Team USA Makes Questionable Choices for 4 Nations Face-Off

With the chance to put together the ultimate dream team, the United States made several questionable choices for their 4 Nations Face-Off roster.

Nov 20, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Mathew Dumba (3) and center Wyatt Johnston (53) and left wing Jason Robertson (21) and defenseman Thomas Harley (55) and center Roope Hintz (24) celebrates a goal scored by Robertson against the San Jose Sharks during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The 1996 World Cup of Hockey is brought up often around the United States Men's Hockey program. It's the last time the team won a gold medal in an international tournament, when they toppled Canada in a three game series to take home the win.

In the years since, you can point to specific moments and choices that cost the United States their chance to capture gold again. The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver were a heartbreaker, watching Canada celebrate in front of a hometown crowd after Sidney Crosby's famous "Golden Goal."

With the rosters officially released for the 4 Nations Face-Off, the lineup selection could go down as the next moment that cost America their shot at a gold medal. The team's front office had an opportunity to put together the best team in the history of United States hockey for this tournament. Not just the 23 best players, but the best team.

Instead, when USA takes the ice for their first game at the 2025 event, they'll have a team that is good. They won't have the best team in the country's history, and they surely won't have the best team at the tournament.

I'm all for balance and finding the right fits when constructing your hockey team. But when you have elite scorers like Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, and Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, it completely blows up the normal idea of a balanced hockey team. Bringing forwards like Brock Nelson, Vincent Trocheck, and Chris Kreider along over the likes of Cole Caufield, Tage Thompson, and Jason Robertson feel less like strategic decisions and more like oversights.

Because, really, what ways will Nelson, Trocheck, or Kreider impact this tournament that Caufield, Thompson, and Robertson couldn't? Sure, Trocheck is a more defensively sound centerman than Thompson, but he's not a shut-down, third-line center like the United States' team will likely force him into for the tournament.

And in what world does Jason Robertson not fit into your team's plans? One of the best all-around players in the NHL who can skate like the wind, play arguably just as strong defense as Trocheck could, is likely to be watching this event from home rather than being a possible difference-maker for Team USA.

Maybe the United States team hasn't galaxy-brained this entire situation. Perhaps they made the best choices to fit the system of head coach Mike Sullivan. But upon some quick reflection, it seems like the management team of Team USA seriously fumbled the roster selection process for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

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