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Post by lm on Aug 22, 2013 13:36:25 GMT -5
INFORMATION, BONDING, BUT NO SKATING AT CANADA CAMP
THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY -- Steve Yzerman would prefer to get Canada's players on the ice at the upcoming orientation camp for the Olympic men's hockey team.
But the price tag to insure players against injury is too high for Hockey Canada, so the four-day camp starting Sunday in Calgary will consist of informational meetings about the Games in Sochi, Russia, and fostering team chemistry off the ice.
"Not going on the ice isn't the end of the world," says Yzerman, the executive director of the national men's team. "There's lot of other things that need to be done in preparation, logistically going through how we're going to get there, where we'll stay, where family and friends may stay, a walkthrough of the venues, drug testing policy, a lot of informational things we need to go through and get out of the way. This is a good time to do it."
Forty-seven players -- five goaltenders, 17 defencemen and 25 forwards -- are scheduled to arrive in Calgary on Sunday and head to Hockey Canada's headquarters at Canada Olympic Park on the city's west side. Canada can take three goaltenders and 22 skaters to Sochi.
Among the summer camp invitees are 15 players who won Olympic gold in Vancouver in 2010, including Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh star's overtime goal lifted Canada to a 3-2 win over the U.S. in the final.
Players invited to the same orientation camp in the summer of 2009 skated daily and finished with an intra-squad game that drew a sellout crowd to the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The Saddledome is undergoing restoration from severe flooding in June, but that's not keeping the players off the ice next week, says Yzerman.
"It's strictly insurance," he explains. "It's because of the high cost of insurance Hockey Canada is obligated to place on the players we're not going to skate."
It's up to each country's federation to insure NHL players against injury at summer camps.
Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson has said that would cost over $1 million for the invited 47, whose combined 2013-14 salaries total $259 million, according to capgeek.com.
Canada's isn't the only ice-free summer camp. USA Hockey has also decided against an on-ice component to its men's Olympic camp in Arlington, Va., on Monday and Tuesday.
The 2014 men's Olympic hockey tournament will be played on wide, international ice, which places a premium on a player's skating ability. The new Markin MacPhail Centre at COP boasts a rink that size.
When asked if he wished the Canadians could make use of it next week, Yzerman said "yes" twice.
The 2002 Olympic gold medallist was also executive director of the victorious 2010 squad. He says even a couple of practices could lay important groundwork for the Winter Games in February.
"We have such a limited amount of time to prepare," said Yzerman, the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "I think we'll have two, maybe three, practices in Sochi prior to the Olympics.
"The summer camp, and it's only a few days and six months in advance, but it's a little time for the players and coaches to get on the ice and kind of run through some of the systems, the way they'll play, the power play, penalty killing, neutral zone and things like that.
"At least you'll have an idea way ahead of time as to how we're going to play. That, to me, was the most important part of going on the ice in August for a few days."
Strategy can still be communicated without skating, Yzerman adds. Head coach Mike Babcock and assistants Lindy Ruff, Claude Julien and Ken Hitchcock will have a video session with the players in Calgary.
"I'm sure we'll go over different stuff," says Pittsburgh Penguins forward and camp invitee James Neal. "It's a lot tougher when you're not on the ice, but we're going there for a reason and I'm sure it will help us,"
It's also crucial players get face time with the coaches, support staff and each other, Yzerman says.
"The more time they can spend together, the more comfortable they'll be when they get to Sochi and that's a big part of it, particularly for the young players that haven't been to NHL all-star games, haven't been to Olympic camps before," Yzerman says.
"They'll walk into the (dressing) room and have spent time with Sidney Crosby before, they've spent time with some of these veteran guys and they'll be much more comfortable around them."
He says players will have time to golf, fish and go for dinner together, as well as work out while they're in Calgary. NHL training camps start earlier this season because the league breaks Feb. 9-26 for the Winter Games.
