Building 4 Excellent Regional US Teams

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There were a couple article recently in the Athletic reviewing an all Minn team and an all NYC/NE team.  I wondered if we focused on the best American players, could one reasonably build 4 regional teams. The answer is yes.  I focused on place of birth.

Once these teams are complete, I’d love to see a fancy stats review of each of someone is interesting in crunching the numbers.

Team commentary 

West - players from 8 different states: CA, Colorado, TX, Ok, NE, AZ, Wash and Alaska.  Depth somewhat lacking, but a strong top 2 lines and 3 D

Central - A Minn dominated team with tons of excellent D, but lacking depth on O and in goal. Players from Minn, Mizz, and Iowa

Mid West - players from Mich, Wis, Ill and Ohio. Could be the strongest team

East - players from 8 states - NY, Mass, NJ, Conn, NH, PA and FL.  Huge depth in goal and at forward.  D also solid, might be close to as good as the MW team.

I’ll post the teams from West to East - one quick note, I tried to use players from as many states as possible, so some “better” players got left off 4th lines or as the backup goalie in order to add a player from another state.

Feel free to comment if I missed a player or if you like (or hate) the teams.

TEAM WEST - Note: I added Quebec born but Colorado raised Paul Stastny to this team because he plays Internationally for the US and to help add depth to Team West

Forwards

1. Tkachuk (AZ) Matthews (CA) Oshie (WA)

2. Guentzal (NE) Johnson T (CA) Zucker (CA)

3. Tkachuk (AZ) Stastney (CO) Ryan (WA)

4. Nieto (CA) Coleman (TX) Trey (CO)

Defense

1. Jones, S (TX), Carlo (CO)

2. Slavin (CO), Orpik (CA) - yes I know he was raised in Buffalo)

3. Miller, K (CA), Merrill (OK)

Goalies

Bishop (CO) Copley (Alaska)

 

Edited July 25, 2019 by GASabresIUFAN

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TEAM CENTRAL

Forwards

1. Parise (MN) Nelson (MN) Wheeler (MN)

2. Lee (MN) Keller (MO) Boeser (MN)

3. Maroon (MO) Stepan (MN) Bugstad (MN)

4. Lowry (MN) Kanin (MO) Mittelstadt (MN)

Defense

Byfuglien (MN) McDonagh (MN)

Faulk (MN) Gardiner (MN)

Leddy (MN) Mayfield (MO)

Goalies

Stalock (MN) Petersen (Iowa)

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TEAM MID WEST

Forwards

1. DeBrincat (MI) Larkin (MI) Kessel (WI)

2. Connor (MI) Pavelski (WI) Hinostroza (Ill)

3. Miller (Ohio) Dzingel (Ill) Smith, C (Wis)

4. Compher (Ill) Galchenyuk (WI) Rust (MI)

Defense

1. Krug (MI), Trouba (MI)

2. Suter (WI) Werenski (MI)

3. Butcher (WI) Petry (MI)

Goalies

Helleybuyck (MI) Anderson (Ill)

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TEAM EAST

Forwards

1. Gaudreau (NJ) Eichel (MA)  Kane (NY)

2. Kreider (MA) Hayes (MA) Atkinson (Conn)

3. JVR (NJ) Trochek (PA) LeBlanc (NY)

4. Saad (PA) White, C (MA), Tuch (NY)

Defense

1. Carlson (MA) Hanafin (MA)

2. Gostisbehere (FL) McAvoy (NY)

3. DeAngelo (NJ) Dumoulin (Maine)

Goalies

Gibson (PA) DeSmith (NH) - Quick (Conn) and Howard (NY) probably are deserving, but I wanted to give the NH born younger De Smith the nod instead.