Tony Granato Named Assistant Coach for 2014 United States Olympic Team

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1 Daily Clips 7/23/13 Tony Granato Named Assistant Coach for 2014 United States Olympic Team Andy Saucier named Team USA Video Coordinator Tuesday, / 9:08 AM / News Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins assistant coach Tony Granato was named one of Dan Bylsma's three assistant coaches for the 2014 United States Olympic Team, it was announced today by USA Hockey. Penguins video coordinator Andy Saucier was also announced as Team USA's video coordinator. Granato is joined on the staff by Philadelphia Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette and Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Todd Richards - a former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach. Granato, who is entering his fifth season as a Penguins assistant coach, previously represented Team USA as a player at the 1988 Olympic Games. Granato also suited up for Team USA at three World Championships (1985, '86, '87), two World Junior Championships (1983, '84) and the 1991 Canada Cup. Saucier is entering his second season with Pittsburgh following three seasons with the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Penguins have four coaches or executives associated with Team USA's staff with Ray Shero serving as associate general manager for the U.S. Penguins Fleury out of Canada s Olympic plans By Josh Yohe

2 Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be two of the most visible athletes when the Winter Olympics begin February in Sochi, Russia. Their goaltender can't say the same. Marc-Andre Fleury, once considered among the favorites to play between the pipes as Canada attempts to win a second straight gold medal, wasn't even one of the five goaltenders invited to Team Canada's orientation camp. Instead, Canada invited Phoenix's Mike Smith, Montreal's Carey Price, Vancouver's Roberto Luongo, Washington's Braden Holtby and Chicago's Corey Crawford. Among that group, only Luongo has played in the Olympics, and his stock has dropped continually since backstopping Canada's gold medal in Fleury was the third goaltender on Canada's 2010 gold-medal team and as recently as last spring was considered a lock to make the Canadian squad, if not be its starter. However, another postseason meltdown apparently has soured Canada on the 28-year-old Fleury. After leading the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances and winning the championship in 2009 Fleury has produced save percentages under.900 in each of his subsequent four postseason appearances. He hit rock bottom in Game 4 of the first round of the 2013 playoffs against the New York Islanders, allowing six goals in the 6-4 loss, which compelled coach Dan Bylsma to go to Tomas Vokoun. Fleury played once more that spring, allowing a goal on the first shot he faced in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final against Boston. Crosby, meanwhile, is delighted to have another opportunity at Olympic glory. He scored the game-winning goal in overtime of the 2010 gold-medal game to give Canada its second gold medal in the past three Olympics. It's obviously a very exciting thing to be a part of, Crosby said. I'm really looking forward to it. It's something Canada takes very seriously. Crosby doesn't figure to be alone in Russia, and he definitely won't be alone when Team Canada meets for its orientation camp. Three other Penguins were invited: forwards James Neal and Chris Kunitz and defenseman Kris Letang. Neal is a former 40-goal scorer, Letang is a virtual lock after being nominated for the Norris Trophy this season, and Kunitz is Crosby's preferred left wing, which could compel Canada coach Mike Babcock to seriously consider him.

3 Team USA's orientation camp also will feature a number of Penguins. Defensemen Paul Martin and Brooks Orpik are considered strong candidates to make the team and, given that they play together and that chemistry is difficult to generate in such a short tournament, could be paired. Forward Beau Bennett, who just completed his rookie season, also was invited to the orientation camp. Malkin will attend Russia's orientation camp, and Penguins forward Jussi Jokinen has been invited to Finland's camp. Canada invites Penguins' Kunitz to Olympic camp By Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Left winger Chris Kunitz missed the call from Canadian Olympic team executive director Steve Yzerman, but he described it as "an honor to listen to the voic ." Then he put his phone to more good use and began picking Penguins linemate Sidney Crosby's brain via text message about what the Team Canada Olympic orientation camp is like. "I'm just really excited I got the invite," Kunitz said Monday, the day eight Penguins were asked to attend their country's Olympic orientation camp in advance of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In addition to Crosby -- who scored the overtime goal that clinched the gold medal for Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Games -- and Kunitz, defenseman Kris Letang and right winger James Neal are on the roster for Canada's camp Aug in Calgary. Center Evgeni Malkin, who has played in the past two Olympics, was invited to Russia's camp Aug in Sochi. Also on the Russian invitee list is former Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Defensemen Brooks Orpik and Paul Martin, and winger Beau Bennett are on the roster for a Team USA camp Aug in suburban Washington. Orpik was a silver medalist in Vancouver, and Martin played in the 2006 Olympics. The 2014 team will be coached by the Penguins' Dan Bylsma. In addition, Team USA invited forward Brandon Saad, of Gibsonia and the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, and goaltender John Gibson, a Whitehall native and Anaheim

