Ever since it was announced that All-American defenseman Dan Ratushny was
going to try out for the Canadian Olympic team, Cornell fans have been
waiting apprehensively for the other shoe (skate?) to drop.  Well, today it
finally did.  An article in _The Cornell Daily Sun_ revealed that sophomore
forward Kent Manderville, who played in the World Junior Championships over
winter break the past two years, has also been invited to try out for
Canada's Olympic team and will be heading off to an evaluation camp later
this month.  If he makes the cut there and at the main camp in August, he
will not be with the Big Red next season (no kidding).
 
Barring an injury or something, Ratushny is probably a lock to make the
team, but Manderville's situation is a little more fuzzy.  However, he did
quite well with Canada's Junior Team, and he's a very talented skater, so he
might have a pretty good shot.  Another difference between Ratushny and
Manderville is that while Ratushny has all but declared that he will not
return to Cornell for his senior season after the Olympics, Manderville says
he isn't sure what he'll do after '92 should he make the team:  "...whether
to sign a contract or come back here.  That's something I haven't even
looked at yet...."  His rights are held by Calgary.
 
If he does go to the Olympics, the picture for Cornell's offense just looks
that much bleaker.  The centers for all four lines will be back next year,
but I don't know who they're going to pass to.  Among the wings who are
returning for '91, the next-leading scorer is Phil Nobel, who played on the
third line and scored 12 points.  (Actually, Alex Nikolic may come back, and
he had 15 in his half-season with the team)  Perhaps the incoming freshman
class will help.  I keep hearing about this hot new goalie Cornell is
supposed to have gotten, but there hasn't been much of anything about
forwards.  We may see a lot of 2-1 and 3-2 games...
 
Bill Fenwick
Cornell '86
LET'S GO RED!!
 
"The referee is stopping the fight!  I can't believe this!!  Whatever happened
 to... the kind of ref that would let fighters go at it until one guy was flat
 on his back -- out cold."
"They're working in the National Hockey League."
-- "Jump Start"