ESPN Olympic Sports

It tells you a lot about the progression of Andrew Ladd’s career that he was invited to Canada's Olympic camp last month.

The Winnipeg Jets' captain continues to push his game to new heights and really turned heads with his game last season.

"It was another step in my career and hopefully I can keep elevating and get to be one of the top guys in the league," said Ladd.

He was among the Blackhawks’ salary-cap discards after helping the team win the Cup in 2010. Now he’s a Team Canada camp invite. That tells you where his game has gone in just a few years.

"It’s something that maybe earlier on my career I thought was a pipe dream," Ladd said of making Team Canada. "But the last couple of years, I’ve made it a goal of mine to put myself in contention for that team."

He’s a wild card to make Team Canada given all the big names that are in play. But it’s the kind of game he plays that makes him an interesting choice.

"I don’t think I’m a guy that his whole game is surrounded by scoring and offense; I think there’s more to my game," said Ladd. "That’s where it started, playing a strong, 200-foot game and being detailed. That’s how I would make that team. I’ll just focus on that."

Eberle's Olympic dream

Oilers star forward Jordan Eberle wants to make Team Canada badly, but he’s not going to give himself added pressure every night in thinking Olympic management is watching.

"It's tough to go into a game and say, 'If I play well tonight, maybe they're watching.' You have to put that in the back of your mind. The way I look at it, if Edmonton gets off to a good start and you're making a strong contribution, that gives myself a chance,” said Eberle. "The biggest thing is that they’ll be looking at guys that can play 200 feet. Everyone knows I can score and I’m an offensive player, but if you can add the other dimension to your game, that’s how teams win and that’s the type of player they’re looking for."

Of interest during his interview with ESPN.com last week in New York: Eberle referred several times to wanting to play better defensively, not just individually, but as a team. He said the Oilers as a whole had to buy into that concept, and he underlined that Chicago’s star-studded team won the Cup only because the Hawks played a 200-foot game.

Are the young Oilers finally getting it?

Bob the goalie

Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky isn’t hiding his Olympic-motivated goals for the season.

It’s on his mind, big time, as his country gets set to host the Sochi Games in February.

"Yes, that would be an unbelievable experience to play in front of our fans at home," said Bobrovsky. "That chance comes once in a lifetime; not every sports men can have this chance."

Just like when Canada hosted the Games in 2010, Bobrovsky spoke of a hockey-mad nation dreaming of gold.

"They’re getting more and more excited. There is really big emotion right now in Russia."

ESPN.com's Scott Burnside contributed to this report.

Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympics on Saturday, beating out Istanbul in the final IOC vote. Madrid, the third finalist, was eliminated in an earlier vote.

Here is some reaction from all three delegations after the votes:

Sergey Bubka is still the world record holder in the pole vault at 20 feet, 1-¾ inches, and now he wants to lift himself even higher. He is hoping to be elected the new president of the International Olympic Committee when the IOC votes on the replacement for Jacques Rogge on Monday.

"It's my life," Bubka said of the Olympic movement. "I’m in my position because of sport. I would like to give back to sport. I’ve dedicated my life to sport. I’m very pleased and happy and proud that I’m a member of the IOC."

If anyone can understand the full Olympic experience, it's Bubka, who has experienced just about everything an Olympic athlete ever could. Bubka was the victim of a country's boycott (1984). He competed in the Olympics for three different teams -- the Soviet Union in 1988, the Unified Team in 1992 after the breakup of the Soviet empire and finally for his native Ukraine in 1996 and 2000. He won a gold medal. He suffered disappointing defeats.

Currently the president of Ukraine’s Olympic Committee, Bubka stressed he wants to get more youth back playing actual sports on the athletic field rather than just playing virtual sports.

"Youth are not willing enough to do sports," he said. "We see lots of diabetes in kids today. We see kids playing sports in front of a computer screen. We need to bring back the value of physical sport. Make it a priority in school and youth systems. Now is the time to invest in the future and promote the youngsters."

