A few former Michigan Wolverines, including Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, will play a big role for Team USA in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off:
The 4 Nations Face-Off — a brand new international hockey tournament — kicks off next Wednesday, Feb. 12. With the NHL break approaching, let’s take a look at the Michigan alumni who will represent the United States of America.
D Quinn Hughes
Hughes is almost guaranteed to see top-pairing minutes with Charlie McAvoy. The Vancouver Canucks captain has been on an absolute tear this season, recording 14 goals and 45 assists through 47 games. Hughes has navigated the Canucks through a rough patch and will need to continue to do so to carry his team to the playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Americans, Hughes has been absent from his team’s last three games with an undisclosed injury . Hughes would be an irreplaceable loss, as his skating, puck-handling and shutdown defense are second to none.
While Canucks fans do not want to see their superstar defenseman rushed back, Team USA desperately needs him.
F Kyle Connor
Connor is going to be a huge piece of the puzzle for the Americans up top. He should play on the first forward line with Auston Matthews or Jack Eichel centering him, and Matthew Tkachuk on the other wing. He’s one of the best goal scorers on the planet and has a 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame to absorb contact.
On a Winnipeg team with no shortage of offensive firepower, Connor has put together the most impressive season of any American forward so far. His 30 goals (fifth in the NHL) and 67 points (tied for sixth) are the top numbers on his team, and he will be heavily relied upon to produce clutch goals for Team USA.
JT Miller is another viable candidate for the top left winger job — especially given his more physical and well-rounded 200-foot game — but few can create and finish as well as Connor.
D Zach Werenski
Here’s where it gets a little more interesting. There is no doubt Werenski is playing well enough to man the left side of the second pair. He has a ridiculous 17 goals and 40 assists through 53 games and is one of the biggest drivers behind the Columbus Blue Jackets’ resurgence. Outside of Hughes, he has been as good as anyone.
However, when competing with another left-handed stalwart in Jaccob Slavin, it may make more sense to bump Werenski to the third pairing. Since righties Adam Fox and Brock Faber will round out the defensive core, Werenski should skate with the more defensively-inclined Faber and let the puck-moving Fox set up with Slavin.
Now, if Hughes is unable to suit up, Werenski will assume more offensive duties from the blue line. He’s not quite as nimble or as good of a processor as Hughes, but he’s as close as it gets on this team. Either way, Werenski’s services will be crucial to the Americans’ success.
F Dylan Larkin
It’s not that Larkin isn’t a skilled offensive player. In fact, he’s a quite good one. He has 23 goals and 27 assists while captaining the red-hot Detroit Red Wings. Larkin is leaned upon every night and terrorizes opponents with his speed and IQ.
But with Matthews and Eichel as the clear top-six centers, and plenty of goal-scoring to spare on the wings (Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, Jake Guentzel), Larkin should find himself in the middle of the third line in more of a scrapper role.
Larkin feels like a great fit alongside super-grinder Brady Tkachuk, whose hard-nosed, yet skilled game will mesh with Larkin’s finesse and defense. The Americans could roll with a scorer like Guentzel, or opt for a shutdown line and put Miller on Larkin’s wing.
Regardless of his exact linemates, Larkin should find himself matched up with Canada, Sweden and Finland’s top forward lines. He has the skating to hang with the world’s best centers and all-around game to frustrate the opposition.