Last week, the NHL announced that there would be a 2016 World Cup of Hockey that would take place around this time next year. The eight-team tournament will take place from Sept. 17 through Oct. 1. When the announcement was made, we previewed how Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Burns were projected for Team Canada’s roster.
Well, today we take a look at Team USA’s roster where the San Jose Sharks also have two players projected on that roster. According to Scott Burnside of ESPN, Joe Pavelski and Paul Martin find themselves on his roster for the United States.
Pavelski will be a no-brainer for the Americans as he’s represented Team USA at the past two Olympics. Pavelski’s ability to play up-and-down the lineup makes him an attractive choice for any team. He can play on the wing, center a line, and even play the point on the power play. During the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Pavelski registered one goal and four assists while appearing in all six games.
With the San Jose Sharks, Pavelski has been the de facto leader for a captain-less team. Pavelski led the Sharks each of the last two seasons with 79 points (41 goals and 38 assists) in 2013-14 and 70 points (37 goals and 33 assists) last year. On Burnside’s roster, Pavelski is listed as the third-line center between Max Pacioretty and Blake Wheeler. That probably seems like a good spot for Pavelski, although he could be moved up alongside Phil Kessel or Zach Parise.
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Martin, who signed a four-year deal with the Sharks this offseason, is a solid defensive option who Burnside lists as his seventh blue liner. Martin played in four games for the Americans in Sochi, and would provide a veteran presence on defense during the World Cup of Hockey.
While Martin doesn’t wow you in any one particular area, he’s a reliable player who many respect around the league. In 74 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Martin recorded three goals and 17 assists, while being a plus-17 and averaging just under 23 minutes of ice time per game. Throughout his 11-year NHL career, Martin has never averaged less than 20 minutes of ice time per game.
The other Americans on the roster – Justin Braun, Ben Smith or Tommy Wingels – likely won’t be considered unless they have some sort of breakout campaign, and even that might not be enough to warrant consideration.
Regardless for the San Jose Sharks, having two of their veterans in Pavelski and Martin representing Team USA should help give Sharks fans a more vested interest in cheering on the red, white and blue next fall.
Next: Pavelski, Martin Projected On Team USA Roster