Team USA opt for youth in ice hockey training squad

(BURKE, TUESDAY, VANCOUVER, GOING, PLAYERS, ORIENTATION)

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Team USA general manager Brian Burke signaled a changing of the guard by naming a youthful training camp squad Tuesday for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
"We`re going to be the underdog in Vancouver, we know that," Burke told a conference call Tuesday to announce the 34 players to take part in a Team USA orientation camp from August 17-19. "There is not going to be a penny bet on us in Las Vegas.
"We are probably going to be the youngest team in the tournament but we are going there to win and we have tried to identify a group that will give us our best chance to do that.
"We think we have a good blend. We have some first violins and we have some tuba players too."
Team USA will have a youthful new look in Vancouver with Burke extending camp invitations to only five players with Olympic experience, led by three-time Olympian Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars.
Future Hall of Famers such as 47-year-old Detroit Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios and national team stalwarts like Doug Weight, Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin were not included on Burke`s list, signaling a changing of the guard at USA Hockey.
In their places, rising talents like Chicago Blackhawks Patrick Kane, the top pick in the 2007 draft and young St. Louis Blues defenseman Erik Johnson, the number one selection in 2006, will get their opportunity to shine.
"We`re turning the page to a large extent and some of those choices will be questioned, which we are prepared for," said Burke. "This is not the U.S. Olympic team for 2010, these are the invitations to our orientation camp.
"Some of the guys who were not invited are going to jam it right down my throat and I welcome that.
"If we`re right with our identification virtually all the team will come out of this group but my prediction is a couple of guys are going to make this real hard for us."
The final 23-man rosters are expected to be confirmed in late December.
(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Justin Palmer)
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