Spartachat
Registered User
Well in the US not many people watch the NHL. NBC will not even broadcast the NHL during the Olympics.
So if NHL players aren't going to the Olympics who's playing for Canada and the US?
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Well in the US not many people watch the NHL. NBC will not even broadcast the NHL during the Olympics.
Yeah I mean it sucks. And certainly winning gold won't mean the same champions of the hockey world like it did before. But it is still the Olympics and the roster situation just kinda is what it is.
jj cale
Registered User
It will certainly test my knowledge of the player pool. I hope at least USA hockey goes younger and not try to get some semi retired guys.
Zine
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- Feb 28, 2002
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Keep in mind you're speaking from the perspective of a hardcore hockey fan. Most people around the globe (yes, even the majority of people in Russia) don't give two craps about the game. All that matters is what's on the front of the jersey, not the back for a huge event like the olympics. I'm sure the same could be said for most countries regarding hockey, even the USA (Olympic hockey viewership in America will undoubtedly engulf that of the NHL).
Perhaps Canada is the only exception because of the overall popularity of the sport.
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Canada is probably the only exception because the general population knows hockey too well. The vast majority of Americans probably couldn't name 10 NHL players. They'll still watch team USA if they get into the knockout rounds.
Plus NBC will do like 8000000000000000 references to the miracle on ice.
Depends on how much stock you put into the olympics itself. I wager that a medal for Slovakia would be very big in Slovakia.
And we are used to watch internationals without NHL players over here, even if we know its not the best players in the world.
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I think people are over stating the advantage Russia has in a "best of the rest" tournament (providing the IIHF completely bars all NHLers). Shipachyov, Dadonov, and Radulov are all out of the picture, that's a huge chunk of the "best on best" quality players left in the KHL.
The Canadians playing overseas that get picked are going to be hungry, and quite possibly playing with a chip on their shoulder. I'll be looking forward to it, a guy like Brule gets a chance to change his legacy in hockey. Too bad about Dawes and Bochenski.
The Canadians playing overseas that get picked are going to be hungry, and quite possibly playing with a chip on their shoulder. I'll be looking forward to it, a guy like Brule gets a chance to change his legacy in hockey. Too bad about Dawes and Bochenski.
When I was in the World Cup last September, I recognized pretty much every player on every team on the ice cause I watch more than 100 NHL games a year. Most of the Canadians around me didn't even recognize all players on Team Canada and they were pretty clueless about players on Team Europe.
I'm still very interested in Olympic hockey and I will love it if Finland manages to win.
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This is kind of how I'm looking at it as well. It will be exciting to see how some of these guys that for one reason or another couldn't gain traction in the NHL perform.
Interesting. Most of the people I talked to, even casual hockey fans were immensely confused by the team Europe and team North America concepts. I couldn't explain it to them
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
Really? I know the gimmick teams weren't well received but it's not that difficult a concept to understand.
I mean the concept of team Europe leftovers and team u23 weren't super hard to grasp. They are just literal restrictions. The harder part was why
I personally don't see one single player from the CHL playing for either team. A player like James Sheppard or Mason Raymond are substantially better than some 17 year old with no pro experience.
Which NCAA players do you see stepping into the NHL and putting up a 20/20 season like Fisher while playing a shutdown role? Cause that's close to Calder type performance.
O'Connor was one of the better NCAA goalies to come through in a while and has an ECHL goalie now.
Really overeating the drop off from even the bottom of the NHL barrel.
LegionOfDoom91
Registered User
Isn't the feeling that junior players signed to NHL contracts won't be made available? If so Patrick signed his ELC already. I expect him to make the Flyers though anyway.
