Getting To Know Your 2010 U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team: Paul Martin Ryan Whitney

We made it. Yesterday we finished our look at the forwards. And this, my friends, is our final defenseman piece. We have three goaltenders to examine, and then it will be time (next Tuesday, the 16th) to drop the puck. Before we get to those wacky netminders, though, have a look at our final point man.

Ryan Whitney is not Paul Martin. Paul Martin broke his arm in late October and has not had sufficient recovery time. Ryan Whitney, on the other hand, will turn 27 just a few days after the games in Vancouver begin. The left-handed-shooting defenseman was taken in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2002 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He spent his college days playing hockey for Boston University, and played a short spell for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before being called up to the pros. In three-and-a-half seasons with Pittsburgh, Whitney amassed 173 points, but was traded last February to the Anaheim Ducks. Through 79 games as a Duck, Whitney, has accumulated just under 2000 minutes of ice time, while tallying 37 points. He has yet to reach the even mark in the plus-minus, and has 48 PIMs on the season. Through 13 playoff games with Anaheim last year, Whitney scored once and had five assists. Here's to hoping that Whitney's presence on the ice warrants his replacing Paul Martin.