Subject: USA U-18 Team

The United States lost to Canada 3-2 in a shootout yesterday. Fuentes and Gionta scored for the United States. Though it was disappointing to miss out on the extra two points (especially since the game counted towards the qualifying round), the United States went into the qualifying round with 4 points, good for second place after the Czech Republic, the only team to go undefeated in the first round. The United States won group 1. The Czech Repulic, Poland, and last season's surprise champion, Portugal, advanced from group 4 and joined the United States, Canada, and Russia, in group 1 in the qualifying round.

The top 7 ranked teams advanced to the second round. The 8th, 10th, 11th, and 13th ranked teams went to the relegation round. The United States is ranked 9th and will very likely move into the top 8 next season after 4 seasons in the top division.

Today, the United States got some revenge for its semifinal loss to Portugal last season with a 4-3 win. Portugal won on tactics, shots, and faceoffs, but a strong game by Cosby combined by a horrible game by the Portugese starter resulted in a U.S. win. Berry, Hammond (2), and Chalk scored for the United States. The United States managed to convert on two powerplays.

The United States is now first place in its group. 1 point in the next 2 games will be enough to clinch the playoffs. Even with 2 losses, the United States would be in a great position yo make the playoffs. I'd like to avoid Finland and Slovakia in the first round, but it's not possible to determine where they will be ranked at this point.

It's possible that the playoffs could consist of the United States, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia at this point.

Good luck to the U20 team, also in the qualifying round, and the senior team that is fighting for a playoff spot.

Its good to hear that the U20 and U18 teams are both doing well. The future is bright if all these players make it to the senior team. I am impressed by the skills the youth teams are showcasing in this world championships. The Senior team is taking it ups and downs but hopefully thanks to upsets we should make it as long as we handle our business vs Bulgaria.

hockey.powerplaymanager.c...

The United States won 4-1 today. I debated throwing the game by playing on very low to conserve energy but decided that I didn't want to risk the small chance that the United States could miss the playoffs.

The United States outshot Poland substantially and converted 2 of 6 power plays. O'Brien, Calvert, Hammond, and Gionta scored for the United States.

Tomorrow the United States plays the Czech Republic.

The United States should finish #1 or #2 in the group unless it loses by 4 or more goals and Canada also wins. It is not possible for the U.S. to finish lower than #3 in the group. Hopefully the United States can avoid Finland and Slovakia in the first round of the playoffs.

I decided to rest the team against the Czech Republic today by playing very low with emphasis on the 5th and 4th lines. The United States lost 4-1 but still took first place in group 1.

The United States will play Sweden in the first round of the playoffs. It's a good matchup relative to some of the alternatives, though it will still be a challenge. With a win, the United States would play the winner of Canada and Finland.

Brennan (who did not play today) and Castaneda are part of a three way tie for second in scoring by defensemen. The U.S. first line is still the best in the tournament in terms of +/-. Hyrum Hammond is in a three way tie for first for the most 3 star selections. Percy Cosby is 4th in save percentage among goalies with more than 3 games played.

Good luck to the U20 team which has its first ever top division playoff appearance against Croatia.

Just think Hyrum Hammond just sold a little while back for less them 12 million.

Do you mean Fuentes? I planned to bid for him but missed the deadline. Unfortunately, as a result, a team with weak facilities got him. I definitely think I could have gotten him if I had been around during the deadline.

You are right. His C/L had dropped so that is why I sold him.

The United States lost to Sweden 0-1 yesterday in the quarterfinals of the playoffs in the top division. The United States significantly outshot Sweden but could not score.

The United States was exhausted at this point. The only thing I could have done differently would have been to play the fourth line that had better effective shooting at this point due to having more energy.

Cosby played a strong game in goal, but Sweden had much stronger goaltending. Luckily, the U18 United States team will have not one but two of the best goaltenders that it has ever had next season - the elite sorts of goaltender that can carry an otherwise weaker team. The two of them are already about as good as many 18 year olds have been at the end of their seasons as 18 year olds.

In the other games, Finland beat Canada, Portugal beat Croatia, and the Czech Republic beat Slovakia. Today, Finland beat Sweden and the Czech Republic beat Portugal.

I'm going to re-post this since I still don't have these players covered. The players from division II teams with good facilities (~13+ training), especially the 17 year olds (as of season 21), are the priorities.

This is a list of the players I would like to have scouted by the 13th day of season 22 that I can't cover with my own scouts. It would be helpful if the managers of these teams could send me the information for these players or if one or two managers can cover these players. It would be helpful to receive any scouting information starting as of day 1 of season 22, but I can project any players I receive earlier.

