I suspect most of them will play, if only to adhere to the wishes of the NHLPA, but whether they'll give a damn is another matter.
I somehow can't see Mark Streight or Zdeno Chara blocking a shot for Team Leftover. Why risk an injury for such a meaningless mickey mouse squad whose very existance is an insult to your own excluded national team?
Bettman's dishonest explanation for the two joke teams is to allow for a more even playing field and to avoid blowouts, even though Slovakia and Switzerland are not blownout any more than the rest of the top-eight. But ironically, the very inclusion of the two joke teams might make for more lopsided games simply because those given the dishonour of playing on these teams have no reason to care.
There isn't a single player in the world who dreams of representing his continent's leftovers or age group at an international event so I won't be at all surpised to see the leftovers or youngunz put in the most half-assed performance we've ever seen.
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