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2014 Winter Olympics

Chicago Blackhawks: What to expect going forward

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Thank God the Chicago Blackhawks and NHL are back. The lackluster Winter Olympics hockey tournament will give way to what really matters: the push towards the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Blackhawks are in very good position to make another run at the Cup, but there are a few things to take note of prior to the postseason. The Hawks head to the Big Apple to take on the New York … [Read more...] about Chicago Blackhawks: What to expect going forward

Team Finland hockey preview: Always a threat

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Team Finland hockey has had a number of players play well over a good stretch of time. Teemu Selanne, Sami Salo, Olli Jokinen, and Kimmo Timonen have played in multiple Olympics. Selanne is the all-time leading scorer in Olympic hockey history. Teams like Slovakia and the Czech Republic are fading as European powerhouses, but Finland has a large number of young players ready … [Read more...] about Team Finland hockey preview: Always a threat

Team Latvia hockey preview: Experience vast, but not enough

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Team Latvia hockey has had some famous players do damage on international ice. Arturs Irbe is easily the most famous player in national history. Latvian head coach and current Buffalo Sabres bench boss Ted Nolan has his work cut out for him as only five players have NHL experience. The majority of Team Latvia plays in the Kontinental Hockey League for Dynamo Riga based in … [Read more...] about Team Latvia hockey preview: Experience vast, but not enough

Team Russia hockey preview: Defending their turf

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Canada would have been torn to shreds if it lost to the U.S. in the gold medal game. If Team Russia hockey loses to anyone in the gold medal game, the ridicule would be insurmountable. The Russians are looking to return to the medal stand for the first time since 2002 when they took home bronze. The Big Red Machine has looked more like a band of misfits than one of the … [Read more...] about Team Russia hockey preview: Defending their turf

Team Norway hockey preview: Climbing out from obscurity

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Mats Zuccarello took Olympic hockey by storm with Team Norway in 2010. The diminutive forward helped Team Norway hockey play some of the World’s best teams at a surprisingly high level. While Norway is a far cry away from the medal podium, they could ruin the tournament for a team or two. Forwards Zuccarello and former NHLer Patrick Thoresen lead a group of relative … [Read more...] about Team Norway hockey preview: Climbing out from obscurity

Team Slovakia hockey preview: Somewhere in the middle

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A little over half of Team Slovakia hockey is playing in the NHL, yet the talent level is somewhere in between great and mediocre. The Hossa brothers Marian and Marcel accent the skill of the team, but their skill levels are on opposite ends of the spectrum for Slovakia. Slovakia made a miracle run to the Final Four in 2010 before losing to Canada in the semifinals. To make … [Read more...] about Team Slovakia hockey preview: Somewhere in the middle

Team Switzerland hockey preview: Getting closer

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The 2013 World Championship Runner-Up is on the verge of competing with the big dogs annually. Team Switzerland hockey is looking to medal for the first time since 1948 when they took home bronze. The 2006 and 2010 Olympic teams have been thorns in the Canadians thighs, scoring an upset in 2006 and pushing them to a shootout in 2010. The Swiss are not in the same preliminary … [Read more...] about Team Switzerland hockey preview: Getting closer

Team Sweden hockey preview: Lying in the weeds

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There is an awful lot of talk about who will win gold in Olympic hockey. What is surprising is that the Team Sweden hockey club is not getting enough love compared to Canada and host country Russia. The 2006 gold medal winners may have been upset in 2010, but are looking like a solid choice to regain their title as the best in the world. Tre Kronor has depth at every … [Read more...] about Team Sweden hockey preview: Lying in the weeds

Team Czech Republic hockey preview: Too many veterans

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Looking up and down the Team Czech Republic roster reveals plenty of notable players. The problem with those names is that the majority of them are on the back end of their careers. Patrik Elias, Jaromir Jagr, Milan Michalek, Petr Nedved, Tomas Kaberle, Michal Rozsival, and Marek Zidlicky have all seen better days. Players such as Jagr and Elias are still playing at a premium … [Read more...] about Team Czech Republic hockey preview: Too many veterans