Team USA GM Burke: This is not an Olympic tryout camp

There will be no serious hitting or scrimmaging at the U.S. Olympic orientation that began Monday at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge.

This is not a camp to decide the U.S. Olympic team for the February Games in Vancouver. The real decisions by USA general manager Brian Burke and coach Ron Wilson will be made after they see what happens over the first several months of the NHL season.

"Three practices in August isn't going to decide who wins the Olympic Games," Wilson said. "This is about building a mindset and a philosophy. We're trying to build team camaraderie and a mindset of how we're going to play and compete. This is a chance to get to know everybody."

A total of 34 players were invited to this camp with Burke leaving open the possibility of others making the team based on their performance in October and November.

"This is not a tryout camp," Burke said.

The camp has a different look than past ones with the absence of many of the mainstays of USA Hockey for more than a decade such as Chris Chelios, Keith Tkachuk, Bill Guerin and the retired Jeremy Roenick.

"It's a different look, for sure," said 39-year-old Mike Modano, the oldest player invited to the camp.

The Americans figure to be huge underdogs in Vancouver with the early favorites being Canada, Sweden and Russia.

"There's not going to be a dime bet on this team in Las Vegas, not a penny," Burke said. "We're going to be a dramatic underdog, but I think USA Hockey has given us the best talent pool that we've ever been able to draw from.

"We're going to have to be skill specific. We're going to have to look for people to do certain jobs on our hockey team and do it well."

That thinking could create a spot on the final 23-man roster for Blackhawks winger Dustin Byfuglien, a potential third- or fourth-line wide body at 6-feet-3, 247 pounds.

"I was a little nervous coming in here, putting on the USA stuff for the first time," Byfuglien said. "It's a few days to get to know the guys. I just want to work hard and show what I can do."

Coach Cheli: Chris Chelios was on the ice Monday as a special assistant coach.

"He was outskating some of our guys today," Ron Wilson said.

The 47-year-old Chelios remains an unrestricted free agent looking for an NHL team that needs an experienced defenseman.

"He pulled me aside and said, 'You guys need a defenseman up in Toronto, don't you?'" joked Wilson, the Maple Leafs coach.

Only Brian Rafalski and Rob Scuderi are 30 or older among the 12 defensemen invited to camp.