Dallas Stars Send Seven Players To 2006 Olympics

When the Dallas Stars game ended in Los Angeles on Sunday, it marked the beginning of the Olympic break for the National Hockey league.

Seven players from the Stars are headed to Italy, including goaltender Marty Turco, who was testing his Olympic head gear during practice last week. He will play for Team Canada.

"I've never been to an olympic site before or seen any events," says Turco. "So I think all that together is going to be pretty special in itself. To be playing in the NHL here in Dallas, and to represent them and my country at the same time in the Olympics, things couldn't be better in my life when we get over in Italy."

For Team USA, Bill Guerin and Mike Modano will both being making their third appearance in the Olympics.

"That happens every four years where you have an opportunity to play with great players, and good guys," says Modano. "A lot of us have known each other for a long, long, time, for some us, it might be our last shot at something that we can have a fond memory of."

But no country has more representives from the Dallas Stars than Finland which as four players from the team making the trip. They include Niklas Hagman from Espoo, Finland, who was a last minute replacement for Antti Miettinen who suffered an abdominal strain in Los Angeles.

Also traveling from Dallas are Jussi Jokinen from Kalajoki, Finland, Niko Kapanen from Hattua, Finland and Jere Lehtinen, also from Espoo, Finland. Lehtinen will be making his 4th Olympic appearance, one of six players from Finland who some say, have been carrying the Dallas stars.

"Ha ha we try to play good," says Lehtinen. "Of course, its ah, we have a lot of Fins, and everybody is doing good, so that's a good sign."

Says Tippett, "Just on a pure heart standpoint, I played for Canada twice, so I've obviously got a, now there is another part of me where I have a wife and two daughters at home that carry the American Flag very well. I get a lot of pressure there, and we've got our group of Fins, we're not going anywhere without the Fins playing well, so, I'm going to plead the fifth on that one. ha ha."

Those seven players represent nearly one third of the entire stars roster. That's a big number, and a lot of players to keep up with during the olympics.