Wilson Will Coach U.S. in World Cup

Fairly or not, Ron Wilson will be remembered for having coached an Olympic hockey team whose legacy was a trashed dorm room and a non-medal finish at the 1998 Nagano Games.

But in appointing Wilson to coach Team USA this summer at the World Cup of Hockey, U.S. hockey executives Friday emphasized another Wilson legacy: his work in guiding the U.S. team past Canada in the last World Cup tournament, in 1996.

The players who caused the damage at Nagano were never identified and never acknowledged their actions. After facing public reproach in the U.S., team captain Chris Chelios sent a check for $3,000 to Japanese Olympic officials.

“In all the discussions we had about Ron, it never even was brought up by USA Hockey or anyone involved,” Don Waddell, assistant general manager of the U.S. World Cup team, said during a news conference that was part of the NHL’s All-Star weekend. “It’s an incident that unfortunately happened and I think ... we’ve turned the page on that.”

The U.S. won a silver medal at the Salt Lake City Games, losing to Canada in the finale. That team was coached by Herb Brooks, who died in a car accident last August. If Brooks were alive, he would have been a candidate for the job that went to Wilson, the former Mighty Duck coach. Wilson, now coach of the San Jose Sharks, was born in Canada but became a U.S. citizen.

“To me, [Brooks] is the greatest American coach living, at the time,” Waddell said. “I guess if you’re looking at the greatest all time, just my opinion, you’d have to consider him.”

Speaking by phone from his home in South Carolina, Wilson said he was “honored and obviously pleased” to defend Team USA’s title. The eight teams will open camp Aug. 19 and 20 and begin play Aug. 30. The final is in Toronto on Sept. 14, a day before the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between NHL players and the players’ association. NHL rules and NHL ice dimensions will be in effect. Teams must submit 26-player rosters by May 15.

Wilson said he welcomed the chance to work with core members of his 1996 and 1998 teams, such as Mike Modano, Brett Hull, Bill Guerin, John LeClair and Doug Weight. “I still have the greatest respect for all of those players,” he said.

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Hockey Canada confirmed that the management and coaching staffs of its 2002 Olympic team would reprise those roles for the World Cup. Wayne Gretzky, Kevin Lowe and Steve Tambellini lead the executive side, supporting coach Pat Quinn and assistant coaches Jacques Martin, Ken Hitchcock and Wayne Fleming.

“There are a lot of great Canadian coaches,” said Quinn, coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. “I wanted to be invited badly again. I’d also have understood if they’d gone someplace else, but I would never have forgiven them.”

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Boston Bruin right wing Glen Murray -- a former King -- and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Pavel Kubina were added to the East team for Sunday’s All-Star game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. They replace Marian Hossa and Wade Redden of Ottawa. Hossa has a severe facial cut and Redden is ill.

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Columbus left wing Rick Nash, who leads the NHL with 31 goals, plans to play, despite having missed his team’s last two games because of a bruised left foot. If he does, he will be the first teenager to play in the All-Star game since Jaromir Jagr, then of Pittsburgh, and Owen Nolan, then of Quebec, played in the 1992 game.

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Matt Stajan of the Maple Leafs was added to the East team for tonight’s YoungStars game. He replaces Garnet Exelby of the Atlanta Thrashers, who has a bruised left ankle.