United States – Injury Replacements Named

New Jersey Devils defenseman PAUL MARTIN will not be skating at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver later this month.

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The UNITED STATES has announced that a pair of defensemen originally named to their Winter Olympics squad for the 2010 Vancouver Games have been replaced due to injuries that have not healed.

PAUL MARTIN of the New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs rearguard MIKE KOMISAREK have been replaced on the U.S. roster by Anaheim Ducks defenseman RYAN WHITNEY as well as TIM GLEASON of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Martin has played just nine games for the Devils this season after having his forearm broken by a shot last October. A former 2nd round draft pick (# 62 overall) out of the University of Minnesota, the 28-year-old blueliner has totaled 110 assists the past four NHL seasons for New Jersey. Martin has represented the United States at three major international tournaments (17 ga, 1 go 8 as, 9 pts) on the senior level.

Komisarek injured his shoulder on the second day of the New Year and has his rehabilitation has not progressed. In fact, the 28-year-old former first round pick of the Montreal Canadiens (2001, # 7 overall) from the University of Michigan could be looking at season-ending surgery. Komisarek has appeared for the United States just once, at the 2006 IIHF World Championships (7 ga, 0 go 1 as, 1 pts).

The two substitute players selected by USA Hockey led by General Manager BRIAN BURKE  are very much similiar in style to the two injured players they replace.

Whitney, the Pittsburgh Penquins’ 2002 1st round choice (# 5 overall) from Boston University, is a puck-moving defenseman who has amassed 126 assists over the past four NHL seasons. The 26-year-old is more of a goal-scorer than Martin having tallied 34 goals in the past four years, a total almost twice that of the New Jersey Devil for the same period. Although Whitney has played for the United States at the World Junior Championships, the Anaheim Duck has never played before at a major senior international event.

Gleason, a former Ottawa Senators’ first round draft choice (2001, # 23 overall), is a stay-at-home type more in the mold of Komisarek. At 6′0″ 217 lbs, the Michigan native does bring four inches and 26 pounds less to the U.S. blueline than the Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman would have. Gleason skated for the United States once, at the 2008 IIHF World Championships (6 ga, 0 go 1 as, 1 pts).