barry checks out team usa...
thanks barry. sorry it took so long to get this up.
This is a general Team USA report. Spotlights will follow in the weeks to come but I've focused on the three local teams on who they will be sending to the Games in Turin.
In what promises to be a fiercely competitive tournament and competing against teams with much more offensive pop, the US team was selected with a nice mix of youth, size and speed to complement the veteran defensive stalwarts (Chelios) and power forwards (Guerin). Going into the games, the US isn't expected to medal by most accounts however GM Waddell and Coach Laviolette seemed to have chosen a group that they hope can gel quickly and put the team before their own stats. Therefore you will not see the likes of Jeremy Ronick on this squad. Forget his prowess in '94 Sega hockey for a moment. This bum made the following comment when he didn't get the call, "I know nobody on that team has more points in the National Hockey League than me. So if they want to go that way, good luck," Roenick said. You can bet the USA was glad they didn't choose this malcontent after they got wind of his comments.
No Rangers were named to the squad this year and MSG fan favorite Brian Leetch was left off the roster which is a little bit questionable but clearly they wanted to go with a little bit younger and defensively minded squad. To Leetch's defense he has been out hurt for the better part of the year. As you know only Poti, Holleweg and Ortmeyer would be eligible.
Three Devils made the team. Scotty Gomez (who's father is a salmon farmer from Mexico and moved the family to Alaska where Scott learned to play the game) will add speed and depth to the forwards as will Boston College graduate and Devil scoring leader Brian Gionta. Gionta has shown impressive speed and hands all year. The NHL rule changes which will by and large be the same under olypmic rules have really worked to Gionta's advantage and the first time oympian should impress. Brian Rafalski hasn't had a particularly good year on the blue line for the Devils but he is a solid stay at home defender and a returning member of team usa.
In goal the team will have 3 rookie goaltenders. Islander and Boston University product Rick Dipietro will see some action between the pipes for the Americans. Ricky got absolutely shelled last night against the Leafs (see that Roby?) and pulled in the second period. Let's hope he has a better showing in the Italian Alps. A hot goaltender can carry a team all alone in this type of tournament. Just like Steely Dan, Let's hope Ricky 'doesn't loose that number.' Also from the Isles you will see speedster Jason Blake (Who may carry a gay pride flag during opening ceremonies) and Mark Parrish who plays a similar style to Brian Gionta but is more physical. J-Date should give player profiles on each of these guys in the weeks to come rather than this guy. I would have thought that York would have been a candidate. He hasn't been so hot this year though either.
Who can forget the '98 Nagano games when after their disgraceful performance and failing to make the medal round the US Players ransacked their hotel rooms. Following that disaster US Hockey retooled and hired Herb Brooks for the 2002 games in Salt Lake. Herbie took his boys to the Finals against a superior Canadian team who had not won a gold medal for generations (believe it or not). On paper the US Team looks like an underdog but with Laviollete's ability to get the most out of his teams, it is my hope that this team will play for a medal in Turin. It wouldn't quite be the Miracle on Ice Part II but it would be monumental for this team to be standing on the podium with gold medals in late February.
This is a general Team USA report. Spotlights will follow in the weeks to come but I've focused on the three local teams on who they will be sending to the Games in Turin.
In what promises to be a fiercely competitive tournament and competing against teams with much more offensive pop, the US team was selected with a nice mix of youth, size and speed to complement the veteran defensive stalwarts (Chelios) and power forwards (Guerin). Going into the games, the US isn't expected to medal by most accounts however GM Waddell and Coach Laviolette seemed to have chosen a group that they hope can gel quickly and put the team before their own stats. Therefore you will not see the likes of Jeremy Ronick on this squad. Forget his prowess in '94 Sega hockey for a moment. This bum made the following comment when he didn't get the call, "I know nobody on that team has more points in the National Hockey League than me. So if they want to go that way, good luck," Roenick said. You can bet the USA was glad they didn't choose this malcontent after they got wind of his comments.
No Rangers were named to the squad this year and MSG fan favorite Brian Leetch was left off the roster which is a little bit questionable but clearly they wanted to go with a little bit younger and defensively minded squad. To Leetch's defense he has been out hurt for the better part of the year. As you know only Poti, Holleweg and Ortmeyer would be eligible.
Three Devils made the team. Scotty Gomez (who's father is a salmon farmer from Mexico and moved the family to Alaska where Scott learned to play the game) will add speed and depth to the forwards as will Boston College graduate and Devil scoring leader Brian Gionta. Gionta has shown impressive speed and hands all year. The NHL rule changes which will by and large be the same under olypmic rules have really worked to Gionta's advantage and the first time oympian should impress. Brian Rafalski hasn't had a particularly good year on the blue line for the Devils but he is a solid stay at home defender and a returning member of team usa.
In goal the team will have 3 rookie goaltenders. Islander and Boston University product Rick Dipietro will see some action between the pipes for the Americans. Ricky got absolutely shelled last night against the Leafs (see that Roby?) and pulled in the second period. Let's hope he has a better showing in the Italian Alps. A hot goaltender can carry a team all alone in this type of tournament. Just like Steely Dan, Let's hope Ricky 'doesn't loose that number.' Also from the Isles you will see speedster Jason Blake (Who may carry a gay pride flag during opening ceremonies) and Mark Parrish who plays a similar style to Brian Gionta but is more physical. J-Date should give player profiles on each of these guys in the weeks to come rather than this guy. I would have thought that York would have been a candidate. He hasn't been so hot this year though either.
Who can forget the '98 Nagano games when after their disgraceful performance and failing to make the medal round the US Players ransacked their hotel rooms. Following that disaster US Hockey retooled and hired Herb Brooks for the 2002 games in Salt Lake. Herbie took his boys to the Finals against a superior Canadian team who had not won a gold medal for generations (believe it or not). On paper the US Team looks like an underdog but with Laviollete's ability to get the most out of his teams, it is my hope that this team will play for a medal in Turin. It wouldn't quite be the Miracle on Ice Part II but it would be monumental for this team to be standing on the podium with gold medals in late February.
posted by fredeeky at
2:48 PM
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