Carolina Coach Will Lead U.S. Hockey

Herb Brooks, who’d coached the Miracle on Ice U.S. hockey team to the gold medal in the 1980 Lake Placid Games, was called on to deliver another Olympic miracle at Salt Lake City in 2002, and USA Hockey’s attempt to revive the past nearly paid off; the Americans took home a silver medal.

USA Hockey, with new administration in place, has looked only forward since, and Tuesday named Carolina Hurricane Coach Peter Laviolette as coach of the U.S. men’s team for the Turin Games in February.

Laviolette, a two-time Olympian, felt comfortable enough with the appointment to proclaim, “We’re going there with the purpose of winning the gold medal and nothing short of that. We are capable of winning this tournament and our goal will be nothing less.”

The 40-year-old coach has been groomed for the position, having coached the U.S. squads at the last two world championships, including a third-place finish in 2004 that clinched a spot in the Turin Olympics. In his first international experience as a head coach two years ago, he led a select team to the championship in the Deutschland Cup tournament.

Laviolette, a native of Franklin, Mass., is starting his first full season with Carolina after spending two seasons coaching the New York Islanders. A defenseman, he played on the 1988 Olympic team and captained the 1994 team.

“I’ve known Peter for a long time and I have a lot of respect for him,” said Don Waddell, hired as general manager of USA Hockey last month. “I can’t say he’s an up-and-coming coach because he’s past that point. He’s proven himself and this is the next challenge for him.”

Tampa Bay Coach John Tortorella, who led the Lightning to the 2003-04 Stanley Cup title, was among those considered. He could wind up as one of two assistants. Another name prominently mentioned was Boston Bruin Coach Mike Sullivan.

“We didn’t really talk about history as much as we talked about who we thought would do the best job with this team currently,” Waddell said.

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Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey, said he was optimistic that Russia would eventually agree to a transfer deal between the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation.

The agreement ensures that the NHL will send its best players to Turin.

The Czech Republic federation, which also had been balking, announced Tuesday that it would sign on to a two-year deal that compensates European clubs for players who leave to play in the NHL.

Russia has resisted because its clubs want to negotiate their own terms with the NHL.

The other countries that signed the agreement are Finland, Germany, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland. The deadline this season for player transfers from the European countries to the NHL is Aug. 24.