4 Ducks prospect who was named MVP of the world junior championships last winter as the Americans won the gold medal. Previously, it was announced that Penguins forward Jussi Jokinen is on Finland's preliminary Olympic roster. He played in the 2006 Games. Noticeably absent from the Team Canada camp roster is Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who served as the No. 3 goalie in 2010, but did not play. He has struggled the past couple of years in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Also missing from Canada's invitees is former Penguins winger Jarome Iginla, who has played in past three Olympics. Kunitz, Letang, Neal and Bennett would be first-time Olympians for the Penguins if they make the cut. The Olympic camps will help organizers determine their 25-man rosters, which must be submitted by Dec. 31. Players whose stock rises can be named to Olympic teams even if they were not invited to their country's orientation camp. Crosby predicted last week that teams probably won't finalize their rosters until after seeing how players perform through the first half the upcoming season. One factor that could weigh into personnel decisions is that Olympic hockey this time returns to the larger international ice surface. It was played on an NHL-sized rink in 2010 in Vancouver. "It's definitely a different game," Crosby, who has played overseas many times, said of the bigger sheet. "It's a little bit more of a puck-possession game. There's a lot more time with the puck. I think making decisions, the way you play, your systems, there's definitely going to be an adjustment there. "I think speed will be even more important with that big ice. Physical play is always important, but, with the bigger ice, it's probably going to be a little tougher to establish that, so I think speed and skill are really going to be a big part of that game." Kunitz agreed, although he has little experience playing on the expanded rinks. Only three skaters on the Canadian camp roster are older than Kunitz, 33, whose international experience playing for his country is limited to the 2008 world championships. "It's all new to me," Kunitz said. "I'm just really glad I got the invite." Kunitz plays with a physical edge and is vigilant about getting in front of the net, a style that isn't always rewarded with a spot in the Olympics, but in the three seasons since the most

5 recent Olympics he has 71 goals, 161 points in 196 games while developing tremendous chemistry with Crosby. "I don't usually change too much; I'm in a pretty good niche the way I can play," Kunitz said. "Maybe the last few years I contributed a little more on offense." Still, he said, getting invited to Canada's camp "was a huge surprise, just looking at the names of the guys, the young talent. It's a huge honor for me." Team Canada also announced that the Detroit Red Wings' Mike Babcock will return as head coach, along with three associates from the NHL: St. Louis' Ken Hitchcock, Boston's Claude Julien and Dallas' Lindy Ruff. Crosby, Malkin among Penguins invited to Olympic orientations By Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Several Penguins are headed to their country's orientation camps for the Winter Olympics. Center Evgeni Malkin, who has played in the past two Winter Olympics, has been invited to Team Russia's orientation camp Aug in Sochi, Russia, the host city for the 2014 Games. Center Sidney Crosby, defenseman Kris Letang and wingers James Neal and Chris Kunitz have been invited to Team Canada's camp, Aug in Calgary. Defensemen Brooks Orpik and Paul Martin, and winger Beau Bennett are on the roster for the Team USA camp Aug in suburban Washington, D.C. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma previously was named head coach for the Americans. Crosby scored the gold-medal-clinching overtime goal for Canada in 2010 at the Vancouver Games. Letang, Neal and Kunitz have not played in the Olympics. Not on Canada's camp roster are Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who served as the No. 3 goalie, but did not play, in 2010; and former Penguins winger Jarome Iginla, a three-time Olympian. Orpik was on the silver-medal American team in 2010, and Martin played in the 2006 Olympics. Bennett, 21, has not played in the Olympics.