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Post by lm on Aug 23, 2013 13:24:40 GMT -5
GIROUX TO SKIP CANADA'S OLYMPIC ORIENTATION CAMP TSN.CA STAFF 8/23/2013 Article LInk Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux has cancelled any weekend travel plans to Calgary. The 25-year-old Giroux says he's not going to attend Hockey Canada's summer orientation camp ahead of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun. Giroux - who underwent surgery on his index finger on Thursday after his club snapped during a round of golf in Ottawa - is opting instead to focus on rehabbing the injury. He is expected to be out of action for 5-6 weeks. Giroux was one of 25 forwards invoted last July to the camp, scheduled to begin Sunday in Calgary. At this point in time, Hockey Canada doesn't intend to invite another player in his absence, according to LeBrun. The camp will not feature on-ice activity due to insurance concerns with the players' respective NHL clubs but will instead focus on information and team-bonding, according to Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman. Giroux has been a standout with the Flyers over the past three seasons, leading the team in points every year since 2010-11. Originally selected in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Flyers, Giroux has amassed 91 goals and 200 assists in 333 career NHL games. Catch live coverage of Hockey Canada's Olympic orientation camp media conference on TSN and TSN.ca Sunday at 5pm et/2pm pt. |
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Post by lm on Aug 23, 2013 21:56:57 GMT -5
Ten non-invitees who could make Team Canada
Hockey Canada invited 47 players to its Olympic orientation camp in Calgary. Here are 10 who didn’t make it but have a chance to be on the final roster in Sochi:
1. Brian Campbell
What do defencemen Shea Weber, P.K. Subban, Drew Doughty, Kris Letang, Brent Seabrook and Alex Pietrangelo all have in common? They’re all right-handed shots. That means, in addition to Duncan Keith, there’s a major need for lefties on the blue-line. Maybe Jay Bouwmeester, Marc Staal, Dion Phaneuf or Dan Hamhuis will be enough competition, but why not add Campbell to the mix? The 34-year-old played at the most recent world championships, and the 2011-12 Lady Byng winner could fit in well given that Olympic hockey values skill over physicality. The bigger ice won’t be a conditioning issue, since no Canadian-born defenceman played more minutes last season than Campbell, who averaged 26:25 a game.
2. Cam Ward
Goaltending is Canada’s biggest question mark, so it stands to reason that it’s the position with the most competition. General manager Steve Yzerman could pick three from camp invitees Roberto Luongo, Carey Price, Corey Crawford, Braden Holtby and Mike Smith, or Ward could push his way into the discussion with a strong start this season. The Carolina Hurricanes’ starting goalie won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2006, so there’s evidence he can put together a few weeks of brilliant play. A March knee injury that ended Ward’s season is the biggest uncertainty surrounding him.
3. Francois Beauchemin
Another left-handed defenceman, Beauchemin finished fourth in Norris Trophy voting last season and for good reason. He’s a legitimate two-way, No. 1 NHL defenceman who can eat up minutes but also thrive in a smaller role. Beauchemin has only represented Canada once internationally (at the 2010 world championships), but he has proved durable over the past two seasons and isn’t a player who makes a lot of noticeable mistakes. He’s 33, but if the roster is full of younger players, it might not hurt to have another veteran around.
4. Jason Spezza
It’s hard to pick 14 forwards from the 25 going to Calgary, but if there’s one guy who could parlay a hot start to the season in to Olympic consideration, it’s Spezza. With Daniel Alfredsson gone to the Detroit Red Wings, the Ottawa Senators will be counting more on Spezza, who missed a majority of 2013 with a back injury and played through a knee problem in the playoffs. Spezza was a point-a-game player for Canada at the 2011 and 2009 world championships and has the offensive talent to stand out in a crowded group.
5. Jarome Iginla
Maybe this is a nostalgia pick more than anything, as it was Iginla who set up Sidney Crosby for the winning goal in 2010, as the former Flames captain is definitely past his prime. But Iginla put up points for the Pittsburgh Penguins late in the regular season and playoffs and could be invigorated with the Boston Bruins. Martin St. Louis could make more sense as a veteran scorer, but don’t count Iginla out if he shows he still has his legs early on in Boston. Plus, he’s a right-winger and Canada doesn’t have many of those.
