Blues defenseman Erik Johnson healthy and ready to go for US Olympic hockey camp

Healthy Johnson among 34 invited to US Hockey camp

St. Louis Blues defenseman Erik Johnson, who missed all of last season because of a knee injury, was among 34 players invited to the U.S. Olympic hockey camp Tuesday for next year’s Vancouver Games.

Johnson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft, tore two ligaments in his right knee last September during a team golf outing. He is expected to be ready for training camp and make a full recovery.

The first step in his return will take place from Aug. 17-19 when USA Hockey holds its orientation camp in Woodridge, Ill. The gathering is part of the preparation for the Winter Olympics in February.

Those invited to the camp represent 22 NHL teams, although no player is assured a place on the Olympic roster. Also, a player can still make the team even if he hadn’t been invited to the camp.

There will be an additional 50 or so players added to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency program, making them eligible to be on the final Olympic roster when it is announced at the end of the year.

Five players who will be in attendance in August have Olympic experience, including three-time Olympian Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars. He is joined by two-time Olympians Chris Drury of the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski. Rangers forward Scott Gomez and Jamie Langenbrunner of the New Jersey Devils have both made one Olympic appearance.

Notably absent are Olympic stalwarts such as forwards Bill Guerin, Keith Tkachuk, Jason Blake, and 47-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios, who will not be on the team.

Guerin, who had a strong playoff performance in helping the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup, is still on the USA Hockey radar as is Tkachuk, who scored 25 goals with St. Louis last season.

Team USA general manager Brian Burke said he reached out to several Olympic veterans he repeatedly referred to as “warriors” to explain the committee’s decision to leave them off the invite list. Burke said Guerin told him he understood the desire to move on to younger players who haven’t yet had a chance to shine on the international stage.

Also missing from the list is goalie Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders, who played the majority of the games at the 2006 Turin Olympics. DiPietro has had numerous injuries, including one to his knee that forced him to miss most of last season.

Boston’s Tim Thomas, the winner of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie this past season, headlines a trio of netminders invited to the camp and is likely the favorite for Vancouver.

He will be joined in the nets by Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres, and 22-year-old Jonathan Quick, who was 21-18-2 with a 2.48 goals-against average in 44 games as a rookie last season with the Los Angeles Kings.

Zach Parise of the Devils, who had 45 goals and 94 points last season, is among 19 invited forwards. Chicago Blackhawks young star Patrick Kane, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, will also take part in the camp. Twelve defenseman were among those invited.

The Olympic team will be led by Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson, who was also behind the American bench at this year’s world championships. Eight players invited to the orientation camp were on that squad.

Wilson’s assistants behind the bench will be New York Rangers coach John Tortorella and the New York Islanders’ Scott Gordon.

Burke, the Maple Leafs general manager, was joined by fellow NHL GMs David Poile (Nashville), Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia), Don Waddell (Atlanta), Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles), Ray Shero (Pittsburgh), along with Jim Johannson, the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey in choosing which players to invite.