2. Matt Gilroy
Matt Gilroy’s No. 97 is an odd number for a defenseman to wear. In fact, it is a rarely used number by any hockey player. However, No. 97 is more than just a number to Gilroy. The 33-year-old wears No. 97 as a tribute to his younger brother Timmy, who died when Matt was only nine.
Gilroy was born in Bellmore, N.Y. and initially walked on at Boston University, switching from forward to defense in his freshman season. The position change led to NHL interest but Gilroy remained in school, winning the National Championship and Hobey Baker Award as the best player in the NCAA. When Gilroy left school, he was one of the most desired college free agents with every NHL team chasing his signature.
Ultimately, Gilroy signed with the New York Rangers but did not have much NHL success, appearing in 225 games in five seasons with the Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and Tampa Bay Lightning. With limited NHL interest following the 2014 season, Gilroy signed with Moscow Oblast Atlant in the KHL. In four KHL seasons with Oblast Atlant, Spartak Moscow and Jokerit Helsinki, Gilroy has played 220 games, scoring 29 goals and recording 113 points.
At the Olympics, Gilroy will likely be on the top defensive pairing for Tony Granato and play on both the power-play and penalty kill. The strong-skating Gilroy will likely match up against the top lines of other nations in the tournament. While Gilroy is not a physical player, he is rarely out of position as he keeps opponents from getting in favorable scoring spots. While Gilroy does not have a great shot, he is a very good passer who uses his vision to move the puck out of the defensive zone to start the breakout.