No Ryan? No Okposo? USA Hockey GM Explains Much-Debated Olympic Roster
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- USA Hockey used to have it relatively easy picking players for the Olympics.
Not anymore.
Bobby Ryan helped the United States earn a silver medal in 2010 in Vancouver and only 10 NHL players - from all countries - have more goals than he does this season for the Ottawa Senators. But unless Ryan gets a spot in place of an injured player, he won't have a chance to help the Americans go for gold in Sochi.
The New York Islanders' Kyle Okposo was also left off the team despite being on pace for 80 points this season. He has 15 goals and 25 assists through 41 games.
Three members of the New York Rangers were picked: forwards Ryan Callahan, Derek Stepan and defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Callahan and Stepan have a combined 38 points on the season.
"We did not pick the best 25 players," general manager David Poile said Wednesday after the roster was announced. "We picked the best 25 players that we thought gave us a chance to compete and win the gold medal."
And with goaltending and grit, the Americans might have some assets to help them compete with the defending champion Canadians along with the talented and extremely motivated Russians on their home soil.
In Sochi, the U.S. forwards will be: David Backes, Dustin Brown, Callahan, Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, Phil Kessel, T.J. Oshie, Max Pacioretty, Zach Parise, Joe Pavelski, Paul Stastny, Stepan, James van Riemsdyk and Blake Wheeler. John Carlson, Justin Faulk, Cam Fowler, Paul Martin, McDonagh, Brooks Orpik, Kevin Shattenkirk and Ryan Suter will be on defense for the Americans.
"There is a lot of guys that can skate well and on the bigger sheet, that'll be huge," van Riemsdyk said after helping Toronto beat Detroit 3-2 in a shootout at the Winter Classic.
Kessel's sister, Amanda, was selected to the women's team Wednesday.
Ryan was perhaps the most surprising omission on the 25-man roster. Jack Johnson and Erik Johnson, a pair of defensemen who played in the Vancouver Games, also didn't make the cut. Ryan has 18 goals this season - trailing just two U.S.-born players - is among league leaders with 36 points and has scored at least 30 times in four previous years.
"If you're talking about the Johnsons and if you're talking about Bobby Ryan, they're fabulous hockey players," Poile said. "And if I can say this the right way, this is the first time that we're having to make similar decisions that Canada has had to make for years.
"We're leaving off top, top players."
Jimmy Howard appears to be the Americans' third goaltender behind Jonathan Quick and Ryan Miller.
He hasn't played well and has been injured for much of the season for the Red Wings, but his body of work boosted his bid ahead of Ben Bishop of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Bishop has the most wins (29) and the best goals-against average (1.89) among American-born No. 1 goalies in the NHL this season.
"He's playing lights out," Poile acknowledged. "Our decisions were tough in goal - really tough."
Other players who could've potentially been on the team, but weren't selected include: Okposo, Keith Yandle, Cory Schneider, Brandon Saad and Dustin Byfuglien.
Fowler, who appears to have gotten a spot instead of Yandle, said he didn't know he was on the time until everyone else found out during NBC's postgame coverage of the Winter Classic.
"I didn't get a text or a phone call or anything," he said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
Miller was named MVP of the ice hockey tournament at the Vancouver Games, but he wasn't a lock to keep a spot because Quick, one of many players on the team who has been injured this season, has been perhaps the world's best at stopping shots the past two seasons. Howard, Schneider, Gibson, Tim Thomas and Craig Anderson also were possible options for the selection committee.
To play to their potential, a lot of banged-up players will have to get healthy this month and stay that way through February. And if some injured players are still ailing over the next month, some snubbed standouts might get an invite to join the Americans in Russia.
"There's going to be certain players that you're going to give a strong message to that they were very, very close and if something was to happen, they could be on the team," Poile said.
The U.S. will be able to put 22 players in uniform for each game, starting Feb. 13 against Slovakia.
The Americans expect to be a medal contender after they were regarded as young underdogs in 2010, when they were a goal away from knocking off the host Canadians.
The team will be led by Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma. He has been at ease publicly, saying he likes the Americans' chances to win gold for the first time since the Miracle on Ice victory in 1980.
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