2013-14 NHL Season: "We Are North American Scum"

[The_Admiral]

It's pretty cool how Brandon Saad can be a Rookie of the Year candidate on the first line of a championship team, score 30 points through 42 games, and lose out on a roster spot to Dustin Crazy-Legs Brown.

[cmm]

How Derek Stepan got chosen over Kyle Okposo is beyond me.

[monkeypower]

There were some interesting choices on USA to say the least.

[zpqmaowl]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/20131231phoenix-coyotes-poised-to-terminate-gilbert-brules-contract.html

After failing to accept an assignment to the American Hockey League, forward Gilbert Brule's career with the Coyotes - and in the NHL - appears to be nearing an end.

Brule was assigned to Portland, the Coyotes' AHL affiliate, Sunday and was suspended Monday by the team once he didn't report.

"It's pretty simple," Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney said. "He decided that he didn't want to live out of a suitcase anymore, was sick of living at hotels, and told me he was going to quit hockey - maybe become a firefighter. So what we do procedurally is we suspended him and unless he has a change of heart very, very quickly, we'll go through the procedure of terminating his contract."

Brule signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Coyotes in November. He was in training camp on a professional tryout and once he was cut, he accepted a professional tryout with the Portland Pirates.

Before signing with the Coyotes, Brule was on the brink of continuing his career in the Kontinental Hockey League but changed his mind to remain stateside.

But he could be without an NHL contract very soon.

"I think it's pretty evident that that's the direction this is trending," Maloney said. "This is the third time this is happened with Gilbert. Out of training camp, he took some time. Early in the season he took some time. Obviously, he's got a lot of other things in his life and that's fine. That's what makes this world great."

A former first-round draft pick - he was taken sixth overall in 2005 by the Columbus Blue Jackets - Brule, who turns 27 Wednesday, is one game shy of 300. He's accrued 43 goals and 95 points.

"I think it is surprising," Maloney said. "He's still a relatively young player, but hey listen, even though he's young, he's been playing pro hockey for a long time. I think he's just tired of doing what he's doing, obviously. Good luck, God speed and move on."

This was Brule's second stint with the Coyotes. He was with the team in 2011-12 when he had five goals and 14 points in 33 games and also chipped in two goals and an assist in 12 playoff games.

He was held pointless in three games this season with the Coyotes.

But Maloney said there are no hard feelings.

"I did mention it's hard to make the kind of money he's making in the real world, but he'll find that out pretty quick," Maloney said. "But on the other hand, now he can get on with his real life. This is all just a bubble to me and once this is over with, now he can hopefully get his life in the direction he wants to take it."

[The_Admiral]

Let's remember that Team USA was assembled by David Poile, who has spent the last 15 seasons demonstrating that he couldn't identify offense if you Clockwork-Oranged him to game film of Wayne :censored:ing Gretzky, so it's no wonder that he'd leave a point-per-game player in Okposo off the roster so that Dustin Brown can bump into people and fall on his ass.

[monkeypower]

From an ESPN article about the making of the US team and Bobby Ryan.

Bobby Ryan was also in Vancouver and has been the most consistent of U.S.-born scorers, having tallied 30 or more goals four times for Anaheim before being dealt to Ottawa in the offseason. And yet there is surprising resistance to simply penciling him into a spot on the wing.

The issue is where he fits. If he's not a top-six forward, his skating doesn't really lend itself to him being a third-line checker. He cannot kill penalties, and while in Anaheim, he was not on the team's top power-play unit.

"I think he's sleepy. I think he skates sleepy," offers one member of the selection committee.

Poile asks for a show of hands: "Are guys nervous about Bobby Ryan?" A flurry of hands go up in the air.

So Dustin Brown/David Backes/Derek Stepan were picked because they're not a top six guy and can kill penalties?

After seeing the team, I'm not as worried about Canada playing the US. (Apparently as long as the US doesnt take any penalties.)

[Kramerica Industries]

Glad to see the U.S. emphasizing narratives over skill. What a bunch of loons.

[The_Admiral]

Grinders? Wasn't Jonathan Toews the #4 center on Canada's 2010 team?

Also, there have to be better American defensemen than Brooks Orpik, Justin Faulk, and John Carlson. There just have to be.

[ninersdd]

What about Dustin Byfuglien?

[The_Admiral]

Competitive eating isn't an Olympic sport.

[dbadefense1990]

Dustin Brown with his 13 points in 40 games had no business whatsoever on this roster. All he's ever done is get his dick sucked for being American; he's the Shane Doan/Eric Staal of the Stars and Stripes.

At first, I was going to point out that Crosby gets his dick sucked for being Canadian.