The best ways to reach out to younger fans, he says, is by adding sports popular with those fans and using social media to bring them back. Bubka wants to use social media to spread the word about the Olympics, the importance of sports for health and provide coaching tips and video. "In this way, it would provide the possibility to embrace them and engage them all over the world and bring them with us."

Bubka says Rogge and predecessor Juan Antonio Samaranch left a strong legacy and that the Olympics are in very healthy condition. He would like to trim the costs of the Olympics and keep the number of participating athletes around 10,500, which he says would open up hosting the Games to other parts of the world.

At 49, Bubka is the youngest and the most famous of the six candidates. The others are former German fencer Thomas Bach, Swiss rower Denis Oswald, Puerto Rico’s Ricardo Carrion, Singapore’s Ng Ser Miang and Taiwan’s Wu Ching-Kuo.

"The value of the Games is really strong and successful," Bubka said. And he says he can help make it even stronger.

A day after photos of Jonathan Toews wearing what is thought to be the previously unseen Team Canada jersey spread across the Internet, players were photographed wearing the Canadian flag over their shoulder at the NHL's player media tour.

Getty posted a photo on Thursday of Toews wearing a Canadian sweater during a photo shoot. The jersey had the Nike logo and had similar features to the jersey's Nike designed for the United States and Russia.

The photo was later removed from Getty's website.

Team Canada released a statement on Friday saying they would unveil their jersey for the 2014 Sochi Olympics on Oct. 8.

Updated: 3:06 p.m. ET

Hockey Canada released a statement on Friday afternoon:

Hockey Canada will unveil and launch the jerseys that it's men's, women's and sledge hockey teams will wear at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi on October 8.

We look forward to telling the story and innovation behind the jerseys at that time.

---

The wait to see Team Canada's men's hockey jersey for Sochi might be over.

While the United States and Russia already unveiled their new sweaters, Canada had not yet announced a date for the reveal. But at the NHL's Player Tour event on Thursday, Jonathan Toews was photographed wearing what could be Canada's jersey for the Olympics.

The jersey is all red with a large white stripe across the chest and the left arm, and there is a large red maple leaf in the center of the white stripe. "Canada" is printed in smaller letters below the stripe.

Designed by Nike, which also designed the U.S. and Russian jerseys, Canada's sweater has the same zig-zag pattern under the collar as the U.S. and Russia.

Getty Images has since removed the photograph from its website.

President Barack Obama won't be in Buenos Aires this Friday when the International Olympic Committee casts its vote for the host city of the 2020 Summer Games. Vladimir Putin won't be there, either. Nor Tony Blair. Nor perhaps the most famous, influential figure to ever represent a city in its Olympic bid: Oprah (alas, neither she nor Obama swayed the voters during Chicago's 2016 campaign).

But the three contending cities -- Tokyo, Istanbul and Madrid -- will argue their cases with their own powerful representatives for the right to spend billions of dollars, devote seven years of work and disrupt the lives of its citizens for a sporting event that will last 17 days.

All of these cities are well-versed with the Olympic bidding process. Tokyo hosted the 1964 Olympics and it also bid for the 2016 Games. This is Madrid's third consecutive attempt, and Istanbul's fifth in six tries since the 2000 Games were awarded to Sydney in 1993.

Sergey Bubka, the former pole vaulter who hopes to be elected as the new IOC president next week, says all three are capable of hosting a great Olympics. "I think the three are really good," he said. "It's difficult to say who the best right now."

Various bookmakers list Tokyo as the clear favorite with Madrid gaining on Istanbul, but here is a brief glance at some of the pros and cons for each city:

Tokyo

Pros: With so much controversy swirling around Sochi and Rio de Janeiro these days, some consider Tokyo the "safe" choice. Japan's economy, the third largest in the world, is by far the strongest of the three bidders. It also has an excellent infrastructure and transportation system in place.

