On some level, the Olympics are about names. Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Nancy Kerrigan and Nadia Comaneci are well-known in their own countries. Even in hockey, a team event, individual names still carry their connotations. Boris Mikhailov, Peter Forsberg and Mike Eruzione can be associated with moments in Olympic hockey history.
So when the NHL began sending players, in 1998, the tournament was loaded with known entities. When they began to shine on the brightest stage, it took hockey to another level. Even with Hall of Fame NHL careers, the performances of players like Dominik Hasek, Sidney Crosby and Teemu Selanne in the Olympic arena have put them on an even higher pedestal.
So it is understandable that fans are disappointed that the 2018 Olympics will not provide that opportunity. However, the names on the U.S. Olympic roster are not anonymous. Loaded with New England connections, the names are friends, family, stars in many of our hockey circles. As so many before them have done, they will have the chance to etch that name into the annals of Olympic hockey history.
Captain America
Brian Gionta | Boston College
At this point, there is not much new you can say about Rochester, N.Y., native Gionta. In 2001, the diminutive forward guided the Eagles to their first NCAA title in more than 50 years. He had been silencing critics before then, and would continue to after. He played in more than 1,000 NHL games. He won a Stanley Cup in 2003 with the New Jersey Devils. With his family his main consideration in the twilight of his career, Gionta was not tempted by any NHL offers. That didn’t mean he was ready to hang up his skates, though.
"I still had the itch to play," he said. "I had a couple of opportunities in the NHL that just didn’t work out family wise, so this was kind of the next best scenario."
Despite playing limited games since last season, Gionta does not sound concerned about any rust. "I’d liken it much to the last lockout in the NHL that we had. I feel in better shape than I was then."
Gionta is one of the only guys who hasn’t really played with anyone else on the roster, but the captain has done his part to try to unite the team. He claimed he is willing to fill as extensive or limited a role as the team decides, as long as he is doing his part, yet it is tough to imagine his skills being left on the bench. After all, he did manage to rack up 15 goals last year with the Buffalo Sabres. The only thing that seems to be missing in his illustrious career is an Olympic medal, and now he’ll get one more chance to collect one.
The Bulldogs
Mark Arcobello | Milford, Conn. | Yale, Salisbury
Broc Little | Yale, Cushing Academy
Brian O’Neill | Yale
If assistant coach Keith Allain (Worcester, Mass.) often seems cheery on the USA bench, don’t be alarmed. With three alumni on this roster, the Yale bench boss will have a lot to be proud of in PyeongChang. For their part, Arcobello, Little and O’Neill are excited to take the ice together again. All three overlapped during their times at Yale, and all three have been offensive forces in Europe. Arcobello led the Swiss League in scoring last season, guiding SC Bern to a championship. Little finished second in the Swedish League in scoring. O’Neill, meanwhile, has been a driving force for Jokerit in the KHL the past two seasons. Now, the question remains: Will their history be utilized?
"We started out as a line at the Deutschland Cup," Arcobello began. "I think in that way, the coaches were trying to see if we still had some familiarity. It is a really unique experience to be able to share with Broc, Brian, and Keith."
O’Neill, too, was glad to be reunited with his good friends. He is going to let the coaches make the line decisions. "Mentally, I’m preparing for all scenarios and situations," he said. "I plan on bringing energy and an edge to the team, both of which are in my control."
Little expects that having played against Slovakia and Russia in November might help from a tactical standpoint, but does hope the U.S. will exploit this Yale trio. "In college, I played on a line with Arcobello basically my whole junior season and had a great year. He’s, obviously, a very skilled player. Brian’s a great player as well."
United or divided, these three ought to be a driving factor for the U.S. offense.
The Terriers
John McCarthy | Andover, Mass. | Boston University
Matt Gilroy | Boston University, Walpole Jr. Stars
Jordan Greenway | Boston University
The movie "Miracle" put a lot of emphasis on the tension between the Massachusettsans and Minnesotans. Things might have changed since. What hasn’t changed is the status of Boston University. The 1980 team boasted four Terriers on the squad. This team also will have four alums, including Chris Bourque (Topsfield, Mass.). McCarthy and Gilroy were key components to BU’s last national champions. Both shared the captaincy in 2009 when BU won the title and Gilroy nabbed the Hobey Baker. Gilroy has now become a KHL All-Star, still controlling games with his two-way play. Current teammate O’Neill lauded, "You would be hard-pressed to find a better right-handed defensemen in the KHL."
