I understand the "players who know their roles" argument, but I disagree with it on the Olympic stage. It is rather demeaning to say one of the great players representing his country would refuse to flex their style a bit for the greater good of a gold medal. USA Hockey's mindset is stuck in a previous era of the sport and they won't win gold until they adjust.
I agree with almost all of this and think Robertson earned a top 6 spot.
That said, in a tournament like this you have to be able to win a variety of ways. Sure, coaches will try to instill an identity to the team and try to set the tone of games to their brand of hockey. But if things go off script they need to adjust. Sometimes they will have a low scoring affair, sometimes a shootout, sometimes a special teams contest, sometimes a chippy slug fest where you win with physicality and toughness. Gotta make sure your roster is constructed for all types of game scripts, and Guerin must have reasoned that the roster he picked had enough of what Robertson provides and needed more of what a Trochek or JT Miller provide.
I still don’t see why Kyle Connor, Matt Boldy and Clayton Keller would be favored as a scoring winger given how hot Robertson has been.
If you don’t go to a major international tournament with three strong scoring lines then you’re not serious about competing for gold. That’s a fact. Fine to have a fourth line with penalty killers but you can’t afford to struggle to score goals, as US teams have done previously, especially when goal differential matters. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. 🙄
Maybe I will just cheer for Finland...
I hate how right you are on this because it makes omitting Robertson even dumber.
I understand the "players who know their roles" argument, but I disagree with it on the Olympic stage. It is rather demeaning to say one of the great players representing his country would refuse to flex their style a bit for the greater good of a gold medal. USA Hockey's mindset is stuck in a previous era of the sport and they won't win gold until they adjust.
I agree with almost all of this and think Robertson earned a top 6 spot.
That said, in a tournament like this you have to be able to win a variety of ways. Sure, coaches will try to instill an identity to the team and try to set the tone of games to their brand of hockey. But if things go off script they need to adjust. Sometimes they will have a low scoring affair, sometimes a shootout, sometimes a special teams contest, sometimes a chippy slug fest where you win with physicality and toughness. Gotta make sure your roster is constructed for all types of game scripts, and Guerin must have reasoned that the roster he picked had enough of what Robertson provides and needed more of what a Trochek or JT Miller provide.
I still don’t see why Kyle Connor, Matt Boldy and Clayton Keller would be favored as a scoring winger given how hot Robertson has been.
Go Finland!! 🇫🇮🏒
Bummer for Robo for sure. On the plus side, no risk of Olympic injury and fresh legs for the final push to the off season?
If you don’t go to a major international tournament with three strong scoring lines then you’re not serious about competing for gold. That’s a fact. Fine to have a fourth line with penalty killers but you can’t afford to struggle to score goals, as US teams have done previously, especially when goal differential matters. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. 🙄
When will Guerin be on the hot seat for his hand in building this team?