Jeremy Roenick: USA Hockey 'blackballing me'Last Updated: Tue Dec 20 16:56:25 EST 2005
CBC Sports
Jeremy Roenick wasn't about to let American hockey officials off the hook after being excluded from the U.S. Olympic hockey roster.
The bitter Los Angeles Kings centre called those associated with USA Hockey disrespectful, adding (USA Hockey has) "been blackballing me since September."
"I think they were holding the fact I haven't played in the last two World Cups against me," said Roenick, who has six goals and seven assists in 32 games for the Kings this season.
"I'm a lot better player than my points indicate. I'm one of the guys that have gotten the USA to where it is today."
Roenick was a silver medallist at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics and also part of the U.S. squad that finished out of the medals in Nagano, Japan, in 1998.
The 36-year-old figured he would be named to the team headed to the Torino Games based on past performances.
"To not have the opportunity to go back one more time and try and win the gold is, obviously, in my opinion, very disrespectful," said Roenick, who has 1,133 points in 1,156 NHL games. "They can beat me down and say I'm over the hill or say that I don't have it anymore. But to me, I know that I do."
The vocal Roenick added he had nothing to prove to American hockey brass.
"There's nobody on the Olympic team that's scored more points than I have, who's had a career like I've had in terms of physicality and putting points on the board and being a leader," Roenick said.
Kings teammate Craig Conroy, who cracked the U.S. roster, said he's disappointed Roenick wasn't selected.
"He's been a big part of USA hockey for a long time," said Conroy, who played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
"It's surprising. He's kind of synonymous with USA hockey."
Shortly after USA Hockey named its 23-man roster Monday night, Roenick picked up a goal and assist in a 4-3 shootout win at Vancouver.
But he also suffered a long-term injury in the game.
"I have a broken finger, I found out this morning," Roenick told The Canadian Press on Tuesday.
"I have to go back (to Los Angeles) for surgery. I'll be out 4-6 weeks.
"Just when I was starting to get into a groove and getting things in the right place, this happens. But oh well, what are you going to do?"
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