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Miller Not A Lock To Make Team USA

July 22, 2013, 11:56 AM ET [146 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Imagine a world where Ryan Miller isn't one of the three goaltenders on the team USA Olympic hockey team roster.

Miller was the MVP of the vancouver winter games in 2010 and he now runs the risk of being left off the squad for Sichi.

Here's his competition:

Craig Anderson
John Gibson
Jimmy Howard
Jonathan Quick
Cory Schneider




***

USA Hockey today announced that 48 players, representing 24 National Hockey League teams, have been invited to the U.S. Men's National Team Orientation Camp from Aug. 26-27, at Kettler Capitals IcePlex in Arlington, Va.

The camp is designed to assist in preparation for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, set for Feb. 7-23, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.

Of the 48 players invited to the camp, 16 have previous Olympic experience, including Dustin Brown (Ithaca, N.Y./Los Angeles Kings), Zach Parise (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Wild) and Ryan Suter (Madison, Wis./Minnesota Wild), three of the alternate captains on the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that captured the silver medal.

Also highlighting the roster are forward Patrick Kane (Buffalo, N.Y./Chicago Blackhawks) and goaltender Jonathan Quick (Milford, Conn./Los Angeles Kings), the two most recent Conn Smythe Award winners as most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs; Phil Kessel (Madison, Wis./Toronto Maple Leafs), who finished second behind Kane among U.S.-born skaters with 20 goals and 52 points during the 2012-13 season; and goaltender Jimmy Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Detroit Red Wings), who tied for the NHL regular-season lead in shutouts with five.

Nine players on the orientation camp roster played for the bronze-medal winning U.S. Men's National Team at the 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, and Helsinki, Finland, including goaltender John Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Norfolk Admirals); forwards Nick Bjugstad (Minneapolis, Minn./Florida Panthers), Alex Galchenyuk (Milwaukee, Wis./Montreal Canadiens), T.J. Oshie (Warroad, Minn./St. Louis Blues), Craig Smith (Madison, Wis./Nashville Predators) and Paul Stastny (St. Louis, Mo./Colorado Avalanche); and defensemen Justin Faulk (South St. Paul, Minn./Carolina Hurricanes), Erik Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./Colorado Avalanche) and Jacob Trouba (Rochester, Mich./Winnipeg Jets).

NOTES: The 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team is under the direction of David Poile, general manager, Ray Shero, associate general manager, Brian Burke, director of player personnel, and Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey ... The orientation camp includes 30 first-round NHL draft picks, including two first-overall selections ... Fifteen players invited to the camp have been part of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program ... A total of 33 players on the orientation camp roster have played U.S. college hockey ... The 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team will be coached by Dan Bylsma ... USA Hockey's international council, chaired by Gavin Regan (Potsdam, N.Y.), vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. National Teams ... The men's ice hockey competition that is part of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games will take place Feb. 12-23, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.



Goalies:

Craig Anderson
John Gibson
Jimmy Howard
Ryan Miller
Jonathan Quick
Cory Schneider

DEFENSEMEN

Zach Bogosian
Dustin Byfuglien
John Carlson
Dan DeKeyser
Justin Faulk
Cam Fowler
Jake Gardiner
Erik Johnson
Jack Johnson
Seth Jones
Nick Leddy
Paul Martin
Ryan McDonagh
Brooks Orpik
Kevin Shattenkirk
Ryan Suter
Jacob Trouba
Keith Yandle


FORWARDS



Justin Abdelkader
David Backes
Beau Bennett
Nick Bjugstad
Dustin Brown
Ryan Callahan
Alex Galchenyuk
Patrick Kane
Ryan Kesler
Phil Kessel
Trevor Lewis
Kyle Okposo
T.J. Oshie
Max Pacioretty
Kyle Palmieri
Zach Parise
Joe Pavelski
Bobby Ryan
Brandon Saad
Craig Smith
Paul Stastny
Derek Stepan
James van Riemsdyk
Blake Wheeler

Thanks USA Hockey


______________________________________________________________________






No Buffalo Sabres have been invited to attend Team Canada's Sochi Olympic orientation camp that will take place out west later this summer.

Tyler Myers, once thought to be a lock to play internationally for Canada and to be a candidate for the Sochi games roster, is not on the list. If I were Myers, I'd be pissed that D Carl Alzner, Mark methot, travis Hamonic and Marc Edouard Vlasic were invited to the camp. Has myers done anything to deserve an invitation? No. The NHL is a "what have yiu done for me lately" industry. Myers struggled mightily last season, and also for the majority of the 2011-12 season. He will have to go a long way to convince Sabres fans and the Team Canada brass that he is truly a Norris Trophy candidate and an Olympic roster candidate. Success came early to Myers after he played lights out for Buffalo in his rookie season. Its been down hill ever since. He signed a gargantuan contract extension two summers ago and he's struggling to live up to it right now. To his credit, Myers has been working out and training in Buffalo this summer and I'm told that he has gotten himself into impressive physical shape. The proof is in the putting, and we'll see how he performs during training camp in September.


