Team USA 2026

This Team USA is a Wagon!

Oh how far we've come! 😁

Let's take a time machine back 40 years ago to the 1984 Canada Cup at what the Americans roster looked like...

Forwards

Eddie Olczyk
Brian Lawton
Bryan Trottier
Mark Johnson
Bobby Carpenter
Neal Broten
Bryan Erickson
Joe Mullen
Aaron Broten
Dave Christian
Bob Brooke
Brian Mullen
David A. Jensen

Defensemen

Rod Langway
Mike Ramsey
Chris Chelios
Phil Housley
Gordie Roberts
Mark Fusco
Tom Hirsch

Goalies

Tom Barrasso
Glenn "Chico" Resch

Team USA went 3-2-1 and finished 4th.

They went 3-1-1 in the round robin.

Then were curb stomped by Team Sweden 9-2 in the semi final.

Team USA had previously beaten Team Sweden 7-1 in round robin play.

Head coach was "Badger" Bob Johnson.

One of my favorite Head coaches of all time.

Team Canada won the tournament sweeping Team Sweden 2 games to none in the Final.

The big matchup was Team Canada vs Soviet Union in the semi final.

Canada won that game 3-2 in OT on a shot from Paul Coffey which was deflected by Mike Bossy.

Soviets had previously beaten Team Canada 6-3 in round robin.

Team USA tied Team Canada 4-4 in round robin.

Team USA lost 2-1 to the Soviets also in round robin.

West Germany was in this tournament of 6 teams.

Czechoslovakia was too.

No Finland? 🙄

19 year old Dominik Hasek was Team Czechoslovakia starting goalie.

He wouldn't make his NHL debut until 1990 with Chicago.

I find it's generally best to have one legit checking center for this level. This is one area where the US team might have an issue compared to other teams. We don't have that Bergeron or Hintz or O'Reilly or Couts or Karlsson, or even a Thomas level guy, who can drop down to the role for the team. Could Miller play that role? I suppose. Is Lowry good enough to hang in a best v best? Or Copp or Compher or Dowd? I dunno, man.

You have Eichel top line and who knows, he might be forced into playing 4th line. One way or another, there needs to be someone who can keep the McKinnons and Drais and Petterssons quieter than usual. Or at least to not let them run wild.

In comes Vincent Trocheck. He’s defensively responsible and capable of playing top minutes with elite players (Panarin every night) and can win faceoffs. He’d be the perfect 4C.

If Andrew copp or jt compher or tanev is on my Olympic team I am renouncing my citizenship

Listen to yourself

I didn't say they should be on the team (or mention Tanev). I said there needs to be a proper shutdown C.