As part of the Winter Classic, Team USA was also announced at Fenway with each kid wearing our colors along with the player’s number. Cool stuff. Here’s the official roster:

Goalies

Tim Thomas
Jonathan Quick

D

Brian Rafalski

Brooks Orpik 
Ryan Suter

Erik Johnson
Jack Johnson
Mike Komisarek

 

Forwards


Patrick Kane

Phil Kessel
Paul Stastny
Bobby Ryan
Ryan Malone
Ryan Kesler
Dustin Brown

Joe Pavelski

Jamie Langenbrunner

David Backes



The best part was when Thomas got announced, he came out from the Red Sox dugout donning his USA jersey. As for the 23-man roster, it’s solid. Only a couple of surprises with Drury still making it despite a poor season. Komisarek is Burke’s boy but is he really better than Tim Gleason? I know who I’d rather have. The Johnson & Johnson boys made it. But no Keith Ballard, Alex Goligoski, Keith Yandle or Andy Greene. Is Zach Bogosian eligible or considered too young? Also found out from Steve Lepore that Tyler Myers is ineligible due to playing for Canada in the WJCs. So much for that. Will Martin play? Hopefully. If not, at least there’s decent replacements to choose from.

On which forwards got passed up, the Isles’ Kyle Okposo and Sabres’ Jason Pominville were on the outside along with Dustin Byfuglien, R.J. Umberger, Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Brian Rolston and Bill Guerin, who I probably would’ve put on due to his grit and leadership. Guess Burke feels Drury will fare better in international play. I know Gomez fell off but wasn’t he pretty good along with Gionta in Torino? Kesler probably centers the second line with Pavelski and Drury anchoring checking ones. I’m left wondering if we got enough playmakers to get the puck to Kane, Kessel, Ryan and Zach Attack. A few on Twitter weren’t keen on Malone but I’m opposite cause I see this guy a lot and he’s real good in front of the net and plays with the required edge necessary if our boys are to have any chance versus high powered Canada, Sweden and Russia with Finland not too far behind.

I’m happy for Cally because he deserved the selection. His energy should be a real plus. He can play a checking/PK role along with Backes, who bangs everything. A crash line featuring both is ideal. I can’t disagree with good Islander friend Angie (islesrebelangel) on Okposo’s omission. I understand how she feels as KO is still doing alright with 21 helpers to go with the six goals, which probably is why he didn’t make the cut. Truthfully, he’s better than both Backes and Callahan. But you can’t have everyone. Many including us liked Byfuglien but he’s not on either. And Umberger would’ve been ideal for a checking line over Drury. Unfortunately, whenever these rosters come out, there are going to be snubs.

As for the goalies, it was a no-brainer taking both Miller and Thomas as the top two. Quick’s had a decent season helping LA into the playoff picture. Both Craig Anderson and Jimmy Howard were passed up. I would’ve liked to seen Anderson get rewarded for his stellar work in The Rocky Mountains. But get the logic of choosing a younger kid to ride shotgun behind our dynamic duo. Howard has been great for Detroit and is keeping them afloat even with all the injuries. If the NHL is still in for 2014 in Russia, he’ll be a lock.

Before we finish, a brief look at potential lines:

Kessel-Stastny-Parise
Malone-Kesler-Kane
Brown-Pavelski-Ryan
Backes/Callahan-Drury-Langenbrunner

Martin-Rafalski
Orpik-Komisarek
Suter-E. Johnson
J. Johnson

Miller
Thomas
Quick

Given that this is a very young roster with few returnees, this is how we see the captaincy and alternates:

‘C’-Drury
‘A’-Langenbrunner
‘A’-Rafalski