World Championships, Division I, Group A

(Jack Barron, 07-apr 2001) Last week, the main French headlines concerned Grenoble. No, feel reassured, they didn't have a sudden passion for the fastest sport on Earth and for the World Chmpionships Division I host by this city. They covered the trial of the Order of the Solar Temple, this sect whose members perished in fire in order to cross a stage towards a higher level of consciousness and to join a better world: Sirius star.

In the same time, another sect with strange followers dressed in blue had its wings burned in a similar experience: French national team. Don't mock too quickly the credulity of those people. They really thought that this tournament would only be a stage towards a higher level, and that, in the beyond, they would join a wonderful world: Pool A.

The Solar Temple recruited its followers in France, in Switzerland and in Canada. For its part, France gathered players from France, Switzerland (Bozon and Huet from Lugano) and North America (promising Treille and Meunier from Mass-Lowell University in Massachussets). There was also one guy from Great Britain (Manchester's Allard) but no one from Germany (Briand, Barin and Ouellet were all injured).

Yet, contray to the Solar Temple, no guru told fake promises to the followers from the Blue Temple: their coach Heikki Leime even said once he aimed at Pool A... within two years. The problem is nobody believed him when he said that. France would finish first in the tournament it organized, that was a certainty.

The preparation against Pool A nations (Finland, Latvia, Germany) was an eyewash: French weren't ready to take on the responsibility of the game against weaker nations. They heard too often that Poland and Denmark were the two most dangerous rivals and neglected the so-called mere formalities (the Netherlands and Hungary). So their hopes had already vanished before the presumed decisive games.

It was a godsend for the Polish who were almost qualified in Pool A (they just had to beat Lithuania, they did it 13-2) the night of their game against Denmark, after three matches only. They deserved this promotion as they acomplished a perfect tournament... during four games two thirds. Indeed, at the end of the second period against France, their goal wasn't allowed because of a refereeing error: the linesman shouldn't have made the face-off as the French weren't ready and had only three players n the ice instead of three. They were disconcerted by the incident and took three goals in the beginning of the third period. Until then, they were very disciplined defensively. The national team comeback of 39-year old Andrzej Schubert proved to be very useful. France took the second place by defeating Denmark and Poland and wonder all the more why they failed in previous games. The young and inexperienced defence often let Cristobal Huet alone and disarmed facing breakaways. The offense too often lie on Bozon to score goals. After the game against the Netherlands, Leime changed the lines, but Maurice Rozenthal (with Bozon and Pouget) and Laurent Gras (on the sides of Meunier and Treille) found perfectly their marks... only in the last game, far too late. In Briand's absence (wrist injury in the last DEL game with Augsburg), Barin was perfect in the role of linemate for Bozon and Pouget during the friendly game against Germany... before he was injured in the shoulder. Another serious problem for Frenchmen: they opened their games disastrously, which provowked a chain reaction. Once they were led, they rushed over the puck and forgot tactics and physical play in neutral zone, especially against Hungary. Now, French ice hockey has to learn to do the splits: under 20 are in the world elite, but under 18 two levels below. The national team will participate to the Olympic Games, but has to wait another season in this division I.

Denmark was disappointing too. Like his nervous leader (Kim Staal, game misconduct against France), the rising team in the last years lose its momentum because they took too many penalties: they offered, against both Poland and France, a two-man advantage which enabled their opponents to go ahead. Sure they are frustrated because they always miss the good wagon, but they will have to change their attitude if they wan to reach Pool A at last.

A contrario Hungary was a good surprise: win over France is now a reference for Tamas Gröschl team-mates, but they also proved their value in other games, especially against the Netherlands (8-2). The Dutch team lacked this consistency and had only one good game against France. They have a better first line than the Hungarians with Tom Hartogs and the Dutch/Canadians, but they really lack depth when you consider the rest of the roster.

As for Lithuania, they were very far from the best nations, but lost only by one goal to the Dutch and the Hungarians. Nevertheless, the two-figure scores in the other group showed the new division I is not necessarily a good idea. Former eight-team Pool B could have engendered a enthrilling, tighter tournament.

Canadian team in 2002 won't have Joseph riding pine like in '98

(From Edmonton Journal - Thu 9th November 2000) Take this to the bank for 2002 in Salt Lake City. Curtis Joseph will either be the starter or the backup because his Leaf coach Pat Quinn is running the Team Canada bench.
    Patrick Roy, even if he has more wins than anyone, might not even be one of the three goalies taken. Eddie Belfour, who plays for Canadian assistant coach Ken Hitchcock, and Marty Brodeur, who has two Cup rings, may be ahead of Roy.
    "The biggest thing about Nagano was we didn't have (Paul) Kariya and (Joe) Sakic (against the Czechs) ... and we really missed their scoring touch," said Gretzky. Kariya missed the 1998 tournament with a concussion after Gary Suter cross-checked him on the jaw in a Chicago-Anaheim game. Sakic pulled his groin in Nagano. Both would have been on the five-man shootout against Hasek.
    In '98, Rob Zamuner was the most shocking selection, a role player from Tampa Bay. But he'd played well for Canada in the world championship, so was rewarded. You won't see Zamuner on this team, but you might see a surprise pick like John Madden from New Jersey. He's a great penalty killer, can skate and, heck, he scored four goals in a game this year.
    There'll be new blood for sure. Kids like Vincent Lecavalier and fellow centre Joe Thornton, maybe Anson Carter from Boston, who's versatile. Ryan Smyth, strong at the worlds last spring, has Team Canada assistant director Kevin Lowe as his booster. Smyth epitomizes what Canada wants -- a go, go guy like John Tonelli was on the '84 Canada Cup team.
    "We're going to have some young players on the team," said Lowe, "but it's best to also have some people who've been to the Olympics before ... guys who can stand up in the dressing room and say what it's like."
If you're looking for a 23-man lineup, here's what an early roster might look like.

Goal: Joseph, Belfour, Brodeur.
Defence: Chris Pronger, Rob Blake, Adam Foote, Wade Redden, Rob Niedermayer, Ed Jovanovski and Richard Matvichuk.
Forwards: Kariya, Sakic, Mark Recchi, Keith Primeau, Lecavalier, Thornton, Smyth, Brendan Shanahan, Eric Lindros, Madden, Carter, Jarome Iginla and Jeff Friesen.

The problem facing Canada is the same as the U.S. team. Some players may be too old in 2002. Like Ray Bourque. Al MacInnis. Scott Stevens. Steve Yzerman. But there's excuse for experience. Gretzky was 37 in '98 in Nagano and was one of the best players. Who knows if all the blows to Lindros's head will drive him from the game before Salt Lake City?