[News] USA Olympic Roster announced

[sureLoss]

Gord Miller ‏@GMillerTSN
Before announcing the roster for the Olympic Team, USA Hockey sent text messages to players in the mix saying they would be contacted...

Gord Miller ‏@GMillerTSN
...but Ryan Kesler had changed his #. The guy who has it now said "I'm a 67 year old Canadian in Vancouver, I'd be happy to play for you."

Gord Miller ‏@GMillerTSN
And he added: "I think Canada would be even happier if I played for you." The USA Hockey guys had a good laugh.

[Ring of Fire]

Something that comes across loud and clear in that article is that Burke understands roles on a hockey team and knows players need to be in a correct role with the appropriate ice time to be successful.

[OILFAN #81]

"We did not pick the 25 best players," general manager David Poile said. "We picked the 25 players we thought gave us a chance to win the gold medal."

I wonder if Canada does the same thing with a guy like Chris Kunitz to play with Crosby.

[Table 5]

That was a great article...some nice insight in there.

I've always liked Dean Lombardi... and him going out of his way to make a huge report on one guy, who's not even on his team, says a lot about his commitment and attention to detail.

Burke on the other hand kind of came across as the class clown/bully. I think the guy is intelligent, but a little too far on the "emotion/gut-feeling" side of the equation. I really hope the GM we acquire is more of a studious Lombardi-type, to balance him out.

[Jake]

Well Burke burnt a few bridges there. That might come back to bite the Flames in the ass one day.

[AltaGuy]

That's a lot of good hockey minds on the selection committee for the US.

Steve Yzerman isn't on most of those guys' level, and then you add KLown whispering in Steve's ear, and I think I would rather have the American selection committee.

Don't know why Burke had to run his mouth like that. Pretty unnecessarily harsh rants about some very, very good players. Even if they may be the correct opinions, not the best of things to say.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by AltaGuy

That's a lot of good hockey minds on the selection committee for the US.

Steve Yzerman isn't on most of those guys' level, and then you add KLown whispering in Steve's ear, and I think I would rather have the American selection committee.

Holland, Chiarelli, Armstrong, Babcock

I think we have it ok

[browna]

Originally Posted by Jake

Well Burke burnt a few bridges there. That might come back to bite the Flames in the ass one day.

With who? Highly doubtful, this is how things actually operate behind the scenes day-to-day with executives and Gm's in this league.

This was for an Olympic Team but the same level of detail and frank discussion goes on within teams, and between Gm's in the league day to day, in ranking players etc. Obviously with contacts and agents, things are a bit more muddied, but overall, he's or anyone else on Team USA 's staff or coaches are not saying things out of line, just giving honest opinions and having real discussions about players, as they should.

Fascinating that it would be allowed to be covered in such detail. A must read for sure to appreciate how things do operate behind closed doors.

[strombad]

Love the Burke comments, glad he's running the show here.

[EYE_Overstand]

Burke said nothing out of line.

Team USA wants to win and they are being honest.

Players are professionals.

Think what the Team Canada committe probably say about Iginla or all the actual real fringe players?

"Iginla lost a step. His shot isn't where it used to be. Teams used to fear him but not anymore" etc etc

[Wastedyouth]

Burkes comments on player selection are terrifying. I can't believe this clown is running the show here.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Burkes comments on player selection are terrifying. I can't believe this clown is running the show here.

Seems to me he was spot on

[BigBrodieFan]

Just wanted to take the opportunity to say Kesler is a knob, and because of him I hate the USA Olympic Team and hope they lose every single game.

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Seems to me he was spot on

Really? The fact that he wanted Jack Johnson on the team and that he should have drafted him over Bobby Ryan, his comments on Bobby Ryan and Byfuglien?

He's terrifyingly clueless.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Burkes comments on player selection are terrifying. I can't believe this clown is running the show here.

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Really? The fact that he wanted Jack Johnson on the team and that he should have drafted him over Bobby Ryan, his comments on Bobby Ryan and Byfuglien?

He's terrifyingly clueless.

Not if you read his actual concerns. His comments about each player were very accurate

[dino7c]

Burke is right on all accounts...You don't need Bobby Ryan on your 3rd or 4th line. Its not about adding up point totals and taking the top scorers like some of you seem to think

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Burke is right on all accounts...You don't need Bobby Ryan on your 3rd or 4th line. Its not about adding up point totals and taking the top scorers like some of you seem to think

Just ask Rob Zamuner.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Just ask Rob Zamuner.

there is nobody like him on the USA roster they are all quality players

[bluloc]

Not a bad Roster. There's obviously a few questionable moves leaving some more talented players off the roster, but it's more about team chemistry than anything.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by dino7c

there is nobody like him on the USA roster they are all quality players

Oh, OK.