4 Nations Roster Remix: 2015 United States team

The top NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States will go head-to-head at the 4 Nations Face-Off, a best-on-best tournament that will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston.

Though this is the first tournament of its kind to feature these four countries, NHL.com and NHL.com International have put together what the rosters and line combinations for each country would have looked like in the past, going backwards in five-year intervals. The rosters will follow the same format as the current 4 Nations teams: 13 forwards, seven defensemen and three goalies.

The stories will run each Friday and Sunday through Feb. 9.

Today, NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen reveals what his Team USA roster would've looked like in 2015.

Forwards (13)

Johnny Gaudreau -- Joe Pavelski -- Patrick Kane

Max Pacioretty -- Ryan Kesler -- Blake Wheeler

Zach Parise -- Paul Stastny -- T.J. Oshie

Brandon Dubinsky -- Derek Stepan -- David Backes

Ryan Callahan

There's plenty of talent and skill in this group, players who at the time were able to dominate a power play and those who were terrific on the penalty kill. There is depth. Gaudreau, Pavelski and Kane would have provided Team USA an elite top line. Pavelski, one of the best in the NHL around the net, would certainly benefit from the sublime puck handling, playmaking and passing skills of Kane and Gaudreau. Kane led all U.S. skaters and was seventh in the NHL with 80 points (32 goals, 48 assists) in 63 games for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2015 calendar year and won the Stanley Cup for the third time. Pavelski's 76 points were second among U.S.-born players and Gaudreau, who turned 22 on Aug. 13, 2015, was third with 73 points. The second line of Pacioretty (6-foot-2, 217 pounds), Kesler (6-2, 206) and Wheeler (6-5, 222) would have been the power line because of its size and skill. Pacioretty scored 38 goals in 2015, and Wheeler had 70 points in 78 games. Kesler's production was down (32 points in 78 games), but he was always a matchup nightmare because of his two-way ability and one of the hardest from the United States to play against in his generation. Parise, Stastny and Oshie would have been a skilled and defensively conscientious third line, and Dubinsky, Stepan and Backes could have been a checking fourth line. Callahan could jump in on that fourth line too. Missing is Jack Eichel, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft who hadn't done enough yet to warrant being on the team. Kyle Okposo, Nick Foligno, James van Riemsdyk, Kyle Palmieri and Bobby Ryan were all under consideration.

Defensemen (7)

Ryan Suter -- John Carlson

Ryan McDonagh -- Dustin Byfuglien

Alex Goligoski -- Justin Faulk

Kevin Shattenkirk

This defense would have been balanced, big and loaded with minute-munchers. In 2015, Suter, a lefty, was one second off the NHL lead in ice time per game (28:25 in 80 games) behind Drew Doughty, a Canadian who averaged 28:26 in 81 games. Suter had 40 points (six goals, 34 assists) with the Minnesota Wild. Carlson, a righty, averaged 23:34 of ice time in 2015, sixth among U.S.-born defenseman in 2015, and had 55 points (14 goals, 41 assists) for the Washington Capitals. McDonagh, a lefty and then the New York Rangers captain, had 37 points (10 goals, 27 assists) in 85 games, averaging 22:58 per game. Byfuglien, a righty, had 47 points (19 goals, 28 assists) in 68 games in 2015 while averaging 23:43 to lead the Winnipeg Jets. Goligoski (23:33), Faulk (24:47) and Shattenkirk (21:36) all played a ton too, each producing as well. Faulk had 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists), Shattenkirk had 39 (10 goals, 29 games) in 49 games and Goligoski, always so steady, had 36 points (six goals, 30 assists) in 84 games. Torey Krug, Matt Niskanen and Nick Leddy were under consideration.

Goalies (3)

Jonathan Quick

Ben Bishop

Cory Schneider

Quick would have been the No. 1. By this point he was a two-time Stanley Cup champion (2012, 2014) and a Conn Smythe Trophy winner voted as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs (2012) with the Los Angeles Kings. In 2015, Quick went 42-22-7 with a 2.18 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and six shutouts in 72 games (71 starts). He led all American goalies in wins and was tied with Schneider for first in shutouts. Among those who played at least 30 games, Quick ranked second in GAA and tied John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks) for third in save percentage. Schneider and Bishop each had the numbers to back up claims they could have been the No. 1 ahead of Quick. The only thing they did not have was a Stanley Cup championship, but Bishop won 37 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Schneider 30 with the New Jersey Devils. Schneider had the best save percentage (.930) and GAA (2.07) among American goalies and six shutouts. Bishop had a 2.21 GAA and .921 save percentage with four shutouts.