鈥淭he team looks great on paper and every time there鈥檚 been a [National Hockey League] lockout we鈥檝e managed to get all our best players back,鈥� Nicholson said Sunday night at Bear Mountain Arena while watching his son Grant compete for the Cowichan Valley Capitals against the Victoria Grizzlies.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 going to be a process here. They flew off to Finland [Saturday] and now we鈥檒l see how they do as they get prepared to move on to Ufa [Russia].鈥�
Obviously, the NHL lockout will benefit Team sa国际传媒, which opens play against Germany on Boxing Day. They鈥檒l be led by captain Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who already has a year under his belt with the Edmonton Oilers. Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida), Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg), Dougie Hamilton (Boston) and Ryan Strome (New York Islanders) were all expected to play at that level this season.
But the NHL鈥檚 loss is Team sa国际传媒鈥檚 gain.
鈥淓veryone wants the NHL to get back playing and I guess from our point of view, Jan. 10 would be a good day,鈥� Nicholson said with a chuckle.
鈥淲hen you look at our top six forwards 鈥� man, I like the way it shapes up, but it doesn鈥檛 mean anything until you play the games,鈥� warned Nicholson. 鈥淵ou have to be ready for every one of them. In this tournament, if you have a couple of bad games, you get into a bad position.鈥�
As the last two years have proven. sa国际传媒 鈥� which has six returners from last year鈥檚 squad 鈥� will be looking to snap a three-year drought from capturing gold.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been real close,鈥� said Nicholson. 鈥淟ast year we almost had the big comeback against Russia [6-5 loss in the semifinal] and in Buffalo, I thought we should have won [up 3-0 but lost 5-3 to Russia in 2011]. We let that one slip away.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been close and now we have to pay well every game. We start against Germany and we have to build from there.鈥�
And gold is what this annual tournament is all about.
鈥淩eally, that鈥檚 what it is, it鈥檚 about putting on the jersey and going after a gold medal,鈥� said Nicholson. 鈥淪ome people say that鈥檚 a lot of pressure, but that鈥檚 the colour of medal that the players want and that鈥檚 the colour that every Canadian expects.鈥�
Nicholson 鈥� a native of Penticton who was also the director of the sa国际传媒 Amateur Hockey Association from 1979 to 1989 鈥� will not be in Russia for the event.
鈥淭his is the first time in many years that I will not be going,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e taken on this new role of vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation. I鈥檝e been travelling a lot. But we have a great staff and I鈥檒l watch it at home.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure how I鈥檓 going to take that, but we鈥檒l see how it goes,鈥� he said with a laugh.
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