Bates named to Team USA for World Championships

[goalie33]

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=1779242

[Lady J]

Yay Bates! :) I hope he has a great time.

[Stormbringer]

Congrats and cool beans to Bates! :spin:

[Turbulence]

Way to go Bates! I have to think the chances of the USA are better than they were last year...

[Night Train]

No offense intended to the Bates fans, but this does not speak highly for ther talent pool for team USA, unless we do a time warp back to 2002.

[CanesFever]

Night Train, you must have not seen Bates play in the last few months. He's looking very good! :eek:

[Night Train]

Admittedly, I have not kept up with the Caps and Bates' progress through the season. Now, I'll be rooting like heck for him and the rest of Team USA in the World Championships....

[Alicia]

Admittedly, I have not kept up with the Caps and Bates' progress through the season. Now, I'll be rooting like heck for him and the rest of Team USA in the World Championships....

We have been keeping up with him...it's true that he's been doing well, especially after being moved from his natural position at left wing to center, where he began taking faceoffs and saw his ice time increased. He should continue to do well for Team USA.

[talkingcanes]

not about Bates, but since this is Other NHL Talk I thought it might fit here.


Joel Quenneville is hoping to lead Canada to consecutive gold medals at the World Championships.

World is Quenneville's stage
By Alan Adams | NHL.com columnist
April 12, 2004

Joel Quenneville is getting ready to take on the world.

Quenneville is the head coach of Team Canada at the World Hockey Championship in Prague from April 23-May 9, and the decision to take on the plum assignment was a no-brainer when the offer was made.

"I am very proud," Quenneville says of fulfilling a lifelong dream of representing his country. "I have never done this and being part of a Canadian team, of Team Canada, is the ultimate thrill. I can't say enough about how excited I am about the challenge and the opportunity."

"When you are asked to be part of hockey tradition, it is an easy decision. It is just a thrill. I have spoken with about five coaches who have been involved with Team Canada in the past and to a man they just recommended doing this. It was highly endorsed."

Quenneville's name has been dropped from time to time as someone Hockey Canada had on its radar screen to be part of an international competition, but it wasn't until he was fired by the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 24 that he became the best available option. Joining him behind the bench in Prague will be Tom Renney, coach of the New York Rangers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks coach Mike Babcock.

Quenneville was in the mix for head coach of Canada's Olympic team in 1998 and 2002. He was also under consideration for the job as head coach of Canada's World Cup team in September, but his chance of adding that to his resume was dashed when the Blues slumped at mid-season and never recovered before he was fired.

The Blues were expected to challenge for first place in the NHL's Western Conference, but the roster was ravaged by injuries and they found themselves fighting for their playoff lives and Quenneville paid the price.

"It was a difficult process," Quenneville said of his sudden firing. "But when I heard this news it brightened up my day for sure. This is a tremendous opportunity and I'm really proud and honored."

Quenneville is hoping to lead Canada to consecutive gold medals at the World Championships. Canada won last year in Helsinki with Andy Murray, coach of the Los Angeles Kings, behind the bench.

"This is a great challenge and a great opportunity," says Quenneville.

Canada will be based in Prague and will play in Group D with Austria, France and Switzerland. Canada's first game will be on April 25 versus Austria.


Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers will increase his all-time lead for Canada with 42 games played at the World Championships.
The Canadian roster is taking shape and so far 16 players have accepted the invitation to go to Prague, including Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers, who is the all-time leader for Canada with 42 games played at the World Championships.

"That's one of the reasons I wanted to go back, is to help defend our title," says Smythe. "I had such a great time there last year and a great experience. I want to be part of that again."

Joining Smythe from the Oilers are teammates Eric Brewer and Shawn Horcoff, who also were on the Canadian team that won the World Championships last May in Helsinki

Also named to the team are defensemen Andy Sutton of the Atlanta Thrashers, Jay Bouwmeester of the Florida Panthers, Willie Mitchell and Nick Schultz of the Minnesota Wild and Derek Morris of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Up front, there is Dany Heatley of the Thrashers, Rick Nash of Columbus, Daniel Briere of the Buffalo Sabres, Justin Williams of the Carolina Hurricanes and veteran Rob Niedermayer of the Ducks.

The Canadians are strong in net with Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers and Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Mighty Ducks, along with Marc Denis of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Luongo and Giguere expected to share the duties. Luongo made 37 saves in the gold medal win over Sweden last year.

The roster will be filled out after the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are over.

Both Luongo and Giguere are on Wayne Gretzky's short list for the World Cup of Hockey this summer. Gretzky, the executive director of Team Canada, will name that roster in mid-May. You have to think that Heatley and Nash also will be scrutinized by Gretzky, who is expected to be in Prague for part of the tournament.

When Quenneville took the job, he listened to Hockey Canada's philosophy behind structuring its World Championship team and liked what he heard.

"I just think the standard they set last year, with the philosophy of being a team first, is the way to go," he says. "I think you do not have a lot of time to sort things out along the way and as quickly as you can come together and knowing we are together and we are playing for one another and we are representing our country, we are proud to be Canadians and we want to represent our country the best we can, that is what you want to get in place right off the bat."

"We want hard-working guys. We want skill and we expect energy and we want that."

And so far Quenneville's roster is meeting those expectations.

[talkingcanes]

Pucks and pasta

By SAMANTHA THOMPSON SMITH, Staff Writer

A new menu item might soon be coming to Glenwood South: Penne alla Battaglia.
Hockey player Bates Battaglia and his father, Richard Battaglia, are planning to join Raleigh's entertainment strip by opening an Italian restaurant in the Capital Electronics building that's been for sale on Glenwood Avenue since the fall.
The building, between the Armadillo Grill and Supreme Brake on Glenwood, is in the heart of Glenwood South, across from the Creamery building, home to Sullivan's and Hard Times Cafe.

Phyllis Marlette, who owns the building with husband, David, said they have a signed contract with the Battaglias.The deal is to close in June.

Richard Battaglia, a 25-year veteran of the restaurant business, said it's too soon to talk about details. He didn't want to jinx the deal by saying too much too soon.

Marlette is hopeful but realistic. It's the third signed contract they've had for the building since the couple put the 38-year-old building on the market after closing their electronics shop.

The Battaglias apparently have been quite selective about where they open the restaurant. Talks at other Glenwood South locations have fallen through.

Question is, will Bates Battaglia be around to help Dad run the show? He left the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003 when he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado traded him to the Washington Capitals in the fall. This July, Battaglia becomes a free agent.

Battaglia is no stranger to the strip. He bought two condominiums in the 510 Glenwood Building in 2001.

[Turbulence]

Cool! I'm glad to see him and his father invest in the community despite the fact that he's no longer a 'Cane. I'm sure the restaurant will be a hit.

[Alicia]

Cool! I'm glad to see him and his father invest in the community despite the fact that he's no longer a 'Cane. I'm sure the restaurant will be a hit.

Definitely good to know! He considers Raleigh home, so it is nice to see them invest in something that'll keep him coming back, as well as a career to fall back on should the CBA not get worked out.

[Lady J]

Definitely good to know! He considers Raleigh home, so it is nice to see them invest in something that'll keep him coming back, as well as a career to fall back on should the CBA not get worked out.

Well I guess we'll know where to find you from now on. ;)