Former Sabres head coach will be an assistant to head coach Mike Babcock. The two won gold together in Vancouver in 2010. Bruins head coach Claude Julien and Blues head man Ken Hitchcock will round out the Team Canada coaching staff.


Hockey Canada, along with Canada’s National Men’s Team management group, has invited 47 players to attend a national team orientation camp from Aug. 25-28 in Calgary.

The orientation camp will offer the opportunity for management, the coaching staff and Hockey Canada to present the players with the team’s plans for Sochi, such as playing systems, international rules and regulations and logistics. Hockey Canada held similar camps prior to the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

“I would like to congratulate the players being invited today to our orientation camp,” said Yzerman. “This marks an important step for this program, as it is our only opportunity to be together as a group before Sochi.”

“On behalf of Hockey Canada, we thank the players and staff that will be part of the orientation camp in August,” said Pascall. “This camp is very important in our preparation for the upcoming season Sochi, as it allows the management group, coaching staff, support staff and players to share information and continue our planning and preparation for Sochi in February.”

The camp roster includes:

5 goaltenders, 17 D and 25 forwards:

46 players with international experience, including 38 with international experience at the senior level (Olympic Winter Games, IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship)

15 players who won gold with Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games

18 players who played for Canada at the 2002, 2006 or 2010 Olympic Winter Games

38 players who have played for Canada at an IIHF World Championship

31 players who have played for Canada at an IIHF World Junior Championship

17 players who have played for Canada at an IIHF World U18 Championship

4 players who won the 2004 World Cup of Hockey with Canada

3 of the eight Canadian players in the IIHF Triple Gold Club, having won Olympic gold, IIHF World Championship gold and a Stanley Cup:
o Patrice Bergeron, Eric Staal, Jonathan Toews

o Mike Babcock is the only coach in the IIHF Triple Gold Club

one player (Corey Crawford) who has yet to represent Canada in international competition;
eight players (Karl Alzner, Crawford, Travis Hamonic, Braden Holtby, Kris Letang, Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand, Carey Price) who have yet to represent Canada internationally at the senior level.


Collectively, the 47 players invited to orientation camp have:

appeared in 1,295 games for Team Canada

won 96 gold medals for Canada in international competition

appeared in 21,728 NHL regular season games, 2,369 NHL playoff games and 57 NHL All-Star Games;
won 34 Stanley Cups.
Chicago leads all NHL teams with five players invited to camp, followed by Pittsburgh and San Jose with four:
5 – Chicago
4 – Pittsburgh, San Jose
3 – Boston, Los Angeles, Washington
2– Anaheim, Carolina, Edmonton, Montreal, N.Y. Islanders, N.Y. Rangers, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Vancouver
1 – Colorado, Nashville, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Toronto, Winnipeg
Canada’s Team Orientation Camp Roster

Goalkeepers:
Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks
Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Mike Smith, Phoenix Coyotes

Defencemen:
Karl Alzner, Washington Capitals
Jay Bouwmeester, St. Louis Blues
Dan Boyle, San Jose Sharks
Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings
Mike Green, Washington Capitals
Dan Hamhuis, Vancouver Canucks
Travis Hamonic, New York Islanders
Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
Kristopher Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins
Marc Methot, Ottawa Senators
Dion Phaneuf, Toronto Maple Leafs
Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues
Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks
Marc Staal, New York Rangers
PK Subban, Montreal Canadiens
Marc-Édouard Vlasic, San Jose Sharks
Shea Weber, Nashville Predators

Forwards:
Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
Jeff Carter, Los Angeles Kings
Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche
Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers
Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
Taylor Hall, Edmonton Oilers
Chris Kunitz, Pittsburgh Penguins
Andrew Ladd, Winnipeg Jets
Milan Lucic, Boston Bruins
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
Rick Nash, New York Rangers
James Neal, Pittsburgh Penguins
Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks
Michael Richards, Los Angeles Kings
Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks
Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes
Jordan Staal, Carolina Hurricanes
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
John Tavares, New York Islanders
Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Thanks, IIHF












Hodgson_prax
Thanks Dan Hickling


What gives?

Cody Hodgson is Buffalo's lone unsigned RFA.

Might the Sabres have been waiting for the Sam Gagner arbitration ruling in order to see what the market value is for a top six, yoing center in today's NHL marketplace?

Gagner and the Oilers avoided arbitration by agreeing to the three year deal just before the start of his arb hearing tthis morning.

Of so, CoHo will be getting a 3 year deal worth $14.4 million.

Is CoHo worth $4.8 million AAV per season?

As I said in this space last week, I don't see the Sabres offering Hodgson a multi-year deal now. I see them offering a similar "bridge deal" like the one that Tyler Ennis signed last September. Two years and $5.6 million. I cannot see Regier going all-in for Hodgson at this point, especially since Ennis was more or less told to "prove it" to the Sabres that he's worthy of a long term, lucrative contract in Buffalo.

