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The future of Team USA Hockey


petey23

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Any thoughts about what US born players will be representing the USA in the 2006 Olympics? It does not seem like there are alot of no doubt future stars in the pipeline right now? :love: I went to the US/Finland game the other night and afterwards we were talking about who the US has up and coming to take the place of some of the older players on the team. :p We had a hard time coming up with quality players in the NHL from the US. Chelios was our best defenseman on the ice and he is 42. Leetch looked horrible. Miller and Martin looked OK(although a bit shaky at times). Anyone want to speculate on what the US team might look like in a couple years.

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Any thoughts about what US born players will be representing the USA in the 2006 Olympics? It does not seem like there are alot of no doubt future stars in the pipeline right now? :love: I went to the US/Finland game the other night and afterwards we were talking about who the US has up and coming to take the place of some of the older players on the team. :p We had a hard time coming up with quality players in the NHL from the US. Chelios was our best defenseman on the ice and he is 42. Leetch looked horrible. Miller and Martin looked OK(although a bit shaky at times). Anyone want to speculate on what the US team might look like in a couple years.

The following is an article from Sunday's Boston Herald:

Team USA must rebuild from blue line up

By Steve Conroy/ Notebook

Sunday, September 12, 2004

TORONTO - When Finland upset Team USA in a World Cup of Hockey semifinal Friday night in St. Paul, Minn., it not only ended the Americans' title defense but also most likely ended the international careers of a few USA Hockey stalwarts.

One would think the Brett Hull era is over, considering the winger was a scratch for the last three games. Defenseman Brian Leetch's time could possibly be done, too. But perhaps the player moving on who left the biggest mark on the program is 42-year-old captain Chris Chelios. The blueliner has represented his country in a World Junior Championship, three Olympic Games and five World Cups/Canada Cups.

Chelios will certainly be missed.

``That guy's meant everything to us,'' said winger Bill Guerin, who might make a good Team USA captain should NHL players participate in the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy. ``In the four tournaments I've played with him, he's been the best leader I've ever been associated with. The guy's unbelievable. And he keeps coming back and coming back because he truly loves the game and loves being a part of these things. You learn a lot from people like that.''

Coach Ron Wilson said Chelios epitomized what a captain should be for his team.

``He has been a fantastic ambassador for U.S. hockey and NHL hockey,'' said Wilson. ``He's a class act and he's all-inclusive. He's not an elitist at all. He remembers his roots. That's why guys love him as a teammate. If you played five games in the NHL or if this is your first experience on the national team, you'll leave here knowing the type of person Chris Chelios is. That's rare in a modern day athlete.''

Now with such luminaries either done or past their prime, there's been some hand-wringing over the state of the U.S. game at this level.

While Wilson said he's not the best person to ask about the state of the program - ``I just coach the team'' - he believes the future is still bright. He was impressed with some of the young players who participated in the World Cup, players like Devils defenseman Paul Martin and goalie Rick DiPietro. The coach also noted there are more good young players on the way, though the program may need to get over a bit of a hump until prospects like Ryan Suter, Al Montoya, Zack Parise and Bruins draftee Mark Stuart are ready.

``There has obviously been a bit of a gap, but look at what's coming,'' said Wilson. ``Our junior team won the gold medal at the World Junior Championships. . . . There are a lot of great young players that have been drafted very high by respected teams in the NHL. We may have to scratch and claw internationally for a couple of years, but I think the future is bright.''

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