Should the Wings Allow Players to Play in the Olympics?

[Guest micah]

Haha, you remind me of someone.

Sweet. I admire Burke, his accomplishments, and his willingness to embrace difficult tasks very much. We should all be as driven to excel;ence as that man is. I don't always like his comments or his personality, but I like his work ethic and his dedication to the most important thing in his life - his family.

[titanium2 867]

The guys will play and I wish them success, but if one of them hurts themselves and thereby hurts the team, I hope their example is used to teach others the perils of putting your own goals before the team.

Like Yzerman in '02? You were one of those who listened (Edit: and agreed with) the radio of fans angry that he "put himself before the team"?

Edited December 14, 2009 by titanium2

[skyphoenix 153]

Winning a gold medal > Winning the Stanley Cup.

[Guest micah]

Like Yzerman in '02? You were one of those who listened (Edit: and agreed with) the radio of fans angry that he "put himself before the team"?

I don't recall listening to any radio programs about Yzerman in the Olympics, nor do I recall that he was injurred in the Olympics. Was he?

[Guest micah]

Winning a gold medal > Winning the Stanley Cup.

Is that a quote from Ken Holland?

[Rivalred 630]

We should sit our players from the All Star Game though

[titanium2 867]

I don't recall listening to any radio programs about Yzerman in the Olympics, nor do I recall that he was injurred in the Olympics. Was he?

You mean his knee problem? It was really wearing out and he made it worse during the Olympics. Some fans really hated him for that.

EDIT:

http://proicehockey.about.com/library/weekly/aa030602a.htm

One columnist in Pittsburgh demanded that Lemieux apologize for making Team Canada his priority. Yzerman has been pilloried by angry Red Wing loyalists in Detroit. "Steve Yzerman should stay in Utah after what he pulled," wrote one fan, as reported in the Detroit News. "Yzerman's knee flared up during the Olympics and now he's going to sit at home on his butt and miss games for the team and the fans who pay him his $8 million per year. What an outrage! Mario Lemieux is being lynched in Pittsburgh and it should be the same in Detroit for Yzerman."

http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/head2head/h2...7b-bee0538a2df6

At the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Team Canada trainers were draining his aching right knee of fluid and shooting the leg full of painkiller so he could get his skates on, never mind race up and down the ice. He wanted to play, so he did, but it was agony, at times, after his knee was scoped three weeks before the tournament.

"I played two pre-tournament games in Montreal and Minnesota and had no swelling. I told Wayne (Gretzky, Olympic team boss)I was fine, then the first tournament game it got sore against Sweden. Then, against Germany, the knee became really painful and it just progressed," said Yzerman.

By your view, management should've made an example of him.

Edited December 14, 2009 by titanium2

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Like Yzerman in '02? You were one of those who listened (Edit: and agreed with) the radio of fans angry that he "put himself before the team"?

He missed most of the 2003 season, though, and wasn't the same player when he came back.

In that regard, he did hurt the team somewhat in the long run.

[mjlegend 155]

He missed most of the 2003 season, though, and wasn't the same player when he came back.

In that regard, he did hurt the team somewhat in the long run.

I will defend this to my death:

Yzerman's overall helping of the Red Wings organization >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yzerman's overall hurting of the Red Wings organization

For a chronic injury like Yzerman's knee was towards the end, who's to say he wouldn't have hurt it in the first round of the playoffs anyway, and it would have continued to hurt him in '03?

I agree with the general principle that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but since an eye injury knocked him out of the last two games of the first round of the playoffs against Calgary in '04, were you also pissed off that he didn't wear a full face shield at any point in his career? Because wearing a full face shield that night would have kept him in the lineup, and every time he's not in the lineup he's hurting the team, by your logic.

[Guest micah]

By your view, management should've made an example of him.

Sure, why not? when a player knowingly takes part in an activity that carries a resonable risk of injurry (something more risky than driving a car or flying in a plane), the team has every right to get upset about that. It's putting your own aspirations in front of the good of the team. I love Stevie like I love no other player, but that doesn't make him incapable of error. He owed the Wings his best, before Team Canada. Perhaps going to the Olympics wasn't so bad, but continuing to play when he knew he was hurt was pretty dumb, dontya think?

Look at the way Dats and Lids have played so far this season. I would rather they rest and try to figure out how to get their numbers back where the Wings need them to be instead of take part in a tournament that doesn't really benefit the Wings very much.

[BeeRYCE 2]

The NHL team has no say in what the players choose to do internationally, and if they actually did, well then I'd fully disagree. Players want to represent their country and get the opportunity to get a medal, to most (if not all) that's equally as important as winning the cup.

[Jake Ryan 1]

These guys (or any player in the NHL) should have the option to play for their country. Yes, there are those risks. I know that most of us Wings fans would be happier seeing our boys rest up, but I suppose we shall see were the priorities are. As said, the Olympics only comes around every four years, and seriously, who wouldn't want to play for their country?