Cons: There are still some concerns over radiation from the Fukashima nuclear plant disaster. With South Korea hosting the 2018 Winter Games and Beijing having hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, if Tokyo gets the bid, it would mean Asia will host three Olympics in a 12-year span. Due to time zone issues, that could be a concern for some broadcasters.

Istanbul

Pros: Istanbul is famous as the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and Turkey also would be the first predominantly Muslim country to host a Summer Olympics, a significant factor in its favor.

Cons: Large-scale, anti-government protests this summer did not help the international image of the city or country. Istanbul’s projected $19.2 billion overall budget -- significantly more than Tokyo and Madrid combined -- is also a concern. The recent widespread doping violations by Turkish athletes doesn't help, either.

Madrid

Pros: Spain's hosting of 1992 Olympics was an enormous success, leaving a lasting economic and infrastructural legacy in Barcelona, which also benefited greatly as a tourist city. IOC member Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., the son of the former IOC president, has some pull. By utilizing existing facilities, Madrid's projected budget is the lowest of the three cities and falls into what the IOC claims is its desire to keep Olympic costs down.

Cons: Spain is still suffering through a bad economy. With an unemployment rate higher than 25 percent, the country is not in a good position to spend more money to host an Olympics, even if it plans to spend less than the other two cities.

Bonnie D. Ford discusses comments made by Russian president Vladimir Putin, who attempted to ease concerns that a Russian anti-gay law would be used to punish athletes choosing to display rainbow flags at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

PARK CITY, Utah -- Every veteran on the U.S. women's ski jumping team has had multiple surgeries that kept them off their beloved hills, and they all can relate to the tunnel reigning world champion Sarah Hendrickson is about to enter. They kept her in their thoughts -- and texts and calls -- as they went about their business last week, and said they're confident she'll tackle the passage with the right energy.

"Never met an athlete that young, that talented, that smart, that driven, who knows what she's doing," said 2009 world champion Lindsey Van, who is 10 years older than Hendrickson and informally coached her during an injury layoff of her own one summer when Hendrickson was still a kid club jumper.

Hendrickson won the 2012 World Cup overall title and was a favorite to medal at the 2014 Sochi Games before a training jump went bad earlier this month. She underwent a three-pronged surgery last Thursday after tearing up her right knee on Aug. 21 in Oberstdorf, Germany. U.S. Ski team physician Dr. Andrew Cooper repaired her MCL and meniscus and reconstructed her ACL. Team officials declined to outline any specific timetable for her possible return.

Three-time Olympian and head coach Alan Alborn said Hendrickson should benefit from previous experience with the tedious process of rehab. She had surgery to repair microfractures on her other knee in April 2012 and could not put any weight on it for six weeks. Hendrickson had to rebuild atrophied muscle before she could even resume regular dry land workouts, but was back to jump training by September. "Five jumps later, I knew she was good to compete," Alborn said.

Alborn was careful not to compare the two injuries or make any predictions about how Hendrickson might progress over the next few months. But he and the other jumpers have all known her since she was a little girl and said they are certain of one thing: Her attitude. "If they say she can jump in January, that's when she'll be jumping," said teammate Abby Hughes.

Can Hendrickson be fit enough to compete in Sochi, where women's ski jumping is on the program for the first time in history? The answer is several months away, and will be contingent not only on her physical recovery but on team selection procedures. The United States, with one of the world's strongest athlete pools, will send four jumpers to the Winter Games in February. The winner of the U.S. Olympic trials on Dec. 29 qualifies automatically. Three others will earn berths based on World Cup results. All Olympic sports have a procedure for injured athletes to request a discretionary slot.

Jack Johnson is excited to be back with Team USA and looks to push the Americans one step farther to win the gold medal in Sochi.

CALGARY, Alberta -- Team Canada wrapped up its three-day Olympic camp with more "walk-through" practices Tuesday, and, while it has been unusual to see the players in ball-hockey mode on the covered ice, the innovative approach was a winner with the players.

