Plenty of blame is being passed around for the United States' failure at the World Cup of Hockey, but attributing it to the format of the tournament is a cop-out that fails to address USA Hockey's real, preventable problems.

On the morning after a 4-2 loss to Canada that eliminated the U.S. from advancing to the semi-final, more than one media member pinned the Americans' failure to advance past the group stage on the fact that it wasn't able to select young stars because of the creation of Team North America.

These points aren't entirely false. Team North America does feature several American players who would have undoubtedly helped Team USA:

• Johnny Gaudreau
• Auston Matthews
• Jack Eichel
• Dylan Larkin
• Shayne Gostisbehere
• Seth Jones

However, the arguments are flawed for several reasons.

For one, not all of these phenoms are "their best players". Patrick Kane, Joe Pavelski, Zach Parise, Max Pacioretty, and Dustin Byfuglien were all named to the U.S. squad.

Did it hurt not to have the under-24 stars? Absolutely. But blaming the NHL for creating the most exciting team and best story of the tournament lets USA Hockey off the hook, rather than holding the governing body accountable for problems it created for itself.

The bigger and certainly more preventable issues were the construction of the U.S. squad and the lineup decisions made during the tournament.

The emphasis on grit over speed put the World Cup squad at a now-obvious disadvantage.

That focus on physicality ensured roster spots for grinders Justin Abdelkader and Brandon Dubinsky, while shunning a handful of offensively gifted players - Phil Kessel, Tyler Johnson, Kyle Okposo, Bobby Ryan, and Justin Faulk.

Considering USA Hockey's prioritization of intimidation over more skill, who's to say each and every one of the talented young American stars on Team North America would even be named to the American squad if that were possible?

The U.S. brain trust, led by Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi, knew full well it wouldn't have access to the young guns and still passed up a slew of proven players who would unquestionably have improved the World Cup team.

Naming John Tortorella - who won a Stanley Cup 12 years ago but has underwhelmed since - as U.S. head coach was another questionable decision, and his lineups during the team's brief, two-game stretch of relevance predictably justified that concern.

He made Byfuglien (the most productive American defenseman in the NHL last season) and Kyle Palmieri (a 30-goal scorer) healthy scratches for the opener, and the United States was subsequently shut out 3-0 by Team Europe.

Tortorella elected to start Jonathan Quick over Cory Schneider and Ben Bishop in goal for both preliminary-round games, despite plenty of evidence of Quick's decline and Schneider's superiority.

He slotted Kane, the Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's MVP last season, on to a line with Abdelkader in practice prior the U.S. loss to Canada before coming to his senses during the game.

Tortorella benched Dubinsky for the Canada game, despite the prevailing notion that the forward was named to the roster specifically because of his ability to get under the skin of Sidney Crosby.

The players underwhelmed - albeit in an extremely small sample size - but the blame shouldn't be exclusively directed at them, nor at the league for creating Team North America.

The U.S. World Cup squad would have absolutely been better equipped with the American young stars, but the rules of the tourney were completely out of their control.

USA Hockey needs to be held accountable for a flawed team philosophy that led to questionable roster selections, and for choosing a coach who arguably hindered his team's chances of winning.

Blaming the American flop on anything else misses the point.

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Phil Kessel struck the first blow, and now fellow American Bobby Ryan has added his own two cents.

Following Team USA's 4-2 elimination loss to Team Canada at the World Cup, and a Twitter user's suggestion that he should be more critical after his omission from the roster, Ryan took a shot at the U.S. hockey organization.

Ryan, a four-time 30-plus-goal scorer, recorded 56 points with the Ottawa Senators last season, and participated with Team USA on three occasions, most recently the 2012 World Championships. However, he was left off the 2014 Olympics squad, after Brian Burke, now a senior advisor with USA Hockey, criticized his lack of intensity.

Ryan's tweet is the latest backlash against the organization. General manager Dean Lombardi envisioned a roster that could best Team Canada, opting to build for size and grit, and leaving fewer spots for talented goal-scorers like Ryan and Kessel.

Team USA was eliminated after losing its first two games, scoring just twice while allowing a combined seven goals.

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theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.

The Minnesota Wild added Bruce Boudreau as head coach, who now faces a key assignment in getting more goals out of his new lineup. The Wild were among the best defensively last season, but finished 20th league-wide in offense.

Here's what the Wild's lineup looks like going into the 2016-17 season:

Forwards

• Eric Staal and Chris Stewart highlight the changes up front, with both bringing a different flavor to the offensive ranks. Boudreau believes Staal can rediscover his scoring touch in Minnesota, while Stewart provides size and an agitating quality on the wing. Young forward Mikael Granlund continues to make strides, posting a career-high 44 points last season.