6 Also on the American camp roster are forward Brandon Saad, of Gibsonia and the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, and goaltender John Gibson, a Whitehall native and Anaheim Ducks prospect who was the MVP of the world junior championships last winter for the goldmedal Team USA squad. Also in the Russian invitee list is former Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Team rosters for the 2014 Games must be finalized by Dec. 31. Sidney Crosby Among Four Penguins Invited to Canadian Olympic Orientation Camp Letang, Neal and Kunitz also invited Monday, / 2:04 PM / News Penguins Sidney Crosby headlined a group of 47 players invited to Hockey Canada's orientation camp today. Also invited were Kris Letang, James Neal and Chris Kunitz. Canada s Olympic orientation camp will be held August in Calgary, Alberta. Crosby was Canada s hero at the 2010 Games, scoring the overtime game-winning goal against the United States to clinch the gold. An alternate captain on that team, Crosby finished the 2010 Olympics with four goals, three goals and seven points in seven games. Crosby has also starred internationally for Canada at the World Championships and at the World Junior Championships. He was the youngest player ever to lead the World Championships in scoring at the 2006 tournament, registering 16 point (8G-8A) in nine games as an 18 year old.

7 Letang, the NHL s highest-scoring defenseman in 12-13, won back-to-back gold medals with Team Canada in the 2006 and 07 World Junior Championships serving as his team s captain in 07. He led all defensemen with six assists in 07, earning himself a spot on the All- Tournament Team. Neal, Pittsburgh s second-leading goal scorer in with 21, has previously played in the 2011 and 09 World Championships and the 2007 World Junior Championships where he helped the Canadians win a gold medal while teaming with Letang. Kunitz, who led the Penguins with 22 goals in 12-13, represented Canada one time at the 2008 World Championships, totaling seven points (2G-5A) in nine games Orpik, Martin, Bennett Invited to USA Hockey Olympic Orientation Camp Monday, / 2:24 PM / News Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins and Team USA head coach Dan Bylsma will have a trio of familiar faces with him when he runs the USA Hockey Olympic Orientation Camp August in Washington, D.C. Brooks Orpik a member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team that won a silver medal Paul Martin and Beau Bennett were among the group of players invited to participate in the camp, which will be held at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

8 Orpik, who led Pittsburgh defenders with 119 hits, 114 blocked shots and a plus-17 rating in , has represented USA Hockey three times internationally during his career the 2010 Olympics, 2006 World Championships and the 2000 World Junior Championships. He played in all six games during Team USA s thrilling run to the 2010 Gold Medal Game, where it fell in overtime to Canada, 2-1. Martin, coming off arguably his best NHL season in 12-13, was selected to play on the 2010 Olympic Team, but he was not able to play in the tournament due to a forearm injury. The Elk River, Minnesota native played for Team USA twice at the World Championships (2005, 08); in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and in the 2001 World Junior Championships. During the 2008 World Championships he was voted by the media as one of USA s Top Three Players on the team after collecting eight points (1G-7A) in seven contests. Bennett is one of the youngest U.S. players invited to the camp following a rookie campaign that saw him net three goals and 14 points in 26 NHL games with Pittsburgh and 28 points (7G-21A) in 39 American Hockey League (AHL) games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He was named WBS rookie of the year and was selected to play in the AHL All-Star Classic. Bennett is looking to represent Team USA internationally for the first time. Goalie situation for Canada to draw plenty of scrutiny Monday, / 5:06 PM / 2014 Olympics By Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer Would it surprise anyone if the most talked about position for the Canadian Olympic team leading up to the 2014 Sochi Games in February happens to be who starts between the pipes for the defending gold medalist? Probably not.

9 After all, there were two noticeable absentees -- the New Jersey Devils' Martin Brodeur and the Pittsburgh Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury -- from the country's 47-player orientation camp roster released Monday by Hockey Canada. The goalie invitees for Canada's camp are Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks, Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens, Mike Smith of the Phoenix Coyotes, Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals and Corey Crawford of the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. "We'll worry about the starter [in goal] after naming the final three that we'll take to Sochi," Canada executive director Steve Yzerman said during a conference call Monday. "I think some of that will work itself out over the course of the first part of the season." After taking over for Brodeur during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Luongo led Canada to the gold medal, including a 34-save effort in Canada's overtime win against the United States in the championship game. "Look at the group we named [for camp]," Yzerman said. "Roberto was the goalie in Vancouver and is experienced, and I would assume he would play a lot in the first half of the [ ] season, which will bode well for Canada and for Roberto's hopes of being on this team. "Some of the names have changed a bit, but the situation will resolve itself as we go along." Brodeur dressed as the backup to Luongo, while Fleury was the third goalie in Vancouver. Canada coach Mike Babcock said he is anticipating a good competition between the five goalies invited to camp, which is scheduled Aug in Calgary. "No question there's a whole bunch of guys vying for that job," Babcock said. "It's not a lockdown position like it's been in the past, so the first three months of the season will be very important in making that decision." Luongo finished 5-0 with one shutout, a 1.76 goals-against average and a.926 save percentage in five games during the 2010 Games. Brodeur was 0-1 in two games, with a 2.90 GAA and.866 save percentage. Fleury did not play. "We have a great nucleus of players that all want to play for Canada and getting off to a good start in the [NHL] regular season and showing how good they can play is going to be important for them if they want to play on the team," Babcock said. Crosby, Toews lead Canada's Olympic camp roster Monday, / 5:07 PM / 2014 Olympics