Despite not skating for real, there was a sense of accomplishment at the end of it all.

“Being on the ice, going over video, getting to know some of the guys, I think we made the best of every situation," Sidney Crosby said after camp wrapped up Tuesday.

“A lot of information, details on the way we want to play. Just trying to grasp all that is important, because there isn’t a ton of time over there, so you make the most of having the time here together.”

Some people may snicker at a camp without actual on-ice practices, but Team Canada GM Steve Yzerman felt it was worth it, no question.

"The feedback from coaches and players is they think it’s been worthwhile,” Yzerman said. "They’ve spent a lot of time, even if they’re going on the floor, in meetings and video sessions. It just takes that one step further and they can walk through their positioning. Some guys learn different than others. Some guys tune out in video and meetings and whatnot. If we do this in a practical manner, it kind of drives the point home a little bit."

Head coach Mike Babcock spent a lot of time organizing the event and had specific goals he wanted to reach here.

"They [the players] came here for three simple things. No. 1 was to get to know everybody better from players to coaches to management to trainers, to get to know them and have a comfort level," Babcock said.

"No. 2 is to understand the details of how we're going to play -- terminology, where to stand, how to play in your own zone, how to play on the power play, penalty kill. We've gone over and over that. The walk-throughs made it slow enough to really spend some time on it.

"The third thing I think was critical for them is the evaluation process. How do you get to Sochi? We've tried to explain it to each and every guy so when they leave here they've got three months to do their part. They're in control of whether they go."

Just how much the players remember in terms of their system teaching come four months from now remains to be seen.

“I’m sure guys will need to refresh a little bit, but as far as just getting an idea for a foundation, it’s great we’re able to do it here,” Crosby said. "Kind of an unconventional way of doing it, but I think nonetheless we were able to benefit from it.”

Countries have until Dec. 31 to name their 25-man rosters, Yzerman indicating Canada would name its team sometime between mid- to late December.

"At the start of the season, we’ll start with this group of 47 -- we’ll keep an eye on everybody -- but focus on particular teams, particular games, particular players that we’re deciding on,” Yzerman said of narrowing down the choices. "There was a few guys we don’t feel the need to watch. But we know what they can do and they’re going to be on this team, assuming they’re healthy. We’ll arrange our schedule over the next week or so to get ready for the start of the regular season. We’ll get together as a group early November to narrow things down a little bit and talk about what we’re seeing and make sure we’re all in constant communication and get organized from November to mid-December and make our final decisions at that point."

In 2010, Canada was criticized for some its selections despite winning gold. Only in hockey-mad Canada is winning gold not quite good enough to satisfy everyone.

Yzerman knows the Team Canada brain trust won’t please everyone with its decisions this time, either.

"In 2010, we won, could you have put six or seven different guys on that team and still have won? Probably, maybe?” Yzerman said. "But we’ll beat it to death and talk about it and try and put the best team together. There will be logic behind our decisions whether it looks like it or not."

Canada's captain

The naming of a team captain will wait for now.

“It will probably be similar to Vancouver. I think it would be wise to wait until the team is named before we announce a captain,” said Yzerman, who named Scott Niedermayer captain last time around. "We’ll talk to the coaching staff about it and collectively reach a decision on that."

Hard to think Sidney Crosby won’t get the "C," although there will be a number of great candidates given that most of these guys are captains on their respective NHL teams.

“It’d be an honor for sure,” Crosby said of whether he’d be named captain. "But it’s not something that’s on my mind a whole lot. We all want to be on this team and lead by example when we need to, but it’s an honor to be a captain on any team.”

Regardless, Crosby will have a bigger leadership role than he had in 2010 when he was a 22-year-old first-time Olympian.

