were not on college rosters last year. Some played in the NWHL. Some played on one of the two US senior elite teams that formed last season (East Coast Wizards and Minnesota Whitecaps). And some did neither of the above, yet still made it. I see that as good news for the game because it means players are still developing outside of college, despite the obstacles.

You may ask, what is the difference between this and the 2002 team, where if my memory serves me correctly, there were 12 players in the Olympics who had not been in college (or HS) the year before. To me the difference is that these players are by and large "new" (Kristin King, Pam Dreyer, Winny Brodt, Jamie Hagerman, Kim Insalaco, etc...) meaning that they are not veterans of many years of US national and Select teams. Yes, they have all been to camps and been on a roster or two in the past. But not as many teams as Baker, Mleczko, Bye, Mounsey, etc... had been on over the years before they made the 2002 team. I don't want to say it was easier for veterans of the Bye-era to make the team despite the fact that they may not have been developing as much as they could have (with no real place to play), but there was certainly less competition then from the college kids who, as a group are very talented and have more chances to play and train during the season in a structured environment.

I am not sure how clear I am being in my thoughts but the bottom line, to me, is that the game is still moving forward despite the obstacles out there.

[dave1381]

You may ask, what is the difference between this and the 2002 team, where if my memory serves me correctly, there were 12 players in the Olympics who had not been in college (or HS) the year before.
Well, the other huge difference is that the U.S. was centralized in 2000-01, and most players on the team came from that environment the previous year, not h.s. or college. There were a few exceptions (Andrea Kilbourne, Courtney Kennedy off the top of my head... and Jenny Potter was having her child that year). So that made the whole selection process very different.

[dave1381]

USA Hockey announced it as "a 22-player roster that will compete at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games."

With no Granato, who will be wearing the "C", Wendell or Ruggiero?
I'd be surprised if it wasn't Ruggiero, mainly because she's older and she's a 98er, but both certainly would be deserving.

[goalie8pucks]

A question for the ones of you who have followed the women's national team for a while....these questions are questions and not meant to insult anyone....... Is there enough speed on this team to compete up front with the Canadians? Do you think Cammi has been "suspended" as opposed to being "retired"? I read somewhere that her knee has been bothering her for a year....could she be on reserve after having time for her knee to recover? I have a few more questions but I'll wait to hear if anyone has opinions on this before I ask any more.

[dave1381]

well I'll say it's usually the Canadians who are worried about having enough speed to keep up front with the Americans, and the Americans have outshot Canada pretty handily in most international competitions, with goaltending often being a big part of the story. As for whether this is the final roster for forwards/D, who knows. Canada cut Drolet and reversed the cut of Piper in 2002 for instance, although such decisions are typically not popular. The programs will do whatever it takes to make their teams better.

[hockeynut83]

As Canadian I have a different view point regarding the US national team, then I would the Canadian National team....less emotion in my thought process.

Having said that, I can't believe that Cammi Granato has not been named to the team. I think that in the best interest of US hockey a player of her stature should be allowed to hang them up in style. I have always thought that she has been the heart and soul of all the US teams over the past years and most responsible for the way the team played ( with emotion). All teams that win championships have a common thread to them, that is a veteran leader. Look no farther then the last Stanley cup winner Tampa Bay- Dave Anderchuck was the leader of the team. Detroit ( Team Canada) - Steve Yzerman I could go on and on but that would only take more time. Tammi Granato is younger then both of these examples.

[hockeygrrl08]

I can't believe Smith would so totally dismantle the team that just finally won a World Championship...

Like, totally! ;)

[ARM]

Dave brings up a good point: Brodt over Wall?
I've watched both play many times during their careers, and they play two totally different styles. I see that the roster lists 11 forwards and 7 D, and Brodt would be more versatile if they wanted another forward. Plus she is more aggressive from the blueline, if they are looking for more offense from the position. But against a team like Canada, I'd think that they would be more likely to get a goal as a result of a Wall bomb than a Brodt rush.

That said, I don't see that it is necessarily a choice of one over the other. Players like Resor and Cahow could also have been the odd player out.

Just looking at the roster as a whole, it seems that there must be some things going on of which we have no knowledge. Otherwise, some moves don't appear to make a lot of sense.

[3703]

Brodt over Wall?

Smith said that he was not happy with Wall's preparation for the camp. As Dave pointed out, despite the fact that it has not been stated, it would not be unprecedented for someone to be added to the roster down the road, whether it is because there is an injury or another reason. Unlike some of the other "close cuts," Wall will have a chance to hit the ice in Minnesota with both guns blazing and prove herself to be ready if a second chance arises. It seems she has matured a lot - we'll see how she reacts.

[dave1381]

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050825/NEWS01/508260357/1002/NEWS
In a stunning development, however, former Olympian Lyndsay Wall of Churchville was not selected for the 22-player team. United States coach Ben Smith said he was not happy with Wall's preparation for the tryouts, but did not rule out the possibility that she could make the final Olympic roster later this year.

[Collegehockeynut]

In a stunning development, however, former Olympian Lyndsay Wall of Churchville was not selected for the 22-player team. United States coach Ben Smith said he was not happy with Wall's preparation for the tryouts, but did not rule out the possibility that she could make the final Olympic roster later this year.


Wall may get the chance to show Smith made a mistake if she is selected/voted onto the WCHA All Star team. :rolleyes:

[EdSasha]

...and USA Hockey has been known to do things that they don't always explain to the general public...

You mean... it's not just Hockey Canada...? Gasp!!!

[ARM]

I don't think it's a given that Wall will play for Minnesota this year. Brodt didn't when she was dropped from the team at a similar point in 2001, although her case was different in that she'd been at Lake Placid with the national team the previous year.