"Trochek, Kreider are washed": Hockey fans shocked by Tage Thompson, Cole Caufield reportedly being left off USA's 4 Nations Face-Off roster

Hockey fans were left shocked and outraged after reports surfaced that Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson and Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield were left off USA's roster for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

The roster is expected to include veterans like New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, winger Chris Kreider and New York Islanders' Brock Nelson, as per Chris Johnston on "Insider Trading".

Many fans took to social media to express their disbelief:

Here are some more fan reactions on X/Twitter:

"Tage Thompson still being considered young is so funny to me. Dude is born the same year as McDavid and is still considered ‘young’," one fan wrote.

"I knew before rosters were getting announced they were only going to bring stars of the past. Because the league is always years behind itself," another fan said.

"Lol US going with the grit over skill strategy so they win zero games," a fan commented.

"They never learned that all these years they try the grit and grind and experience and it never works!? Just try skill/talent players for once and maybe they will actually compete with Canada," another fan wrote.

The 4 Nations Face-Off will take place from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. The tournament features the national teams of the USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland.

GM Bill Guerin on USA's 4 Nations roster selections and challenges to include players like Tage Thompson, Cole Caufield and others

General Manager Bill Guerin discussed the roster selection process for the upcoming 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Guerin acknowledged the difficulty in choosing the roster, saying:

"It's just not easy, but you have to make the decisions," Guerin said via The Athletic.

He understands there will always be outside criticism regarding who makes the team and who doesn't, but ultimately fitting and building the best team possible for a short tournament is the priority.

One regret Guerin expressed was the tournament's limitation on roster size. With only 23 spots compared to the typical 25 in other international tournaments, Guerin lamented the missed opportunity for two guys to gain valuable experience.

"“Sorry. This isn’t an All-Star team. Not every great American can make it. It’s about fit and trying to win a short tournament against three other great teams," he added.

What do you think of Tage Thompson and Cole Caufield's reported snub from the USA's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament roster? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.