Mario Lemieux Leaves Another Hole in Canada's Olympic Team
As expected, Mario Lemieux has withdrawn from Canada's 2006 Olympic team. Lemieux had previously mused that he was not qualified to skate with Canada's best in Turin, and this week's health scare probably sealed the issue.
"I think the best thing to do is to go with the young guys, the young legs," Lemieux told reporters. "With Spezza playing very well and Sid and Staal and all these guys, I think it's time for these guys to step up and they deserve to be on the team.''
A few days ago, Steve Yzerman also declined his guaranteed place on the team, saying he simply isn't playing well enough.
With Wayne Gretzky and his staff expected to name the Olympic roster December 21, there is much speculation over whether it's time to pass the torch to a new generation by picking young stars like Sidney Crosby, Jason Spezza and Eric Staal.
Assessing the risks and rewards of a youth movement is one of the issues facing Gretzky. But an even bigger concern looms: Many of Canada's key players are having medicore NHL seasons:
If the Olympic tournament began today, it would be hard to make an argument for Canada as a gold medal favorite.
Meanwhile, Team USA general manager Don Waddell is also weighing the merits of experience versus youth.
Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, Keith Tkachuk, John LeClair, Tony Amonte, Bill Guerin, Brian Leetch and Mathieu Schneider - the core of an aging generation - are among those likely to be left home.
But the biggest problem facing the American team right now is in net, where none of the likely Olympic candidates are playing especially well at the moment.
Team USA will be announced December 19.
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