As part of our ongoing project of choosing Olympic teams based on states and provinces, I volunteered to take Team Mass., thinking it would be pretty easy to find a solid squad. While I was able to round off the defensive corps pretty quickly, the forwards took some work, with a search of the American League made necessary by the lack of NHL calibre forwards hailing from the state.
Coach: Robbie Ftorek. I realize I could have gone with Peter Laviolette, but the mere chance that Ftorek might bring back the sweater look was enough to make me choose him.
Goalies:
1. Rick DiPietro
2. Corey Schneider
3. Mike Morrison
Defense:
1. Tom Poti
2. Ryan Whitney
3. Hal Gill
4. Patrick Rissmiller
5. Brian Pothier
6. Mike Mottau
7. Keith Yandle
Forwards:
1. Bill Guerin
2. Keth Tkachuk
3. Jeremy Roenick
4. Jay Pandolfo
5. Josh Hennessy
6. Dan Lacouture
7. Keith Aucoin
8. Chris Bourque
9. Brian Boyle
10. Michael Ryan
11. Niko Dimitrakos
12. Carl Corazzini
13. Bryan Ewing
In goal, Rick DiPietro will be required to shoulder the load as he has two inexperienced guys behind him. Should he falter, Team Mass will be nothing more than cannon fodder in our fictitious North American tournament.
Team Mass is obviously built around its’ defense. A solid group guys who cover everything from puck moving to actual defense, the back end will be a strength for the New England bunch. I see them lining up like this:
Whitney-Gill
Poti-Rissmiller
Pothier-Mottau
I have Keith Yandle in reserve.
All three pairings are more or less balanced, with a stay at home type with a puck mover. The top 6 are all relatively experienced, and each has at least some experience in the playoffs, which they will need considering the opposition they will face.
My lines are as follows
Tkachuk-Roenick-Guerin
Hennessy-Aucoin-Bourque
Lacouture-Ryan-Pandolfo
Corazzini-Boyle-Dimitrakos
I have Bryan Ewing in reserve.
I can’t really offer up much of an explanation here. The top line would have been frightening circa 1996, but is a little past its best-before date now. They are still serviceable NHL’ers and might just have enough for one last gasp. Past the top 3, we have a mix of up and comers and fringe NHL’ers and even an AHL’er or two. The 2nd line is certainly talented, just a little shy on experience. All have played and done well at the AHL level, with a cup of coffee in the top league. The 3rd line is where I have focused the remainder of my experience, with the hope that they can lead by example. The 4th line has the huge Brian Boyle at center with some experience and talent on his wings. Corazzini has been around the AHL for some time, and will be counted on to babysit the other guys.
