Wish I was in the Chicago area on Aug. 17-18. The U.S. Olympic men’s ice hockey orientation camp will start those days at the Seven Bridges Ice Arnea in Woodridge, Ill., and anyone can go watch for free. There will also be a third closed day.

Thirty-four candidates for the 2010 U.S. Olympic team will be there. The XXI Olympics will be from Feb. 12-28 in Vancouver, B.C.

The final roster for the 2010 Olympics will be named in late December.

The 34 players represent 22 NHL teams. Five have played in previous Olympics:

* Mike Modano, Dallas (former North Star), 1998, 2002, 2006

* Chris Drury, New York Rangers, 2002, 2006

* Brian Rafalski, Detroit, 2002, 2006

* Scott Gomez, Montreal, 2006

* Jamie Langenbrunner, New Jersey, 1998

Langenbrunner is from Cloquet. … Other players with Minnesota ties at the camp are forward Zach Parise of New Jersey, he is the son of ex-North Star J.P. and Zach went to school at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in high school and North Dakota in college; defenseman Tom Gilbert, Edmonton Oilers (his hometown is Minneapolis); defenseman Erik Johnson of St. Louis (he is an ex-Gopher and his hometown is Bloomington); defenseman Paul Martin of New Jersey (another ex-Gopher who played at Elk River H.S.); forward David Backes of St. Louis (he played at Minnesota State Mankato and Spring Lake Park H.S.); forward Dustin Byfuglien of Chicago (Minneapolis hometown); forward Kyle Okposo (another ex-Gopher who played for Shattuck-St. Mary’s, St. Paul hometown), and forward T.J. Oshie of St. Louis (he played for North Dakota and Warroad H.S.). 

That’s 10 players from Minnesota who will be fighting for Olympis spots. How many do you think will make the team?

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