Sunday, December 16, 2001
Christmas for Eric
By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI -- Edmonton Sun
PHILADELPHIA -- For as long as Eric Brewer can remember, Christmas has been more than presents, trees, carols and more food than any stomach should really have to endure.
It's been about sticks, pucks, decalled helmets and unpronounceable names. It's been about international hockey.
Christmas would arrive and young Eric would either be wiping the road-hockey snow off his pant legs and planting himself in front of the television, or wiping the sleep out of his eyes at some ungodly hour to watch a game beamed over from Europe.
"I've just always associated Christmas with the World Juniors,'' said the 22-year-old Oiler defenceman yesterday. "Every year you get the family together and watch the tournament. As long as I can remember, I'd go out and play road hockey in the snow and then come in and watch the games at all kinds of crazy hours.''
Brewer wasn't even born when Paul Henderson scored, not even when Darryl Sittler scored, but the international hockey bug bit him early.
And yesterday, when Wayne Gretzky rang him up moments before the Oilers boarded a plane to Philadelphia and issued a formal invitation to the Salt Lake Olympics, all those childhood memories came flooding back.
So did the feelings of pride, honour and responsibility that came with wearing the Maple Leaf when he was an assistant captain of those Canadian Juniors he loved so much back in 1998.
"Oh yeah,'' grinned the Vernon, B.C., native, five hours later in a Philadelphia hotel lobby. "It was in Helsinki, but we still had cards and letters pouring in from everywhere. We had walls full of stuff, support from everywhere. You get a feeling for that (Canadian excitement) really quickly.''
Multiply that by 1,000 and that's what Brewer has just signed on for. He can't wait. He may be poised beyond his years, but every once in a while during the interview yesterday he let his guard down and broke into a gold-medal smile.
"It was music to my ears,'' he said of his invite. "I'm a little surprised - I'm a younger guy. I just have 200 games in the league and everybody else is so much more experienced and has done this before - but it's good news. I'm very happy to be given the chance.
"Just to be with that collection of players. You look down the list and it's amazing the years in the league and the experience and the records that are amongst the players. It's a team like nothing I've ever seen and I'm anxious to get out on the ice with those guys.''
180-DEGREE TURN
It's heady company for a kid who wasn't even a full-time NHLer in 1999-2000. But his career has made a 180-degree turn since the impatient New York Islanders shipped him to Edmonton (with Josh Green and a second round pick) at the 2000 draft.
Two seasons ago he couldn't crack one of the worst teams in the league. Now he's an Olympian.
"It's been a pretty good trade is the best way to put it,'' he said. "It's just one of those things. I was put into a nice hockey environment, everything was stable and we get sound advice from the coaches. They make things a lot easier when you need advice. It just helps for a young D-man when you can go to Charlie Huddy for some help.''
Anson Carter would have joined Brewer and Ryan Smyth on Team Canada if it was a 24-man roster, but it's only 23, and he was the last cut.
He didn't make the team despite outscoring eight of the guys who did.
"It's everyone's dream to be on the Olympic team, but it was really out of my hands,'' he said. "There were tough decisions to be made, there's so many great hockey players playing in Canada.
"Somebody had to be left out in the cold and unfortunately I'm one of those guys.''
Oiler coach Craig MacTavish, after talking with Kevin Lowe, broke it to him gently.
"I was told I was basically the last guy. There were three guys fighting for two positions and basically I was the odd man out. I can take some positive thoughts on the fact I could be the 24th guy, but at the same time you want to play on that team, you don't want to be left out.''
MISS CANADA
Until the Games actually start, Carter is like the runner up in Miss Canada ... if for any reason one of the 13 forwards can't fulfill his duties ...
"The Olympics haven't started yet, you never know what can happen in five weeks or so,'' he said. "But right now I'm just going to continue focusing on my game and helping the Oilers.''
That makes five Oiler Olympians so far: Janne Niinimaa and Jussi Markkanen (Finland), and Tommy Salo (Sweden) will also be representing their countries.
America names its lineup on Wednesday. Todd Marchant, Mike Grier and Tom Poti were all invited to the USA orientation camp last fall.
2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
