I'm appending here some excerpts from today's (8/12/93) Star Tribune.
There's some stuff about the Minnesotans named, and some comments by
Doug Woog on the effects on the Gophers, but there are also some
comments on the general nature of the team and the trials that
should be of more general interest.
 
Pam
 
Skating closer to Olympics
Six Minnesotans picked for final '94 hockey pool
 
By Jay Weiner
Staff Writer
 
(Reminiscences of 1980 Olympics omitted)
 
...Gophers forwards (Darby) Hendrickson and (Craig) Johnson
and defenseman (Brett) Hauer of Minnesota-Duluth were three
six Minnesotans named to the final pool of 25 players who
will become Team USA at the 1994 Winter Olypmics in
Lillehammer, Norway.
 
The other Minnesotans selected after a one-week camp at
Cromwell, Conn. were: defenseman Chris Imes of Birchdale
and the University of Maine; center Derek Plante of Cloquet and
Minnesota-Duluth, and defenseman Travis Richards of Crystal and
the Gophers.
 
The announcement by Olympic coach Tim Taylor is more meaningful
than similar decisions in 1988 and 1992, when Team USA was
coached by Dave Peterson.  Unlike Peterson, Taylor has no plans
to make wholesale roster changes before the Games begin on
Feb. 12.
 
For the Olympics, 23 players are allowed into the athletes' village;
three must be goalies.  Taylor named only two goalies yesterday -
1992 Olympian Mike Dunham and Garth Snow, both from NCAA champion
Maine.  So, 20 of the 23 skaters selected yesterday will get to
Lillehammer.  "It's not my intention to have a six-month trial,"
said Taylor, Yale's coach.  "It's my intent to develop a team over
six months."
 
Gopher Jeff Nielsen of Grand Rapids was one of 15 players cut
yesterday - even as coach Doug Woog began thinking of how to
fill the holes left by Hendrickson and Johnson.  Richards, property
of the Dallas Stars, completed his eligibility last season.  Woog
said he hopes that, at least, either Hendrickson or Johnson will
return to play for the Gophers after the Olympics end in late
February;  neither was willing to make that commitment yesterday.
 
Woog expressed special concern over the loss of Johnson, a crafty
center with good defensive skills.  "We'll be looking for a center
who can play late in the game to take faceoffs," said Woog, who
said he will be looking for  stepped-up contributions from Nielsen,
who scored 21 goals last season, junior Justin McHugh and sophomore
Brian Bonin.
 
It is Hendrickson who perhaps personifies Taylor's team:  young, fast-
skating with international experience and knowledge of the more fluid,
puck-control style employed in Europe on long, wide ice sheets.
 
(more 1980 reminiscences omitted)
 
The "Dream Team" concept was scuttled by the NHL, so Taylor must  use
college players, with some minor heaguers, and Ted Drury and Peter
Ciavaglia thrown in for good measure.  Drury will play for the Calgary
Flames and join Team USA in February.   Forward Ciavaglia will play
professionally in Sweden before joining Team USA.
 
"We have to accept some change, but it doesn't mean we can't keep that
youthful enthusiasm, that romantic image of what the Olympics are all
about,"  Taylor said.  "It's what we have to use to motivate our
players."
 
Team USA will play at Target Center on Oct. 27 against the Gophers and
Nov. 28 against  Team Canada.  Monday the squad leaves for Finland and
its first games as the road to Lillehammer begins.