Team Russia (??????)

“Making Olympic Goaltenders Cry, One by One!”

Head Coach:  Vyachislav Bykov

Goaltenders:  Ilya Bryzgalov, Evgeni Nabokov, Semyon Varlamov

Defensemen:  Sergei Gonchar, Denis Grebeshkov, Dmitri Kalinin, Konstantin Korneyev, Andrei Markov, Ilya Nikulin, Fedor Tyutin, Anton Volchenkov

Forwards:  Maxim Afinogenov, Pavel Datsyuk, Sergei Fedorov, Ilya Kovalchuk (‘A’), Viktor Kozlov, Evgeni Malkin, Alexei Morozov (‘C’), Alex Ovechkin (‘A’), Alexander Radulov, Alex Semin, Danis Zaripov, Sergei Zinoviev

NHL Headliners – Goals: Ovechkin (1^st, with 42 goals), Kovalchuk (7^th, with 32 goals), Alex Semin (8^th, with 30 goals)

NHL Headliners – Points: Ovechkin (1^st, with 89 points), Alex Semin (12^th, with 65 points)

2006 Finish: 4th

Predicted 2010 Finish: (If you’re talking to anyone other than a Canadian. Or a Swede.) 1^st. 

Overview: If there is anyone who can challenge the Canadian team for the top spot on the Olympic podium, it’s the Russians. However, much like the Canadians, the Russians are a deep team coming off a disappointing showing in the Torino Games. Well, at least the Russians didn’t finish 7^th. Russia is currently ranked ahead of Canada in the IIHF standings, and they have defeated a Canadian team in the past two world championships. Moreover, these Olympic Games will see perhaps the reunion of the current and former Washington Capitals , and the line of Ovechkin-Fedorov-Semin combined for great success in the 2008 World Championships . Based on an early practice sessions, Bykov seems to have maintained his Ovechkin-Semin pairing, but has centerman extraordinaire Datsyuk anchoring these high scoring wingers. But no matter the lines, all the Russians are working for one goal: it’s Olympic gold that they hunger for and the pressure for this high powered, flashy team to defeat rival Canada is a matter of national pride and honor. Deviating from the conservative, systems-based legacy of Soviet hockey that once dominated international competition in the days of the Cold War, today’s Russian team is all about offensive fireworks that come in wave, after wave, after wave, after wave. Wait, so Ovechkin, Semin, Kovalchuk, Malkin and Datsyuk are all on the same team? Damn. Make sure you know the Russian national anthem because you might be singing it February 28^th…“Rossiya – svyashchennaya…”

Strengths: Scoring, scoring, scoring and more scoring. Of course Ovechkin is Ovechkin, and believe me, you think he’s impressive when he plays for the Caps? Well, stir a little Russian pride in there, and mix it with a burning desire rub a Russian victory in the face of the Canadians, and you’ve got a different kind of beast. A beast that beats you down in demoralizing fashion and that fuels an offensive juggernaut that is sure to shake the confidence of more than one Olympic netminder. To be honest, it’s almost unfair. This Russian team has without a doubt the most high-powered, flashy and dynamic offensive corps at the Games so make sure you don’t get into penalty trouble Latvia, or whoever else those unlucky souls are in the first round, because the Russian power play will operate probably right around 70%, and that’s only in addition to the 40 goals they probably would have already scored. Note: A power play at 70%? That does not happen…unless you’re Team Russia. 

Weaknesses: The Russian blueline, while it is staffed by a number of NHLer’s and former NHLer’s, seems to lack the size, grit and the overall career success of the Canadian blueline. Offensive minded defenseman Gonchar is surely one of the best in the business – and look for him to work in the penalty kill as well as the power play as he does in Pittsburgh – but, the Russian blueline does not match the star power of their comrades up front. 

To Win Gold…Russia must score goals as advertised. But beyond Team Russia’s ability to put the puck in the net – and in dramatic fashion we might add – the Russian defense corps must play above and beyond. For if the Russian forwards have a weakness, it is their defensive play; therefore, it will be the job of the ‘D’ men to not simply defend against oncoming attackers, but to also be mindful of their own forwards who have a tendency to let-up on the backcheck. 

The X Factor:  There is little question that the Russians can score. But questions do remain about the Russian blueline as we just discussed, and that’s why the play of the Russian defensive group is the X factor. This Russian team knows each other very well – not only has most of this group competed together during the past two years of international competition, but the Russian hockey community, across the NHL and the KHL, is tight knit (ok, ok, Ovechkin and Malkin seemed to have a problem a few years back where they tried to take each other’s heads off…), so chemistry between all elements of this team isn’t a question as it is with the Canadians. Rather, it’s the blueline – the Russians do not have a great transition team (meaning the ability to spring forwards in the neutral zone with the long stretch pass), and everyone knows this. If the Russians can work out the kinks in their own zone, and manage to get the puck up to their forwards uncontested, this will be the team to beat. If… 

Why Caps Fans Should Care: The obvious. With three current Caps players and two former Caps players represented, Team Russia has the highest number of Washington Capitals on any one Olympic roster. And of course, you should be pulling for a Russia-Canada gold medal game as the next level of the epic Sid vs. Ovi battle. The only difference now, of course, is that both Crosby and Ovechkin are playing not just for their teammates and their own desire for victory, but for their countries. And plus, even if having essentially five Capitals on this team isn’t enough to get you to pull for our former Cold War rival, then this picture of Sasha Semin lookin’ good in his Russia gear should be. And yes, he is stealing a golf cart, but more importantly, yes, those shoes do say Russia on them. Classy.