Dear Abbey: B/R Community Picks Team USA Roster for 2022 Winter Olympics

Welcome to another edition of Dear Abbey. I don't give life advice like the real Dear Abby, but I do talk about hockey.

Get out the American flags because this edition of the community mailbag is all about the Olympics. The NHL will be returning to the competition in Beijing after sitting out the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

Showcasing hockey's top talent in the most high-profile global sports event is the best decision for all involved. Despite commissioner Gary Bettman always appearing cool on the matter, allowing players to compete for their countries will keep the labor peace that has developed since the most recent lockout ended in January 2013.

It's also great marketing for the sport. No offense to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but the tournament that was billed as an alternative lacked the intrigue and excitement of the Olympics. Putting the best players in the world on the ice in front of a global audience will help draw new fans to the sport.

It's good for the game and good for the league.

There are still some concerns regarding the pandemic. COVID-19 insurance is not part of the agreement, but IIHF President Rene Fasel told Stephen Whyno and John Wawrow of the Associated Press that the federation has set up a $5 million fund for any players who lose salary because of the disease.

Each country will field a team of 22 skaters (14 forwards, eight defensemen) and three goalies. We asked the B/R community to predict Team USA's roster. As usual, there was some good debate. However, there weren't many surprising picks.

Here are the players the B/R community want to represent the United States in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Brock Boeser, Alex DeBrincat, Kyle Connor, Johnny Gaudreau, Jake Guentzel, Jack Hughes, Dylan Larkin, J.T. Miller, Max Pacioretty, Matthew Tkachuk, Blake Wheeler

(@thomasibach)

           

Anders Lee, assuming his knee is healthy. No one crashes the net better than Anders.

(@x52495)

          

T.J. Oshie 

(@upgradde)

          

Don't forget Captain America himself, Joe Pavelski

(@zachhavens)

                

Credit to @thomasibach for submitting a nearly full roster. He might not be too far off base, but I think some of the community's other candidates have merit as well.

T.J. Oshie was the U.S. hero in 2014 when he helped the U.S. defeat Russia in the preliminary round, scoring on four of six shootout attempts. The 34-year-old is a heavy favorite to compete for his country in the Olympics once again. Joe Pavelski is as well, possibly in a fourth-line center role or as a reserve.

Jack Eichel's inclusion is obviously dependent on health and whether he undergoes the neck surgery he has been pushing for. Without him, the center depth is thin but J.T. Miller and Jack Hughes could help make up for that.

If healthy, the Buffalo Sabres captain is a lock to make the team along with Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews and Johnny Gaudreau. You could make a case for DeBrincat, Connor and Miller. In addition to Matthew Tkachuk, his brother, Brady, has a good shot as well. I think both brothers will be included on the roster to bring physicality, scoring and size.

Alex Tuch could sneak on to the roster as well, but the Vegas Golden Knights winger underwent shoulder surgery in late July, so February's Games might come too soon for him.

Here's how I see the forward lines shaking out:

Matthew Tkachuk—Auston Matthews—Patrick Kane

Johnny Gaudreau—Jack Eichel—T.J. Oshie

Kyle Connor—J.T. Miller—Alex DeBrincat

Brady Tkachuk—Joe Pavelski—Brock Boeser

Jack Hughes, Cam Atkinson

USA is going to be stacked defensively: Adam Fox, Ryan McDonagh, John Carlson, Charlie McAvoy are just some of the guys off the top of my head

(@delucks23)

             

You could add guys like Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, Quinn Hughes and Jeff Petry to that list

(@mabbam)

          

Slavin, Pesce

(@bcn3941)

            

The United States boasts some of the best defensive talent in hockey. This is where the Stars and Stripes will shine, as this group can do just about everything—move the puck, skate, defend, kill penalties and, of course, score—and do those things exceptionally well.

Adam Fox, the 2021 Norris Trophy winner, should be the power-play quarterback. Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce are a shutdown pair for the Carolina Hurricanes and could play the same role at the Olympics.