6. Marc-Andre Fleury
Fleury might not be the best goaltender on his own team, but he has won a Stanley Cup and would certainly be given a hard look if his first three months of the season are better than those of Luongo and Price. Fleury would be a high-risk, high-reward pick, given that he hasn’t had a playoff save percentage above .900 since 2009 but has never dipped below that point or had a goals-against average higher than 2.67 in the past six seasons. If he gets hot, his pedigree makes Fleury more likely to get a shot than Smith or Holtby.
7. Pascal Dupuis
Some players look better because they play with stars. Dupuis could be one of those, though that’s not a reason to keep him off Team Canada’s roster. Yzerman said he’s not building an all-star team, and with the need for a few natural right-wingers, Dupuis brings with him the experience of playing with Crosby. Plus-minus is a flawed stat, but no Canadian forward was better than Dupuis’ plus-31 last season, at least some evidence that he isn’t a liability when playing alongside stars.
8. Justin Schultz
What Schultz has going for him: youth and plenty of buzz that he could hang in the NHL as a 23-year-old rookie. What Schultz doesn’t have going for him: He shoots right-handed. There’s no lack of righty defencemen at Team Canada’s camp, so it would take a breakout start to catch Yzerman’s attention. Teams lined up last year to court Schultz, an Anaheim Ducks second-round pick who was more than a point-a-game player in the AHL before putting up 27 for the Edmonton Oilers last season.
9. Derick Brassard
Brassard doesn’t have a long history of NHL success, but this is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately kind of business. Brassard was a point-a-game playoff performer for the New York Rangers, on par with San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture, who will be at the camp. The 25-year-old would likely have to maintain a top-six role with the Rangers and keep up that scoring pace early in the season to warrant consideration, especially given Canada’s depth at centre.
10. P.A. Parenteau
Like Dupuis, Parenteau broke out thanks to the contributions of a star centre. But in his first season with the Colorado Avalanche, Parenteau had 43 points in 48 games without the aid of John Tavares. He’s a dark-horse pick, but given that a lack of goals was Canada’s biggest downfall on the international ice surface in Turin in 2010, Parenteau could be a specialty 14th forward in Sochi if the offence needs a spark.
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Post by lm on Aug 24, 2013 10:04:07 GMT -5
Spector: Team Canada shaping up with few locks Article linkBob Nicholson has been escorting Canadian hockey teams to the Olympics since 1998 in Nagano, Japan. And the numbers — all but one of them, anyhow — just keep getting bigger and bigger. “Insurance issues are bigger,” began the CEO for Hockey Canada. “Concussion issues are bigger, and we pay so much attention to that now. “Our payroll (for the men’s team) is around $1.5 billion dollars. In ‘98, we didn’t have the word ‘billions’ in our vocabulary.” Naturally, with each Olympics the numbers surrounding Canada’s men’s team go north. Except, as we noted, for one. How many players are locks to make the Canadian team for Sochi in February? “By my count, I’m at 11,” said Nicholson. “It’s never been that low. The number has always been higher.” Alas, a number that’s gone south from years past. Even in-house at Hockey Canada, the number of National Hockey League players who are — barring injury — guaranteed spots in Sochi is a matter of some debate. “I’d say there are probably, conservatively, maybe 10 locks,” said executive director of Team Canada and Tampa GM Steve Yzerman. “We’re taking 25 players. Ten may be a conservative number, sure, but half of this team is available for guys to make. At least half.” There are 47 players with invites to Calgary for the Olympic orientation camp which runs Sunday through Tuesday out of Hockey Canada’s home at Winsport, the Winter Sports Institute formally known as CODA. They’ll meet with Team Canada coaches, drug people from the