The super trio of Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Ilya Kovalchuk headline Russia's star-saturated, 23-man provisional hockey roster for the Vancouver Olympics, just unveiled.
Other stars on head coach Vyacheslav Bykov's club include forwards Pavel Datsyuk and Alexander Semin, defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Andrei Markov, and goaltenders Evgeni Nabokov and Ilya Bryzgalov.
The Russians, who head into the 2010 Winter Games as two-time defending world champions, will be the team to beat. They last won Olympic gold at the 1992 Albertville Games. Kovalchuk, in the midst of contract negotiations with the Thrashers and several trade rumors, has participated on several gold and silver medal teams.
Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals' superstar winger, is arguably the best player in the world. Malkin, Sidney Crosby's Penguins teammate and frequent linemate, also ranks up there with the best, while Kovalchuk, of the Atlanta Thrashers, is one of the game's most dangerous marksmen.
Detroit's Datsyuk and Washington's Semin are also dazzling puck magicians.
Like Canada, which announces its roster Dec. 30, the Russians faced many to ...
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Article written by Warren Shaw
Two Thrashers Make Russian Olympic Team
December 26th, 2009 by Warren Shaw Leave a reply »
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