Wasn't that long ago that it would have been unthinkable that a U.S. roster for a best-on-best tournament would not include winger Phil Kessel.
But it is a reflection of American depth on the wings and of Kessel's declining stature that the Pittsburgh Penguins winger was not among the first 16 players named to Team USA Wednesday afternoon.
What makes Kessel's absence so eyebrow raising is that of the 13 skaters named Wednesday, 11 were members of the U.S. Olympic team in Sochi in 2014.
Kessel was a member of both the Sochi Olympic team and the 2010 Olympic team that lost to Canada in the gold-medal game in Vancouver.