Defense

• The Wild didn't make any changes on the blueline, but at the same time, the team didn't need to, as defense remains its strength. Boudreau sees a lesser workload for Ryan Suter, believing it will allow him to be fresher in his performances in the latter stages of the season. Nate Prosser and Christian Folin, both right-handed shots, could split minutes on the bottom pairing.

Goalies

• Devan Dubnyk didn't keep up his Vezina-nominee numbers from the previous season, but his 32-26-4 record and .918 save percentage was hardly a point of concern. Darcy Kuemper is a reliable fill-in when needed.

NHL Depth Charts

ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF | CGY
CAR | CHI | COL | CBS | DAL
DET | EDM | FLA | LA | MIN
MTL | NSH | NJD | NYI | NYR
PHI | PIT | OTT | STL | SJ
TB | TOR | VAN | WSH | WIN

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Dallas Stars head coach Lindy Ruff has no hard feelings after Valeri Nichushkin elected to leave the club to sign in the KHL with CSKA Moscow this week.

Related: Stars GM: 'Not the end of the world' if Nichushkin leaves for KHL

Among the reported reasons as to why the forward elected to head back across the Atlantic, is that Nichushkin did not want to play for Ruff. The claim comes as a surprise to the Stars head coach given how exit interviews went at the end of the year.

"I was actually surprised, I thought we were communicating well," Ruff said, according to Mike Heika of Sportsday. "Our last meeting, Val told me he understood the situation and he had things he wanted to work on in the summer. I thought the conversation was great."

A rift between Nichushkin and Ruff was reported last season after the Russian forward was reportedly unhappy with his ice time. However, Ruff feels Nichushkin received adequate minutes and, ultimately, any reason for his decreased ice time was because of the strong play of others.

"A guy like (Mattias) Janmark came in and played so well, same with (Radek) Faksa and (Stephen) Johns. They forced us to make decisions. Other young players didn't do that," Ruff said. "I take a lot of pride in how I communicate with the players, and I really think I did that with Val. Some decisions are hard for coaches."

All things said, Ruff insists that if and when the opportunity presents itself, he will welcome the 2013 first-round pick back with open arms.

"I'd be more than happy to have him back, because I really like what he has to offer," Ruff said.

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Veteran forward Sean Bergenheim has agreed to a camp tryout with the Anaheim Ducks, reports the Miami Herald's George Richards.

The 32-year-old spent last season with Bern SC of the Swiss League, scoring 13 points in 31 games. He split the previous season with the Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild, recording nine goals and 10 assists through 56 games.

Beginning his NHL career in 2003, the native of Helsinki has also played with the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Reports indicate the Ducks have also invited veteran forward David Booth to training camp.

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In a short tournament where an early loss puts you behind the eight ball, teams must find chemistry quickly to score early and often.

Here are three line combinations we've seen come together in a hurry at the World Cup:

Marchand/Crosby/Bergeron (Canada)

It's not easy to find chemistry with a superstar, but the Bruins' duo of Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron has done so alongside Sidney Crosby, forming Canada's top line.

In Canada's opening 6-0 win over the Czech Republic, the trio recorded seven points, with all three finding the back of the net. They also combined for 12 of Canada's 50 shots on Michal Neuvirth.

The line offers three unique flavors, from Crosby's puck skills, to Bergeron's defensive prowess, to Marchand's ability to get under the opposition's skin.

Matthews/McDavid/Scheifele (North America)

Auston Matthews didn't wait long to showcase himself to his new city. Barely five minutes into his first game at the Air Canada Centre, he set up Jack Eichel to open the scoring against Finland. In his second act, Matthews got North America on the board 5:14 into the game versus Russia.

The 19-year-old was just two days removed from being in the same draft class and conversation as 2015 top picks Connor McDavid and Eichel. All three are the next wave of NHL superstars.

That's not to forget Mark Scheifele, whose size creates space for Matthews and McDavid. He's also picked up an assist along the way.

Ovechkin/Datsyuk/Kucherov (Russia)

Pavel Datsyuk is done with the NHL, but, as we've see at the World Cup, he isn't done with hockey. Through two games, the veteran center has grabbed a pair of assists, while linemate Alex Ovechkin has a goal and an assist to his credit.

In their tournament opener against Sweden, Ovechkin's late surge nearly powered Russia to overtime, as he brought the nation within a goal with 33 seconds left. He scored again 26 seconds later, only to have it recalled after the puck made contact with his glove.

Winger Nikita Kucherov, who scored in Russia's 4-3 win over North America, completes the ensemble. He has a goal and three shots through two games.

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theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.

A midseason slump in 2015-16 spelled the end of head coach Mike Yeo's tenure with the Minnesota Wild. This year, the Wild turn to Bruce Boudreau, who will be tasked with unlocking the team's offensive potential. With that in mind, here are three players to watch in 2016-17:

Zach Parise

Since joining the Wild in 2012, Zach Parise hasn't seen the offensive output he had with the New Jersey Devils. He scored just 53 points last season, and his best performance with the Wild is 62.

