Asunto: USA U-20 Team

The Rochester Americans have emerged as one of the better producers of talent, though the best player (Chambers) from the team is one that the team sold. The Orlando Generals and very soon the Kentucky ManBearPigs at least have the facilities to produce great players.

A lot of division II teams have contributed a lot to the U18 team this season. WhaleForever now has 3 starters on the U18 team. Sierra Stars has 4 players on the team. Shugar Daddies has 2 players on the team. Dinamo 1983 has 1 player on the team. Bruisers has 2 players on the team. War Pigs has 1 player that was sold to a foreign team. Doppelgangers, a division III team, has 1 player that was sold to a foreign team. The Doppelgangers player and one of the Sierra Stars players project to be first line players next season.

A tip for U18 selection: I've been giving preference to defensemen that don't train technique. This way, a borderline 800 OR player can be, for instance, instead trained to be a first line caliber player. This training strategy has helped a lot in competing with countries that have much better depth.

Thanks cap... we worked hard to get our facilities up to snuff to start contributing. As for D Technique... you recommend not training it at all?

That sort of training for defensemen something that I and some other managers have at least been experimenting with (including at least 2 top teams in the United States, at least recently with their prospects). In exchange for a few extra penalty minutes, you get a significantly better player.

Shackelford (who I bought from another U.S. team) has about 100 extra passing and agressiveness at 23. In exchange, compared to another former player that was trained at 2:1:1:1, he earned on average 20 more penalty minutes per season (against I.1 competition which increases penalty minutes compared to division II for a team on the level my team has been). That's 10 penalties and 2 goals with an 80% PK. I suppose you can add another goal for the lost time at full strength.

It might add up with 8 defensemen trained like that - that is something that will require some more experimentation. I don't think it will necessarily be 8 times that amount.

In any case, it is one way to compensate for a lack of depth relative to the other top countries.

Interesting idea. So you have punted on technique completely? I am willing to give it a shot.

I haven't been training it at all for many of my younger defensemen for the past 5 seasons or so.

Some but not all other NT's use defensemen like this.

Defense has consistently been a relative strength for the U18 United States national hockey team for a while.

Thanks for the shout-out cap.

I have been training at 25% to 35% for Technique on D

The World Championships start today with a game against Latvia. The U20 national hockey team promoted back to the top division last season. I will be managing the U20 national hockey team for the tournament since the manager doesn't seem to be available.

The United States is in a group with Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Spain. If the United States advances, potential opponents include Austria, France, Hungary, and Russia. The teams look pretty close in ability. The Czech Republic has especially good defense, and Spain's shooting is a bit low (this assumes that current team strength reports will hold once the World Championships start). I think the United States has a solid chance to make a run in this tournament, though it will largely depend on luck. I don't think there is a team that the United States couldn't beat at least.

Lineup:
G1: Freddy Chambers (formerly Rochester Americans)
G2: Mark Collins (Smart People)
G3: John Knight (Momentum)

LW1: Mario Peak (Momentum)
C1: Kevin Dickinson (Montana Miners)
RW1: Lynn Pace (Momentum)(only 19)
LD1: Buddy Piper (Momentum)
RD1: Izzy Castillo (Momentum)

LW2: Warner Rambeau (Smart People)
C2: Erin Norman (Razorback Thugs)
RW2: Sergio Newcomb (Bouncing Pucks)
LD2: Russ Johnson (Slatington Serpents)
RD2: Mohammed Pfeiffer (Sierra Stars)

LW3: Matthew Wallace (Bouncing Pucks)
C3: Grant McDermott (Smart People)
RW3: Ken Starks (Momentum)
LD3: Al Christie (formerly Montana Miners)
RD3: Karl Penner (Slatington Serpents)

LW4: Sean Kidd (HCD Crackers)
C4: Woodrow Culp (Momentum)
RW4: Primo Simmons (Bouncing Pucks)
LD4: Juán Han (Momentum)
RD4: Dom Amaya (Smart People)

LW5: Johnny Oliver (The Updog Brewers)
C5: Randy Anscomb (Smart People)
RW5: Virgil Gamble (formerly Razorback Thugs)
LD5: Kurt Barnett (Momentum)
RD5: Raphael Williams (Smart People)

Nobody is currently running to manage the U20 next season. Anyone that is interested should apply. If nobody applies, I'd be willing to be the de facto manager as the assistant, but I would encourage someone else to run to manage the team if anyone is interested.

After a devastating 0-5 loss to the Czech Republic yesterday, the United States won 2-1 today, outshooting Spain 42-27.

The United States has advanced to the qualifying round. The United States will face Hungary, France, and then Russia. The U.S. will be the underdog in these games, but none of them are unwinnable. Since Spain advanced, the United States starts this round with 3 points and -4 GD, good for 4th for now.

The U20 team also advanced to face Slovakia in the first round of the playoffs.

The United States U20 national hockey team lost 5-2 today. It was the second time that the team made it to the playoffs in the top division (the last time was in season 21).

Good luck to PuckNut27 in season 27!

Great thanks and good luck!

Dear foreign managers,

Do you want to have a world champion in your team?
So, do not hesitate to offer me your U19 and U20 French for the season.

Thx a lot
Entium

If anyone is interested in being the U20 assistant manager this season, please let me know.