Hockey Team Schedules Camp

As Coach Herb Brooks had hoped, the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team will meet Sept. 4-7 in Colorado Springs, Colo., thanks to the NHL Players Assn.’s decision to drop its opposition to holding preseason camps.

However, the session--like the camp to be held simultaneously by Team Canada--won’t be mandatory. It’s also unclear whether coaches will be permitted to go on the ice with players, especially those nominated to the preliminary roster but who might not make the final 23-man roster. Twelve players have been selected to the team for the Salt Lake City Games, and the rest must be chosen by Dec. 21.

“It’s an Olympic orientation camp, not a training camp,” USA Hockey spokesman Chuck Menke said. “It’s a chance for players to get together under the USA Hockey banner and do things such as photos and processing.”

Brooks advocated holding a camp because he will have only two days to marshal his team between the suspension of the NHL season and the Olympic opener in February.

The U.S. women’s team will hold trials Aug. 13-23 in Lake Placid, N.Y. Twenty-five players will be chosen to participate in a pre-Olympic tour; the final squad will be 20.