International Olympic Committee, get a round of golf in, do some bonding, and fulfill various media commitments over the three days. Because of the extraordinary costs of insuring this $1.5-billion roster, it just doesn’t make financial sense for them to skate. Most other countries’ Olympic teams are also staying off the ice, to save insurance costs. “Even when we went on the ice in 2010, and 2006 when I played,” Yzerman said, “for me it was really more about the info. Even the on-ice portion. “I wasn’t using it as player assessment. It was more to work with the coaches, get an initial understanding of what we’re going to try to accomplish on the power play, how we’re going to play in neutral zone, defensive zone … stuff like that. This time, we’ll do it in meetings.” Added Nicholson: “Who will make the team is who’s playing well in November and December. Stevie will tell you that.” The locks are players like Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Shea Weber, and Steven Stamkos. But on top of the 47 names attending next week’s orientation camp, there could be as many as 47 more names added to a list that Hockey Canada must submit to the IOC by the end of October. Remember, there are literally zero practices for this team before the players hop on the plane Feb. 9. Even after they reach Russia, head coach Mike Babcock will be lucky if he gets in three workouts before Canada opens against Norway at the Bolshoy Ice Dome on Thursday, Feb. 13. So it is all about two things: Being healthy when the NHL closes its doors on Feb. 8 prior to the Olympic break, and being among the best 25 Canadian players through the first 50 games of the NHL season. “Someone is going to be hurt who is a lock. It seems to happen every year,” Yzerman noted. “Ryan Getzlaf had a sprained ankle just prior to Vancouver. We ended up flying Jeff Carter in and made the decision just before the first game. We gave Ryan every opportunity to go — it was one of those decisions. He was a little nicked up, and I don’t know if we rolled the dice, but we made a decision on Ryan. Luckily he stayed healthy.” Sochi is too far away to bring in a taxi squad. But the roster has also been expanded by two spots to 25 players, so depth should not be an issue. Rather than bring all the Canadian players to Toronto, then charter a flight to the Olympics as has been done in the past, the NHL Players’ Association and the league have decided to charter likely four planes to ferry all NHL players to Sochi. Those charters will depart from Los Angeles, Toronto, and probably two from New York, filled with Olympians from various countries. Those arrangements and a laundry list of others will be discussed beginning Sunday in Calgary. “From the athlete point of view, this will be logistically the best Olympics I’ve been at,” said Nicholson. “Where the village is, where the venues are, it will be so easy for them. I’m not including families and spectators in that, but for the athletes … the access to their facilities will be second to none.” Every player will be subjected to Olympic drug testing through the World Anti-Doping Agency, and much instruction will occur in Calgary to make sure no one inadvertently tests positive between now and February. Other than that, the boys will swing a club if they choose to, or get a run or a bike ride in with other Olympic hopefuls. “What I found in going back to 2002,” Yzerman said, “there were a lot of guys I hadn’t met before. It was a good opportunity to spend some time with guys, and when we showed up together in Salt Lake City, it wasn’t the first time we’d met each other. We’d played golf, spent some time in meetings together. Those sorts of things.” They’ll hang out in Calgary, then hope they get the real invite when the team is named in the final week of December. “Our depth is incredible,” marveled Nicholson. “We’ve got 47 players coming in, and there could be players outside that 47 who could make the team.” |
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Q
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Post by Q on Aug 24, 2013 14:56:02 GMT -5
Thanks for all the articles, lm, very interesting!
