This evening, the Rochester Americans announced that Brian Gionta will be joining the team to practice “for an extended period of time in preparation for international play.” The wording of the announcement has us thinking that the former BC star is likely preparing for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Let’s break it down...
The NHL announced earlier this year that they will not be allowing current NHL players to play in the Olympics. This means Team USA and Team Canada in particular will be made up of AHL/ECHL players, college players, and/or recent retirees. Gionta, who captained the Buffalo Sabres for the past 3 seasons, does not have a professional contract for the 2017-18 season.