Devils' Paul Martin Pulls Out of Olympics

Before they have even gotten together in Vancouver, the United States' men's hockey team got some bad news Monday.

Defenseman Paul Martin of the New Jersey Devils has been fighting his way back from a broken forearm since October. Surgery was done in December when the bone didn't heal properly, and Martin has been slow to recover since.

Shortly after the surgery, Martin was named to Team USA's roster for the Olympics, and there was reason to believe he would recover in time to play. However, Martin has yet to play in a game for the Devils since he was injured.

Monday, Martin made it official: He will miss out on the Olympics and focus on returning to the Devils after the league's two-week break.

It's obviously disappointing for Martin, a Minnesota native who played his college hockey for the Gophers and helped Minnesota win back-to-back NCAA titles before turning pro. This was to be his first shot at playing in the Olympics (he was part of the Team USA "taxi squad" in 2006, never playing in a game).

"I don't think there's any greater honor as an athlete than to be able to represent your country in the Olympics, so it's definitely not going to be easy, but we'll try to stay positive."

Instead of preparing for the Games, Martin is left to focus on making it back to the Devils' lineup in time for their first post-Olympic game, which is at San Jose March 2.

Meanwhile, Team USA general manager Brian Burke has to replace Martin on the roster. It's not an easy task, because the top American defensemen Burke left home aren't terribly similar to Martin. As Christopher Botta noted in the NHL Column, Burke might also have to replace Mike Komisarek, which could lead to a huge void in the Americans' defense.

After all, you can only have so many offensive-minded blue-liners, and Team USA has a good amount already. Guys like Keith Yandle (Phoenix), Alex Goligoski (Pittsburgh), and Ryan Whitney (Anaheim) are good players, but do they give you enough in the defensive zone? Of these three, Yandle might be the best option right now if you're looking strictly as his defensive play.

Another potential darkhorse for Burke could be Martin's New Jersey teammate, Andy Greene. He's good in his own zone, a smart player, and he can skate.

Martin will be missed, because he projected as a solid guy who could contribute for Team USA in all situations. In his absence, coach Ron Wilson would be smart to spread the minutes and responsibilities out, rather than tabbing a single replacement.