With the NHL and NHLPA's 4 Nations Face-Off looming large, it's a fun time to go back and see what a THN team would've looked like for the 1998 Olympics. Then-editor-in-chief Steve Dryden picked his THN team in the Dec. 19, 1997 edition (Vol. 51, Issue 15) - and NHL superstar Mark Messier, who wasn't picked for Team Canada for the Olympic Games - was named team captain of Team THN.
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In addition to Messier, Team THN included proven winners like GM Pierre Lacroix of the Colorado Avalanche, co-coach and coaching icon Dave King, fiery goaltender Tom Barrasso and Edmonton Oilers legendary netminder Grant Fuhr.
Amazingly, top-tier talent such as defenseman Scott Niedermayer, fellow Hockey Hall-of-Famer Ron Francis and Adam Oates all didn't make the cut for Canada, but they were more than good enough to make Dryden's team. Other notable Olympic omissions on Team THN included Luc Robitaille, Vincent Damphousse, Claude Lemieux and Mark Recchi. (Sergei Fedorov was initially left off Team Russia and picked by Dryden for Team THN, but he joined the team as an injury replacement for Alexei Kovalev.)
Other players on Team THN weren't stars per se, but they were all hard workers who made life difficult for the opposition. And while none of the players (other than Fedorov) wound up being selected for their particular Olympic team - or whether they didn't have an Olympic team to play for - they together would've made a solid collection of talent that could've given real Olympic teams a run for their money.
Mark Messier may not be the right fit for Team Canada, but he's captain of Team THN.
We have petitioned (and paid off) the International Olympic Committee to earn a berth in the hockey tournament for a joint entry that will be a truly all-world team. The Hockey News has scoured the hockey universe for players and officials of all backgrounds. They have all been spumed by their native countries or don't have Olympic representation. THN is granting asylum to each of them for three weeks in February.
Our team will be fast, emotionally charged, intellectually challenging (not challenged), self-effacing and never tempted to talk about themselves in the third person. Our choices:
Management: GM Pierre Lacroix, with the proviso he not dismantle the team for 1998 first-rounders. Co-coach Dave King, possesses one of international hockey's sharpest minds. Co-coach Doug MacLean, possesses one of its sharpest tongues.
Goalies: Tom Barrasso, strong of body and able of mind. Grant Fuhr, acrobatic and unflappable. Arturs Irbe, principled and passionate about Latvia.
Defensemen: Sylvain Cote, gets the job done. Kenny Jonsson, candidate for a huge salary increase after his coach said he's a Norris Trophy candidate. Sylvain Lefebvre, trustworthy. Richard Matvichuk, a dry run for Salt Lake City in 2002. Scott Niedermayer, would be worth the inflated price of admission just to watch him skate on the large ice surface. Sandis Ozolinsh, the most dynamic defenseman since Oleg Tverdovsky. Tverdovsky, leading candidate for American League's top defenseman award after four games.
Forwards: LW Vincent Damphousse, a two-way threat. C Mark Messier, his six Stanley Cup rings are worthy of the five Olympic rings. RW Mark Recchi, creative and quick. LW Luc Robitaille, was the captain of Canada's last World Championship team. C Sergei Fedorov, the greatest player in the world-other than Mario Lemieux-who will not play at the Olympics. RW Claude Lemieux, the greatest player in the world-bar none-who will not be at the Olympics. LW Yanic Perreault, our shootout specialist. C Ron Francis, he's not his own choice, but he's ours. RW Dainius Zubrus, a teen idol. LW Steve Konowalchuk, our team's Rob Zamuner. C Mike Peca, our team's Mike Peca. RW Jamie Langenbrunner, spirited and superb. LW, C, RW Jeff Friesen, he can do it all.
And so will our team.
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