That's a far cry from the 94 and 82 point seasons he posted with the Devils in 2008 and 2009, respectively. However, playing under a head coach in Boudreau that plays an offensive, run-and-gun style, it's safe to expect more from Parise this season.

Boudreau envisions him playing wing to Eric Staal, who signed with Minnesota in the offseason, as well as Charlie Coyle. As a key offensive cog, he'll be relied upon to lead the Wild to its fifth straight postseason appearance.

Eric Staal

Boudreau believes Staal, like Parise, is capable of providing far greater offense.

After spending his entire career with the Carolina Hurricanes, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2006, the veteran center was dealt to the New York Rangers at last year's trade deadline.

Staal finished last season with just 39 points, including just six points in 20 games with the Rangers. He was then held pointless in five postseason matches, marking his worst showing offensively since his rookie campaign, in which he scored 31 points.

While the 31-year-old's production has dipped over the last three seasons, Boudreau is optimistic he'll have a great year with the Wild, particularly under new circumstances, after facing months of trade speculation in Carolina. After signing a three-year deal with Minnesota, he'll use his time with the Wild as an opportunity to reboot his offensive game.

Production aside, the 6-foot-4, 200-plus-pound Staal also provides the Wild with some size up the middle behind captain Mikko Koivu.

Ryan Suter

The Wild boast impressive defensive depth, and a critical piece to that is standout blue-liner Ryan Suter. The 31-year-old finished second league-wide in ice time last season, averaging 28:35 a game. That marks nearly six minutes more than any other Minnesota defenseman.

With a blue line shared by Jared Spurgeon, Marco Scandella, Matt Dumba, and Jonas Brodin, there are more than enough capable defensemen to share in the workload. At the same time, having Suter take on a lesser workload will allow him to be more effective in the minutes he plays.

Boudreau believes Suter will be better off playing 23-25 minutes per night, allowing him to go "all out" during his shifts. Managing his ice time will be a key assignment for new defensive coach Scott Stevens.

Suter led all Wild defensemen in points last season, notching 51 points in 81 games, and finished third in team scoring behind Koivu and Parise. He'll have a good opportunity to improve on those numbers this season.

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Mike Babcock had reason to gripe.

Displeased with Canada's start in a 6-0 thrashing of the Czech Republic in the tournament opener, a point of emphasis entering Tuesday's contest versus the United States was shoring up those first five minutes.

So when Carey Price conceded for the first time in almost four consecutive hours of best-on-best competition a little under five minutes into the game, it wasn't a surprise to hear Canada's detail-oriented head coach harp on those first few shifts once again.

“I just thought we were tentative early," Babcock said in his post-game press conference. "Tight and tentative, and (we) didn't execute very good.”

Except Tuesday, in a game where the Canadians proved they were clearly the superior side and eliminated the U.S. from the World Cup of Hockey with a 4-2 win, a disjointed start, and the subsequent glimmer of hope it offered the opponent, seemed to play right into their hand.

Ninety seconds after Ryan McDonagh bulldozed his way to the front of the net and banged in the Americans' first goal of the tournament, Matt Duchene and Corey Perry scored goals 14 seconds apart for Canada.

The lead, up in smoke. The Americans, experiencing a full-on adrenaline dump.

Of course, Canada used an equal and opposite boost to surge forward, and though reluctant to admit it, perhaps felt the opponent's will diminish.

"I thought our response was great, and that’s obviously what you want to see," Patrice Bergeron told theScore. "The way we got back into the game and took the lead right away after two shifts was tremendous. It definitely gave us the energy and momentum that we needed."

But did he feel as though the Americans were demoralized?

"Yeah, I mean," stopping himself. "They compete. They kept competing."

Bergeron's right.

The Americans didn't just fold - they were the better team in the final frame, scoring once, hitting three posts, and despite that misfortune, Patrick Kane had a glorious opportunity to pull the Americans to within one in the final moments.

However, it was a classic case of too-little, too-late for John Tortorella's crew, as it appeared to take them until midway through the third period, and when the game was well out of reach, to recover from those fateful 14 seconds in the first.

From the moment Perry's goal was confirmed by the war room, and the partisan crowd could cheer it for a second time, Canada never once appeared vulnerable.

"Momentum constantly shifts," Ryan O'Reilly told theScore. "(But) once we can get it, we kind of roll with that, and it's tough to get (us) back off it."

Without experiencing that same feeling at the World Cup, the U.S. will disband after one last meaningless game versus the Czech Republic Thursday, and its members will head to separate NHL training camps.

All while Babcock and Team Canada continue working to shore up those first five minutes.

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