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Post by lm on Aug 25, 2013 12:43:53 GMT -5
Players arrive for Canada’s Olympic off-ice camp CALGARY — Players have started arriving for the start of Hockey Canada’s Olympic orientation camp, which will be more about explaining logistics than evaluating talent. A total of 46 players are set to attend the camp, which runs through Tuesday at Canada Olympic Park. Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Carter and Colorado Avalanche centre Matt Duchene were the first players to land at the airport.  Article and Video LInkInforming players about drug testing, travel to Sochi and tickets are among the things on the agenda. High insurance costs will keep players off the ice. Ottawa Senators defenceman Marc Methot said he understood that because the cost was "through the roof" he and the other 45 players won’t be skating. He said the availability of optional workouts means the week won’t be a total loss physically. |
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Post by lm on Aug 25, 2013 12:51:40 GMT -5
@m0lonn 2m My wish for today is to meet Sidney Crosby.. What a great ending to my trip pic.twitter.com/KsRQPGHGGY  |
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Post by lm on Aug 25, 2013 14:53:40 GMT -5
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Post by lm on Aug 25, 2013 15:30:28 GMT -5
Sidney Crosby and NHL elite hit Calgary for Team Canada orientation camp  The NHL's best from coast-to-coast have arrived in Calgary for the Team Canada orientation camp in anticipation of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. A total of 46 players made their way to the Stampede City for the camp to being preparation for the Games in February in Sochi, Russia. However, players won't hit the ice for the event which runs through Tuesday at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport. Events will be limited to education sessions, as well as some bonding events, such as a golf outing. “It was nice to skate last time,” said Pittsburgh Penguins star and 2010 gold-medal hero Sidney Crosby upon arriving at the Calgary airport. “It wasn't that long, it was a few days, but it was good to skate. It would have been nice (this year) but I still think we can get something out of this. “Coming in here, guys are going to be able to figure things out. “Once the team is assembled and you get over there, there's not a lot of time, so the more you can prepare, know what's going to happen, know what to expect, the better off you are. “I think a lot of that's going to happen the next few days.” |
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Post by lm on Aug 25, 2013 21:45:47 GMT -5
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sdd
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Post by sdd on Aug 25, 2013 21:49:17 GMT -5
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Post by NuB on Aug 25, 2013 23:09:44 GMT -5
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Snarky
Snarky's Group
I solemnly swear I am up to no good :)
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Post by Snarky on Aug 25, 2013 23:19:16 GMT -5
Ya know, I'm also bothered by him not going. He obviously isn't taking it seriously. There's no reason he would have to sit out of the orientation camp if there's no physical activity involved. I know they're going golfing and stuff, and it would be understandable if he sat that out, but the coaches and GM's are using this opportunity to let the players know what their expectations are and stuff. He should really be there so hes on the same page as everyone else. If this was Sid, he would be ripped to shreds over it. It's only 3 days, I'm sure he could have handled it.
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Post by NuB on Aug 25, 2013 23:31:58 GMT -5
Ya know, I'm also bothered by him not going. He obviously isn't taking it seriously. There's no reason he would have to sit out of the orientation camp if there's no physical activity involved. I know they're going golfing and stuff, and it would be understandable if he sat that out, but the coaches and GM's are using this opportunity to let the players know what their expectations are and stuff. He should really be there so hes on the same page as everyone else. If this was Sid, he would be ripped to shreds over it. It's only 3 days, I'm sure he could have handled it. I agree Snarky...It's three days of information and showing team support. Not physicals. Not on ice drill so Not showing up means ... Not showing up in my books. Canada has lots of depth to draw from. I hope that the Gm's and coaches note who is missing. |
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Post by NuB on Aug 25, 2013 23:33:05 GMT -5
Sid would have shown up in a body cast. (complete with hands in pockets for fan photos.)