LegionOfDoom91
Registered User
Yeah I wasn't sure. I saw the report from Burke a while ago saying he believed that was the case but I didn't know if anything else came out since. As I really haven't paid attention. So Patrick wouldn't be eligible regardless under those guidelines.
teravaineSAROS
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teravaineSAROS
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I absolutely hated the inclusion of those gimmick teams and most of the people I talked to about them didn't like it either. But I still knew the players on those teams and I could tell who had the puck at any given moment. I rolled my eyes a few times when I heard things like "Seidenberg is Czech". One guy sitting behind me couldn't believe that somebody could know the names of other goalies on Team Europe besides Halak.
Craig Button was speculating that there will be big pressure put on the NHL/CHL to let some of the players go. He specifically mentioned Patrick.
puck swami
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- Apr 29, 2004
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After watching the USA Hockey Press Conference announcing Tony Granato as Head Coach, here's what we learned about the US player pool and pre-Olympic preparations...
-Expect a fast, mobile uptempo playing style with a "lot of skill"
-About 80-90 USA players have already been approached to "Register" for the US player pool (Passports, sign up for Olympic Doping Program, etc.)
-They expect three primary feeders - The NCAA, those US players playing on AHL contracts and Americans playing in Europe
-American NHLers considering retirement have also been approached. Only those NHLers who are out of contract will be considered for the roster. No current NHL-contracted players will play for the USA, as "USA Hockey respects its NHL Partnership."
-The USA Olympic Coaches (Granato, Chris Chelios, Scott Young, Keith Allain and Ron Rolston and management (Ben Smith (DPP), Jim Johannson (GM) will scout the players live and on film this season.
-Team USA will field an entry in the Deutschland Cup Tourney in mid November with a Team primarily comprised of US pro players who already play in European Leagues. That experience will give the coaches a good idea of the team nucleus, and allow the coaches to work together to test out concepts and coaching roles. This is the only major team activity in the fall.
-With it's USA/Euro player base established in November, Team USA will then fill out the Olympic Roster (25 players) with the best/right players from the NCAA and AHL, who they have been monitoring all year.
-The Team will have very little time to play together before meeting in Korea in February, as the USA coaches want the players playing with their normal teams.
-I would expect them to play an exhibition or two in Korea before the Olympic tourney begins to help make final cuts and set lines and d-pairings, but this was not specified USA Hockey as yet.
-My guess is that the team will probably be end up being comprised of about 50% European-based American pros, 25% rising current NCAA stars and 25% AHL contract pros or out of contract/retiring NHLers.
-Expect a fast, mobile uptempo playing style with a "lot of skill"
-About 80-90 USA players have already been approached to "Register" for the US player pool (Passports, sign up for Olympic Doping Program, etc.)
-They expect three primary feeders - The NCAA, those US players playing on AHL contracts and Americans playing in Europe
-American NHLers considering retirement have also been approached. Only those NHLers who are out of contract will be considered for the roster. No current NHL-contracted players will play for the USA, as "USA Hockey respects its NHL Partnership."
-The USA Olympic Coaches (Granato, Chris Chelios, Scott Young, Keith Allain and Ron Rolston and management (Ben Smith (DPP), Jim Johannson (GM) will scout the players live and on film this season.
-Team USA will field an entry in the Deutschland Cup Tourney in mid November with a Team primarily comprised of US pro players who already play in European Leagues. That experience will give the coaches a good idea of the team nucleus, and allow the coaches to work together to test out concepts and coaching roles. This is the only major team activity in the fall.
-With it's USA/Euro player base established in November, Team USA will then fill out the Olympic Roster (25 players) with the best/right players from the NCAA and AHL, who they have been monitoring all year.
-The Team will have very little time to play together before meeting in Korea in February, as the USA coaches want the players playing with their normal teams.
-I would expect them to play an exhibition or two in Korea before the Olympic tourney begins to help make final cuts and set lines and d-pairings, but this was not specified USA Hockey as yet.
-My guess is that the team will probably be end up being comprised of about 50% European-based American pros, 25% rising current NCAA stars and 25% AHL contract pros or out of contract/retiring NHLers.
