OK, this is going to surprise some people, but I have no problem with a mostly
pro team representing the US (or Canada) in the Olympics, if the NHL agrees
to do what it takes to make it happen.
 
First, it is not going to be anything like the Dream Team in hoop; it will
probably be more like the Canada Cup, which is extremely competitive and
exciting.  We don't have a situation in hockey where one country is light
years ahead of all the rest.
 
Second, the idea of so-called "amateurism" in the Olympics has already been
put to rest.  We've had pros in Olympic hockey since 1988, and many, many
other sports have opened the doors to pros to compete in the Games.  I'd like
to see each country send its best, if possible, otherwise the Olympic gold
medal doesn't mean as much and can always be disputed - it's not rare to hear
a Canadian say, "But if we could have sent our best..." and I think they're
right.
 
Also, it is completely wrong to say that winning an Olympic gold medal
doesn't mean as much to a pro as winning a Stanley Cup or that amateurs have
a stronger will to win.  Tell that to the members of 1987 Team Canada, some
of whom have said that series and that victory was the greatest ever for
them, even those who had won Cups.  And, lest we forget, this year's Team USA
representative in the Olympics was led by pros - including a goalie who had
toiled for years in the minors!  Yet all we heard about was how emotional
this team was and how their spirit carried them to the semifinals.
 
I think the sport of hockey can only be advanced by having the NHL players
compete.  It would also be an absolutely brilliant move on the part of the
NHL, and if Stein is able to push it through, he should immediately go down
in history as the NHL's greatest president.  The NBA jumped all over the
Dream Team thing and is using the Olympics to promote the NBA *around the
world*!!  If they can do it, there's no reason why the NHL shouldn't be able
to.  What a contrast, though, if the NHL goes from almost no tv coverage in
the US to worldwide coverage via the Olympics.
 
However, there will almost certainly be quite a battle ahead even if the NHL
does agree to it.  Hockey Canada, which runs the Canadian Olympic Team, and
USA Hockey - formerly known as AHAUS, the *AMATEUR* Hockey Association of the
United States, have long resisted the use of pros in the Olympics.  It seems
to me that they've only allowed the ones that have joined recently because of
pressure to win.  Maybe this pressure will force them to agree to allow the
NHL's best to play for Canada & the US.  And, maybe they have relaxed their
stance on pros because the IIHF officially allows pros in now - before, it
was somewhat of a protest by the North Americans who claimed that the Soviets,
Czechs, etc. really were pros.  But I don't think USA Hockey is going to be
too keen on turning over the reins of its Olympic program to the NHL, and so
I still have to doubt that this whole scenario will ever happen.  But you
never know.
 
BTW, around the Olympics, there were rumors that the Canadian Olympic Team had
been keeping aside special jerseys they'd made up in case certain megastars
decided at the last minute that they'd play in Meribel - I'm talking about
jerseys with numbers 99, 66, etc.  And we also heard strong rumors up through
January that Lafontaine and Vanbiesbrouck would join Team USA.
 
 
- mike