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 9:14:53 GMT -5
Canadian Olympians march in protest of Russia’s anti-gay law ADRIAN MORROW AND ERIC DUHATSCHEK TORONTO and CALGARY — The Globe and Mail Published Sunday, Aug. 25 2013, 9:57 PM EDT Last updated Sunday, Aug. 25 2013, 10:48 PM EDT Globe and Mail Article LinkThe law, adopted earlier this summer by the Russian parliament, outlaws gay “propaganda,” and Russian President Vladimir Putin has banned protests in Sochi just before and during the Games, a move widely seen as an attempt to squelch any dissent against the legislation. Canada’s Olympic team has spent the past several months reaching out to the gay community, after a decision in February that Pride events would be part of the athletes’ roster of public appearances in the lead-up to the Games. On Sunday, they marched in Capital Pride for the first time. “What an incredibly powerful day today has been. I am so proud to be marching on behalf of my fellow Olympians,” Katie Weatherston, who won a gold medal in 2006 as part of the women’s hockey team in Turin, said in a statement after the Pride event. “Sport has the power to unite us all, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation.” The president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, meanwhile, said Canadians must promote acceptance beyond the country’s borders. “While today’s march will conclude at City Hall, it is important that we keep defending the idea that acceptance, tolerance and friendship are not just a Canadian reality, but values to be shared and promoted all around the world,” Marcel Aubut said. Shortly afterward, hockey’s brightest star came out against Russia’s law at the start of the orientation in Calgary. “It’s not something we’ve discussed a whole lot, but my view has always been that way – that everyone has an equal right to play and we [the NHL Players’ Association] have been supportive of that,” Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins forward who scored the country’s gold medal-winning goal in Vancouver in 2010, said during a press conference at Hockey Canada headquarters. “Those are laws that we don’t necessarily agree with, and I don’t agree with personally.” Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby was also sympathetic to the rights of gay athletes and invoked other human-rights violations as well, noting: “It’s hard to go into a country that supports something like that. I think as athletes we have to find a way to use it to our advantage – gay rights especially but human rights, to really move it forward.” What exact actions Canadian athletes can or will take to protest against the law while in Russia are unclear. Besides Mr. Putin’s edict, the International Olympic Committee also prohibits the making of political statements at its events. Some hoped that, by pressuring Russia ahead of the games, Olympians could force a change to the laws by the time the competition rolls around. “I was part of Play campaign and I know a lot of guys were that are probably going to be on Olympic rosters, so it’s a little uneasy right now with what’s going on over there,” Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos said as he arrived in Calgary, referring to the anti-homophobia campaign led by former Toronto Maple Leaf GM Brian Burke. “But again, there’s a lot of time [before the Olympics begin] and things can change.” |
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Post by sakky on Aug 26, 2013 12:11:47 GMT -5
James Duthie @tsnjamesduthie Team Canada tossing around football at camp this morning. Dan Boyle early front runner for starting QB. #insider
Pierre LeBrun @real_ESPNLeBrun Joe Thornton had to cancel his trip to the Cdn Oly camp. He's tending to a family illness; 2-month-old baby was in hospital but out now.
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Post by sakky on Aug 26, 2013 12:17:41 GMT -5
Pierre LeBrun @real_ESPNLeBrun No ice, no problem. Team Canada set to take the "floor" for a walk-through under head coach Mike BabcockBob McKenzie @tsnbobmckenzie Babcock is running a full up practice here. Bob McKenzie @tsnbobmckenzie Team Canada D pairs: Doughty-M Staal; Hamhuis-Subban; Phaneuf-Seabrook; Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo-Hamonic. Last one is obviously a trio.Bob McKenzie @tsnbobmckenzie Team Canada lines on first walk through: Couture-Tavares-Stamkos; E Staal-Toews-Nash; St. Louis-Richards-Carter; Ladd-Getzlaf-Perry  |
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Post by sakky on Aug 26, 2013 12:20:04 GMT -5
Sorry... I'm double posting here.
Bob McKenzie @tsnbobmckenzie Expected lines for second session: Kunitz-Crosby-Sharp; Marchand-Bergeron-Eberle; Lucic-Duchene-Neal; Hall-J. Staal-U of C player filling in
Bob McKenzie @tsnbobmckenzie Second session pairs: Keith-Weber; Vlasic-Boyle; Methot-Letang; Alzner-Green. Price and Crawford in net.