“I think if I look back at last time, I was probably more in awe and trying to learn from those guys [more] than anything,” Crosby said. "I don’t think it's a conscious decision you make, I think its just a natural progression when you’ve played on a team before, you understand things a bit better. It’s a comfort level. It’s a difference between going to your first Olympic camp and your second one. It’s a mindset.

“I think it’s kind of a natural progression for all the guys who were in Vancouver to come here and be a lot more comfortable, but with the number of guys we have here who are captains or leaders on their team, I think you’ll see a lot of guys who are comfortable.”

Yzerman said it’s the natural progression of this team to have some of the young stars from 2010 step up in the leadership department this time around.

"Sidney, Shea Weber, those types of guys that played very well and are elite NHL players,” Yzerman said. "Four more years later, a lot has happened in their careers. They’ve learned a lot. They’ve matured a lot. The Scott Neidermayers, the Chris Prongers aren’t here. It’s up to those players to take a step forward. So, yes, I expect some of these younger players to take a step forward. Jonathan or Sidney, for example, they’ve won gold medals, won Stanley Cups. They’ve accomplished a lot. They’re still young guys. But they’re leaders on their own clubs and we expect them to be here.”

Sharp's ready this time

Four years ago, Patrick Sharp arrived at the Canadian Olympic camp a little wide-eyed. But it’s a different feeling this time around for the Chicago Blackhawks star.

"Going back then, I think I was a different player,” Sharp said Tuesday. "I was 26 or 27. I don’t want to say I was star struck, but I was excited to be here. But I don’t know if I really believed then that I belonged. I know that’s a bad thing to say as a player. This time around, I’m much more confident, I’ve played in a some pretty serious games. Since 2009 we’ve gone deep in the playoffs three times and won the Stanley Cup twice. So a lot has changed for my game since then, and hopefully, I can play well this year and show the coaches and Hockey Canada that I belong."

What does Team Canada GM Steve Yzerman say about Sharp’s opportunity to make the team?

"A very good chance," Yzerman said. "One, he can play all of the three forward positions, which is a great asset. He plays in all situations, power play, penalty killing. He has been on teams that have won Stanley Cups and been an important player. Teams that win, certain traits they have, their players play a certain way and can play in big games and play under pressure and know how to win. He’s got all those things going for him."

Sharp’s ability to play all three forward positions is an obvious asset.

"I hope so,” said Sharp, a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario. "I know it’s tough putting these kinds of teams together and moving guys around in different positions. That’s something I’ve done my whole career in Chicago. If that helps my chances, that’s great."

You sense in Sharp’s voice how much it would mean to him to make this team. He was asked if making Team Canada would mean as much or even more than winning the Stanley Cup.

"That’s tough to answer,” Sharp said. "That’s like saying, who do you like better, my wife or my daughter. It’s two things that would be incredible accomplishments. And I’m jealous of Seabs and Duncs and Johnny who were able to win the Cup and the gold in the same year. I certainly want to be part of that and will do anything I can to make the team this year."

Marc Staal's recovery

Rangers blueliner Marc Staal says he’s ready to go after suffering a scary eye injury last season.

"It's good. Really good. I had a really good summer of training and I feel really good," Staal said Tuesday. "When I'm on the ice, I don't really notice it at all. I'm excited and anxious just to start the season up and get it going."

Staal said he has adjusted well.

"It was more of just adapting to the depth perception and things like that when I was coming back,” Staal explained. "It just wasn't clicking when I was trying to come back in the playoffs there. But with the time off and the training now, everything's back to normal and I'm feeling really good."

Many people believe Staal could make Team Canada as long as there are no signs he’s limited by what happened to his eye.

"I have no limitations at all. It's been a great summer of training,” Staal said. "Physically from the time I was cleared to start working out, there wasn't anything I couldn't do as far as physically getting ready. So that part of it has been really good this summer, just getting into shape, getting stronger and getting ready for the season."

Weber's game

Early in Canada’s trouncing of Russia in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Shea Weber threw his body around and it set the tempo for the victory.