10 By Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer Hockey Canada took the first major step in defense of its Olympic gold medal Monday by announcing the 47 players invited to the country's orientation camp, set to take place in Calgary from Aug Five goalies, 17 defensemen and 25 forwards will battle for an opportunity to represent Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The men's hockey tournament begins Feb. 12 and concludes with the gold-medal game Feb. 23 at 7 a.m. ET. According to Canada executive director Steve Yzerman, the management team will need to pare the roster to the required 25-player Olympic roster maximum approximately five to six weeks before the start of the Games. Yzerman said he expects the final breakdown to include 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies. "We're not putting together a team for an NHL All-Star Game we're putting together the best possible team we can to compete against the best players in the world and try to win a gold medal," Yzerman said during a conference call. "Part of that comes with players that can do specific things for us." Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will join four of his teammates at the camp. Three Staal brothers will be there, as well as four players each from the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins, including captain Sidney Crosby. The Canadians, who defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime to win gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, will be in a pool with Finland, Norway and Austria in Russia. Earlier Monday, it was announced Mike Babcock of the Detroit Red Wings will return to coach Canada's Olympic team. Joining him on the coaching staff are St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock, Dallas Stars coach Lindy Ruff and Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien. Babcock, Hitchcock and Ruff were behind the bench for Canada's 2010 Olympic championship. "I think the big thing for our coaching staff and players is that they understand how we're going to play and understand that the players aren't going to play as much as they normally do on their [NHL] teams," Babcock said. "That will be a different adjustment. "It's accepting the role and playing the best you possibly can. The players we choose must be able to skate and be willing to play without the puck. It comes back to playing for Canada; it's not going to be about any of the individuals. It's about Canada and executing our plan, so we have to find their game within our game."

11 Crosby will be joined at the camp by Penguins teammates Kris Letang on defense and forwards Chris Kunitz and James Neal. From the Blackhawks along with Toews will be defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, forward Patrick Sharp and goalie Corey Crawford. New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal will accompany his brothers, Carolina Hurricanes forwards Eric Staal and Jordan Staal. Representing the Sharks will be defensemen Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and forwards Logan Couture and Joe Thornton. The average age of the camp roster is 27 years, six months and 25 days. But just because the camp roster trends young, some veteran players still could make it onto the final roster. "I found over the course of my time, whether it's Stanley Cup Playoffs or international events, that in these big games, a lot of those veteran guys are guys you rely on," Yzerman said. "You look back to Vancouver, and when it came time for the guys to step up, the [Chris] Prongers and [Scott] Niedermayers were important. We want to put the best team on the ice, but there is great value in that veteran leadership. "Having said that, we've got to make room for some of these younger players to come in." The oldest player invited is 37-year-old right wing Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning. St. Louis last season became the oldest player in League history to win a scoring title after totaling 60 points in 48 games. The youngest player named is Edmonton Oilers forward Taylor Hall, who turns 22 in November. Yzerman said he isn't concerned over the fact the team has invited an excessive amount of centers to camp. "We'll have 14 forwards [in Sochi], not 14 centers," Yzerman said. "I can't say how many centermen we'll have. In the past we've moved centers to wing, if necessary. The reality is, we will be forced to do that because we're deep down the middle. We have no specific number, but we're comfortable moving a few guys. It's not a big concern for us." Canada opens round-robin play at the Olympics on Feb. 13 against Norway at noon ET. The Canadians also will compete against Austria and Finland in round-robin competition. The team closes its preliminary-round schedule in Group B on Feb. 16 against Finland. "Each country is loaded and we understand that, so we're going to have to choose the right

