Team USA Candidates for Sochi 2014 Olympics

   With the 2012 Winter Olympics roughly 100 days away, and the official announcement of Team USA roster for at least several weeks away... let's look at how NHL's top American-born players are doing one month into the 2013-14 NHL regulars season...

Seth Jones, the 19-year 4th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing big minutes and getting big results in his rookie season with Nashville. Is he a threat to patrol the blueline in Sochi for Team USA?

POS - NAME (TEAM) -----------TOI/G --- Pts/GP

C -- R. Kesler (VAN) ------------ 23:04 ----- 0.76

C -- D. Backes (STL) ----------- 20:44 ------ 1.15

W - J. vanRiemsdyk (TOR) --- 20:34 ------- 1.00

W - Z. Parise (MIN) -------------- 20:11 ----- 0.88

W - K. Okposo (NYI) ------------ 20:04 ---- 1.27

W - T.J. Oshie (STL) ------------ 20:04 ----- 0.85

C -- J. Pavelski (SJS) ---------- 19:42 ------- 1.13

W - P. Kane (CHI) --------------- 19:32 ----- 0.87

W - C. Higgins (VAN) ---------- 19:32 ----- 0.47

C -- B. Dubinsky (CBJ) -------- 19:31------- 0.64

W -- P. Kessel (TOR) ---------- 19:19 ------- 1.20

C -- D. Stepan (NYR) ---------- 18:33 ------ 0.71

W -- N. Gerbe (CAR) ----------- 18:29 ----- 0.47

C -- P. Stastny (COL) ---------- 18:23 ------ 0.77

W - L. Stempniak (CGY) ------ 18:21------- 0.90

W - B. Wheeler (WPG) -------- 17:54 ------ 0.56

W - B. Ryan (ANH) ------------- 17:45 ----- 1.00

W - R. Callahan (NYR) -------- 17:43 ------ 0.67

W - J. Pominville (MIN) -------- 17:42 ----- 0.75

W - B. Gionta (MTL) ------------ 17:42 ----- 0.60

W - C. Kreider (NYR) ---------- 17:41------ 0.86

C -- M. Arcobello (EDM) ------ 17:29 ----- 0.75

W - B. Saad (CHI) -------------- 17:10 ------ 0.53

W - D. Stafford (BUF) ---------- 16:56 ----- 0.29

W - D. Brown (LAK) ------------ 16:48 ---- 0.47

W - R.J. Umberger (CBJ) ----- 16:45 ------ 0.57

W - C. Atkinson (CBJ) --------- 16:43 ------ 0.36

C -- M. Cullen (NSH) ---------- 16:28 ------ 0.29

W - N. Foligno (BUF) ---------- 16:26 ----- 0.60

W - M. Pacioretty (MTL) ------- 16:22 ----- 0.43

NAME (TEAM) -------------------TOI/G --- Pts/GP

R. Suter (MIN) -------------------- 28:31 ------ 0.62

D. Byfuglien (WPG) ------------- 26:25 ------ 0.56

P. Martin (PIT) -------------------- 25:49 ------ 0.40

S. Jones (NSH) ------------------ 25:06 -------- 0.50

A. Greene (NJD) ----------------- 24:38 ------- 0.21

J. Faulk (CAR) -------------------- 23:51 ------ 0.40

J. Johnson (CBJ) ---------------- 22:55 -------- 0.29

J. Carlson (WSH) ---------------- 22:53 ------- 0.27

Z. Bogosian (WPG) -------------- 22:50 ------ 0.19

C. Fowler (ANH) ----------------- 22:48 ------ 0.31

M. Carle (TBL) -------------------- 22:44 ------ 0.57

B. Orpik (PIT) ---------------------- 22:42 ----- 0.40

K. Yandle (PHX) ------------------ 22:30 ----- 0.75

R. McDonagh (NYR) ------------ 22:07 ----- 0.43

J. Braun (SJS) --------------------- 21:59 ------ 0.20

J. Petry (EDM) --------------------- 21:56 ----- 0.31

J. Trouba (WPG) ------------------ 21:15 ----- 0.25

T. Gilbert (FLA) -------------------- 21:09 ---- 0.13

A. Goligoski (DAL) --------------- 21:07 ---- 0.14

J. Wisniewski (CBJ) ------------- 21:02 ------ 0.71

E. Johnson (COL) ---------------- 20:46 ----- 0.31

D. DeKeyser (DET) -------------- 20:42 ---- 0.31

R. Hainsey (CAR) ---------------- 20:09 ---- 0.20

J. Gardiner (TOR) ---------------- 19:51 ---- 0.20

M. Niskanen (PIT) ---------------- 19:32 ---- 0.60

K. Shattenkirk (STL) ------------- 19:16 ---- 0.77

J. McBain (BUF) ------------------ 19:16 ---- 0.44

R. Scuderi (PIT) ------------------ 19:12 ----- 0.09

B. Lovejoy (ANH) ---------------- 18:54 ---- 0.00

N. Schmidt (WSH) --------------- 18:40 ----- 0.00

C. Butler (CGY) ------------------- 18:15 ---- 0.13

T. Krug (BOS) --------------------- 18:03 ---- 0.57

N. Leddy (CHI) -------------------- 16:23  --- 0.53

J. Corvo (OTT) --------------------- 14:56 --- 0.71

T. Gleason (CAR) ---------------- 14:25 ---- 0.00

S. Oleksy (WSH) ------------------ 16:12 --- 0.31

K. Ballard (MIN) ------------------  15:54 --- 0.44

NAME (TEAM) ------- (RECORD) - SV% - GAA

B. Bishop (TBL) ---------- (9-2-0) ---- 0.925 --- 2.15

J. Quick (LAK) ------------ (8-5-0) --- 0.896 ---- 2.68

J. Howard (DET) --------- (5-5-2) ---- 0.915 --- 2.64

C. Anderson (OTT) ------ (4-4-2) ---- 0.912 --- 3.14

R. Miller (BUF) ---------- (2-10-0) --- 0.919 --- 3.09

C. Schneider (NJD) ----- (1-4-2) ----- 0.907 --- 2.27

Ryan McDonagh, an NHL defenseman in his 3rd season, signed a big contract for NY Rangers last summer, and has been the defensive-shutdown man for NY since breaking into the NHL from University of Wisconsin. Will he represent Team USA as he did in the World Juniors when USA won the gold?

NHL'ers still active from the 2010 Olympic Team USA roster in Vancouver:

D. Backes

D. Brown

R. Callahan

R. Kesler

P. Kessel

R. Malone

Z. Parise

J. Pavelski

B. Ryan

P. Stastny

T. Gleason

E. Johnson

J. Johnson

M. Komisarek

P. Martin

B. Orpik

R. Suter

R. Whitney

R. Miller

J. Quick

T. Thomas