The U.S. men haven’t won gold at the IIHF World Championship since 1933 — but their next attempt, in Finland starting on May 12, will feature some high-end offensive talent.
Jake Guentzel and Alex Tuch, 36-goal scorers last season for the Penguins and Sabres, will both be on the roster, head coach David Quinn told “The Athletic Hockey Show.”
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Guentzel, 28, has two other 40-goal seasons on his resume but has never represented the U.S., partially because the Penguins had made the playoffs in each of his first six NHL seasons. Tuch, 26, is an alum of the U.S. National Development Team Program and played for the national U17, U18 and U20 teams.
Quinn also confirmed that Canucks winger Conor Garland, coming off 46- and 52-point seasons and a member of the 2021 team; Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith, a five-year NHL vet who had a .905 save percentage in 38 appearances last season and Nick Bonino, a bottom-six fixture for more than a decade who has twice previously played at worlds, will all be on the team’s roster.
“That’s a good start,” Quinn said of those five players. “We’re making strides.”
Quinn is running the men’s national team for the third straight tournament, including the 2022 Winter Olympics. At last year’s worlds, also in Finland, Quinn coached the team to the bronze-medal game, where they lost to Czechia while playing with just three healthy defensemen.
The U.S. talent level, Quinn said, is on the upswing, but the recruitment process can still be a challenge, especially when it comes time to convince players to join the roster after a playoff series.
“There’s a lot of ‘Dr. Phil’ in trying to angle around the obvious (difference between) playing in front of 20,000 people and the intensity of Stanley Cup hockey. To be able to reset yourself and come over and play,” he said. “You want people who want to be there, too. As much as you try to recruit somebody, you don’t want to talk someone into coming over.”
The initial set of calls, Quinn said, can follow a similar script: “‘Hey, how ya doin’? You wanna come go to worlds?’ ‘Well, who’s goin’?’ ‘You’re goin’, that’s who’s goin’. And now when you go, we can get other guys to go.’
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“That’s the No. 1 question guys ask,” Quinn said. “It’s a big commitment. It’s a lot of time. But rarely do you get to play for your country.'”
For more from Quinn on world championships, the future of his San Jose Sharks and his Norris pitch for Erik Karlsson, listen to the April 25 episode of “The Athletic Hockey Show” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or ad-free on The Athletic.
(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
