Why was Carle the best man for the job as coach this season?
"David's a winner. Obviously with his team at Denver, winning an NCAA championship (in 2022) and just with the way he handles his team, his demeanor and approach to the game. He's very direct, has a winning attitude and is an overall great person."
James Hagens (2025 NHL Draft eligible) was released from the team on the final day of selection camp and Cole Eiserman, an A-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary players to watch list for the 2024 NHL Draft, wasn't invited to selection camp. What does the future hold for each player?
"James and Cole are excellent players and they're going to have their time. The World Juniors is going to be held in the United States in [December 2025] and we want them to be there. We have sticks on our power play who are stars of the game. For a lot of teams, maybe you might need that extra stick and power play release that Cole has but Cutter Gauthier (Philadelphia Flyers), Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues), Isaac Howard (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Rutger McGroarty (Winnipeg Jets) ... it gets pretty deep for a younger player to take that spot.
"James is a world-class player who could potentially be the first overall pick in the [2025 NHL Draft], so his future is as bright as anybody's. He deserved to be at training camp. You wanted to see what he looked like next to some of the older guys. Is he heavy enough because it's going to play out to be a heavy tournament in the end with winning puck battles, not just making plays. He's a younger player but has that immense talent."
It's interesting that the U.S. will play Canada in a pre-tournament game on Saturday (12 p.m. ET). How did that come about and do you anticipate a highly competitive game despite it not meaning anything in the standings?
"I expect a lot of intensity ... maybe one of the better games of the whole event is a pre-tournament game? Our goal was as simple as asking them. Did you want to do this? Sometimes it's a good fit. I think I would say it this way ... we want to be able to make some hard decisions in hard games and not just go through the motions. We want to get prepared the right way. We only have so much time and so much opportunity to make the right decisions for the right reasons under the highest pressure. One of the things that got determined on the first day of selection camp was how do players exit the zone under pressure, and we saw some guys put under pressure. We don't have time to say, 'Hey, in game 20, when we're under pressure, this guy is going to come through.' We don't have that time."
Might this be considered one of the finest forward groups you've had in your six years as GM?
"The difference with this group than a lot of the others are the shooters. We've got some shots and everybody loves to shoot, which I'm so happy about. A lot of times you're looking for that and you never know where your goal-scoring is going to come from when the stick gets a little skinny in your hands and you're looking for a goal. The one thing we do know is guys will shoot the puck, and they have heavy shots. They're good shooters and they like to shoot. I don't think we're going to turn down too many shots and I expect our shot totals to be up in this tournament. That's why this forward group is kind of exciting."
When the U.S. last won gold in 2021, it also had the best power play of the tournament. How will special teams make or break a team at World Juniors?
"The one analysis that is huge is, you have to have more power plays than penalty killing. If you get into undisciplined play and killing more penalties than you have power plays, your chances of winning are greatly reduced. Everything becomes contagious. So the power play gets going and you get buzzing, that's a contagious thing and in tournaments, that's what you're looking for. If you don't give yourself that opportunity because you're taking penalties, especially stick penalties, offensive zone penalties, things that really take your energy away and then you're complaining about bad calls, all that negative energy just goes against all the stats. But the one stat you have to have is more power plays than penalty kills. I don't care how good your penalty killing is. I don't care how good your goaltending is. If you give the other team more opportunities, you're leaving everything to risk."
Can you give me a player on this roster who might not be getting the recognition he deserves?
"I don't think anybody is going to surprise anybody. People are going to focus on our line of Gabriel Perreault, Will Smith and Ryan Leonard. I think forward Gavin Brindley (Columbus Blue Jackets) is a player who always shows up and his energy is relentless. He's an Energizer Bunny. He gives such great effort and those are the guys who, in the end, become your most valuable players. They're your Swiss Army Knives. I think of John Farinacci (Boston Bruins), who scored five goals in the 2021 Juniors. You didn't know if you're going to expect one out of him, but you just wanted him to play well at both ends. I'd pick Brindley."
Do you expect the Boston College line of Perreault (New York Rangers), Smith (San Jose Sharks) and Leonard (Washington Capitals) to remain intact, and what excites you about that trio?
"I like everything about it. I think it's one of the great lines in historical annals of the National Team Development Program and will be for Boston College, as well, because I've just watched them and they can lead a team to a championship. That's how good they are. Look, whatever happens, happens, but there hasn't been a line with that type of chemistry that I've seen in a long time."
