Team rosters for the 2006 Olympic men's hockey tournament have been expanded.
The International Ice Hockey Federation will allow each country to designate a "taxi squad" of three extra players, to be used in the event of an injury to a player on the main roster. The extras can be named anytime between now and the beginning of the tournament.
Olympic teams must be named by December 22nd, but any of the 23 players on an Olympic roster can be replaced if he is injured before the tournament. With the added provision of the new taxi squad, team officials have plenty of flexibility as they struggle with the final decisions.
Not that anyone would take advantage of such a situation. But let's say Rick Nash makes Team Canada, and then plays poorly over the next couple of months. Who's to say whether his knee or ankle problems might suddenly "flare up" before the Olympics?
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