The 2005-2006 season has had its ups and downs for the Boston Bruins, and Hal Gill is no exception.
As his team struggled early on in the season, many in the local media identified the 6'7" defender as part of the problem. But as the team has rallied, so has support for Gill. With the Bruins surging toward a playoff spot, Gill's contribution was recognized on a national level last week as he was named a member of the "taxi squad" for the 2006 United States Olympic Team.
The nomination allows Gill to travel and practice with the team, and in the event of an injury, he will join the team's active roster.
Bruins coach Mike Sullivan, an assistant coach with Team USA in Torino, gave Gill the news last Wednesday.
"It's a good feeling to be able to deliver positive news like that to a player," Sullivan said. "I'm thrilled for Hal. He's worked extremely hard this year; he's been a big part of what we're trying to accomplish here with the Bruins, and to be recognized as one of the top players in the country is terrific for him."
Gill, who has seven assists and a plus-minus of plus-four this season, played on national teams in 2000, 2001, 2004, and 2005, but has yet to lace up his skates in Olympic competition. Although his role is as a reserve, he is ready to be called upon to play this time around.
"I'm going over to practice with the team, and if someone gets hurt, I'll be available," Gill said. "I'm there in case they need me."
The Concord, Mass. native joins four other New Englanders on Team USA: goalie Rick DiPietro (Winthrop, Mass.), and forwards Keith Tkachuk (Melrose, Mass.), Bill Guerin (Wilbraham, Mass.), and Chris Drury (Trumbull, Conn.).
As a multiple-time member of the national team, Gill acknowledged that a chance at the Olympics has been a longtime goal.
"That's the pinnacle of someone's career, to be involved in [the Olympics]," the Bruins defenseman said. "And hopefully nobody gets hurt, but if they do, it's a dream I've always had."
The Olympic break comes at a time when Sullivan, Gill, and the Bruins have been on a roll, as Boston is 11-6-3 since the beginning of January. The loss of the momentum due to the time off could be a concern, but the team is trying to spin the break in a positive way.
"I think it will give an opportunity to get healthy for the ones who need to get healthy," Sullivan said. "It will give players who played a lot of minutes a chance to recover."
Although he will be active throughout the Olympics, Gill hopes his Bruin teammates watching the Olympics from home will be able to use the layoff to their advantage.
"Hopefully we can come back and pick up where we left off," Gill said. "We have some time to rest up, so we can't take it as a bad thing; we need it to give us some time to get some guys healthy and go back at it."
Team USA opens its Olympics against Latvia tonight in Torino (3 p.m. EST, USA Network), and, barring a practice injury to one of the American players, Gill will not be in uniform for the team's opener. Like the rest of the Americans making the trip, however, being on the team goes beyond being a personal achievement for Gill - it is an opportunity to put hockey in the United States back on the map after last year's NHL lockout.
"To be recognized and just to be a part of [the Olympics] is exciting," Gill said. "It's something that very few people get to be a part of, and I'm excited to help out in any way I can."
