Despite saying that Bobby Ryan has no intensity in his game, Brian Burke had Bobby Ryan on his final roster, says Team USA general manager David Poile.
In a conference call discussing the Olympic roster, Poile defended Burke, adding more fuel to the Burke/Ryan public feud.
Poile says Burke had Bobby Ryan on his final roster.
— Sean Gentille (@seangentille) January 3, 2014
Whether that's true or not, we'll never know. The behind the scenes look that granted ESPN's Scott Burnside in-depth coverage of the roster selection started the conversation, which talked about Ryan not being a top-6 forward.
Poile, after allowing reporters froom ESPN and USA today to be embedded with Oly team selection process, now says Team USA thought it
— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) January 3, 2014
had "editorial review" over what would be written. Says as much was said positively about Bobby Ryan as negatively...weak response i think.
— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) January 3, 2014
Burke's comments intensified the feud, and now Poile and Burke are trying to apologize. Ryan can still fill in on the roster if there is an injury.
Poile: "I'm trying right now to apologize to Bobby Ryan. I apologize as much as I can."
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) January 3, 2014
Team USA GM David Poile apologizes on conf. call for negative depiction of Bobby Ryan in behind-the-scenes look of how team was formed
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) January 3, 2014
Ryan said the comments were "gutless" and said he wasn't about to reach out to Team USA. Poile gets a chance to apologize in person before the Olympics when the Ottawa Senators visit the Nashville Predators, where Poile is GM, on Jan. 11.