The question I have about Ryan McDonagh is whether he would want to play in these Games considering how much postseason hockey he has played for the two-time Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in recent years. I don't want to leave Jeff Petry off of this list, but it's tough to find a spot for him.

I will undoubtedly be wrong in these projections, but here is my guess for the blue line:

Zach Werenski—Adam Fox

Quinn Hughes—Seth Jones

Jaccob Slavin—Brett Pesce

John Carlson—Ryan McDonagh

Only one reader, @thomasibach, took a swing at the goalies and listed Connor Hellebuyck and John Gibson. I think he's absolutely correct in this projection.

Thatcher Demko will likely join the two. Should the Vancouver Canucks netminder get playing time, it could be a huge boon to an already growing hockey community in San Diego, from where Demko hails. Shai Buium, a defenseman selected in the second round of the 2021 draft by the Detroit Red Wings, also comes from San Diego, showing that a sunny city is capable of producing high-end hockey talent with the right resources.

It bears repeating that the Olympics will help grow hockey, and the West Coast and Southwestern parts of the U.S. are viewed by the NHL and the larger hockey community as key markets for grassroots growth.

The Florida Panthers' Spencer Knight is another name to keep in mind, but Hellebuyck and Gibson are the most deserving given their bodies of work.

Goal Caufield

(@rv_s)

    

Cole Caufield. MAYBE Trevor Zegras if he plays at a high level during the season, but definitely Cole. 

(@ArtVandeleigh21)

       

Cole Caufield was a key player during the Montreal Canadiens' run to the Stanley Cup Final with four goals and eight assists in 20 postseason games. He's among the favorites to win the Calder Trophy as the league's rookie of the year next season.

I like the idea of including both Caufield and Trevor Zegras. Despite the fact that Zegras looked NHL-ready last season, the Anaheim Ducks sent him to the American Hockey League to get him used to playing center at a higher level. Maybe he's ready to step up and grab a spot on the team if Eichel is unable to play. 

The question I have about Caufield is whether the U.S. would take both him and Alex DeBrincat. They are both speedy, undersized wingers (5'7") and play on the right side (although DeBrincat did spent a lot of last season playing on the left). Team USA is helmed by Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, so there is already a relationship between Bowman and DeBrincat. 

Caufield has shown that no moment is too big for him, coming through in the clutch for the Habs over the summer after only 10 NHL regular-season games. However, DeBrincat is the more established player. The U.S. will need to match Canada's size, and if Johnny Gaudreau is included, then there may not be space for both Caufield and DeBrincat.

Hughes can't play D for his life. I'd take Werenski and Jones.

(@ Morphineprn)

          

If Quinn Hughes makes the team, then Canada will win. He's a terrible defenseman.

(@ marksalzman)

            

No love for the Hughes brothers, eh?

Both Quinn and Jack have struggled defensively in the NHL, but that's to be expected since defense is typically the last part of the game to come around for defensemen and centers. Jack's off-puck play was so inconsistent that the New Jersey Devils briefly moved him to the wing toward the end of his rookie season. He was set to be moved back to center on March 12, 2020—the day the season was paused for the pandemic.

Quinn was on the ice for 493 scoring chances against last season at five-on-five, the eighth-highest total for any skater. Also per Natural Stat Trick, he was on the ice for 36 high-danger goals at five-on-five, the most out of any player in hockey.

But his ability to break out of the zone and set up scoring chances for his teammates is unmatched by many other defensemen in the league. He's a great skater and has excellent vision.

After a rough rookie campaign, Jack looked like a first overall pick last season. The center was outskating opponents and making the deftest of plays look easy. His growth coming into his third pro season will be a huge storyline, not just because the New Jersey Devils need him to be elite in order to get back to the playoffs but also because it's an Olympic season.

There is a chance Quinn and Jack are joined by their brother, Devils defense prospect Luke, in the 2026 Olympics. Maybe the time isn't quite here, but these three brothers are the future of American hockey.