You've Got $18 To Make The Greatest US Hockey Team Ever, Who Ya Got?
I am DESPERATE for sports talk and specifically hockey talk. We are in a permanent Mount Rushmore season. Thankfully the good folks over at /r/hockey stepped up with one of those budget games.
Using the following price list, draft the best starting lineup (3F, 2D, 1G) you can out of the following American players! (Each price tier has 3F, 2D, 1G)
$5: Modano, Kane, Hull, Chelios, Leetch, Quick
$4: LaFontaine, Matthews, K. Tkachuk, Housley, Carlson, Richter
$3: Mullen, Roenick, Eichel, R. Suter, S. Jones, Bishop
$2: Amonte, Oshie, Gaudreau, M. Howe, G. Suter, Miller
$1: Guerin, Kessel, Broten, Yandle, K. Hatcher, Vanbiesbrouck
For the sake of the game, let’s say you get each player at their prime. Also, a few notes:
This isn’t supposed to be a “best players” list. It’s obviously not all-inclusive.
Counting Brett Hull. Don’t like it, don’t play.
Don't like Brett Hull being included, well FUCK YOU. This guy isn't messing around. His game, his rules. You gotta build the best team you can with $18. I've been staring at this list for a couple days. USA never being able to produce centers historically is a PROBLEM and I am not spending $5 on Modano because I think he was kind of a pussy. So that puts me in a pickle when building this team. Also can't take both Kane and Chelios. Spending half of your cap on a few high priced guys is a Stan move that I won't repeat. Playing to win. Playoff style hockey. This is my team.
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RW: Patrick Kane $5
Greatest US-Born player ever. Captain America. Put the C on his chest. Literally the only thing missing from his resume is a gold medal. Something USA would've won last time(I've already convinced myself of this don't try to argue against me) in 2018 if the NHL had allowed their players to participate. Kane drives the play. He's the GOAT. He is currently in his prime. Never been better. Nobody I'd rather start a team with. Easily worth the $5 price tag.
Center: Jack Eichel $3
Center was the toughest decision. I seriously considered Neal Broten for a buck, but Eichel for $3 has too much value. Love the idea of a right-shot goal scorer player with Kane. Speed to back off the D through the middle. Overlap plays with Kaner. Eichel is a stud playing with nobody. Put him with the greatest American winger whoever lived and he'd be unstoppable. Developed a little two-way game. Eichel is the pick.
LW: Billy Guerin $1
I wanted a little size, toughness, and forechecking here. A guy who would be content to live in front of the net, play heavy, win pucks, and get it back to Kane. I went to find John LeClair...not listed. No problem. Billy Guerin as another one-time left shot option who doesn't mind doing some of this if called upon
Oh and he had 429 career goals in an era were there wasn't a lot of goal scoring. 2001 Bill Guerin scored 41 goals. Put him opposite of Kane and he's potting a billion. Love the idea of Bill Guerin just hacking away at Russians with a sheerwood that weighs as much as a tree limb.
RD: Seth Jones $3
I fucking love Seth Jones. Coming into this year everyone was like "oh Columbus is going to be terrible because they lost Panarin and Bob". Seth Jones was like...
It's his team now. Jones is just a stud. He can do everything you want a DMan to do. Runs the powerplay. Plays shutdown minutes. Can play seemingly the whole game. He's just now 25 years old even though it feels like he's been around forever. I think he wins a Norris some day and he's going to be the engine of my team for the low low price of $3
LD: Ryan Suter $3
Not the flashiest guy. Not going to make a ton of highlight reels. Suter has just been consistently one of the best defensemen in the NHL for a decade now. He's not going to get a ton of press because you barely notice him on the ice even though he plays over half the game. He's also played his entire career for the Wild and Preds(before the Preds had their glow up). Two franchises that don't get a ton of national attention. Such an under the radar talent that there aren't any good gifs of him available on the internet. Nobody is making gifs of perfect gap, good stick, and crispy first passes. That's my kind of guy though. If you're telling me I can get a Norris caliber dman for three lousy bucks, I am going to take it every time.
Goalie: Ryan Miller $2
I think people forget how good Ryan Miller was at his peak. 2010 Ryan Miller was arguably the best goalie in the world. That year Miller helped USA to a Silver Medal and was a save away from the Gold. He also took a Sabres team that had Derek Roy and Tim fucking Connolly as their leading scorers to first place in the ole Northeast Division. He won the Vezina, and finished 4th in the Hart Trophy voting. His career went wayward when he got traded to St Louis, but this game said you get the player in their prime and primetime Miller was as good as anyone on this list. Two dollars is a steal for that Miller.
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That's my team. Balanced. Skilled. Fast. Tough. Responsible. Give Patrick Kane that group and he can beat anyone. I've even got a dollar left over which I will be donating to charity, not to brag. Hit me up on twitter or leave your team in the comments now that all of you are back in the comment section(welcome back by the way. Missed you guys).