USA All the Way?: A Look Ahead at the Future of USA Hockey

Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, Keith Tkachuk, Bill Guerin, Brian Leetch, and Mike Richter. All of these names were the headliners of the USA Hockey team in almost every international competition in the 1990s and early 2000s.

But with a few retirements and age catching up to these guys—despite the fact Chelios refuses to accept it—the old guard of USA hockey is vanishing into the annals of hockey history.

Who will replace these guys? Many of these names were stars in the league and had great NHL careers to their credit—meaning it will certainly be tough to replace them in the coming years.

Players who were considered young, such as Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Mike Knuble, Ryan Miller, Brian Rafalski, and Brian Gionta, are now the veterans of USA Hockey.  So who is the future?

Let's start in net. With Miller and DiPietro as the two big names in the goal crease, it may not seem like they will need to be replaced anytime soon. But you never know what is going to happen.

Jeremy Smith is a Nashville Predators prospect who is certainly a consideration down the road. Thomas McCollum is another name to look at. He was ranked by some as the top goalie in this past year's NHL draft.

Jimmy Howard, currently a prospect in the Detroit Red Wings farm system, will definitely get a look someday.  

Having a lesser name in goal isn't all that terrible, considering that the defense of the United States is stacked. Young up-and-comers such, as Erik Johnson and Jack Johnson, are two of the big names coming up on the blue line for the United States.

Both men were top-three picks in the NHL Draft. Both of them are getting NHL experience right now, Erik in St. Louis and Jack with the Los Angeles Kings.

Zach Bogosian, who was drafted this year by Atlanta, will certainly play a huge part in the development of the USA blue line when he is ready. Matt Niskanen had a breakout year for Dallas as a rookie this past year, and is certainly making a case to be a future member of the USA Hockey program.  

They join Keith Ballard, Jordan Leopold, John Michael-Liles, and Paul Martin as anchors on the blue line. Defensemen to look forward to are Bobby Sanguinetti, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Chris Summers. 

However, the future of USA Hockey lies in the forward position. Joining the likes of Scott Gomez and Chris Drury in the forward trenches are guys that have already made their mark in the NHL and elsewhere. 

Patrick Kane was the top pick of the 2007 draft, and made a huge impact this year for the Chicago Blackhawks, winning the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year. Not bad for a kid who was described as "small."  

Peter Mueller had a spectacular rookie year in the NHL, as he helped lead the Coyotes offense on the first line. While he is a center, his sniper abilities are letting the Coyotes put him on the wing, making him a versatile player. 

Zach Parise has been around the NHL with the New Jersey Devils for a few years, but he is certainly going to be an integral part of the USA offense in the future. His goal scoring has increased every year in the NHL, with the last two seasons being 30-plus seasons. Look for him to be on USA teams for a long time. 

Phil Kessel had a great college career, and is really starting to turn into a great forward up in Boston. His speed is unbelievable, and his shootout abilities have already earned him renown on the NHL stage. Once considered a top pick in the draft, Kessel fell down to the Bruins, who hope he turns into something special. USA Hockey does as well.  

James van Riemsdyk—or 'JVR'—is currently up at New Hampshire—with Ridgefield favorite Tyler Scott, another USA goalie destined to stardom—and developing with the Flyers. He is turning into a very big power forward with speed and skill. He dominated the 2008 World Juniors, leading the entire tournament in scoring—despite the fact USA didn't medal.  

Lesser-known guys that will certainly make an impact include Brandon Dubinsky (NYR), TJ Oshie (STL), Dustin Brown and Patrick O'Sullivan (both LAK), Blake Geoffrion (NSH), Kyle Okposo (NYI), Max Pacioretty (MTL), Tyler Ruegsegger (TOR), Justin Abdelkader (DET), and David Booth (FLA).

Will these guys win a gold medal some day? It is definitely a possibility. However, the caliber of teams they will play against are unbelievable. Canada has won the World Junior Championships four times in a row, showing how potent and dangerous their future is. The last team other than Canada to win the event was the United States in 2004. 

European teams are hard to judge, because their teams not only include NHL players, but also guys from the elite leagues in Europe, where there are many great players. The perennial European powerhouses, like Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. always pose a threat and have great young players already making their marks on the international stage. 

But for USA Hockey fans, times are exciting as ever, with so many great young players coming in. Not only is it the quality of these guys but also the quantity—as this great sport seems to be spreading all across the country and players are coming out of every place imaginable, not just the usual USA powerhouses of Minnesota, Michigan, and Massachusetts. 

USA as a gold medalist in 2010? It will be tough, but it certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility.  

What do you think about USA Hockey's future?