Hodgson's camp may be holding firm to a Gagner-style deal.

Lets compare the two centers.


Hodgson, like Gagner, is 23 years of age.

In 139 NHL games, he's scored 35 goals and has chipped in 42 assists for 77 points.

In 12 playoff games, he has one assist and no goals.



In 414 career games in the NHL, Gagner has scored 91 goals while adding 167 assists for 258 points. No playoff appearances in six seasons in Edmonton.



Both centers are creative playmakers and scorers, however, each tends to have trouble on the defensive side of the puck. Especially in his own end of the rink, getting knocked off pucks by ultra-aggressive enemy fore checkers.

Rolston tended to shy away from Hodgson taking D-zone draws in key moments of games last season. This will likely continue to happen this season unless CoHo can demonstrate to Rolston that he is as committed to the D side of the puck as he is to the scoring side of it.







***

What a long strange trip its been for Sabres center prospect Luke Adam.

At one time, not too long ago, Adam was Buffalo's mist promising forward prospect. Today, he's been bumped over on the center depth chart by young guns Ennis, Hodgson, Grigorenko, Girgensons, Larsson, and Porter.

There's a report on capgeek.com this morning that the 23 year old winger/center has signed a one year $735,000 contract. Adam was selected by Sabres in round 2 (#44 overall) 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In 75 NHL games, he's scored 14 goals and added 11 assists. The team has had high hopes for Adam since he had his break put season in AHL Portland in 2010-2011 when he scored 29 goals and added 33 assists.




Adam will have a tough time cracking the Buffalo forward ranks this season. Its a crowded house. He had his opportunity to show his wares at the NHL level two seasons ago. He started the 2011-12 season as Buffalo's top line center and started fast while playing with Vanek and Pominville, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists before he was sent back to Rochester in January 2012. Lindy Ruff wasn't impressed with Adam's effort and sent him down to ron Rolston for an AHL stint. Adam responded negatively to the demotion and went into an offensive shell. He quickly found himself playing the wing. Adam split time between center and wing last season in Rochester where he scored 15 goals in 67 games. He scored one goal in his four game promotion to Buffalo.


I see Adam as trade bait right now. At 6'2 210 lbs, Adam will add value, size and scoring to another team's top six. Looks to me like his days in Buffalo are numbered what the emergence of all of the fine young forwards that the Sabres have drafted and have traded for since Adam joined the family in 2008.


The Sabres have yet to confirm the RFA signings of Adam and backup goalie Matt Hackett.




________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Sabres fans are feeling long in the tooth right now. Let the Gagner to Sabres rumors die now.

Sam Gagner has avoided arbitration and has agreed to a 3 year, $14.4 deal to stay with the Oilers. His AAV is $4.8 and contains a no trade/no move clause.

He didn't get the $5.5M per season that he was seeking, however, he made out better than the $3.5 million that the team was offering.





Now that Gagner is signed, the Oilers have a roster move to make.

They now have 24 players under contract. They now have less than $3 million in cap space remaining.







___________________________________________________________________


So Ryan Miller was in the state of Colorado this weekend. Contrary to internet rumors, the Sabres goalie was not in Vail on NHL business. No, he wasn't in Denver, near the Avs facilities.

Miller and his wife, Noureen Dewulf, were invited guests at the wedding of NHLer, John Michael Liles. Miller and Liles have been great friends since their playing days at Michigan State University. Miller and Liles were Spartan teammates for three seasons.

The story, as I hear it, is that Liles stood up for his friend Miller in his bridal party when he and Dewulf were married two years ago. This past weekend, Miller reciprocated by standing up for his freind as a groomsman in the wedding party.




Toronto Maple Leafs teammate, Tyler Bozak, tweeted this picture of Liles and his lovely bride.




Miller is the $6.25 million dollar face of the Sabres franchise. He has one year remaining in his current contract in Buffalo. Its appearing more and more likely that Miller will be Buffalo's opening night starter in Detroit on 10/2. Sabres GM Darcy Regier will have to hope that Miller starts strongly this season so that Miller's trade value will increase. Regier runs the risk of having Miller struggle early, the same way that Calgary's Jarome Iginla's trade value diminished dramatically at the 2013 trade deadline.

For those of you conspiracy theorists who want to tar and feather Miller for blowing off his teammate Drew Stafford's wedding (also on Saturday), settle down.


Miller and his wife cannot be in two places at the same time.


I'm sure Miller sent Stafford a nice wedding gift.


____________________________________________________________________


Speaking of Sabres goaltenders, former RFA Matt Hackett has agreed to his qualifying contract offer. RDS reports that Hackett has agreed to a two year deal, good for one year and $715,000.





The Sabres have not confirmed the signing.

Buffalo's lone remaining RFA is center Cody Hodgson.
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