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 12:37:48 GMT -5
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 12:57:33 GMT -5
HOCKEY CANADA PREPARES FOR LIFE ON OLYMPIC SIZED ICE The Canadian Press  CALGARY -- Hockey Canada began its preparations for the bigger ice surface at the Sochi Olympics with a ball-hockey walk-through on a boarded up rink. The high cost of insurance kept players from skating at this week's Olympic orientation camp. Coach Mike Babcock had to find a different way to get everyone used to the 200-by-100-foot rink, which is 15 feet wider than NHL ice. Players couldn't quite mimic hockey speed, but they got an opportunity to feel out the spacing they'll be dealing with in February. They also got a glance at some very preliminary line combinations. During the first walk-through of the day, John Tavares centred Logan Couture and Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Toews centred Eric Staal and Rick Nash, Ryan Getzlaf centred Andrew Ladd and Corey Perry and Mike Richards centred Martin St. Louis and Jeff Carter. On defence, Dion Phaneuf was paired with Brent Seabrook, Marc Staal with Drew Doughty, Jay Bouwmeester with P.K. Subban and Dan Hamhuis with Alex Pietrangelo and Travis Hamonic. Roberto Luongo had one goal to himself, while Braden Holtby and Mike Smith shared the other one. |
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 15:06:18 GMT -5
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 15:11:39 GMT -5
 Elliotte Friedman @friedgehnic 47m Mike Babcock told reporters he spoke to Michigan St basketball coach Tom Izzo about running a proper "walk-through." Elliotte Friedman @friedgehnic 39m Babcock believes very strongly meetings are useless without purpose. We should have suspected he'd find a unique way to engage the players.  |
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 15:34:11 GMT -5
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 15:35:25 GMT -5
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 17:34:21 GMT -5
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 17:38:50 GMT -5
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 17:45:30 GMT -5
Canada goalie race has no clear pick By Pierre LeBrun | ESPN.com CALGARY, Alberta -- Well this is just unfair, right? Canada's goaltending is already under enough scrutiny headed into Sochi that seeing those five guys in track shorts Monday with just their gloves and sticks seemed, well, odd. The goalies definitely got the raw end of what otherwise was an interesting idea by head coach Mike Babcock: a football-style, walk-through practice that resembled a ball hockey game. "I know there's been a lot of goalie controversy with the Canadian team, but I don't know if you guys were watching out here today, I thought we were the best players out there today," Mike Smith joked afterward. Which is also Smith's way of acknowledging what the hockey world is talking about: A stacked Team Canada has one glaring question mark: goaltending. From Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito to Grant Fuhr and Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur, Team Canada has enjoyed four decades of a no-brainer decision in goal. This is indeed a new era. And it began, really, in Vancouver in 2010 when Roberto Luongo was called upon to relieve Brodeur midway through a gold medal-winning tournament. But Luongo has since failed to convince all his critics that he's the surefire solution at the top of the Canadian goalie heap. Heck, he was a backup in the NHL last season. "Obviously, the last couple of years have been hard on Roberto, but I think our goaltending is as good as anybody else's," veteran defenseman Dan Boyle said Monday. "The difference between the top goalies on other [international] teams is so minimal. ... I think the media's talking about this because we've been so used to having Brodeur for all those years and Patrick before that and all of a sudden we don't have one of those Hall of Fame stud guys." Well, yeah, that's exactly why we're talking about it. So all bets are off now between Luongo, Smith, Carey Price, Corey Crawford and Braden Holtby, and for that matter any other goalie who wasn't invited to camp who happens to get hot over the next four months, including the likes of Cam Ward or Marc-Andre Fleury. "It's wide-open like everybody's been saying," Price said Monday in handicapping the goalie battle. "Everybody has an equal opportunity to earn their spot. ... They're going to pick the guy who's playing the best. They're going to take the guy that's on top of his game and who they feel gives them the best chance of winning." A little poll of five NHL people, three GMs and two head coaches, by ESPN.com showed Luongo is still the front-runner, although far from a lock, getting picked by three of them to be the starter at this point, while Price got one vote and Smith the other. "To me, it has to be Luongo's net until someone takes it from him," one of the NHL GMs told ESPN.com. "I'm curious to see how Price bounces back. He and Smith could challenge Luongo. Crawford is fourth for me. Obviously, the first few months of the season will be huge." No other players will be more under the spotlight than these Canadian goalies from Oct. 1 through December. Their performance will seal their fate. "I think it's not anybody's job to win or lose, I think it's an open competition and whoever plays best deserves to be the starter," said Luongo. "That's how I see it, you work hard and you want to be rewarded for your efforts, and if