Team USA Olympic Hockey Team for 2010 Olympics - Player Evaluations

With the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver just around the corner, here's a glimpse at how this NHL season has started off for potential players for Team USA's Olympic hockey team.  Though many are considering this Olympic hockey tournament to be a story of Team Canada vs. Team Russia, there's no question that the Americans should not be underestimated.  Team Russia's isn't known for strength in goal or defense, but will have forward roster loaded with the NHL's top-end superstars including the likes of Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk, Datysuk, among others.  Team Canada is often regarded as having enough depth to field two very competitive teams.  How are things shaping up for team USA's potential roster?

To get a glimpse of who's had a hot start to this NHL season, I've compiled a list of potential players for Team USA including both those officially invited to the summer training camp along with other potential players of interest.

A previous story on ESPN quoted Brian Burke (Team USA's Olympic Hockey GM) in regards to Team USA's selection process and objectives:

"We're going to be an underdog in Vancouver, we know that," Burke said. "There is not going to be a penny bet on us in Las Vegas. We're probably going to be the youngest team in the tournament ... but we are going there to win and we've tried to identify a group that will give us our best chance to do that."

Vancouver Canucks 7 - Edmonton Oilers 3 - Oilers headed to floor of Western Conference

The story of tonight's game is less about the game itself.  After all, the Oilers losing a hockey game is pretty much becoming par for the course.  The Oilers record is now a 2-5-3 over their past ten games.  The Minnesota Wild who beat the Colorado Avalanche tonight in a shootout are now just one point behind the Oilers.  The Wild who also have two games in hand have gone 5-2-3 over their last ten games.

The Anaheim Might Ducks who have gone 5-4-1 over their past ten games are also just one point behind the Oilers.  However, the Ducks have 3 games in hand.

With five more games left on this current road trip including visits in Detroit, Dallas, Sunrise, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis, the question is when not if they will find themselves on the bottom of the Western Conference. It's a lost season for Oilers fans like myself.

Game 27 - Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks - General Motors Place - 8pm MT - CBC

The Edmonton Oilers (10-12-4) will visit the Vancouver Canucks (13-11-0) tonight at General Motors Place in Vancouver.  Over the past ten games, the Oilers have gone  3-4-3 in contrast to the Vancouver Canucks' vastly superior 6-4-0 record.  To date, the teams have met twice previously with each team winning one game.

For the Edmonton Oilers, they started this hockey season on October 3 against the Calgary Flames.  During that game, the Oilers embarked on what has become for them an annual tradition.  Yes, on that night the Oilers' annual race for 8th place begun again.  I myself poured a tall shot glass full of Kool-Aid, made a toast, and slammed it back.  It's frustrating for Oilers fans that at the start of each season, a healthy roster brings hope that they just might squeak into the playoffs.  A key injury here or there, and the lack of depth means the Oilers playoff hopes are over.  With the combination of the Oilers' devout fans and Daryl Katz's deep pockets, it really shouldn't be this way... but it is.

There's no denying the Oilers have had trouble contending over the past few seasons. There is also no denying, a large part of their lack of success has to do with their record number of injuries that have kept key components out of the lineup for extended periods of time. With the latest casualty being Ales Hemsky, one has to wonder at what point the Oilers start shipping out pieces and getting ready for next year.

Edmonton Oilers 4 - San Jose Sharks 5 (SO) - Battle of Rexopylae

The Oilers let a two-goal lead heading into the third period slip away.  Despite, Potulny putting the Oilers back ahead with just five minutes left in regulation, the Oilers headed into extra minutes after a short-handed goal from Patrick Marleau with less than two minutes left on the clock.  All three of O'Sullivan, Gagner, and Penner couldn't beat Nabokov in the shootout.  Joe Pavelski beat Deslauriers with a laser of a shot.  For the Oilers, the Bettman point was probably better than most fans expected prior to the game, yet letting the game slip away with a goal against while on the power play in dying minutes of the game probably doesn't sit too well either.