In other words, if you know what is good for you, don’t go there.
Advertisement
Torts isn’t messing around.
Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the anthem has ignited an inferno of both passionate opposition and support.
The sitting or kneeling during the national anthem was started by Kaepernick to protest the inequality seen by minorities in the United States, which he argued included police brutality. I’m not going to look for a lot of great defensive plays from him in this tournament.
“Typically, in most worldwide events for hockey, neither country’s anthem is played before the game as it would be in a traditional NHL setting”.
The problem is that Team USA must pick one in less-than-ideal circumstances.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider said the players are “just concentrating on representing their country”.
John Tortorella, coach of Team USA and the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, is no fan of athletes using “The Star-Spangled Banner” to protest a personal cause, as San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has done in recent weeks. Tortarella has pledged to stop referring to hockey games as “wars” or “battles”.
Team USA plays Team Canada at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Friday (7 p.m. ET; ESPNU, SN, TVA Sports) and at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN3, SN, TVA Sports), and then plays Team Finland at Verizon Center in Washington on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVA Sports).
Auston Matthews is paying his dues.
A total of six players from the Minnesota Wild are preparing for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey which starts this week in Toronto. This does however mean that the winger will be present at the Dallas Stars training camp. I feel there is more action, a lot more plays, a lot more physicality for the people who like to see that, and chances (on National Hockey League rinks).
Well, not quite the NHL. Yet.
Matthews took turns at times with RNH along with Larkin and MacKinnon. “Being a playmaker comes more natural to me”. “That’s just the way it goes”. He’s a prototypical power forward who can play responsibly in all three zones.
“I’m fine with it”. I know I am. Nino Niederriter will be on Team Europe. Anyone on Team Canada is an elite player, but two Sharks were ranked among the top-50 players by NHL Network.
MacKinnon offered a cautionary tale to Matthews on Monday. “He’s a hot topic”, said MacKinnon told media after Team North America’s first practice in Montreal. “Yeah, he’s going to be a focal point”. “But, it’s something I’ve worked towards for my whole life and dreamed of since I was a little kid. There’s an identity on the Backes line, as far as how they want to play”. Enjoy it as much as you can. “It can be chaotic at times when you play with new players”. It’s fun. We nearly had (Ryan Callahan) here as well. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, this tournament”. “It’s Team Canada, we’re playing against the best other players from every country in the world and we have to be ready”.
The Americans bring an interesting team to this tournament. “There are a lot in this tournament, but I think we’ve got three of the best”. However, he may get time there among other key situations. Dylan Larkin, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Aaron Ekblad.
That’s some kind of grotesque amount of skill on a 5 man unit.
“We were working on our line-change forecheck”, said Babcock, explaining why he did the drill. We’re going to let him do his thing.
Advertisement
This might be the line that I’m the most excited about. He’s able to coach at a higher level, meaning he can dig deeper into the small things that can turn into big plays.