But that was on NHL ice. He has given some thought to how he’s going to have to adjust his game on the bigger ice in Sochi.

"Yeah definitely," Weber said. "I had the chance to play in the world championships in Russia and Switzerland, so I’m a little familiar with it. You can get caught out of position a lot easier. It’s wider and there’s more time and space for those guys to make passes through you. So you have to be conscious. You still want to play physical but you don’t want to take chances."

Weber is a lock to make this team again, but he certainly hasn’t tried to sit down and figure out the 25-man roster.

"No, that’s why I’m the player, there’s too many tough decisions,” joked the Nashville Predators captain. "You go down the list and everybody deserves the chance. That’s why they’re here. There’s even guys that aren’t here that probably will get a good look during the season. We’re very fortunate in Canada to have a big selection, but definitely some tough choices."

Lucic's in shape

A lot was said last season about what kind of shape Milan Lucic was in. The topic reared its ugly head late in the regular season when he was a healthy scratch because of his ineffective play. He picked it up big time in the playoffs and was once again the player people in Boston were used to watching.

Good news, Bruins fans. One look at Lucic this week at the Olympic camp and you know he’s in excellent shape.

"I'm in a lot better shape than I was going into [last] year,” Lucic said. "I didn't take much time off; I maybe took a week off after we lost to Chicago just because I was feeling really good, how I ended off on a personal note and I kind of wanted to keep that going. I went back to how I used to always train. I had some things that were kind of bothering me that weren't allowing my body to train as hard as I used to and I rectified a couple of those problems and it's starting to feel better in the gym."

Iggy talk

Bruins center Patrice Bergeron is eager to see Jarome Iginla on the Bruins this season.

"For sure, it's going to be great,” Bergeron said. "I've had a chance to play with him and to meet him in Vancouver and he's an amazing guy and also player, very professional and a great leader as well. Very excited to have him with us and looking forward to getting to know him even more."

USA Hockey unveiled its jerseys for the men's, women's and paralympic national teams will wear for the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi, Russia. Here are some photos from Tuesday's announcement at the men's U.S. Olympic orientation camp in Arlington, Va.:

Do you like the new Olympic jerseys? Cast your vote here!

CALGARY, Alberta -- A little ball hockey, eh?

Team Canada took to the floor-covered ice Monday for "walk-through" practices, which is the coaching staff's unique solution to a tough situation given the inability to actually get on the ice for real practices.

The 45 players were split into two groups and ran around with their sticks in their hands playing out drills from the coaching staff while wearing track shorts, T-shirts and running shoes.

Kudos to head coach Mike Babcock for the clever solution for a tough predicament.

"I thought it was a real good day for us,” Babcock said. "Obviously, I have never done this before. We've put a lot of planning into it. I spent a lot of time talking to people to gather the information -- [head coach] Tom Izzo in particular with Michigan State basketball. He talks about the walk-throughs, and [they are] part of the reason that he believes they've been to six Final Fours in the last 15 years. Todd Downing is a quarterback coach with the Lions. He talked about the plays they walk through each and every day and the muscle memory and the timing and spacing that's going on.

"This is a big sheet, and guys aren't used to it. It's even bigger when you can't move very fast, and you couldn't go very fast today. But I thought it was a good teaching tool. The other thing is when you've got 23 guys on your team, you usually got to teach 23 different ways. Everybody learns different, so when you see it on video, it's one way you see it. In a book, it's another way. You've got a posting on the wall, you walk through it again and then you talk about it. To me, what we're trying to do is get them to understand the way we're going to play, so it meets the comfort for them when they arrive in Sochi."

It’s early, folks, but, for the heck of it, here were the lines:

Chris Kunitz-Sidney Crosby-Patrick Sharp
Eric Staal-Jonathan Toews-Rick Nash
Logan Couture-John Tavares-Steven Stamkos
Andrew Ladd-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry
Jeff Carter-Mike Richards-Martin St. Louis
Milan Lucic-Matt Duchene-James Neal
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Jordan Eberle
Taylor Hall-Jordan Staal

"Don’t read anything into the lines," Babcock cautioned.

