Here is a slightly edited U of M release on three ex-Gophers being named to U.S. Olympic team:

Three former University of Minnesota standouts have been selected to the United States team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. Defenseman Erik Johnson, forward Phil Kessel and defenseman Paul Martin are among the 23 players that will play in the Olympics from Feb. 16-28. It is the first Olympic selection for all three, who are among 20 first-time participants. This is the most Gopher players selected since the Olympics began using NHL players in 1998. Minnesota had three players in 1994 in Lillehammer and had one player selected in the previous three Olympics: Jordan Leopold played in Torino in 2006. Darby Hendrickson, Craig Johnson and Travis Richards all played in 1994. In total, the Gophers have had 55 different players selected to play in the Olympics. All three players have previously participated in World Championship competition. Kessel made three World Championship appearances from 2006-08, while Martin participated in 2005 and 2008, and Johnson played in the 2007 event. Martin also played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Johnson, 21, competed for the Gophers in 2006-07 after being the first player chosen in the 2006 NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues. Johnson had four goals and 20 assists for 24 points in 41 games at Minnesota, earning a spot on the WCHA all-rookie team. This season, Johnson has four goals and 17 assists for 21 points in 39 games for St. Louis. The Bloomington, Minn. native missed all of last season with a knee injury after totaling five goals and 28 assists for 33 points during his rookie season in 2007-08. Kessel, 22, played for the Gophers in 2005-06 and totaled 51 points in his 39 games at Minnesota, collecting WCHA Rookie of the Year honors. The fifth player selected in the 2006 NHL draft, Kessel is in his fourth NHL season and first year with the Toronto Maple Leafs after playing three seasons with the Boston Bruins. A Madison, Wis. native, Kessel has 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points in 29 games with Toronto this season. He has played 251 career NHL games and has 80 goals and 68 assists for 148 points. Martin, 28, played three seasons at Minnesota from 2000-03, winning back-to-back national championships his final two seasons. The Elk River, Minn. native played in 127 career games with the Gophers, totaling 20 goals and 77 assists for 97 points to rank 15th in career scoring among Gopher defensemen. He was a second-team all-WCHA selection in 2002-03 and was named to the WCHA all-rookie team in 2000-01. Martin has played his entire six-year NHL career with the New Jersey Devils, compiling 154 points on 24 goals and 130 assists in 387 career games. Martin has played just nine games this season and underwent surgery for a forearm injury on Dec. 22. The U.S. begins its Olympic competition by taking on Switzerland on Feb. 16. The Americans will face Norway on Feb. 18 and Canada on Feb. 21 in pool play competition.