Where's Derian Hatcher?

	Derian Hatcher is conspicuous by his 6-foot-5 frame -- and his absence from Team USA.

As of this typing, he's in Columbus, Ohio, actually, probably taking his pregame nap.

But the omission of the Dallas Stars' veteran defenseman from the United States Olympic team altogether is the most curious decision made by Herb Brooks and the team staff.

The final six choices announced Saturday -- forwards Adam Deadmarsh, Brian Rolston and Mike York; and defensemen Aaron Miller, Phil Housley and Tom Poti -- weren't shocking in and of themselves.

Yet as the final 23-man roster shapes up, the Americans appear short of nastiness on defense, despite the presence of Chris Chelios and Gary Suter. That underscores the fact that Brooks and the USA staff believe that Olympic hockey on the wider international ice surface is the same sport, but a different game altogether.

On the conference call announcing the choices Saturday, general manager Craig Patrick and coach Herb Brooks were put in the difficult position of justifying their choices without "knocking" those left off.

Patrick said Hatcher "was considered very highly in this process. We feel he performed really, really well in the (1996) World Cup and he performs really, really well on a smaller ice surface. That's not to say he couldn't on a larger ice surface, but we feel the people we chose will be able to achieve what we want to achieve at the Olympics."

Patrick characterized Hatcher as a "very strong" skater, "but if you look at the people we chose, their skating abilities are a lot better for the bigger ice surface."

They're right, of course. The issue, though, was how far to go in acknowledgment of that reality. In the past, Canada has virtually ignored the implications of the wider ice, both in the selection process and style of play, and paid for it. But there is such a thing as overcompensation, as well.

Nastiness, that mean-spirited work in front of the net, or at the blue line, or in the corners, still can be critical in the international game -- and the fact that NHL referees will be working the Games means the parameters will be familiar. Hatcher has been known to take stupid penalties, of course, and there's no disputing that his skating can make him look as if he's got a 90-pound backpack on over his sweater. Even at 37, Suter, for example, is a "better" combination of the sort of aggression Hatcher delivers every shift, plus skating ability.

That all said, IT'S ONLY SEVEN AND A HALF FEET FARTHER TO THE BOARDS!

We're not talking about the difference between, oh, the width of the creek down the street and the Mississippi River. So there is a balance to be struck here. Hatcher should have been on the team, ahead of either Poti or Miller. A Canada vs. USA game isn't even guaranteed. The Americans will face Russia, Finland and a preliminary-round survivor in the pool play that does nothing but set the quarterfinal seedings. But a Canada-USA meeting seems likely, and that's where Hatcher would be handy.

Craig Patrick, Larry Pleau, Herb Brooks and the USA Hockey officials are astute hockey men, of course, and otherwise this team seems to be a reasonably constructed team -- as opposed to a single-minded quest to name the "best" players.

The additions of Tom Barrasso and Mike Richter, announced Wednesday, weren't out of line under the conventional wisdom. Although team officials wouldn't come out and say it, of course, they probably wish they had done what Canada did during the Olympic selection process -- and not included any goaltenders among the early choices.

The selection of Nashville's Mike Dunham to the USA team last spring was defensible -- and his inclusion on the team still is. But it's just that the USA probably needlessly limited its options with the early selection, one of which would have been to go with the Flyers' Brian Boucher as one of the three goaltending choices. Boucher has been terrific for the Flyers this season after recovering from a hamstring problem, and he has re-established himself as one of the top young goalies in the game. Dunham has only been so-so for the Predators this season.

Defensively, beyond the issue of Hatcher's exclusion, the seven-man group is a solid mix. Housley's addition might raise some eyebrows, but this also needs to be kept in mind: His first Olympic berth is a way for USA Hockey to salute Housley in his twilight. And his excellent season with the Blackhawks shows this was no charity choice and will be an asset.

Mathieu Schneider's injury problems made him too much of a risk. You could make a case for Keith Carney or Eric Weinrich as veteran presences, and for Hal Gill as another solid young defenseman who will be a regular on future USA teams. But the omission of Hatcher was the only decision on defense that is worthy of "hey-wait-a-minute!" argument. If Poti's broken finger keeps him out longer than the expect three weeks, he might have to be replaced.

At forward, the glaring omission is -- or at least it should be considered that way -- Senators winger Shawn McEachern, who played for the Americans at Albertville in 1992 before joining the Penguins. He's the sort of speedy and versatile player, with open-ice skills, who would have been a complementary winger on this roster.

Instead, the Americans went with Rolston, who has been one of the most tantalizing players in the league for the past few years, and his hands are finally catching up to his skating. His big season with the Bruins -- yes, he's been more productive than McEachern -- warranted a look, and this is another case of USA Hockey folks thinking he might be even better in the international game.

Deadmarsh is the best U.S. Olympian ever born in Trail, British Columbia, and he finally won over Brooks, who seemed to be ambivalent at best about the Kings' power forward. Mike Grier is having an unproductive season at Edmonton; otherwise, he would have been a justifiable alternative as a banging, physical presence up front. And the other Saturday choice, York, at least could tell his Rangers linemates, Eric Lindros and Theo Fleury, to go F-L-Y away.

Other omissions there were difficult as well -- but isn't that inevitable? Scott Gomez has flattened out since his rookie season, and he played his way off the team more than he was eliminated. Mark Parrish is a terrific, yet streaky, scorer, and the other options were more reliable. Craig Conroy's big season at Calgary thrust him into the picture, but that wasn't enough.

Quibble here, quibble there. If we weren't doing this, this wouldn't be America -- or America's Team.

Terry Frei of The Denver Post is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. His e-mail address for feedback, signed with names and hometowns, is ChipHilton23@hotmail.com.