Canada Takes Gritty Approach

Beaten at its own game in last year’s World Cup of Hockey, Canada on Saturday announced an Olympic team that will rely less on star power than on the grit, persistence and selflessness Canadians have always believed made their players unique and made their country the world’s top hockey nation.

Along with all-time NHL scoring leader Wayne Gretzky and three-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Patrick Roy, Canadian officials chose lesser-known players such as Tampa Bay Lightning center Rob Zamuner and Montreal Canadien left wing Shayne Corson for the 23-man Nagano roster. Swept out in a modest changing of the guard were six-time Stanley Cup winner Mark Messier of Vancouver and three-time Norris Trophy winner Paul Coffey, members of the World Cup team that lost a three-game final to the United States a year ago.

“What it’s geared for is the U.S.” King defenseman Rob Blake said of the Canadian roster, which was announced in a ceremony televised nationally in his native country. “In the World Cup, we took the best and most talented players in the league. You can see with players like Corson we’ve changed a bit. We’re trying to beat not only them, but everyone. Obviously, the coaching staff and management felt they had to make a few changes.”

Left wing Paul Kariya, who missed the World Cup because of an injury, was chosen even though he is an unsigned restricted free agent and has not played an NHL game since the Mighty Ducks were eliminated from the playoffs last spring. Interviewed by Canadian broadcasters who first had to agree not to ask about his contract impasse with the Ducks, Kariya said he expects to be in shape for the Games.

“It is a tremendous honor and I’m very grateful to Bob Clarke [the Olympic team’s general manager] and Team Canada,” said Kariya, who plans to begin practicing with the Canadian national team this week. “I appreciate the fact I haven’t played, but I feel I’ll be ready to play and I’ll make the appropriate commitment to be ready to play.”

Said Duck Coach Pierre Page: “Based on what he did last year, he’s one of the best players in the National Hockey League. It was not a very hard decision. It didn’t surprise me.”

The NHL schedule has been condensed this season to provide a 17-day break to allow NHL players to represent their homelands for the first time, which has created rigorous travel schedules. Defenseman Scott Stevens of the New Jersey Devils, a member of a rugged but mobile defense corps that includes old favorites Ray Bourque and Al MacInnis but will get an infusion of youth from Chris Pronger, said he intends to begin preparing for the Games now.

“Right now you think it’s going to be tough and tiring, but it’s something that when I’m done playing, I’ll think of as a great experience,” said Stevens, who will play in front of his Devil teammate, goalie Martin Brodeur, and Edmonton goalie Curtis Joseph. “[The roster] looks good. It’s a tough call. You need all areas of the game--you can’t just look at offense or defense.”

Lou Lamoriello, general manager of Team USA and the Devils, was impressed with the Canadian selections. “It’s certainly an excellent hockey team,” he said. “The most important thing for us is not competing against somebody else but to be the best we can be.”

Clarke acknowledged he, Coach Marc Crawford of the Colorado Avalanche, and his assistants, Pierre Gauthier of the Ottawa Senators and Bob Gainey of the Dallas Stars, did not have an easy time in paring to 23 a list that originally exceeded 50.

“We certainly had to make some very, very tough decisions,” Clarke said. “We didn’t want to slight anybody . . . . We all know Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Peter Forsberg and the star players, but watch the guys who block shots, go to the corners, take a pounding. Nobody ever appreciates that but their teammates, and that’s a Canadian hockey player.”

Gretzky, 36, lamented the exclusion of Messier, his teammate in Edmonton and again with the New York Rangers until Messier signed with Vancouver as a free agent last summer. However, Gretzky expressed confidence in Clarke’s picks.

“I’m glad I didn’t have to make that decision,” said Gretzky. “It was left in Bob Clarke’s hands and we all respect Bob Clarke.”

Lamoriello said the U.S. team will announce its final six players Monday. Sweden and Finland are expected to announce their entire rosters Tuesday.

Staff writer Elliott Teaford contributed to this story.

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Oh! Canada!

Players chosen for Canadian Olympic team:

PLAYER: NHL TEAM

Goaltenders

Martin Brodeur: New Jersey

Curtis Joseph: Edmonton

Patrick Roy: Colorado

****

Defensemen

Rob Blake: Kings

Ray Bourque: Boston

Eric Desjardins: Philadelphia

Adam Foote: Colorado

Al MacInnis: St. Louis

Chris Pronger: St. Louis

Scott Stevens: New Jersey

****

Forwards

Rod Brind’Amour: Philadelphia

Shayne Corson: Montreal

Theoren Fleury: Calgary

Wayne Gretzky: NY Rangers

Paul Kariya: Mighty Ducks

Trevor Linden: Vancouver

Eric Lindros: Philadelphia

Joe Nieuwendyk: Dallas

Keith Primeau: Carolina

Joe Sakic: Colorado

Brendan Shanahan: Detroit

Steve Yzerman: Detroit

Rob Zamuner: Tampa Bay