Word: nhl
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...bloodletting begin. Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson could be headed to the Toronto Maple Leafs or another NHL team in an executive capacity. Pat Quinn could certainly not feel secure about his future as coach of the national team. And Gretzky all but announced his resignation. "I feel tremendously responsible," he said. "Quite honestly I'm going to reassess where I fit in, and what I'm going to do in the future. Hockey Canada is wonderful and our country is great. I love it dearly, but I'm human. It's tough and nerve-wracking...Moving forward, your health...
...Gretzky dismissed distraction as an excuse, which then left him facing questions about the suitability of Canada's roster for the Olympic Games. The tried-and-true roster, earning nearly $100 million in NHL salaries and including 19 players with 2002 Olympics and/or 2004 World Cup experience, failed to score a goal in three of the last four games. Canada lost to Switzerland, Finland and Russia by identical 2-0 scores. Switzerland? "Took a lot out of us," Gretzky said...
...reminded many of the players of their junior hockey heritage--Canada couldn't convert eight power play opportunities. Three of five power play goals in the tournament were scored in the opener against Italy. "They have good coaching, but the offensive power, maybe they left it at home," said NHL veteran defenseman Darius Kasparaitis...
...Depleted by key pre-Olympic injuries, the defensive corps lacked the mobility to fully counter the waves of speedy Russian and Finnish forwards giddily exploiting rinks four meters wider than the NHL's. Highly regarded Calgary rookie Dion Phaneuf was one of the faster defensemen left off Canada's roster. "I suppose we'll get second-guessed on the roster but these young men played their hearts out," Quinn said...
...front, Gretzky and Quinn favored veterans over high-scoring youth such as Crosby and Eric Staal. Prototype NHL power forward Todd Bertuzzi, who'd hoped to redeem himself at this tournament for breaking the neck of Colorado forward Steve Moore in 2004, hardly seemed a factor. Moore filed a multi-million dollar civil suit against Bertuzzi at the onset of the tournament. And Quinn lacked faith in the younger players he did carry, notably remarking how Columbus forward Rick Nash seemed "in awe" of the situation. "Nobody could make me feel worse than I feel right now," Quinn said, referring...