Joe Thornton’s absence from the camp (family illness) left Hall and Jordan Staal lined up with a University of Calgary player, Dylan Walchuk.

Talk about a thrill for the college player.

"I know. It's pretty sweet. Maybe I'll see myself on TV tonight if I get lucky," Walchuk said.

So much is going to play out over the next few months before Team Canada picks the team. It’s hard to tell a whole lot from these lines when you consider that most of the line combinations at the camp four years ago didn’t hold water come the Olympics in Vancouver four months later.

(Read full post)

Team Canada stars Sidney Crosby and Shea Weber talk about being a part of the NHL Players' Association's You Can Play initiative and their thoughts on Russia's anti-gay law:

Updated at 4:28 p.m. ET

CALGARY, Alberta -- Joe Thornton had to cancel his trip to the Canadian Olympic camp because of a family illness.

Thornton’s two-month-old son, River, was in the hospital, and Hockey Canada is obviously fully understanding of the veteran center’s situation.

Two of Thornton's teammates in San Jose expressed their support for Thornton on Tuesday.

"Our wives are best friends. He made the right decision, you got to stay home. Family is the most important thing," Dan Boyle said.

"Obviously, we’re all hoping that his son is OK and it sounds like he’s getting better which is good," Logan Couture said. "We miss not having Joe here. I’ll be headed to San Jose once this camp ends and we’ll get to catch up with him."

The total number of players at camp is down to 45 after Claude Giroux also cancelled his trip to focus on his rehab from surgery on his finger.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Injuries are always going to play havoc with the selection of Olympic rosters no matter which country is involved, but the U.S. management team will be paying close attention to the health of center Ryan Kesler. When he’s been healthy and at his best, Kesler has proved he’s a dominant player, a difference-maker. But the former Frank J. Selke Trophy winner as the game’s top two-way forward has struggled with a variety of injuries over the past couple of years. He is finally healthy.

“I’m good. Finally. Two years,” he said Monday.

The injuries and the time spent recovering from them took their toll on the Vancouver Canuck.

“Mentally tough. It wasn’t fun, especially this time around when you go through 10 months of rehab and break your foot on your first game back, that was tough to take. But it makes you stronger as a person. I’m healthy now and finally able to enjoy a summer with no rehab,” said Kesler, who played in only 17 regular-season games after the lockout.

Not only is Kesler hoping to parlay good health into Olympic success, he’s also looking forward to getting the Canucks back on a Stanley Cup track after two straight first-round playoff exits.

The Canucks were swept by San Jose this past spring, and it cost Alain Vigneault his job as head coach. He was replaced by John Tortorella, who was an assistant coach with the U.S. Olympic team four years ago.

“We have the same core. Obviously we know what that core can do,” Kesler said. “I think we’re going to have a new identity this year. Obviously a new coach behind the bench. He’s going to coach a little differently than our last coach, and that’s good sometimes. Sometimes you need change and a fresh face to energize your group.”

“I’ve played for Torts a little bit, and we all know what he’s all about.”

Looking for luck

If there is one player attending the U.S. orientation camp who could use a little Olympic karma, it’s Pittsburgh defenseman Paul Martin.

As a young player with the New Jersey Devils, Martin was selected to the so-called taxi squad for the 2006 Olympics in Torino. He, Matt Cullen and Hal Gill were in Italy in case of injury but did not stay in the athletes’ village and were in many ways isolated from the rest of the U.S. team.

Four years later, a virtual lock to make the 2010 team, Martin was struck by a puck early in the season and broke his forearm.

“Bill Guerin missed the net by six feet and hit me with the puck,” Martin said.

