[Lefty Noob]

Hello, anrobins. Good to hear from you!

I agree completely with your comments. One of the things that was so special about that Miracle on Ice team was that Brooks knew exactly who was needed to play which role on it. They trained together over a long period of time and became a team in every since of the word.

I fear the days of hungry amateur players training together with a single goal and purpose in mind is long gone, though. Sad, really, because the Olympics meant so much more back then.

[CityofBrotherlyShove]

I don't actually think that's the problem. What happened in 1980 was a miracle, and 9 times out of 10, the Russians win that game.

Take a look at this year's Finnish team. Most of those players are in the NHL and arrived just a day or two before the Olympics began. Yet, they're playing some incredible hockey right now.

People keep looking for scapegoats and excuses as to why the US team didn't perform well. The truth is that we're in the middle of a period where the best players in the world are not American. It's really that simple. Things will, of course, be different in four years because 4 years is a lot of time for players to mature and new players to come up.

[CityofBrotherlyShove]

I fear the days of hungry amateur players training together with a single goal and purpose in mind is long gone, though. Sad, really, because the Olympics meant so much more back then.

Now, keep in mind that I am opposed to having NHL players in the Olympics.

In the US, we have a tendancy to glorify the idea of amateurs in the Olympics because of what happened in 1980. Let us not forget that in every other Olympics, our guys were getting their butts kicked.

[ThePundit]

You all have valid points. Let's not forget the goaltending. DiPietro was back to his NY Islander form yesterday, looking like he couldn't stop a basketball if it was shot at him.

I also think we're overanalyzing this Olympics as knock on the North American System as a whole. Remember just 4 years ago, Canada and the US were in the Finals.

These things go in cycles. This time around, the team was too old and slow. But in 4 years, who knows?

One thing the NHL should do is end the schedule more than a day before some of these players have to play in the Olympics and allow at least 3 days practice time for the team to gel.

[blueandwhite]

Brotherly shove says,
Take a look at this year's Finnish team. Most of those players are in the NHL and arrived just a day or two before the Olympics began. Yet, they're playing some incredible hockey right now.


I think the difference is that the Finnish players have played together alot more, in more competitions, for longer. The roster doesn't change as much as it may for Canadian and American teams. Just reading about aki berg- he's been on this team for years. Same with many others.
That said, it's so true, how 4 years ago it was the US and Canada, and look at us now. Cycles.

[staff99]

U.S hockey gurus think of this.... name five up and coming American born players. I mean players that really define U.S hockey. It isn't that easy. Out of the top thirty scorers in the NHL only two are U.S. (Rolston and Gionta). Canada has 13 (8 of which were not part of the team or were non-playing subs). That is the problem for U.S. teams in international hockey. There is no real depth. Even your junior team struggled.

[xdavidwattsx]

Originally Posted by anrobins

Herb Brooks was successful because he built a team in 1980.

As much as we all love Herb, I'm hard pressed to believe that he wouldn't have skated NHL players in 1980 if he could have.