Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Babcock Talks Team Canada

12/02/2013 at 1:01pm EST

from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

"All of sudden it's December, I thought of that today, I was texting with the coaches, a bunch of stuff today, we were going back and forth," Team Canada head coach Mike Babcock told ESPN.com Sunday before Detroit’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

"It's getting closer, but I really like the fact they moved the date."

It's ironic, really, that while Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic pushed the IIHF last week to extend the Olympic roster announcement deadline, no country will likely benefit more than Canada, which has the deepest talent pool to choose from and the harder decisions that come with it.

So with the IIHF, NHL and NHLPA agreeing to push the date from Dec. 31 to Jan. 7, it gives Team Canada another week to evaluate some of the players battling for those final few spots Team USA is sticking with its Jan. 1 announcement at the conclusion of the Winter Classic.

"What it does is that it gives the players more time to decide who is on the team," Babcock said. "To me, that’s what it's all about. We just watch them, but they decide (with their play)."

continued

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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