The men’s hockey competition at the XXIst Winter Games in Vancouver will be one of the most coveted tickets from the first day of the tournament through to the gold medal match, but will Canada even be in that title game?
There are plenty of world class teams that are capable of winning it all including Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic.
However, the two nations that are likely to put up the biggest fight in icing Canada’s golden dreams are Russia and the United States.
The Russians are coming.
With two recent world championships, the Russians are confident and playing at an even higher level. Led by Alex Ovechkin, quite possibly the greatest player in the world, they will be a force.
The force quietly driving the American engine is revenge, always a compelling motivator. On their home ice, the United States lost to Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The squad is much altered since then with new names like Ryan Miller, Phil Kessel and captain Jamie Langenbrunner.
Still, revenge could also be applied to Canada after the recent upset at the hands of the Americans at the World Junior Championships.
In the end pressure and frenzied local support will have their roles, but it is often said that defense wins championships. If that is applicable here then Canada is in great shape from a goalie perspective.
Team Canada’s Executive Director Steve Yzerman and coach Mike Babcock have pure brilliance minding the net at any time with this outstanding trio – Martin Brodeur, Marc-Andre Fleury and local favorite Roberto Longo.
Get ready for some stellar hockey, eh.
Martin Brodeur
