Hockey

WOODRIDGE, ILL. - Ryan Kesler, Tom Gilbert, Scott Gomez and Mike Komisarek will undergo an experience the other 29 hopefuls for the U.S. Olympics team won't this NHL season.

The four Americans, whose NHL teams are based in Canada, will be subjected to more than four months of Hockey Canada hype before the Olympic torch is lit to open the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver on Feb. 12.

Kesler, a Vancouver Canucks forward, Gomez, a Montreal Canadiens centre, Gilbert, an Edmonton Oilers defenceman, and Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Komisarek relish the opportunity they have been given to perform in their respective hockey hotbeds.

But they also admit it will feel strange to be Americans playing NHL home games in the country that is staging the Games.

Kesler, especially, is in a unique situation. If he is one of the successful candidates named to the 23-player U.S. roster, he will be playing Olympic games in the same building that the Canucks perform in, but on the opposite side - and possibly trying to score against his Vancouver teammate, goalie Roberto Luongo.

"I know all his weak spots, so it will be easy for me," Kesler joked.
"I think about [playing in the Olympics at GM Place] every day. It's a dream of mine to play in the Winter Olympics and it would be that much better playing in the city that I play professionally in, and that I would get booed."

But will Kesler, Gilbert, Gomez and Komisarek get jeered while playing for their respective NHL clubs, knowing that they could be suiting up for the archrival U.S. team in February?

"That's a good question," Kesler pondered. "The fans in Vancouver have been really good to me. They don't even treat me like I'm an American there. [But at the Olympics] I will be the enemy and I will get booed, but I won't worry about it."

Gomez, who was traded to the Canadiens by the New York Rangers last month, moved into his downtown digs in Montreal two weeks ago. He already has endeared himself to his new hometown fans by vowing to learn to speak some French, and he doesn't anticipate a backlash from the Canadiens faithful, even though he will play for the United States.

"I think all they care about is winning," Gomez said of Habs fans. "That's what makes it such a special place. They care about how we perform for the Canadiens."

A friend told Gomez he's going "from the oven to the microwave" and, at the U.S. orientation camp in suburban Chicago, Komisarek certainly passed along the message about hockey fever in Montreal.

As for Komisarek, he has moved on to Toronto and has a different challenge ahead of him.
He's making a first impression for his new bosses, Ron Wilson and Brian Burke, the coach and general manager of both the Leafs and the U.S. team. The 27-year-old Komisarek has also been asked to bring his leadership skills to the U.S. team.

Gone are veterans such as Jeremy Roenick, Bill Guerin, Brian Rolston and Keith Tkachuk. There are just five players past their 30th birthday - goalie Tim Thomas (35), Brian Rafalski (35), Chris Drury (turns 33 tomorrow), Jamie Langenbrunner (34) and elder statesman Mike Modano (39).

"We're expecting two things from [Komisarek]," Burke said. "One he's a big-body, hard-nosed guy who blocks a lot of shots and hits. But we also expect some leadership skills. It's a young group and we expect him to be one of our leaders."

Komisarek made a visit to Toronto this month to pick out an area he wants to live and will return to his new home in a couple of weeks to get to know his new teammates.

"I'm still excited to play in a good hockey market with passionate fans and to play for Ron Wilson and Brian Burke," Komisarek said. "I came here in good shape and I wanted to make a good first impression for them here."