NEW YORK, 21 December 2005 — Eleven players with Olympic experience were named Monday to the 23-member ice hockey squad that will represent the United States at the Winter Games.
General manager Don Waddell announced the team in a televised program from St. Paul, Minn., with 44-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios of the Detroit Red Wings the oldest player and 24-year-old goalie Rick DiPietro the youngest.
While the team has a strong nucleus of veterans, all three goaltenders are first-time Olympians.
Waddell, however, feels inexperience at goaltender will not be a problem.
“All three of them are starting goaltenders in the NHL right now,” Waddell said.
Philadelphia’s Robert Esche and Tampa Bay’s John Grahame are the other goaltenders joining DiPietro on the team.
Chelios heads a veteran defense corps, which includes Philadelphia’s Derian Hatcher and Detroit’s Mathieu Schneider. Chelios will become the oldest hockey Olympian in history.
Forwards Mike Modano of Dallas and Doug Weight and Keith Tkachuk of St. Louis lead a list of veteran forwards named to the squad, but Tkachuk is currently nursing a hand injury and may not be available.
If he is able to play, Tkachuk will join Chelios as the only four-time Olympians on the US squad.
Failing to secure roster spots were Olympic veterans and current NHL stars Brian Leetch, John LeClair, Jeremy Roenick and the recently retired Brett Hull.
“We said all along that we were going to base this team on not so much what was the history of players ... but how guys were actually playing,” Waddell said.
USA Hockey is the first Olympic organization to name its team, with Hockey Canada scheduled to announce the Canadian team on Wednesday. The Americans won the silver medal at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, losing the final game to the Canadians. The 2006 Winter Games will be staged this February in Italy.
