alie Miller Lack Scratched Horvat, Sanguenetti Injured Kassian (k

VANCOUVER -- Losing some of its top executives leaves Hockey Canada with some big skates to fill. Freddie Freeman Braves Jersey . But Canada has the depth of talent to remain a winner on the international stage, says the man who coached the mens team to back-to-back Olympic gold medals. "I am really confident," Detroit Red Wing coach Mike Babcock said Monday. "The group at Hockey Canada have done great things and have lots of different people. "Thats part of it. Different people get opportunities. They grow from it and they move on. A new group will get an opportunity and thats great." Steve Yzerman, Team Canadas executive director at the last two Winter Olympics, has already said he will not lead the team at the 2018 Games at Pyeongchang, South Korea. Bob Nicholson, who spent 16 years as president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada, stepped down in May to take a job overseeing business operations for the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL. Under Nicholson, Canadian hockey teams won seven Olympic gold medals. Brad Pascall, Hockey Canadas vice-president of hockey operations and national teams, has joined the NHLs Calgary Flames as an assistant general manager. Yzerman said Nickolson always stressed that Hockey Canadas role was to develop people for the next level. "Not only for players, but also for coaches, for managers, for all people," said Yzerman, the former Detroit star who is now general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "I think Bobs great legacy at Hockey Canada is the structure he set up and the mentality of what we are trying to do in Canada with hockey. Great people will fill those shoes. With Bob Nicholson, those are big skates to fill. But I have no doubt there are tremendous people in this country with a passion and drive. The program will continue to succeed." Babcock and Yzerman were in Vancouver as part of the Hockey Canada Foundation Celebrity Classic. A Monday night gala paid tribute to the 2014 Order of Hockey Canada honourees coach Clare Drake, player France St-Louis and Yzerman. Also attending were members of the Olympic champion mens team, the womens team that won gold at the Sochi Olympics in Russia and the team that won the womens under-18 championship in Budapest. Babcock said Canada can be proud of its Olympic success but must continue to work hard if the country hopes to remain on top of the podium in four years. "You take a lot of pride in being the best," he said. "In order to be the best you have to find the best to win. "Were going to have to continue to grow our game over the next four years. If you want to have success at the next Olympics, 2014s effort wont be good enough to win the next one. We have to keep getting better." The NHL hasnt committed to sending its players to the 2018 Games. Among the leagues concerns are a 12-hour difference between Pyeongchang and the Eastern Time Zone, taking a break in the middle of the regular season, and the danger of players being injured. Sidney Crosby, the Canadas captain in Sochi, understands the problems but still thinks the Olympics are worth the effort. "I go back to my two experiences," said Crosby, who scored the Olympic winning goal in overtime in 2010 in Vancouver. "They were pretty good. "To think of all the things that had to happen to make them work, especially in Russia, it would be a similar case, maybe even a little more difficult the next one. Like I said, representing your country and to have those opportunities, I dont think that ever gets old, no matter what the situation. As a player, you want to be part of that." As a possible alternative to the Olympics, the NHL is discussing with the NHL Players Association about holding a World Cup of Hockey tournament in 2016. Yzerman said a World Cup has the potential to gain the same prestige as an Olympics. "It will take some time," he said. "The Olympics have been around for a long time on the world stage. If done right, I can see it being really successful." Babcock said the Olympics "are so special" because they are watched by people who are not even hockey fans. "My mom never watches sports but she watches the Olympics Games," he said. "People who are not interested in sport still follow it. "I think its the greatest opportunity, best-on-best, to celebrate the sport. Its something you want to be part of and you want other people to be part of. Its a thrill of a lifetime." All three people named to the Order of Hockey in Canada were recognized for their contributions to the game. Yzerman played 22 seasons in the NHL and played for Team Canada eight times, including at two Winter Olympics. As a member of Canadas national womens team