12 balance, but I really like our group," Babcock said. "Up front we have a whole bunch of guys who can skate, move the puck and are dangerous offensively. On the back end, we have a group of solid skaters that can be active, so our defense can play with and without the puck." The NHL will pause its regular-season schedule from Feb. 9-25, 2014, while the Olympics are played. Crosby, Toews lead list of players invited to Canada's summer orientation camp By Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press The Canadian Press Canada head coach Mike Babcock watches as his team plays Germany in the second period of a men's playoff qualifying round ice hockey game at the Vancouver The word for players trying to make Canada's Olympic hockey team is simple _ you've got to be able to skate. After winning gold on an NHL-size rink at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada will be moving back onto the larger international ice surface for the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia. And as Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman put it: "There will be more of a premium placed on skating." There will be plenty of that to chose from, as Yzerman and his staff announced on Monday a list of 47 players who have been invited to an Aug orientation camp in Calgary. Among them are 15 players who won gold in Vancouver, led by Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Drew Doughty and goaltender Roberto Luongo. The final roster will have 25 players _ likely three goalies, eight defencemen and 14 forwards. "Ultimately, we'll pick the best players available to us, but playing on a bigger ice surface, I believe there is a priority on being able to skate," Yzerman said on a conference call. "That will weigh into our final decisions on putting this team together." He said being too slow afoot was one of the reasons Canada bowed out in the quarter-finals the last time it played on the big ice at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

13 Without naming names, Yzerman allowed that there are about a dozen locks to make the team and that the tough part will be filling out the rest of the roster. Some will be young stars who have emerged since 2010, perhaps Steven Stamkos, Claude Giroux or John Tavares. But Mike Babcock, who returns as head coach, said all with have to be two-way players who check in their egos when they put on the Team Canada jersey. "They have to be able to skate," the Detroit Red Wings coach said. "We expect players to be 200-footers. "They have to play without the puck. And once again, it comes back to playing for Canada. It's not going to be about any of the individuals, it's going to be about Canada and executing our plan. So they have to find their game within our game." Others players invited from the 2010 team were defencemen Dan Boyle, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Shea Weber; and forwards Patrice Bergeron, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Rick Nash, Mike Richards, Eric Staal and Joe Thornton. Not all are guaranteed to make the squad again, but Yzerman said big-game experience will work in a player's favour. He said older skaters like Scott Niedermayer, who is now retired, and Chris Pronger, who hasn't played since November, 2011 due to concussion symptoms, were key performers in Vancouver. "We want to put the best team on the ice, but there is great value in that veteran leadership," he said. "Having said that, we've got to make room for some of these younger players to come in. "Some of these younger players are forcing their way into the lineup. Not only Stamkos, there will be a few of them. They've matured, they've put their time in and they're elite players in the league. "So it's somewhat of a changing of the guard. There's always been some transition where guys were on the cusp of breaking in at previous Olympics and for various reasons they weren't selected, and it's time to move them in." Some names on the list were a surprise, like Travis Hamonic who has been solid on defence for the New York Islanders, or Boston super-pest Brad Marchand, not to mention the Bruins bruising winger Milan Lucic.

14 There will be debate over some names left off the list, including 41-year-old goalie Martin Brodeur, who was on the four previous Olympic teams with NHL player participation, or 36- year-old winger Jarome Iginla, who played in the last three Games. Iginla made the decisive pass to Crosby on the overtime goal that clinched gold in Vancouver. Also left out were Dallas forward Jamie Benn, goalies Cam Ward of Carolina and James Reimer of Toronto, and Edmonton defenceman Justin Schultz. Players can still play their way onto the team by performing well in the first half of the NHL campaign. Goaltending will be an issue, as Luongo was dropped to second string status with Vancouver last season, only to get back the No. 1 job when the Canucks dealt Cory Schneider to New Jersey. "With the changes made in Vancouver, I would assume that (Luongo) will play a lot in the first half of the season, which will bode well for Canada and for Roberto's hopes of being on this team," said Yzerman. Other goalies invited were Corey Crawford, fresh off leading Chicago to a Stanley Cup, Montreal's Carey Price, Phoenix's Mike Smith and a surprise _ Washington's inexperienced Braden Holtby. The defence will be another puzzle, if only because Canada is loaded with top-quality rearguards who shoot right-handed. Four incumbents shoot right _ Boyle, Doughty, Weber and Seabrook _ while only Keith shoots left. Other top candidates who shoot right include Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban of Montreal, Alex Pietrangelo of St. Louis and Kris Letang of Pittsburgh. The lefties include Marc Staal of the New York Rangers, Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf, Ottawa's Marc Methot and Vancouver's Dan Hamhuis. Yzerman said he favours having an equal balance of right and-left-handed shots on defence, although it is not cast in stone. And he noted the high-powered Soviet teams of the 1970s and 1980s had all left-hand shots. But Babcock also likes a balance, which could be bad news for younger righty blueliners.

