BEIJING (AP) 鈥� Six weeks after the and three weeks since USA Hockey finalized the roster, the full team was finally on the ice together Friday for the first time.
Well, almost the full team.
Star college defenseman Jake Sanderson remained in Los Angeles in coronavirus protocol, while veterans Steven Kampfer and Andy Miele were isolating in the athletes village after testing positive upon arrival.
All 12 teams in the tournament are trying to get up to speed quickly, and the U.S. has the extra hiccup of missing three players, even though there鈥檚 hope each can produce two negative tests at least 24 hours apart and be ready by the first game.
鈥淲e鈥檙e optimistic,鈥� said after the Americans鈥� first practice in Beijing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a day-to-day situation with these guys. We expect them to be back. It鈥檚 the world we live in. Every team鈥檚 going through it, and we鈥檙e no different.鈥�
Each team is dealing with a different degree of difficulty pulling two dozen or more players together in a short period of time. Germany, China and others have tight-knit groups strengthened by established on- and off-ice chemistry, the opposite of Canada and the U.S. blending rosters with players ranging in age from 19 to 37.
Assuming Sanderson is cleared, the U.S has , many of whom have been teammates or faced one another in college.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e playing against them every weekend or something,鈥� said forward Matty Beniers, the youngest player on the team. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e kind of in the same shoes, so it鈥檚 easier to connect. And then you鈥檝e got a couple veterans that kind of take the wheels and show us the ropes.鈥�
Much of the team gathered in LA this week to skate and start the acclimation process. It was a common path: Canada held a training camp in Switzerland, and the Russians used a bubble environment in Moscow to get a head start on Olympic preparations.
鈥淭ime is of the essence,鈥� Quinn said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a lot of time to play shinny.鈥�
The U.S. and Canada are scheduled to face off in an exhibition game Monday. Canada opted not to practice Friday to allow players to march in the opening ceremony.
Time together at the world championships last year and familiarity gives Germany a boost of confidence at another Olympics without NHL players. Germany made an improbable run to the final in 2018, ending up with the silver medal after an overtime loss to the Russians.
Ten players are back from that team, and more than 20 played together at worlds last spring.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 our biggest asset,鈥� defenseman Moritz Muller said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e kind of used to each other, but it鈥檚 still a new process to begin. It starts within us, and we鈥檝e got to treat each other well and use the time that we have as a team to bond really closely.鈥�
U.S. players began that before getting to Beijing. Veteran defenseman Brian Cooper and first-year pro goaltender Strauss Mann traveled together and swapped stories about their experiences playing overseas and their paths to the Swedish Hockey League.
Those conversations are happening for U.S. players in the locker room and the athletes village as they get to know one another.
鈥淚t starts just hanging out in the room and talking, getting to know each other and asking questions maybe you wouldn鈥檛 ask just to get to know each other a little bit faster and find some common ground,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淚 know it鈥檚 a really small hockey world, so it鈥檚 easy to find teammates that you played with that they also did or played against and it leads to conversation and then you can build those relationships there and it transfers on the ice.鈥�
By asking a few more questions, Mann found out Brian O鈥橬eill鈥檚 fianc茅e gave birth to a baby boy a few days ago and learned some other things about his teammates that have nothing to do with hockey.
While COVID-19 and strict testing requirements are keeping Sanderson, Kampfer and Miele off the ice for now, Quinn thinks the restrictions at the Olympics actually will speed up the crash course of building chemistry.
鈥淵ou just have more time together,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ll the teams in our situation are going to probably be able to create a quicker bond than maybe in normal circumstances.鈥�
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Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
