USA, USA, USA

Anyone who knows me, know my alliance is to the Chicago Blackhawks. This is because well over the past few years I've fell in love with the team and the tradition that the franchise brings into the NHL. Yet, since I decided to start this blog on a time when the NHL will cease play to allow the best players in the world to play for their home countries. So this means I will shift my focus from the Blackhawks to Team USA.

Now I know going into the Olympics not many people are giving the US a shot for gold, odds have the US bidding for a bronze. Canada with that star studded lineup is the favorite, plus on home ice gives them an emotional advantage. However, I'm not counting the US out yet. It is true that we don't have the lineup that Canada has, but I think with the group of guys Coach Wilson (head coach of the Maple Leafs) has put together will put up a fight for any team. This is a very young team (26.5 average age), not quite as young as the MIRACLE team (21 average age) but still young. There still are some young stars on this team:

We have arguably the best netkeeper going into the games. Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres is playing out of his mind. Even with the team slipping in the past 10 games (2-8), Miller is still at the top of the stats charts. Miller has posted a 2.19 GAA (Goal Against Average), .930 SV%, and 29 wins. If Miller is playing like he has all season there could be a chance for the boys to get some upsets and make a run for the gold.

A fellow Blackhawk Patrick Kane should make some contribution in the games. Kane has put up 67 points (25 goals and 42 assists) this season for the 'Hawks, that's 9th highest in the NHL. Kane has talent but is still very young and will look for these Olympics to be a learning curve. Team USA will be looking for him to do what he does best, pass and shoot.

I'm gonna lump the two New Jersey Devils together. First up Zach Parise the Devils left-winger is a big reason why the Devils are so good this season, coming off of a career year last year he's put up 61 points (28 goals and 33 assists) coming into the break. Parise will be an alternative captain in the games. Jamie Langenbrunner, who is Captain American for this Olympic stint, is a big apart of team because he has a ton of experience. This is his 15th year in the NHL and he is one of only three team US players who actually have Olympic experience. With that leadership he should be able to fire up the boys and keep them on track for a good run.

Those are not all of the best players, those are just a few that jump out at me when I look at the list. I could go through all of the roster and breakdown each player and bore you to death with stats but I don't have that kind of time. USA hockey is on the rise and we have a lot of great players that will show America what they can do tomorrow versus Switzerland. I'm sure Switzerland is no slouch in hockey but the national team hasn't medaled in the winter games since 1953. Their one NHL player comes from the Anaheim Ducks, Jonas Hiller. So this is a good test for team USA to see how they will really stack up against the competition. The game starts at 2 p.m. Central time on USA network. I am optimistic so I'm gonna go 4-1 and the USA rolls onto Norway on Thursday. I'll continue to track the progress of the boys and give you breakdowns of how the games play out.

Oh and watch the womens USA team too. They're looking very good after destroying China yesterday 12-1. The face Russia tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. on MSNBC.

-Corey Ranes