Friday, February 8, 2002
Hossa, Chara left in limbo
By BRUCE GARRIOCH -- Ottawa Sun
SALT LAKE CITY -- Senators winger Marian Hossa and defenceman Zdeno Chara could be left out in the cold by a Slovakian roster shuffle.
In a bid to have as many NHL players as possible in its lineup, Slovakian GM Peter Stastny has asked the IIHF to be allowed to enter a smaller roster than the minimum 15 skaters, plus two goalies, at tonight's midnight deadline for the Olympic preliminary hockey tournament.
As Stastny awaits a ruling from the IIHF, the Slovaks practised with only 13 skaters and two goalies yesterday at the E Center.
Stastny told reporters that if Zigmund Palffy and Lubomir Visnovsky are released for two games by the Los Angeles Kings, then Hossa and Chara may not be required to fly here to suit up against Latvia on Sunday.
Hossa and Chara are just two of several players who are supposed to be parachuted in to help Slovakia in its bid to advance to the main Olympic tournament. Phoenix' Michal Handzus and Ladislav Nagy, along with Washington's Peter Bondra, are also on the list.
UNCERTAIN PLANS
"I don't know anything about it," Hossa said last night from Buffalo, where he's nursing a sore knee as the Senators prepare to play the Sabres tonight. "As far as I know, myself and (Chara) are still planning to go there after tomorrow's game (against Detroit at the Corel Centre) to play Sunday. That's always been the plan and I don't know anything about it changing."
Slovakia won't make its decision until this morning. It is also waiting for a decision on the availability of Florida's Robert Svehla.
As it stands, Slovakia could be forced to forfeit the tournament because it doesn't have enough bodies on hand, but IIHF spokesman Dave Fitzpatrick told the Sun last night the rules of participation are clear.
"These rules have been in place since 1992 and everybody knows what they consist of," said Fitzpatrick. "I received the request from (Slovakia on Wednesday), I looked at it and just passed it on to (president) Rene Fasel and (general secretary) Jan-Ake Edvinsson to look at.
"I know the problem they're having, but they know the rules and if they want to have 15 players in the lineup I know they can do it. They've got a problem because they've got to get NHL players released for certain games. But to put a player on the list, he physically has to be here."
OLYMPIC DREAM:
A shocked student at the University of Utah was wondering what a reporter was doing with a beer in his hand following a Canadian team reception Wednesday night. "Where'd you get that?" he asked. Told they were being served at the party upstairs, Stu Dent replied, "It's nice to see a beer in one of these hallways. This is a dry campus. I've never seen a drink up here." ... Here's a plan that will probably be nixed by Team Canada coach Pat Quinn: Newly appointed Minister of Sport Paul DeVilliers, a former player with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, would like to go for a twirl with the boys when they arrive here next week. It would be a perfect photo opportunity for a politician, but Quinn doesn't seem like the kind of guy who has time for this stuff ... Figure skater Elizabeth Manley, the 1988 Olympic silver medallist, was on hand at the Canadian team gathering here. She didn't speak, but was introduced to the audience. Manley's been working as a coach in Florida ... The biggest challenge of the Games: Getting a cab. Apparently, Salt Lake City doesn't have enough and none were brought in for the Games. "This has been great for me. I've made a boatload of cash since these things started," said my personal driver Bill. "I might be able to file for my retirement papers after this." Best wishes.
2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