Leagues are based on season 20.

(t) indicates that a player can be found in its team's transfer list.

I have players from I.1, II.1, II.2, and some of II.3 covered, as well as some of the older (and still eligible) and better players I covered last year from the teams listed.

I) II.3
1) Miami Revenants: Curtis Wackerle/Luther Park/Davey Pointdexter/Nicola Tobin/Bobby Hopkins
2) Detroit Red Wings: Primo Christenson/Will Beyer/Val Bremer/Tobe Talley/Ignacio Ferman
4) Grey Wolves: Virgil Gilliam/Drew Caron
5) Brad’s Icebreakers: Frederick Cannon

II) II.4
6) Bombsville Atomics: Chad Arnaud/Leo Sykes/Tate Skutt/Joshua Pena/Lamont Wagoner
7) San Crispino: Murphy Felton/Lee Donnelly/Carlton Silverman/Earl Bishop/Robert Bird(t)
8) Buffalo Lasers: Ed Ryder/Charles Taylor/King Colon/Ernest Haskins/Bart Budd/Jerome West
9) Detroit Slackers: Lee Bush/
10) Rochester Americans: Jerome Tyson/Lionel Pumford/

III) III.4
11) Gamblers: Shelton Anthony/Deon Vogel/Jamie Murry/Leonardo Tolliver/

IV) III.5
12) Phu King Iceholes: Pete Benedict/Booker Diamond/Shane Blankenship

V) III.6
13) Doppelgangers: Dallas Overstreet/Stanford Marquez/Ryan McKee/Archie Seward/Jim Wagner

VI) III.7
14) Rochester: Ian Seymour/Izzy Kraft/Vito Britton/Deuce Asman

I'll cover the Buffalo Laser team. currently running at 113% per day. I've got 2 others to finish but I should have the Buffalo Laser players done in a week. Then I'll grab whatever else you need.

Thank you!

Once the season changes and the ages and CL's are updated, I will be sending out messages to a few teams that I think would respond. After that, I'll post an updated list.

Some notes:

The Gamblers are from III.3 and not III.4.

Since there is no longer a III.7, you can access it (for season 20) by changing the appropriate part of the URl or else just going to the II.3 of this season.

Again, the leagues are based on season 20.

I'd say that the key teams to cover will be the Miami Revenants, Detroit Red Wings, Bombsville Atomics, Buffalo Lasers, Rochester Americans, and Detroit Slackers. I think I can get at least some of them covered directly when I send out the messages tomorrow.

I have the Bombsville Atomics, Detroit Red Wings, Brad's Icebreakers, and Buffalo Lasers covered.

I am updating my spreadsheet now and will put together a depth chart from the players I have scouted this weekend.

The rankings have been updated. After 4 seasons in the top division, the United States (U18) is now ranked 4th in the world, ahead of countries like Slovakia and Russia (though it was very close). I'm very happy to see the United States finally ranked among the elite countries in PPM. A benefit of this ranking is that the United States will be the token top 4 team in its group, so the other teams are more likely to be weaker and easier to beat (though in the top division, even an easier group will be a challenge). I don't know if the United States can sustain the success of making the playoffs in the top division for 3 out of 4 seasons, but the team this season looks like one of the better U18 teams.

This also means that the U.S. cannot end up in the same preliminary round group as the Czech Republic, Finland, or Croatia.

I've put together a preliminary roster. The depth is great this season and the top two lines look really strong. The third line from yesterday's 4-3 shootout loss to Belgium is not representative of what it will look like because I had to play a few players out of position. The goaltending might be one of the best in the world this season. Since I put together the roster today, it will be possible to dismiss players tomorrow. I am waiting on confirmation that the training will be improved for one more player I plan to add as the third or fourth line center.

I looked at the OR of of all the players that were good enough to be of interest but were not scouted yet - their OR was not good enough that they would be likely to surpass any of the players currently on the roster, with the possible exception of any 17 year olds with close to 700 OR who are perfectly trained defensemen. With that said, I probably do not need any more help scouting for the division III teams or weaker division II teams.

I do not plan to add 16 year olds at this time unless I come across one that is better than most of the 17 year olds at the same position. There are 11 empty slots on the roster to add good players from teams that are about to fold, 16 year olds, or late season additions based on an end of season reevaluation of the best players that did not make the team.

The team was deep enough this season that there were a few 18 year old centers and a goalie with 900+ OR that did not make the team.

what can I do to help contribute if anything?