CALGARY, Alberta -- Checking in again from the opening day of the Canadian Olympic orientation camp, where players took part in their first scrimmages tonight. Here are a few of the line combinations and defense pairings that were being used:
The competition for jobs on this Olympic team is going to be fierce from top to bottom, but the blue line presents an interesting situation. There will be a dramatic overhaul of personnel from four years ago with players like Bryan McCabe, Ed Jovanovski, Rob Blake and Wade Redden not invited to this camp.
One of those looking to be part of the new blue-line brigade is Chicago Blackhawks rearguard Duncan Keith, who has established himself in the past couple of seasons as one of the top puck-moving defensemen in the game.
He recalled being at the last orientation camp in Kelowna, British Columbia, as a fan.
"I remember watching it with some of my buddies. Now to be playing here is pretty cool, joining and playing alongside these guys is a pretty neat feeling," he said. "I remember watching Marty St. Louis and how fast he was. I couldn't believe it took him two seconds to get down the other end of the ice.
"It was a packed building there in Kelowna with a lot of people watching. I remember seeing Wayne Gretzky up in the stands. Just to be a part of that now and actually be one of the guys for me is a thrill. I want to keep it going."
Even given Canada's tremendous hockey depth, there are bound to be some long shots when you gather 46 players as executive director Steve Yzerman has done ... like Francois Beauchemin.
Does it bug the Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman that people consider him not just a dark horse, but a dark, dark horse to make this team?
"No, it doesn't bother me. I mean, it's my first invitation to any Team Canada [event], I've never participated in the World Juniors or World Cup or whatever," he said. "I'm new to this. I don't know what it's like. I'm coming in and see how it goes and do what I can do."
Beauchemin, signed to a three-year deal by his former GM in Anaheim, Brian Burke, actually learned of his invitation on July 1, the first day of free agency. Edmonton president (and Team Canada associate director) Kevin Lowe called Beauchemin and had to make it clear right away this wasn't a signing call, but an invitation call.
"No, he told me right away, 'I'm not calling you for free-agency situation. I'm not calling you for the Edmonton Oilers, I'm calling you for Team Canada,'" Beauchemin recalled.
If fans might have been surprised that the solid blueliner with the big shot was invited to Calgary, they weren't alone.
"I was surprised. You know, sometimes they call the same guys, often the ones that participate in Team Canada, World Cup or World Juniors and all that, so since I didn't do any of this, I didn't really expect a call, but was flattered for sure," he said. "I didn't expect the call at all, but it was a good surprise."
Another Cup celebration for Thunder Bay
Another summer in Thunder Bay, Ontario, another visit from Lord Stanley's mug. After Eric Staal brought home the silver chalice following the Carolina Hurricanes' Cup win in 2006, it was younger brother Jordan's turn this summer after his Pittsburgh Penguins vanquished Detroit in a thrilling seven-game Cup finals.
"Obviously, it was a different view from watching Eric do it and then for me personally to go through it, but it was much the same. We did much the similar stuff," Jordan said Monday.
Being the only NHL Staal without a Cup visit to his credit (younger brother Jared is playing minor pro hockey), New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said he hopes his turn is coming soon.
"I'm super proud of the guys. It's not an easy Cup to win by any means," he said. "Obviously everyone's looking at me and Jared as the only ones that haven't won it, but you can't predict stuff like that. Obviously, I want my hands on that thing, seeing how much fun they had with it. Pretty interesting few years so far."
We had a chance to spend the day with Eric Staal when he had the Cup in 2006 and it was interesting to watch the three other brothers remove themselves from any direct contact with the trophy. Tradition suggests it's bad luck for hockey players to touch the Cup unless they've won it themselves.
This summer, Marc honored that superstition by tending bar at the family's party and basically staying out of the way of the Cup. "I kept my distance," he said.
You'll need a program to keep all of the Staals straight at this orientation camp as Jordan, Eric and Marc are here vying for spots on the Olympic team.
"We were all really excited about it," Jordan said. "We were all actually out at [our cottages] when all three of us heard about it and we were all happy for each other and excited about it. There's no question it'd be something special if it all came together for us."
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