Today’s young American hockey players have grown up believing the dream of playing in the Olympics before turning pro only happens in movies.
“I watched ‘Miracle’ and that’s how it used to be,” University of Denver player Troy Terry said. “It was pretty cool. That’s a little different than the Olympics I’ve grown up watching.”
Because the NHL has allowed its players to compete in the Olympics continuously since 1998, Terry has only known Olympic hockey as an NHL event. But Terry and his fellow college players, plus those with minor league-only contracts or Americans playing pro in Europe, suddenly have Olympic opportunities that weren’t there a year ago.