Quinn Hughes is the Best Player for Team USA
Continuing with the preview of the semifinals on Friday at the men’s Olympic hockey tournament, during a segment on SportsCenter on TSN, Director of Scouting Craig Button was asked by Sarah Davis who the most dangerous players were for Team USA and Slovakia.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Quinn Hughes Open Minded To Staying in Minnesota
Sarah Davis: “We are with Craig Button and Craig one of Canada, Finland, USA and Slovakia will win men’s hockey gold this weekend. So we want you to tell us the most dangerous player on each remaining team, and we want you to start with the Americans.”
Craig Button: “I think there’s no question, it’s Quinn Hughes. Quinn Hughes is going to play the most minutes. Quinn Hughes poses the most challenges. He is so good at improvising. And so if he’s not sure what he’s going to do, how can an opponent know what he’s going to do? His mind is always working. He’s always probing for where he can exploit. And when you have somebody that can play almost half the game and understand that he may be called upon to do that. You’re talking about somebody that not only impacts it in a significant way, but he keeps everybody back on their heels. Quinn Hughes for the USA.”
NHLRumors.com Note: We saw the impact Quinn Hughes is having for Team USA in these games. He scored the game-winning overtime goal in the quarterfinals against Sweden. Many wonder what could have been had Hughes played for Team USA at the Four Nations Faceoff. Team USA has other players that can be dangerous, like goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, forwards Jack Hughes and Auston Matthews, but everything runs through Quinn Hughes.
Slovakia’s Most Dangerous Player Has Been Who? Slafkovsky or Dvorsky?
Davis: “And then next up, the team the Americans will face in the semis. How about Slovakia?”
How Many Goals Will Juraj Slafkovsky, Josh Norris, and Matthew Knies Score?
Button: “Yeah, Juraj Slafkovsky. Been there, done that. Bronze medal in 2022, and he’s come to these Olympics, and he has been a tour de force. He has been everything that you’re looking for from their best player. Juraj Slafkovsky has done it all. He set a tone physically; he set the tone offensively. He set a tone for a complete game. We’ve watched that development in Montreal, and now you see it on the Olympic stage. So there’s lots of other good players there, but Juraj Slafkovsky stands alone as their most dangerous player.”
NHLRumors.com Note: Slafkovsky has been unbelievable for Slovakia with his ability to shoot the puck and use his big body as Slovakia plays an in-your-face game, but you can argue that Dalibor Dvorský is just as dangerous. He has six points (three goals and three assists) in four games. That is the most points by a rookie at the Olympics involving NHL players. Plus, he has done this on the International Stage before. So Slovakia has a couple of choices.
Team USA takes on Slovakia on Friday afternoon. The winner will play the winner of Canada/Finland in the Gold Medal Game. However, the losers will play for Bronze on Saturday.
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