The comeback of Theo Fleury has begun.
The Ranger winger yesterday was selected among an elite group of 34 to attend the Canadian Olympic team’s minicamp in Calgary Sept. 4-7.
Also selected for the camp were Devils Scott Stevens, Jason Arnott and Martin Brodeur, as well as Islander acquisition Mike Peca. Devils defenseman Scott Niedermayer was among the original eight selected for February’s Salt Lake City squad.
Fleury abruptly ended a star season by entering league-sanctioned substance abuse rehab with 20 games left in the campaign. He has yet to be cleared for a return to the Rangers, but that issue is believed to be a formality, particularly after yesterday’s invitation. He is hosting a golf tournament in Calgary next week.
“I’d like to thank Wayne Gretzky, Kevin Lowe, Bob Nicholson, Pat Quinn and the coaching staff for the confidence they’ve shown in me and for giving me the opportunity to compete for a spot on Team Canada,” Fleury said in a statement released by the Rangers. “It’s an honor for me to be included in this great group of players.”
Eric Lindros is also on the list, which Gretzky, the team executive director, stressed is not the final tryout roster. Gretzky said Lindros and Peca would be hard-pressed to be among the final roster Dec. 22 if they aren’t playing in the NHL by then, and that other players could impress enough in the first two months of the NHL season to earn berths. The Canadian team will provide “optional” ice to the 34 in the minicamp, a way to skirt regulations currently limiting on-ice team practices.
The full list: Mario Lemieux, Joe Sakic, Steve Yzerman, Paul Kariya, Owen Nolan, Lindros, Joe Nieuwendyk, Fleury, Keith Primeau, Pierre Turgeon, Mark Recchi, Peca, Ryan Smyth, Arnott, Anson Carter, Simon Gagne, Alex Tanguay, Brenden Morrow, Chris Pronger, Rob Blake, Niedermayer, Al MacInnis, Adam Foote, Eric Desjardins, Stevens, Richard Matvichuk, Wade Redden, Ed Jovanovski, Derek Morris, Eric Brewer, Patrick Roy, Brodeur, Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph.