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Team USA is confident about going to the Olympics.
The United States men’s hockey team has flipped the script since the previous Winter Olympics.
The Americans expect to be a favourite to win gold in six months at the 2014 Sochi Games after saying they were underdogs in 2010, when they won silver and were a goal away from knocking off the Canadians.
“The only people that thought we had a chance were probably the guys in the locker room, or our coaches and management of USA Hockey,” Chicago Blackhawks star forward Patrick Kane said Monday. “This time, it’s different.”
Team Canada is a wide open competition to see who gets called on the play for the Red and White.
While there are several locks to make the team, executive director Steve Yzerman and head coach Mike Babcock have made it clear this is awide-open competition for the 25 roster spots of three goalies, eight defencemen and 14 forwards.
Yzerman remarked "conservatively" that there are about eight to nine sure bets to make this team.
It will come down to which players perform the best and which players are healthy when the lineup is announced in mid-to-late December.
In case you missed it, the USA Glamour shots have been released and the Top Ten Awkward ones include one by Paul Stastny. Thanks to thegentlesurprise for the heads up.