VANCOUVER -- Losing some of its top executives leaves Hockey Canada with some big skates to fill. But Canada has the depth of talent to remain a winner on the international stage, says the man who coached the mens team to back-to-back Olympic gold medals. "I am really confident," Detroit Red Wing coach Mike Babcock said Monday. "The group at Hockey Canada have done great things and have lots of different people. "Thats part of it. Different people get opportunities. They grow from it and they move on. A new group will get an opportunity and thats great." Steve Yzerman, Team Canadas executive director at the last two Winter Olympics, has already said he will not lead the team at the 2018 Games at Pyeongchang, South Korea. Bob Nicholson, who spent 16 years as president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada, stepped down in May to take a job overseeing business operations for the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL. Under Nicholson, Canadian hockey teams won seven Olympic gold medals. Brad Pascall, Hockey Canadas vice-president of hockey operations and national teams, has joined the NHLs Calgary Flames as an assistant general manager. Yzerman said Nickolson always stressed that Hockey Canadas role was to develop people for the next level. "Not only for players, but also for coaches, for managers, for all people," said Yzerman, the former Detroit star who is now general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "I think Bobs great legacy at Hockey Canada is the structure he set up and the mentality of what we are trying to do in Canada with hockey. Great people will fill those shoes. With Bob Nicholson, those are big skates to fill. But I have no doubt there are tremendous people in this country with a passion and drive. The program will continue to succeed." Babcock and Yzerman were in Vancouver as part of the Hockey Canada Foundation Celebrity Classic. A Monday night gala paid tribute to the 2014 Order of Hockey Canada honourees coach Clare Drake, player France St-Louis and Yzerman. Also attending were members of the Olympic champion mens team, the womens team that won gold at the Sochi Olympics in Russia and the team that won the womens under-18 championship in Budapest. Babcock said Canada can be proud of its Olympic success but must continue to work hard if the country hopes to remain on top of the podium in four years. "You take a lot of pride in being the best," he said. "In order to be the best you have to find the best to win. "Were going to have to continue to grow our game over the next four years. If you want to have success at the next Olympics, 2014s effort wont be good enough to win the next one. We have to keep getting better." The NHL hasnt committed to sending its players to the 2018 Games. Among the leagues concerns are a 12-hour difference between Pyeongchang and the Eastern Time Zone, taking a break in the middle of the regular season, and the danger of players being injured. Sidney Crosby, the Canadas captain in Sochi, understands the problems but still thinks the Olympics are worth the effort. "I go back to my two experiences," said Crosby, who scored the Olympic winning goal in overtime in 2010 in Vancouver. "They were pretty good. "To think of all the things that had to happen to make them work, especially in Russia, it would be a similar case, maybe even a little more difficult the next one. Like I said, representing your country and to have those opportunities, I dont think that ever gets old, no matter what the situation. As a player, you want to be part of that." As a possible alternative to the Olympics, the NHL is discussing with the NHL Players Association about holding a World Cup of Hockey tournament in 2016. Yzerman said a World Cup has the potential to gain the same prestige as an Olympics. "It will take some time," he said. "The Olympics have been around for a long time on the world stage. If done right, I can see it being really successful." Babcock said the Olympics "are so special" because they are watched by people who are not even hockey fans. "My mom never watches sports but she watches the Olympics Games," he said. "People who are not interested in sport still follow it. "I think its the greatest opportunity, best-on-best, to celebrate the sport. Its something you want to be part of and you want other people to be part of. Its a thrill of a lifetime." All three people named to the Order of Hockey in Canada were recognized for their contributions to the game. Yzerman played 22 seasons in the NHL and played for Team Canada eight times, including at two Winter Olympics. As a member of Canadas national womens team St-Louis won five world championships and a silver medal at the 1998 Olympics. In 28 seasons as head coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears Drake led his teams to six national championships and 17 Canada West titles. Babcock compared Drake to legendary NCAA basketball coach John Wooden. "He is one of the builders of hockey in Canada," said Babcock. "Clare is a gentleman who shared everything he had. He tried to make us all better. "He led the way so guys like myself, who werent NHL players, could one day coach in the NHL." Cheap USA Soccer Jerseys . Footballs governing body said Tuesday that of the 2,577,662 tickets allocated for this years tournament, 1,041,418 have gone to people in Brazil. The U. Wholesale USA Soccer Jerseys . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ .Y. -- The "for sale" sign is up at the Buffalo Bills with the hiring of financial and legal advisers who may begin talking with prospective buyers within the next month. USA Soccer Jerseys China . Millsap will miss Wednesday nights game against the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks say Millsap also will be held out on Thursday at Boston. USA Soccer Jerseys 2020 . 1 Pete Sampras. Speaking ahead of an exhibition match against Andre Agassi in London on March 3, Sampras said on a conference call Wednesday that he is impressed by Federers longevity.ST. LOUIS -- Lance Lynn threw a five-hit shutout in his first career complete game and the St. Louis Cardinals got home runs from Allen Craig and Matt Holliday in a 6-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. Holliday and Matt Adams had three hits and an RBI apiece and Craig drove in two runs. The Cardinals have won 10 of 13, shaking off a 12-inning loss in the series opener, and ended the Yankees three-game road winning streak that matched their best of the year. David Phelps (1-2) pitched in his hometown for the first time and allowed three earned runs in six innings. Two infield errors contributed to two unearned runs in the Cardinals breakout four-run third. Derek Jeter got a standing ovation before each at-bat, just like in the opener. He was 0 for 3 with a walk. Adams leads the National League with 22 multi-hit games, Holliday has reached safely in all 23 home games and Craig has a team-high 15 RBIs this month. Lynn (6-2) struck out two and walked three, topping his previous career best of eight innings on April 25, 2012 at Chicago against the Cubs. He retired the side in order for the third time in the ninth inning, finishing with 126 pitches. The Yankees were shut out for just the second time, going 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranding two runners twice. The Cardinals batted around in the third with Adams double the lone run-producing hit. Craig reached on a bases-loaded RBI groundoout when first baseman Kelly Johnson gloved an offline throw from Jeter but then lost the ball attempting a sweeping tag, and two runs scored on Jhonny Peraltas grounder that scooted under second baseman Brian Roberts glove.dddddddddddd Craigs fifth homer ticked off right fielder Alfonso Sorianos glove at the wall in the fifth. Holliday greeted reliever Alfredo Aceves with his third of the season leading off the seventh. The Yankees opened with a big play on defence, with centre fielder Jacoby Ellsburys running grab steps from the wall to rob leadoff man Matt Carpenter of extra bases in the first. Adams stretched to full extension keeping his foot on the bag at first on Roberts groundout to end the second. Rookie second baseman Kolten Wong made three nice plays, outrunning Ellsbury to first after fielding a grounder that Adams also chased, turning a smash by Yangervis Solarte into a double play ball in the fourth, and diving to snare Phelps foul pop-up in the fifth. NOTES: Cardinals Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog, recovering from a hip injury, was among those in a sellout crowd of 45,202, the teams 12th of the season. ... Hiroki Kuroda (3-3,4.55) faces Shelby Miller (6-3, 3.18) in the series finale Wednesday. Kuroda is 0-7 in his last 11 road starts since winning at Texas last July 25, the longest drought of his career. Miller is 2-2 with a 5.79 ERA in five career interleague starts. ' ' '