McCarthy has become a valuable piece in the San Jose Sharks system. He has never really been able to stick in the NHL, which led to him being given one-way status in the AHL. "I am pretty much a full-time minor league player now. At first, it was a little bit disappointing to me," McCarthy admitted, "but I take pride in the leadership role that I fulfill in the AHL. And now that this transition has allowed me to play in the Olympics, it turned out for the best."
Both GM Jim Johansson — who tragically passed away in his sleep in January — and coach Tony Granato emphasized how valuable special teams are, and it is clear the selection of McCarthy to the roster was to add some grit to the penalty kill. Coach Granato explained "We started to identify the fact that we needed a guy that would understand the responsibility of a penalty killer. (John is) an all-in type of player that will do whatever it takes to win."
Meanwhile, Greenway is clearly doing something right in the eyes of USA Hockey. After helping the U.S. junior team to gold two years ago, he was added to the World Championship roster last spring. Now, he has earned his Olympic debut. If you think it is just for show, Granato insists the contrary. "We didn’t pick out guys to kind of groom them for the next Olympics," the coach noted, of the four collegians on the roster. "We put them on our team because they’re going to be big parts of it and have a major impact on what we do."
With his big frame, do not be surprised to see Jordan creating havoc in front of opposing goaltenders.
The Underdog
Ryan Gunderson | University of Vermont
As featured in Over the Borders this month (see digital edition), Gunderson transformed himself from undersized walk-on into perennial European All-Star. Having played in both the Swedish League and the KHL, he has competed against the best opponents outside the NHL. Also, he has competed with and against a lot of the faces you might see representing hockey powerhouses Sweden and Russia. This is a defensive corps with a lot of offensive upside, and Gunderson might lead that charge.
The Legacies
Chris Bourque | Topsfield, Mass. | BU, Cushing
Ryan Donato | Scituate, Mass. | Harvard, Dexter
Bruins fans, of course, know these surnames well. Fathers Ray and Ted were beloved in Boston. Chris, unfortunately, had quite the name to live up to. Ray was one of the best defensemen of his generation. Doubly cursed with a 5-foot-8 frame, Chris had little hope of putting himself on the same plane as his father. That is not to say that this Bourque can’t hack it. Chris has been nearly a point-per-game player in the AHL, and, assuming he’s got a few years left in the tank, likely will go down as one of the best AHLers of all time. He’s got plenty of offensive talent, and now he has the chance to accomplish one thing his father never did: Win a gold medal. Ryan, on the other hand, is predicted to be better than his father (he already has scored more goals at Harvard than his old man). Despite impressing during the Bruins’ training camp, Ryan returned to Harvard for his junior year. That opened the door for this nomination. Some have argued he is NHL ready, and this could be a chance to prove it.
The Buzzworthy
Noah Welch | Brighton, Mass. | Harvard, St. Sebs
Bobby Butler | Marlboro, Mass. | UNH, Boston Jr. Bruins
These two might have provided two of the best newsbreaking stories from the Olympics. Welch relayed his: "I was building a snowman with my family when Jim (Johansson) called to tell me I made the team. My wife figured out what was going on and tackled me on the snow and my son and daughter were in on the pig pile on dad. It was awesome — a memory I’ll never forget."
While his wife and kids might have been able to push him around, it is not something you see much on the ice. The 6-foot-3 defenseman has been a fearsome presence in his own zone for the past seven years in Sweden, and he wasn’t shy about his intentions for the opposition.
"Playing physical is also something I think the coaches want from me," Welch said. "However, it’s a fine line. The way the game is called now, the offensive players have the advantage. Every big hit has the potential to be a penalty. But, it also has the potential to be a game changer. So, it’s about picking the right opportunities and making sure it’s hard but clean."
Butler, meanwhile, used a practice to break the news to his father, one of many dedicated hockey parents. The Milwaukee Admirals posted the video of him breaking the news to a clearly ecstatic dad. After years of the up-and-down life, he took his game to Europe for a couple seasons, but the Olympics helped bring him back stateside.
"I got word kind of right before I was about to sign that AHLers were going to be OK," Butler acknowledged. "It was good for me to be here and be playing here."
A former teammate of Welch’s in Sweden, Butler always has brought some offensive punch to whatever lineup he has been in. His 16 goals pace the Milwaukee Admirals and put him just three behind the AHL leader.
