While the games are over two months away, Burke is eying Dec. 16 as a date to have the team picked out and ready to roll at the international stage.
“We’ve been rating all the American players,” Burke, also the Maple Leafs GM, told NHL.com. “Our last meeting was in Toronto at the NHL General Managers’ meetings (Nov. 11-12) and we’ll meet again in Pebble Beach (Dec. 15-16). At that point, we hope to be down to two or three decisions as far as our roster [goes] — if any at all.”
The team may be picked before then, but Burke is hoping to announce the final roster at the NHL’s biggest midseason game: the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1 in Boston.
“The ideal world is, after meeting in Pebble Beach, we’ve got our team picked,” he added. “Then we’ll go to Fenway Park to announce it.”
Leading the Americans from the bench will be Toronto head coach Ron Wilson, who was coach of the U.S. national team that won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Joining him this time around will be assistants John Tortorella and Scott Gordon.
“We’re all on the same page with regard to the type of team that we’d like to be,” Wilson said. “We want to play a fast, aggressive, forechecking style that tries to get the puck and control the puck all the time. Our three styles kind of mesh if you watch our teams play in the NHL. The Rangers, Islanders and Maple Leafs are known for their aggressive, forechecking styles and, we hope, in the few days we have with the team before the games, we’re able to solidify that style of play and execute it on the ice.”
The Winter Games will interrupt the NHL’s season, eating up the last two weeks of February. Bruins goaltenter Tim Thomas is the lone Boston player with a shot at making the USA roster.
The decisions to this point have been difficult and Burke doesn’t expect them to get any easier.
“We’ve put some exciting young players in the league the last 3-4 years — the [Phil] Kessels and [Patrick] Kanes of the world,” Burke said. “We’ve got some grizzled veterans who have participated and competed — the [Keith] Tkachuks, [Mike] Modanos and [Bill] Guerins. We have to figure out what the balance is. We’re not closing the door on that [older] generation, but we’re not promising anything either. If it’s time to turn the page, we’re prepared to do that.”
