Wednesday, October 31, 2001
Mixed loyalties dog Slovakians
By BRUCE GARRIOCH -- Ottawa Sun
ATLANTA -- They are caught between the loyalty toward their teammates and the
pride of playing for their country.
With the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City fast approaching, Senators
winger Marian Hossa and defenceman Zdeno Chara are waiting to hear if they'll
be allowed to play in the preliminary round for Slovakia.
Slovakian GM Peter Stastny sent a letter to the NHL head office last month
saying it would "not be fair" if teams didn't release players for the
preliminary round. Director of hockey operations Colin Campbell is studying
the matter.
Indications are the idea will be opposed by the guys who sign the
paycheques in the NHL.
"This is tough for us because we want to be in both places," Hossa said
yesterday. "We want to help the team win the Stanley Cup, but winning an
Olympic gold medal is very important for the people in our country.
"I don't know what's going to happen. We want our team to play in the medal
round. But I wouldn't do it without permission from Senators management. I
wouldn't just walk out. (GM) Marshall (Johnston) would kill me."
Most of the NHL players taking part in the Olympics don't begin action
until Feb. 15. But Slovakia is one of eight teams forced to qualify for two
spots in the main competition leading to the medal podium. At this point,
they'll have to use European-league players rather than the likes of Hossa,
Chara, Washington's Peter Bondra and Ziggy Palffy of Los Angeles.
TALENT AVAILABLE
Slovakia could become a formidable team with other players like St. Louis'
Pavol Demitra, Boston's Josef Stumpel, Atlanta's Lubos Bartecko, Minny's
Marian Gaborik, Michal Handzus of Phoenix and Buffalo's Miroslav Satan.
"We've got a lot of good players," said Chara. "The only area where we're a
little weak is goaltending. We've got some guys playing overseas and a couple
of guys in the minors, but it's going to be tough for us to qualify."
Chara and Hossa would miss Ottawa's game against Detroit on Feb. 9 in order
to play in Slovakia's first preliminary-round game against Germany the same
night in Salt Lake City.
It's unlikely Johnston or coach Jacques Martin would allow them to leave,
so it's more probable both players, along with winger Ivan Ciernik, will suit
up for games against Latvia on Feb. 10 and Austria on Feb. 12.
NO WALK OUT
Reports have indicated some Slovakian players may walk out of their NHL
teams on Feb. 8 to travel to Salt Lake whether they have permission or not,
but Hossa and Chara say they won't.
"We'd like to be able to play in the qualifying games, but we don't know
what's going to happen. We may have to go to Marshall and ask permission,"
said Chara.
"We can't just walk away. We play for our teams here and this is where we
earn our living ... That wouldn't be right for the teams where we play
full-time. I don't know where that idea is coming from."
Not every GM would be opposed to having players leave early for the
Olympics. Atlanta's Don Waddell said yesterday he'd like to see the NHL leave
it up to teams on an individual basis.
"In some cases it might do the player good to be playing in the Olympics.
He might be gaining more by missing one or two (NHL) games,'' said Waddell,
who may be willing to release Bartecko.
''A lot will depend on where each team is when the time comes."
2002 Games Columnists
