Capitals defenseman John Carlson was at home watching the Winter Classic on NBC on Wednesday, wondering when the snow-driven game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs would end and the U.S. Olympic hockey team would be announced.
“I was trying to wait patiently, but it seemed like the game was five hours long,” Carlson said Wednesday night outside the White House.
The U.S. Olympic roster was announced in alphabetical order and it wasn’t until a young boy wearing a Carlson jersey skated in front of the camera that the 23-year-old native of Natick, Mass., realized his dream of playing in the Winter Olympics, a dream that began when he started playing hockey in Colonia, N.J.
“It’s obviously an honor to play for your country and I feel a bond with D.C.,” Carlson said.
“It’s just cool standing in front of the White House. This city has a lot of meaning and so does playing for my country. It’s a whole new level.”
Carlson said his cell phone buzzed uncontrollably before, during and after the announcement as family and friends congratulated him on his selection.
After talking with his father, Richard, and mother, Angela, Carlson said he received a phone call from Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero, who serves as an assistant general manager for Team USA. Shero said he would speak with Carlson again when the Caps visit the Penguins on Jan. 15.
Team USA general manager David Poile said he thought Carlson has proven himself as a solid two-way defenseman who can log meaningful minutes.
“This year he has transitioned from somewhat of a defensive defenseman to a two-way defenseman,” Poile said. “He leads the NHL, I believe, in shorthanded minutes [4:00 per game] with a team that’s pretty good in penalty killing and his offensive game has gone way up.”
Carlson last represented Team USA in the 2010 World Championships when he scored the game-winning goal against Canada in the gold-medal game. He said he was so caught up in the emotion of making the Olympic team that he had to rewind the announcement to see which Americans teammates he’ll have in Sochi in the tournament that runs from Feb. 7-23.
“Once they got to me I kind of lost track of everything else,” Carlson said. “I thought, ’Who else is on there?’ I had to rewind it. It’s a great team. Very dynamic players that give the Caps problems all the time. I think with the big ice surface [15 feet wider than NHL rinks] we’re going to be pretty fast.”
Carlson said he’s looking forward to seeing Russia for the first time and the experience of living in the Olympic village. He’ll also spend the next month devising ways to stop one of Russia’s most prolific scorers, teammate Alex Ovechkin.
“I need to pay a little more attention to what he’s doing,” Carlson said. “I’ve faced him a lot at practice, but I’ll need to keep my eye on him more.”
Missing among Carlson’s teammates in Sochi will be Bobby Ryan, who helped the U.S. to the silver medal in 2010. Ryan could be added later as an injury replacement.
“We did not pick the 25 best players,” Poile told reporters in Ann Arbor. “We picked the 25 players we thought gave us a chance to win the gold medal.”
Ryan was perhaps the most surprising omission on the 25-man roster. Jack Johnson and Erik Johnson, a pair of defensemen who played in the Vancouver Games, also didn’t make the cut.
Jimmy Howard, who couldn’t make enough stops to help the Red Wings beat the Maple Leafs, appears to be the Americans’ third goaltender behind Jonathan Quick and Ryan Miller.
At Sochi, the U.S. forwards will be: David Backes, Dustin Brown, Ryan Callahan, Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, Phil Kessel, T.J. Oshie, Max Pacioretty, Zach Parise, Joe Pavelski, Paul Stastny, Derek Stepan, James van Riemsdyk and Blake Wheeler. Carlson, Justin Faulk, Cam Fowler, Paul Martin, Ryan McDonagh, Brooks Orpik, Kevin Shattenkirk and Ryan Suter will be on defense for the Americans.
Miller was named MVP of the ice hockey tournament at the Vancouver Games, but he wasn’t a lock to keep a spot because Quick, one of many players on the team who has been injured this season, has been perhaps the world’s best at stopping shots the past two seasons. Howard, Schneider, Gibson, Tim Thomas and Craig Anderson also were options for the selection committee.
Players who could’ve potentially been on the team, but weren’t selected include: Ben Bishop, Keith Yandle, Kyle Okposo, Cory Schneider, Brandon Saad and Dustin Byfuglien.
The team will be led by Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma. He has been at ease publicly, saying he likes the Americans’ chances to win gold for the first time since the Miracle on Ice victory in 1980.
The Associated Press contributed
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