St-Louis won five world championships and a silver medal at the 1998 Olympics. In 28 seasons as head coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears Drake led his teams to six national championships and 17 Canada West titles. Babcock compared Drake to legendary NCAA basketball coach John Wooden. "He is one of the builders of hockey in Canada," said Babcock. "Clare is a gentleman who shared everything he had. He tried to make us all better. "He led the way so guys like myself, who werent NHL players, could one day coach in the NHL." Braves Jerseys China .Y. - Brooklyn Nets centre Brook Lopez has a strained lower back and will miss at least a week. Andy Messersmith Jersey . -- Jerel Worthy and his Michigan State teammates charged across the field, holding four fingers in the air while celebrating another sweet victory over their biggest rival. https://www.cheapbraves.com/1443o-bobby-cox-jersey-braves.html . And, just for good measure, lets say the lottery team finishes the game short-handed because two starters come down with the very same injury.The Vancouver Canucks were hoping for an improved showing when they signed former Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller to a three-year deal this summer. The Canucks have experienced that so far with a promising start and Miller might have a chance to make another contribution Friday night if he gets to face a team thats never beaten him in seven starts, the scuffling Arizona Coyotes. Catch all the action on TSN 1040 starting at 5pm PT. After ending a streak of five consecutive playoff appearances in 2013-14, Vancouver appears very capable of making it back to the postseason with a 12-5-0 start. After an uneven beginning, Miller did his part with a 1.70 goals-against average during a recent seven-game win streak, but he needed a boost from his teammates for a league-best 11th win, a 4-3 overtime victory against Ottawa on Tuesday. After allowing the tying goal with 11:18 left in regulation, the Canucks finished it off when Daniel Sedin scored with 55 seconds remaining in the extra period. We are happy, obviously, defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. Its a good start for us. We wanted to get out of the gate early with the way the summer went and all the new changes. A lot of guys coming in wanted to prove themselves and reprove themselves. Weve got that accomplished so far. The Canucks have won back-to-back games since a 5-1 defeat to Los Angeles on Saturday and took a 2-1 shootout win over Anaheim the next day with Eddie Lack in net for the finale of a four-game trip. We find ways to win. Its fun, forward Henrik Sedin said. Having been off for two days and with a four-day break coming up, Vancouver will likely turn to Miller again as hes 7-0-0 with a 1.27 GAA all-time against the Coyotes. Thats easily his lowest GAA versus any opponent and his second-best record versus any team behind a 10-0-0 mark against Edmonton. Western Conference-worst Arizona (6-9-1) heads into Vancouver seeking to avoid a season-high fourth consecutive loss. Mike Soroka Braves Jersey. Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith has been charged with a combined nine goals in the past two defeats, the latest a 5-3 loss in Calgary in Thursdays opener to a three-game trip. There are plays that have to get made, saves that have to get done. We just have to play better as a group, coach Dave Tippett said. Its unknown if Smith, 4-9-0 with a 3.43 GAA this season, will start on back-to-back nights. He started all five games against Vancouver last season and led the Coyotes to a 3-0-2 series victory while posting a 1.93 GAA. Smith, though, also gave up a combined eight goals in two overtime losses in Vancouver. Backup Devan Dubnyk allowed a total of nine goals in a pair of defeats in Vancouver last season while with Edmonton. Its also unclear if Vancouvers Radim Vrbata will get to face his former club, but he did practice Thursday. Vrbata has missed the past two games with a leg injury after producing six goals and seven assists in his first 15 with the Canucks. He had 20 goals and a career-best 31 assists last season with the Coyotes and scored a career-high 35 goals for them in 2011-12. Former teammate Antoine Vermette has nine goals and three assists in his last nine games against Vancouver and scored six times in last seasons series. He recorded the latest of his three career hat tricks in a 5-4 overtime defeat in Vancouver on Jan. 26. PROJECTED LINES: Forwards D. Sedin - H. Sedin - Vrbata Higgins - Bonino - Burrows Matthias - Richardson - Jensen Dorsett - Vey - Hansen Defence Edler - Tanev Hamhuis - Weber Stanton - Bieksa Goalie Miller Lack Scratched Horvat, Sanguenetti Injured Kassian (knee), Sestit (groin), Sbisa (ankle) ' ' '