CALGARY -- Steve Yzerman would prefer to get Canadas players on the ice at the upcoming orientation camp for the Olympic mens hockey team. Walter Dukes Jersey . But the price tag to insure players against injury is too high for Hockey Canada, so the four-day camp starting Sunday in Calgary will consist of informational meetings about the Games in Sochi, Russia, and fostering team chemistry off the ice. "Not going on the ice isnt the end of the world," says Yzerman, the executive director of the national mens team. "Theres lot of other things that need to be done in preparation, logistically going through how were going to get there, where well stay, where family and friends may stay, a walkthrough of the venues, drug testing policy, a lot of informational things we need to go through and get out of the way. This is a good time to do it." Forty-seven players -- five goaltenders, 17 defencemen and 25 forwards -- are scheduled to arrive in Calgary on Sunday and head to Hockey Canadas headquarters at Canada Olympic Park on the citys west side. Canada can take three goaltenders and 22 skaters to Sochi. Among the summer camp invitees are 15 players who won Olympic gold in Vancouver in 2010, including Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh stars overtime goal lifted Canada to a 3-2 win over the U.S. in the final. Players invited to the same orientation camp in the summer of 2009 skated daily and finished with an intra-squad game that drew a sellout crowd to the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Saddledome is undergoing restoration from severe flooding in June, but thats not keeping the players off the ice next week, says Yzerman. "Its strictly insurance," he explains. "Its because of the high cost of insurance Hockey Canada is obligated to place on the players were not going to skate." Its up to each countrys federation to insure NHL players against injury at summer camps. Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson has said that would cost over $1 million for the invited 47, whose combined 2013-14 salaries total $259 million, according to capgeek.com. Canadas isnt the only ice-free summer camp. USA Hockey has also decided against an on-ice component to its mens Olympic camp in Arlington, Va., on Monday and Tuesday. The 2014 mens Olympic hockey tournament will be played on wide, international ice, which places a premium on a players skating ability. The new Markin MacPhail Centre at COP boasts a rink that size. When asked if he wished the Canadians could make use of it next week, Yzerman said "yes" twice. The 2002 Olympic gold medallist was also executive director of the victorious 2010 squad. He says even a couple of practices could lay important groundwork for the Winter Games in February. "We have such a limited amount of time to prepare," said Yzerman, the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "I think well have two, maybe three, practices in Sochi prior to the Olympics. "The summer camp, and its only a few days and six months in advance, but its a little time for the players and coaches to get on the ice and kind of run through some of the systems, the way theyll play, the power play, penalty killing, neutral zone and things like that. "At least youll have an idea way ahead of time as to how were going to play. That, to me, was the most important part of going on the ice in August for a few days." Strategy can still be communicated without skating, Yzerman adds. Head coach Mike Babcock and assistants Lindy Ruff, Claude Julien and Ken Hitchcock will have a video session with the players in Calgary. "Im sure well go over different stuff," says Pittsburgh Penguins forward and camp invitee James Neal. "Its a lot tougher when youre not on the ice, but were going there for a reason and Im sure it will help us," Its also crucial players get face time with the coaches, support staff and each other, Yzerman says. "The more time they can spend together, the more comfortable theyll be when they get to Sochi and thats a big part of it, particularly for the young players that havent been to NHL all-star games, havent been to Olympic camps before," Yzerman says. "Theyll walk into the (dressing) room and have spent time with Sidney Crosby before, theyve spent time with some of these veteran guys and theyll be much more comfortable around them." He says players will have time to golf, fish and go for dinner together, as well as work out while theyre in Calgary. NHL training camps start earlier this season because the league breaks Feb. 9-26 for the Winter Games. Tracy McGrady Jersey . The attacking midfielder arrives on a free transfer from Spains Malaga. The 28-year-old joins Scottish striker Kenny Miller and Argentine midfielder Matias Laba as designated players on the Whitecaps roster. Andy Phillip Jersey . Yet heading to New York, the Habs remain positive as it all comes down to the one main ingredient that the organization has built its team on - character. https://www.cheappistonsonline.com/516y-eddie-miles-jersey-pistons.html . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. Getting Creative The Pittsburgh Penguins will try their best to acquire Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks before the Trade Deadline. Jeremy Lin is still on his way to the Los Angeles Lakers, even after the Houston Rockets failed to land coveted forward Chris Bosh in free agency. The Rockets still plan to execute the trade that will send the point guard to Los Angeles for cash, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Saturday. The people requested anonymity because the trade has not been officially announced. Rockets GM Daryl Morey plunged into the free agent market with designs on adding a third star to play with James Harden and Dwight Howard. He made a brief overture to LeBron James and hosted Carmelo Anthony for a visit, but both of those efforts were rebuffed. While James mulled his future this week, Morey swung for the fences with a four-year max offer to Bosh, the versatile forward who was credited with being the defensive backbone during the Heats run to four straight NBA Finals. To create the salary cap room to make the offer, Morey reached an agreement to trade Lin, who will make about $15 million this season in the last year of a deal that counts only $8 million against the cap, to the Lakers, who have the cap room to absorb Lins contract without sending much back in return. When James chose to return to Cleveland on Friday, the path appeared to be clearing for the Texas-born Bosh to join up with the Rockets and vault them into contender status in the powerful Western Conference. But Heat President Pat Riley quickly recovered from James rejection and convinced Bosh to stay in Miami with a whopping five-year, $118 million offer. The bold move left the Rockets on the outside looking in again, but Morey had no second thoughts aboutt dumping Lin, who didnt mesh well playing in the same backcourt with the equally aggressive Harden. Ray Scott Jersey. The deal allows Morey to stay in the hunt for other stars on the market, like Cleveland free agent Luol Deng. He also could use the extra room because valuable small forward Chandler Parsons has signed a three-year, $46 million offer sheet to join the Dallas Mavericks. Morey has until Sunday night to decide if he will match the offer to keep Parsons in Houston or allow him to join Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. Meanwhile, the Lakers were able to get their hands on a talented point guard who gives them a different dimension at the position and could help ease the scoring burden on Bryant, who only played in six games last year because of injury. Lin earned his big contract with the Rockets thanks to a fantastic midseason run with the New York Knicks in 2012, when the "Linsanity" phenomenon was born. Hes the kind of dynamic, shoot-first point guard that has become more and more popular in the league over the last few seasons, which should help the Lakers, who have pass-first Kendall Marshall and the oft-injured Steve Nash on the roster as well. Lin averaged 12.5 points and 4.1 assists last season, but he lost his starting job alongside the defensively deficient Harden because coach Kevin McHale preferred Patrick Beverleys tenacity on that end of the floor. But with Bryant likely needing some time to ease back into things after missing almost all of last season and gifted offensive big man Pau Gasol likely on his way out, Lin will provide some much-needed offensive punch to a rebuilding Lakers roster. ' ' '