Deron is right on!  I debated about commenting on this subject because
of the nature in which it came up.  Maine, it seems, has been hit hard every
year in the last four or five years, by the juniors and olympics.  Sure I hate
to see the team lose the players for a period of time.  However it lets you see
just what your team is made of.  Players who normally would never suit muchless
play get a shot and guys who never get to be leaders get the chance to show
what they are worth.  Walsh has always boasted of how great it is when his
players get a chance like this.
        Also these players get a great experience from being on the team and
what they learn by playing with the cream of the crop. It makes them better
players and they share this knowledge when they come back.  I for one think the
whole team benifits more by losing these players, then it loses.  BU will much
stonger both this and next year because they will better understand their depth
and have better players retuning from the juniors.  It may only be a short
period of time they are gone, but they will still have that experience to build
on.  This also fits in with the college experience in that the travel and
exerience will make them more rounded students.  If sports aren't about learning
then all college sports should be dropped.
        That's my point of view, I welcome yours!
 
Nick
 
Deron Treadwell wrote (and very well made his point):
 
>Mike made a great point that I just wanted to add one thing to.  Mike said
>that holiday tournaments can help decide whether or not a team makes the
>NCAA championships or where they are seeded.. just as a note to that.  In
>Maine's 42-1-2 year, Peter and Chris Ferraro and Paul Kariya all went to the
>juniors, Maine won both their tournaments.  Even if players were not going
>to the WJC, it is never certain that they will stay healthy.  I think it
>means more to win without these players, and it shows something about the
>character of the team.  It is definately a challenge, but in my opinion (and
>it is only my opinion) playing for your country in any way is chance of a
>lifetime, and you can't really take that away from anyone..