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North America yet to name team captain

COLUMBUS, OHIO – John Tortorella, the coach of Team USA for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey, isn’t backing off on his comments that he’d bench any player who didn’t stand for the US national anthem. Additionally, the North American anthem will simply be both the “Star Spangled Banner” and “O Canada” played back-to-back.

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“I’ll tell you right now”. Team North America should be an absolute thrill to watch and Team Europe will feature many impressive National Hockey League players. I’m not criticizing anybody for stepping up and putting their thoughts out there about things. It has domestic TV rights for NHL games through 2021 to feature the likes of Hockey Hall of Fame honoree Mike Emrick, its top play-by-play announcer, and has promoted the sport with gusto through outdoor games and national playoff coverage that now rivals Canada in volume. “But as I keep saying about this captaincy thing, whether you wear a letter or not doesn’t matter”. (I’m) all for ‘express yourself.’ That’s what is so great. “I think that’s the beauty of all of us being under 24”.

“It’s personal because his son is an army ranger, but for him to impose his personal feelings for everyone, I don’t think it’s right”, said Z Jamani. But when there are men and women that give their lives for their flag, for their anthem, have given their lives, continue to put themselves on the line with our services for our flag, for our anthem, families that have been disrupted, traumatic physical injuries, traumatic mental injuries for these people that give us the opportunity to do the things we want to do, there’s no chance an anthem and a flag should come into any type of situation where you’re trying to make a point. But to bring that flag and anthem into it and drag that down, no way. While he believes that he is paying respect to his country, he is infringing on his players’ rights by giving them an ultimatum. “It’s always important to play with objective and try to win and play good solid hockey”. Joe has been a great player for USA Hockey, he is a character guy, and I can talk about a number of players that way. “Other people are doing real stuff”.

“We’re the most skilled team here, in my opinion”, forward Nathan MacKinnon said according to NHL.com.

“This is your anthem, this is your flag”.

The World Cup’s preliminary round, which goes from September 17-22, will take place just as Blues training camp gets underway, which creates an inconvenience for the Blues. Also their jersey has been considered one of the tournament’s most creative. In fact, Quick won’t even get the full game in, as he will be replaced by Tampa Bay Lightning netminder and fellow 2016 Vezina Trophy finalist Ben Bishop midway through the game or after two periods of play.

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The NHL, of course, was once a fixture on the network when Gary Thorne and Bill Clement were the top broadcast team and Bill Pidto and John Buccigross hosted “NHL 2Night.” Thorne, now the play-by-play announcer for the Baltimore Orioles, said people approach him every day to tell him they loved ESPNs hockey coverage and miss him calling the sport.

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