Team USA doesn’t have a clear-cut vision of who will be between the pipes in the Olympics, but they are inching closer to a decision, narrowing the options down to a field of six.
According to The New York Times, U.S. Olympic Team general manager David Poile and his staff have identified six candidates for the three available spots on the team to play in the upcoming 2014 Winter Games: Ben Bishop, Jimmy Howard, Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick, Cory Schneider and Tim Thomas.
Yes, you read that last name correctly.
The Panthers goalie has made it clear that he would love to represent the United States at Sochi after seeing only limited ice time at the 2010 Olympics, and it appears his wish may be granted.
While Poile admitted that there is no clear front-runner, Buffalo’s Miller still appears to be a lock for Sochi, along with Quick, but the Kings goaltender’s availability remains in question as long as he is out with a groin injury. With Ottawa’s Craig Anderson falling out of contention, it is plausible — although highly unlikely — that the 39-year-old Thomas could find his way back to the Olympics, not even a year removed from his hiatus from hockey.
“I have an order today, but it might not be the final order,” Poile said. “It’s an ongoing situation. There’s no way we’re going to make the decision until Christmastime, and we’ve got a week after that.”
