Drury Doesn’t Get A Letter for Team USA
In a surprise move, Team USA did not give a letter to Chris Drury. The captain is Jamie Langenbrunner. The alternate captains are Zach Parise, Dustin Brown, Ryan Suter and Brian Rafalski. To me, Drury was selected because of the leadership he provides. And that was going to be rewarded with a ‘C’ or ‘A’. Here’s what GM Brian Burke had to say:
“Leaders lead,” Burke said. “Leaders don’t need letters to lead. Ron Wilson and I were co-captains together in college and it didn’t change one thing on how we acted when they put a C on us. So, to me leaders lead. If you need a letter to lead, then you’re not a leader anyhow. We know what Chris Drury can bring. He doesn’t need a letter. We’ve got a number of guys who are wearing letters in the NHL that aren’t going to wear a letter on this team. I wasn’t defensive at all about picking Chris Drury. In fact, every single guy — this will be illuminating for the people in the media that are skeptical about Chris Drury — every single guy on the selection committee had him on the team. So, I wasn’t defensive at all.
I get that, but if you pick Chris Drury because he’s Chris Drury, Captain Clutch, you give him a letter. Maybe I’m just being biased as a Ranger fan. But, he deserves a letter. And he didn’t get one.
By Dave, January 12, 2010 @ 8:42 am
I guess it’s expected, Drury won’t be back in four years, so they wanted the leadership torch to start being passed to the young kids in Parise, Brown and Suter.
By paparanger, January 12, 2010 @ 6:19 pm
Who cares if he has a letter or not? He has five goals and was still selected to the team.
As far as all those naysayers, this is nothing more than sour grapes. Starting with Jeremy Roneck
By MeetTheMatts.com, January 12, 2010 @ 6:32 pm
It certainly shouldn’t come as a surprise or perceived snub to Drury – he’s been mediocre at best and really shouldn’t even be wearing a letter here, let alone the “C”… We were shocked he even got the nod for Team USA.
By Dave, January 12, 2010 @ 6:46 pm
Captains aren’t necessarily the best players on the team. Chris Clark / Olaf Kolzig were the captains in Washington.