National Post (National Edition)
Players hope to ring in 2018 in Olympic style
Leafs, Bruins add voices to Games debate
Players across the NHL have been making it clear for a while that they want to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.
You can add Maple Leafs phenom rookie Auston Matthews and Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand to that list.
“I think it’s important,” Matthews said of NHL players taking part.
“I think everybody likes the idea of the Olympics for sure. I remember always watching them growing up and to play in it would be a huge honour. I’ve represented my country at the NTDP (U.S. National Team Development Program), world championship and world junior and it is always pretty special to put on your country’s jersey.”
Marchand was asked if he’d be disappointed if NHL players don’t end up going to South Korea.
“I think anyone would be,” Marchand said. “For athletes to get themselves to that level where they can have the opportunity to play in the Olympics and then for someone to take it away from them, I don’t think it’s really fair, but that is a long ways away.”
Marchand has represented Canada four times, but not in the Olympics. He figures to be a shoo-in to go if the NHL sends its players in 2018.
It would be difficult for the United States to leave Matthews at home.
Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock never shies away from telling those who will listen that NHL players should be in the Olympics.
“I think getting your name on the Stanley Cup is something you dream about, but playing for your country in the Olympics and best on best, there is no better event. There is none,” said Babcock, who has coached Canada to back-to-back Olympic gold medals.
“To have that opportunity is important. I think it’s important to showcase your game every year, just not to pick and choose when it is your turn. I think it is important, but I don’t own any (NHL) teams.”
BRAINY BERGERON
If Babcock could take any facet of Patrice Bergeron’s game and give it to his own centres, what would it be?
“His head,” Babcock said of the Bruins standout. “His drive train. He is smarter than anybody.
“You think players are good and then you put them with the best players and some people aren’t as good. And then others are better and Bergy is one of those guys, even with the smarter guys and when the game is going faster, he’s even better. He’s not an elite skater, his brain is that fast and he just knows how to play and he is competitive.
“I coached him for the first time when he was 18 at the ’04 worlds and he was good right from then, right through. He just knows how to win.”
Bergeron, among the NHL’s elite two-way players over the last decade, has six gold medals from various competitions with Canada as well as the 2011 Stanley Cup championship with the Bruins. In 2004 in Prague, Babcock was behind the bench and Bergeron coming off his rookie season in the NHL when Canada won gold at the world championship. Babcock also has coached Bergeron in the Olympics.
LOOSE LEAFS
Bruins legend Bobby Orr turned 69 Monday and several members of the team offered best wishes. “Happy birthday to Bobby,” Marchand said. “Great age, great year. He is a tremendous icon in this game and he has been able to basically change the way defencemen play that position and he’s an incredible human being. The nicest guy you will ever meet.” … Marchand and Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby were excellent together at the World Cup in September, playing a large role in Canada’s goldmedal win. That was then, this is now and apparently the NHL rivalry between the teams is what rules. Marchand answered with a terse “no” when he was asked if he and Crosby text each other every so often … The Toronto Marlies will not have forward Kerby Rychel for their game Tuesday night in Rochester, N.Y. Rychel received an automatic one-game suspension from the American Hockey League after he was assessed an instigator penalty during the final five minutes of the Marlies’ 8-4 loss against Binghamton on Saturday.