Initially the prognosis was that he would be out eight weeks, but that stretched to 10 or 11. Then the doctors worried the arm wasn’t healing properly, so Martin ended up at a specialist who ordered surgery the next day.

Even then, with pins and plates in his arm, Martin was hopeful he would heal in time to make the trip to Vancouver. But slowly it became clear it wasn’t going to happen.

“It was tough," Martin said. "As far as disappointment and frustration as far as an athlete goes, that has been my toughest thing to get over so far in my career. I didn’t have expectations as far as was I going to be on the team. But I think when you realize that that opportunity’s there and you get named but you can’t do it, it was a tough pill to swallow, and I struggled with it for a while.”

After a dreadful 2011-12 season, Martin rebounded last season to the kind of form that made him a shoo-in for the Vancouver team. He and defense partner Brooks Orpik were tasked with shutting down opposing teams’ top lines every night and were key penalty-killing specialists, while Martin was also an effective member of the Pens’ power-play unit.

Orpik was a member of the 2010 Olympic team and is also an invitee to the orientation camp.

“I think it definitely helps," Martin said. "I think there is that comfort factor there. Especially after the year last year, I think we found our identity again and especially me. He’s so easy to play with, and obviously he played in the last Olympics and with the coaching staff that we have, I’m very familiar with."

At 32 years old, Martin is a realist. He knows he must take advantage of this opportunity, as it might well be the last chance at playing in an Olympics.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity and the chance to play. Wherever it might be, right side, left side, I just want to play,” the Minneapolis native said.

“I just want to go.”

Where to keep a medal

One member of the Vancouver team who is at the orientation camp has a special place for his silver medal.

“It’s tucked away. I’ve been meaning to put it in a safe, but it’s in this fake stack of books, but it opens up. It’s not really books, it opens up,” forward Zach Parise said.

Does he take it out and look at it sometimes?

“Yeah, I had to bring it out. I don’t just at night grab it and sit on the couch and look at it, but I had to bring it out to New York a couple of weeks ago. I guess that was kind of the first time in a year or two that I’d looked at it. It’s cool to have,” Parise said.

Starting strong

One thing U.S. GM David Poile has made clear is that players who play well at the start of the season will be doing themselves a favor as far as making the final roster. Knowing that they are being scrutinized by the management team that includes NHL GMs Stan Bowman, Dale Tallon, Dean Lombardi, Ray Shero and Paul Holmgren along with former GMs Brian Burke and Don Waddell may be a bit unnerving, especially for the younger players.

“It’s hard to not think about it. The best way to do it is just try not to think about it,” said New York Rangers center Derek Stepan, who is looking to play in his first Olympics.

“It’s definitely not going to be easy at all.”

Building the sport

St. Louis Blues captain David Backes said he still runs into people who talk about the 2010 gold-medal game and how important the game was to them. He said he believes that NHL players being in the Olympics is important for growing interest in the game, not just in the United States but around the world.

“If you watched that gold-medal game and didn’t get turned on to hockey, I don’t know if the game’s for you,” Backes said.

Rising star

One member of the 2010 team who saw his stock rise in recent months is the Colorado Avalanche's Paul Stastny, who was a dynamo for the U.S. at the world championships with 15 points, second among all players as the U.S. won a surprise bronze medal.

After he reached a career-high 79 points in 2009-10, Stastny’s production has declined, but he said he’s hoping to carry over the same style of play that gave his success at the world championships.

“I think I just will try and play the way I did there. Kind of just play at ease again and just have fun,” Stastny said.

Early in a player’s career, he plays with nothing to lose, Stastny noted. “Then sometimes maybe you put a little bit too much pressure on yourself when things aren’t going well,” he said.

With a new coach in former Avalanche star Patrick Roy and new management under former Avs captain Joe Sakic, Stastny said there’s a different buzz around the team, and he’s looking forward to being part of that.

“I think it’s just that sense of urgency, that passion. There was already that feeling going on all summer,” he said.