I hate the professionals in the olympics. Giant waste of time.

[BeeRYCE 2]

I hate the professionals in the olympics. Giant waste of time.

Is this sarcasm, or are you dead serious? If you are serious, then I disagree... NHLers are the best players in the world, and the fact that they are considering dropping them from the 2014 Olympics, is just outrageous talk. The Olympics represents the best athletes of respective countries, and the best athletes in hockey are playing in the NHL. If they can't play in the Olympics then it just screws up the whole purpose of the Olympics. I know they didn't play in them before '98... But there is a reason why they brought them in.

[HenryMalredo 2]

Not allowing players to play in the Olympics will greatly effect Detroit's ability to bring in new talent. With the salary cap, Detroit can't outspend other teams and while it has been the most consistent team in the post-lockout period, if this season continues the way it has, Detroit won't be able to hang on to the perception of it as an annual contender. Detroit's biggest advantage in attracting talent has been it's player friendly ownership and management. The Wings keeping their players at home while Yzerman and Babcock go off to Vancouver will look bad (and biased towards Canada as well).

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Wouldn't mind it considering all the injuries and the possibility of more coming.

[Guest ZetterbergFourty]

Is it possible for the Red Wings to prevent their players from doing so?

I think they should play for their country if that's what they wish to do. I know I wouldnt give up a shot to play for my country. Some of these guys live for this. Esp. first timers, they're there for sure.

[eva unit zero 271]

Nobody should be worried about this, anyway. At this rate, by the time the Olympics roll around there won't be many healthy Wings looking at Olympic chances anyway.

Think about it. Who do the Wings have who could potentially be named to play for their country?

Sweden: Zetterberg, Franzen, Holmstrom, Lidstrom, Kronwall, Lilja, Ericsson.

Canada: Cleary, Osgood

Russia: Datsyuk

United States: Rafalski

Finland: Filppula, Leino

Six of those thirteen players are injured. Two more are not likely to make the final cut.

This leaves us with five probable Olympians: Z, Dats, Homer, Lidstrom, Rafalski.

We can bump that number to six of fourteen if you want to include Hudler.

[Carman 387]

Jimmy Howard is going to get the starting job over Ryan Miller. He's been much better this year.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Nobody should be worried about this, anyway. At this rate, by the time the Olympics roll around there won't be many healthy Wings looking at Olympic chances anyway.

Think about it. Who do the Wings have who could potentially be named to play for their country?

Sweden: Zetterberg, Franzen, Holmstrom, Lidstrom, Kronwall, Lilja, Ericsson.

Canada: Cleary, Osgood

Russia: Datsyuk

United States: Rafalski

Finland: Filppula, Leino

Six of those thirteen players are injured. Two more are not likely to make the final cut.

This leaves us with five probable Olympians: Z, Dats, Homer, Lidstrom, Rafalski.

We can bump that number to six of fourteen if you want to include Hudler.

Yeah, but those are our best players. Those guys play enough minutes as it is. I wouldn't mind seeing them rest.

Nice Hudler plug, BTW. You do realize that he's no longer on the team? I could care less if team Czech Republic plays him 40 minutes a game.

[titanium2 867]

Sure, why not? when a player knowingly takes part in an activity that carries a resonable risk of injurry (something more risky than driving a car or flying in a plane), the team has every right to get upset about that. It's putting your own aspirations in front of the good of the team. I love Stevie like I love no other player, but that doesn't make him incapable of error. He owed the Wings his best, before Team Canada. Perhaps going to the Olympics wasn't so bad, but continuing to play when he knew he was hurt was pretty dumb, dontya think?

Not really. Even with their hesitations the management understood the meaning in the Olympics and pride in one's country and so they didn't do much to prevent Stevie from going. They may have had a right to get upset over it but that doesn't mean they have to or should do so. They could also choose to see what a gold medal meant to Stevie at that point in his career and also recognize that if they were him they probably would've done the same thing because that's just how meaningful it is to represent your country. Sure, they're trying to win cups but they also don't want to damage the work environment by telling players "No you can't play in the Olympics" one because they know how important it is and two because they trust their players to make the right decision.

[titanium2 867]

He missed most of the 2003 season, though, and wasn't the same player when he came back.

In that regard, he did hurt the team somewhat in the long run.

I think 2003 has more to do with Fedorov sucking so much and running out of gas that he gets shut down by Steve Rucchin and Dave Lewis not having the same kind of respect that Bowman did.

[Pavel Hossyukstrom 2]

NO NO and NO!

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

NO NO and NO!

If it's because of the injury bug to please us fans in the selfish manner I'd agree with you.

But if it's not against the rules, why wouldn't you want to play for your country?