Then again, here's what he's done in his career:

And he leads the league with 59 points.

[FGM13]

Justin Faulk on team USA is like Eric Brewer on team Canada in 2002.

[Still MIGHTY]

Here's the full article monkeypower posted:

How the US Hockey Team was named

Scott Burnside of ESPN was one of two writers that got to be in the room for all of the discussions and decisions made by the US Olympic brain trust. It is a lonnnnnnnnngggggggggggg article, but there is a lot of great stuff in it. If you have the extra time, I highly encourage anyone to read through it. At least skim it.

To add to my Bobby Ryan concern and what monkeypower posted, Brian Burke was all over the place when describing him. He came down really hard in some places saying: ""He is not intense. That word is not in his vocabulary," Burke says. "It's never going to be in his vocabulary. He can't spell intense." ... Burke recalls fighting with his scouts in Anaheim over whether to take Bobby Ryan or Jack Johnson at the 2005 draft. The scouts won and the Ducks took Ryan. "I should have taken Jack," Burke says. "No way he lets us down for 12 days."

Burke then also praised Bobby in other areas: "He's a passive guy," Burke says. And over 82 games, yes, Saad and or Pacioretty might be more attractive than Ryan. But Ryan's a game-breaker.... Pacioretty and Saad are both better 60-minute players, Burke says, "But neither can do what Bobby can do." Burke also pointed out an argument used earlier when they were discussing Keith Yandle if you can leave off one of the top American scorers at their position.

While he did condemn certain attributes of Bobby's, it seems that he fought for him. What the whole group came down to on it was should someone of Bobby's skill set play diminished minutes. They didn't want to bring him if he wasn't going to be in a situation where he could score a big goal. David Poile essentially finished all Ryan discussion asking: "How good is Bobby Ryan's one quality," he asks, referencing his ability to score. "Will it win out the day?"

To address admiral's Saad note, apparently he was the very last forward left off the roster.. He was in and out all the way down the stretch, and it came down to a push from Dan Bylsma and the coaching staff: "The final three forwards were essentially in a dead heat with the coaches' desire tipping the scales in favor of Oshie and Wheeler, whose speed, goal-scoring ability and perceived ability to move up the lineup nudged him ever so slightly ahead of Saad."

Couple other interesting notes:

- Dale Tallon: "Jack Johnson is having a bad year. He needs to get his s*** together".

- Brian Burke: "I always assume a disaster's going to happen when ‬ Keith Yandle is on the ice. If Yandle goes in our top four, I think everyone we play is excited".

- David Poile: "Jason Pominville and ‪Okposo "aren't built for big ice and have never been considered"

- Ray Shero: "I'm going to take my ****ing chances with ‪Jimmy Howard"

[4_tattoos]

What moron decided to make the Men's Olympic team announcement after the game? IMO they should have scrapped the musical performance during the first intermission, and announced the women's team instead (ladies first). Then the men's teams should have been announced during the second intermission.

[The_Admiral]

Why is Dale Tallon on Team USA? First of all, he's Canadian. Second of all, he's stupid.

[fouhy12]

I'm surprised that Krug didn't make the USA team. I think his game would translate well to the larger rink. Krug is fast, has a great shot, and is very smart. Although he is young, I think he brings tremendous upside, especially as the 7th or 8th defenseman. He has also gotten better defensively since last year, and is no longer a liability in his own zone.

[teddthebucfan]

I hate to be a spoil sport, but wouldn't this discussion of the US Olympic Hockey teams go better in an Olympics thread?

[ninersdd]

It's very good, but not without its poor decisions. Dustin Brown with his 13 points in 40 games had no business whatsoever on this roster. All he's ever done is get his dick sucked for being American; he's the Shane Doan/Eric Staal of the Stars and Stripes. Justin Faulk is only considered elite because he plays for a franchise that can't develop defensemen worth a crap. David Backes is Bryan Bickell with a C on

his sweater and having been born in the right country. Canada doesn't have a weakness anywhere but goal, and they're so strong otherwise that all they need is for Price to be good enough.

Yeah I remember against the Sharks on Black Friday when Backes allowed Mike Brown(SJ's weakest player) to sucker him into getting a 10 minute misconduct. Maybe Dustin Brown will target some more knees in the Olympics.

Since Slovenia will never be in the Olympics for hockey, can the US rent Kopitar, since he plays for a US team?

[Still MIGHTY]

Slovenia is in the Olympics for hockey this year. Hell, they're in the USA's group.

[ninersdd]

Slovenia is in the Olympics for hockey this year. Hell, they're in the USA's group.

I guess I should've looked. I presumed that they never had a prayer of making it to the tourney.