I'm going to be there, I want to have deserved it." Luongo is still the choice for many. "Price had a tough finish [last year],'' said one NHL GM. "I still believe Luongo is the most prepared for this pressure." Added an NHL head coach: "Luongo is my pick. I think he has a great year. New coach, defensive shot block system and he knows he's No. 1 again." But just to show how crazy this competition is, another NHL GM was adamant Price should be the starter, while another head coach texted: "I like Mike Smith and a healthy Cam Ward." Yeesh. This thing is all over the place. Let's start with Price. About two-thirds through last season, he was probably the consensus pick. TSN's Bob McKenzie polled the NHL's 30 GMs in March last season and, with a month to go in the regular season, Price was the Eastern Conference pick for top goalie from the GMs. Then his performance plummeted late in the season, just like his team's, and suddenly you were wondering again about Team Canada's goaltending. "I got to stay positive, you can't look at it as a negative year,'' Price said Monday. "Personally I felt like I played well throughout the whole season, we just had a lapse towards the end of the year that left a bitter mouth going into the summertime. But we have to keep in mind we did have a successful year.'' If one were to get into the heads of Team Canada's management and coaching staff, they're hoping dearly that Price bounces back and shows that he's ready for the job. He's the guy I think they feel can really grab this. Part of the reason I think that is because of the pressure the team will be under in Sochi. Price has been living in a frying pan in Montreal for his entire career. Next to being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys or the shortstop for the New York Yankees, I'm not sure there's a more scrutinized job in sports than goalie for the Montreal Canadiens. "This is a daily occurrence where I play," said Price. "It's nothing new to me, being in front of everybody here, it's just another day on the job. I think that's definitely beneficial to me. At the end of the day, your performance is on the ice and it'll take whoever is playing the best at that time. That's the way I choose to look at it." Luongo, at this point, is the safer pick because of his overall experience, including being in net for the gold-medal team in 2010. If he re-establishes himself in Vancouver this fall, he's got an excellent shot of starting in Sochi. But he has a lot of prove. Last season's tortuous year awaiting a trade that never materialized was tough on him mentally, although he handled himself with tremendous class and professionalism. "I was a backup last year, so you know, you start to wonder certain things, but I obviously knew the first half of this season was going to be really important, so that's what I kept telling myself in the back of my mind, and not to think too much about it, and that things will sort themselves out and I'd have another opportunity to re-establish myself,'' said Luongo. Then there's Smith, who two years ago in Phoenix may have been the best goalie on the planet. But he came back with a so-so season during the lockout year and his status for Team Canada has led to mixed opinions. "It was just a different year," said Smith of the lockout-shortened season. "You look around the league at the top-notch goalies, it was just a different year. It was a lot harder for the goalies to adjust coming back after being off for four months. "I didn't have the start I wanted to, I thought I finished on a better note, but obviously as condensed as the schedule was you needed to play well all season long. I don't doubt I can bounce back from that." If Smith returns to his 2011-12 form, he could definitely challenge Luongo and Price for the No. 1 job. What about the guy who won the Stanley Cup this past June? Not a lot of love for Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, but if he picks up where he left off last spring, it's hard not to think he'll get a good look as well. "A lot has gone on the last two months, it's pretty crazy when you think that I was in the minors four years ago and wondering if I was going to make it or not to the NHL, and now to be standing here and part of this -- it's pretty crazy,'' Crawford said Monday. "It's exciting to have a chance at this. It's obviously some tough competition: Luongo, Price, Smith, even Holtby's been playing a lot of great hockey, too.'' Ah yes, Holtby. Raise your hand if you had any clue the Washington Capitals netminder would get invited to Canada's camp. For starters, Holtby's hand would have stayed in his pocket. "I was pretty shocked actually," Holtby said on Monday. "It kind of came out of nowhere. Obviously a huge honor, I was at a loss for words. Hopefully I can prove I can contribute.'' Call it Steve Yzerman's wild card. The soon-to-be 24-year-old Holtby came on strong for the Caps last season and opened some eyes. But I also think it underlines Canada's situation in goal that a relative unknown like Holtby was invited here. At this point, I'd rank Luongo, Price and Smith in that order, but this goalie battle is just beginning. What is otherwise the deepest team in the Olympic tournament has a very important question to answer in goal. And that answer is not obvious right now. |
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 18:05:03 GMT -5
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Post by lm on Aug 26, 2013 19:09:53 GMT -5
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