Regarding the return/departure of Coach Peterson from USA Hockey:  I have
read--most notably in THN several times--about Herb Brooks and
his desire to run the USA team.
 
Apparently, Coach Brooks applied for the job the same time Peterson did, and
proposed an entire overhaul of USA hockey, an overhaul which would have
greatly benefitted the system.  The USA Bored of Directors told Brooks to
take his radical, though innovative, ideas, and ply them elsewhere,
settling on the old boy Peterson.  Not to knock the job he did--USA played
phenomenally against some real quality teams, but USA Hockey may have missed
a golden opportunity by passing up the one man crafted vaguely in the same
mold as Badger Bob Johnson in terms of energy and being a strong proponent
of the USA program.
 
Mike Machnik is definitely correct:  USA has built a strong foundation for
success in the future, but it will take some innovation to carry us into
the medal rounds more often, not just godly goaltending.  And we need to
act quickly, this being the only 2-year Olympic cycle.
 
To close, one quick question:  True, NHL players earn gobs of dough to play
hockey, but the NHL is the only league in the world that doesn't break for
the Olympic Games.  Should they?  Or is it better for their clubs to keep
them at home, performing for their salaries?