LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- Up in Canada, they're called the "Fab Four" – Ed Jovanovski, Scott Hannan, Robyn Regehr and Wade Redden, the country's new generation of national team defensemen.
But what about the three young players who will play a pivotal role for the United States? Surely Paul Martin, Jordan Leopold and John-Michael Liles also deserve a catchy nickname. Just don't ask them to come up with one.
Martin, who is pale and quiet during the best of times, turned ashen when asked whether he'd like to suggest such a label.
"I'm not going to give you a name before we play. What did Leo say?" Martin asked, deferring to his longtime friend and former college teammate.
"What are we going to call ourselves?" Leopold replied. "Are you serious? Ask me after the tournament."
"I don't think that you can really come up with your own nickname," Liles said. "Let me know what you come up with."
For now, then, let's call them "The Future."
Because that's what these three 24-year-olds are expected to become, starting with their biggest hockey challenge to date, anchoring the U.S. defense at this year's world championship in Austria.
-Referenced from www.espn.com
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