COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Fifteen NHL players and one
collegian make up the preliminary roster for the U.S. hockey team
that will compete at the upcoming world championships.
The initial selections for the International Ice Hockey
Federation men's world championship was announced Wednesday, 17
days before the competition begins in Hannover, Cologne, and
Nuremburg, Germany.
The remaining seven members of the 23-player team for the
two-week tournament will be announced later this month.
Only goalie Ryan Miller from Michigan State did not see
significant action in the NHL this season. The Hobey Baker award
winner as the top college player will be joined in the nets by Rick
DiPietro, the only goalie chosen with the first pick in the
league's entry draft, and Phoenix's Robert Esche.
The forwards are Jim Campbell (Montreal), Tim Connolly and Mark
Parrish (N.Y. Islanders), Matt Cullen (Anaheim), Darby Hendrickson
(Minnesota), David Legwand (Nashville), and Landon Wilson
(Phoenix).
The defensemen are Mark Eaton (Nashville), Hal Gill and Eric
Weinrich (Boston), Bret Hedican (Florida), Phil Housley (Calgary),
and Deron Quint (Columbus).
Lou Vairo, chosen as an assistant for the 2002 U.S. Olympic
team, will be the head coach of the world championships squad for
the second straight year.
Of these selections, 10 players have represented the United
States in other world championships competition. Weinrich, Hedican,
Campbell and Hendrickson participated in past Olympics.
Weinrich and Hendrickson are making their fifth and sixth
consecutive appearances, respectively, on the national team and are
among six players returning from last year's squad. It will be the
seventh overall appearance for Weinrich, the most by any active
American player.
Last month, USA Hockey made the first 10 selections for next
year's Salt Lake City Olympics. None of those players will play in
this tournament.
The U.S. team, which was 4-1-2 and finished fifth last year,
begins preliminary-round play April 28 vs. Ukraine.
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