The conclusion of the Beijing Summer Olympics and the start of the hockey season sees the focus shift towards Vancouver 2010. I can’t think of a more exciting opportunity for an athlete than to represent his or her country in an Olympic games at home. Salt Lake City 2002 was the closest I have come to playing in Canada and I remember the atmosphere in the arena and around the games was electric as many Canadian fans came to cheer us on. I still have very vivid memories driving home from Salt Lake and crossing the border into Canada and seeing Canadians still excited about the victories of the men’s and women’s teams. It was a great time for Canada and Vancouver represents the same type of opportunity.
There is no doubt, the emotion and excitement surrounding Vancouver 2010 will be very intense. A few weeks ago, when Hockey Canada announced Steve Yzerman as the General Manager for the men’s team, he alluded to this issue by saying that the key for success in Vancouver for the Canadian Teams lies in controlling emotions. He has been there as a player both winning and losing and knows what it takes to win and to lead a team. Melody Davidson on the women’s side is the right choice to lead Canada to a home Olympic games. She has been involved in the last three Olympic games and has a good feel for the type of team needed to have success in Vancouver. The challenge on the women’s side will be finding the combination between veteran and young players ready to take spots.
The preparations for the men’s and women’s teams will be very different in the next 15 months heading into the Olympic Games. For the men’s team, the selection process will be based on the NHL season. Players will be monitored throughout the course of the 2009/10 season and selected based on performance and team needs then. The team will come together only a couple of times prior to the Olympic Games.
For the women’s team, the selection process has already started. There are six events/camps in 2008/09 starting with 40 players. By the World Championships in 2009, the coaching staff hopes to narrow the group to approximately 30 players. These 30 players will be centralized in Calgary for six months as a group to play approximately 60 games prior to the Olympic Games and battle to be on the Olympic Team.
As far as teams to watch, on the men’s side the top three countries will be Canada, Russia and Sweden. You can never underestimate the Finns and the Czechs but these three are the teams to beat. The men’s side could turn into a battle between the youth of Ovechkin versus Crosby and the dynamics and talent of a cagey veteran Swedish team.
On the women’s end, Canada and the U.S. go into the games as the top two countries.
Sweden has the talent to compete on any given day, but their consistency is to be questioned. Finland is doing a lot domestically right now to develop players and might actually show they are the tougher European opponent. The Russians are still lacking in fitness and polish, but their skill and team play can never be taken for granted.
There are a few differences between Torino and Vancouver. The 2010 games will be played on the smaller NHL ice surface for the first time. I don’t necessarily feel it’s an advantage one way or another, especially on the men’s side where most of the players play in the NHL anyways.
On the women’s side, it allows the weaker skating countries more of an opportunity to compete, and that should make the games interesting. The games being in North America make the travel less of an issue for almost all teams on the men’s side and gives Canada and the USA an edge on the women’s side.
With the games being only 15 months away, preparations on both the mens and women’s side are in full swing to ensure that Canada is ready for the pressures and expectations that competing on home soil will bring. |
