Roland writes:
   The team playing in the Canada Cup Tournament is not the Olympic team.
   The Canada Cup teams are composed of "Professional" players, players
   that have played in the NHL (I think they have to have played more
   then 10 games to be considered professional) or similar league (Soviet
   Elite league etc).
 
I was not aware of any professional requirement.  Lindros has never put on
an NHL uniform, yet is playing for Canada.  But it is true that the CC is
made up almost entirely of pro players.  That's because 1) it is run by
Alan Eagleson, 2) it benefits the NHLPA, and 3) it is supposed to be for
the very best players in the world, and I doubt many amateur players could
win a spot on the teams.
 
   The players on the Olympic team are considered "amateur" players,
   they have not played in the NHL.  Although this allows other countries
   to put the same players on the Canada Cup and the Olympic team, it
   does not allow Canada or the USA to do this.
 
Canada and the US *can* put the same players on either team if they want
to.  There is no restriction on any country as far as what players it
sends to the Olympics in hockey (except that, of course, Guy Lafleur cannot
play for Finland, and so on).   But while most other countries choose to
send the best players they have regardless of status, the policy of USA
Hockey (the governing body of hockey in the US) and Canada has been to
continue to send teams almost completely comprised of amateurs to the
Olympics.  Something like 9 of the 31 players on USA's roster have pro
status.
 
The removal of restrictions allowing pro players to compete in hockey
(and several other sports) was effective in 1988.  I believe this came
about when the IOC allowed the individual sports' international committees
(in this case, the IIHF) more power over deciding who could compete and
who could not.  Previously, the blanket IOC restriction was amateur status,
no ifs, ands or buts.
 
It was decided beforehand that the US would go with mostly amateurs at
forward and defense, but to provide experience in net, minor league pros
(former college players) would be sought.  At this point, Robb Stauber
and Scott Gordon of the LA and Quebec systems appear to be the US's top
two goalies.  Gordon did actually see significant time with Quebec which
must have made the brass happy to get a goalie with NHL experience.
 
Canada has a standing national team that plays in international tourneys
even in off-Olympic years, and it is this team for the most part that
plays in the Games.  USA Hockey's philosophy is to put teams together when
these tourneys come around, but there is no standing national team.
Canada had several pros on its team in Calgary in 1988, most notably
goalie Andy Moog, and the US also had a few pro players such as European
pro Jim Johannson, who returned to play in North America after Calgary
and is on the US's roster again at this time.
 
 
- mike