15 "The best eight will be in the squad and then we'll decide who plays with who," he said. "But when I look at the group, the veterans of last time and the young players coming in, it looks like there's a chance to have a balance. "But we'll watch until the end of the December and see who are the best to help us succeed." Teams must announce rosters by Dec. 31. As with every Canadian Olympic squad, there will be centres forced to play on the wing by a glut of talent down the middle. Eric Staal and Giroux are among those who may be moved to the wings. A difference from previous summer camps is that players almost certainly won't go on the ice in Calgary, as it would cost Hockey Canada up to $1 million in insurance. The U.S. team won't skate at its camp in August for the same reason. Instead, one day will be for media and administrative things like going over travel plans and arrangements for families. The rest will spent learning the team system of play and watching video, with time out for team-building activities perhaps some golf or a barbecue. The Chicago Blackhawks have the most players invited with five, followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins with four and Boston, Los Angeles and Washington with three each. Other defencemen invited were Karl Alzner, Jay Bouwmeester, Mike Green and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The other forwards are Jeff Carter, Logan Couture, Matt Duchene, Chris Kunitz, Andrew Ladd, James Neal, Patrick Sharp, Jordan Staal and Martin St. Louis. The team also announced that the coaching staff from Vancouver would return, including assistants Ken Hitchcock and Lindy Ruff, but with Boston's Claude Julien replacing Jacques Lemaire. "Mike and his staff did an outstanding job in 2010 in Vancouver," said Yzerman. "That was the easiest decision and the right decision to make in this case. I'm 100 per cent confident that with our coaching staff we'll be prepared." The announcement by Hockey Canada came days after an agreement was reached to have NHL players participate at the Sochi Games. Canada opens the Games on Feb. 13 against Norway.

16 Pens sign blueliner Mikkelson The veteran defenseman spent part of last season with Syracuse By Tom Venesky The Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenseman Brendan Mikkelson to a one-year contract, twoway contract on Friday. Mikkelson s contract is worth $550,000 at the NHL level and marks an exchange of defensemen between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the Syracuse Crunch. Earlier this summer, Penguins captain Joey Mormina signed a two-year contract with Syracuse. Mikkelson, 26, split the season between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Syracuse. The blueliner registered one assist and six penalty minutes in four games with the Lightning. He appeared in 13 games with the Crunch, posting two assists and a plus-2 rating. Mikkelson scored two goals in 13 playoffs games, assisting Syracuse in their postseason run to the Calder Cup Finals. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound defenseman began the season in Sweden withvasteras of the Allsvenskan league. Mikkelson notched seven points (3G, 4A) and 20 penalty minutes in 17 games with Vasteras. Mikkelson, who was originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round (31stoverall) of the 2005 NHL Draft, has played parts of five seasons in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks, tallying 10 points (1G, 9A) and 59 penalty minutes in 131 career games. The native of Regina, Saskatchewan has played 196 games in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, Abbotsford Heat, Toronto Marlies, Iowa Chops and Portland Pirates. Mikkelson registered 18 goals, 66 points and 150 penalty minutes from He has recorded 10 points (4G, 6A) in 27 playoff appearances in the AHL.

17 Prior to being drafted by Anaheim, Mikkelson played four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Portland Winter Hawks and Vancouver Giants from The blueliner posted 16 goals, 70 points and 204 penalty minutes in 226 regular-season games. Mikkelson scored 14 points (5G, 9A) in 33 playoff appearances. His seven assists and 10 postseason points with the Vancouver Giants in 2007 helped his club capture the Memorial Cup as the host team.