Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Most Canadian hockey fans have a soft spot for the Finns. After all, they employ a hard-working, physical style that’s reminiscent of Canada’s, and numerous Finnish players have starred in Canadian NHL cities, especially out West. The Edmonton Oilers might not have five Stanley Cups to […]

Originally published on HockeyCanada.ca in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd For hockey fans in the Great White North, there is no greater international rivalry than the one between Canada and Russia. That’s because historically the Russians have pushed Canada harder than any other nation. In saying that, there’s no disrespect intended toward the USA. Over the […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd With about 200 journalists and photographers jammed into the Palasport Olympico press conference room on the evening of February 14, Wayne Gretzky, Team Canada Head Coach Pat Quinn, and the Hockey Canada Olympic executive staff of Steve Tambellini, Kevin Lowe, and Bob Nicholson sat down amid […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Before each Olympic tournament, there’s lots of talk about how Canada’s depth could hypothetically enable it to ice two separate teams. But how would other countries fare if given the same mandate? Let’s investigate, using the Czech Republic and Russia as examples. Obviously, when creating rosters […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd In international men’s hockey, there’s an ongoing debate about where the balance of power lies between North America and Europe. But on the women’s side, there’s no question. The economic equivalent would be something like General Motors and Ford versus the Bicyclemaker’s Guild of San Marino. […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd When North American players take part in an IIHF-sanctioned tournament, the big rink is always a hot topic of discussion. Before the Final Round of the Olympic tournament kicked off Friday, members of the American and Canadian teams weighed in with their opinions. Team USA center […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd Sean Burke, Tommy Salo and Mike Richter are great examples of goalies that have parlayed an Olympic experience into a successful NHL career. But not all are so fortunate. Some goalies are better suited for the concentrated brilliance that the Olympics require than for the long […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd Everybody wants a piece of Canada at these Olympics. Or is it the other way around in the hockey tournament? It depends who you ask. According to Team Canada GM Wayne Gretzky, “the whole world” wants Canada to lose and the American media has been playing […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd Joe Sakic and Paul Kariya are dangerous men to underestimate. Both Team Canada forwards hail from Vancouver, a rainy West Coast city of 2 million inhabitants that does not rank in the all-time Top Ten birthplaces for Canadian players. Both stand less than six feet tall […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd “Man can be defeated but not destroyed. Man can be destroyed but not defeated.” This was one of author Ernest Hemingway’s favorite sayings, and it would come as no surprise if Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers had it painted on his wall. The gritty left […]