Team USA’s going to be tough to score on, and that’s a guarantee. Even if Teams Canada, Finland, and Sweden boast some of the league’s best scorers, the biggest question is if they’ll get the puck past the likes of Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman.
Hellebuyck’s once again proven to be the NHL’s best netminder, and I don’t envy the opponent forced to go against him. Should Team USA snag a spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off’s Championship Round, they’ll call Hellebuyck’s number.
But Team USA is also lucky because the goaltenders won’t need to bail them out. I’m ultra-excited that two of the game’s finest blueliners will be playing, and they also went with a nice mix of rugged but productive forwards. They struck balance upfront, in other words.
Team USA Forwards
- Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
- Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
- Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
- Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
- Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
- Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
- Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
- Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
- Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
- J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks
- Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
- Kyle Connor Winnipeg Jets
The Tkachuk brothers bring an immediate edge to the group, while Jack Hughes, Jake Guentzel, and Auston Matthews are a trio that can score at will. Chris Kreider could make a good middle-six scorer here, and you can say the same for Brock Nelson and Dylan Larkin. Jack Eichel and Kyle Connor are playmakers, while Matt Boldy, Vincent Trocheck, and J.T. Miller are solid additions.
Defensemen
- Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
- Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
- Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
- Adam Fox, New York Rangers
- Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
- Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
Zach Werenski’s been one of the Eastern Conference’s hottest blueliners, and he’s a surefire Norris candidate. Quinn Hughes will also be a force, and you can’t name a defenseman who positions himself better on the ice. Of the group, if Team USA’s going to have a strong blue line, those two need to bring their respective A-Games for a grand total of 180 minutes to punch their way into the championship round.
Goaltenders
- Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
- Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
- Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
It’s tough to argue that anyone in the 4 Nations Face-Off has a stronger trio of goaltenders than Team USA. Connor Hellebuyck has been the class of the league this season, and Jake Oettinger hasn’t been far behind. No, the season hasn’t gone Jeremy Swayman’s way, but he’s shown more than enough flashes in the recent past that I wouldn’t underestimate him.