Team Russia

[Dickie Dunn]

Official roster:

Sergei Bobrovsky
Semyon Varlamov
Alexander Yeryomenko

Anton Belov
Alexei Emelin
Andrei Markov
Yevgeni Medvedev
Nikita Nikitin
Ilya Nikulin
Fedor Tyutin
Slava Voynov

Artem Anisimov
Pavel Datsyuk
Denis Kokarev
Ilya Kovalchuk
Nikolai Kulemin
Evgeni Malkin
Valeri Nichushkin
Alexander Ovechkin
Andrei Popov
Alexander Radulov
Vladimir Tarasenko
Alexei Tereschenko
Viktor Tikhonov

No Semin. Lots of KHL.

[Gaucho]

That defense sucks balls.

[Jim]

Darm tyutin it does!

[mac5155]

Viktor Tikhonov is the grandson of the other Viktor Tikhonov. cool.

[columbia]

That defense sucks balls.

Yet, no Semin.

[MRandall25]

You know Russian defenders are bad when Nikita Nikitin is pegged as one of Russia's best options on the blue line

[Pitts]

Kovalchuk and Radulov -- those punks!

[Shakes]

Slava Malamud ‏@SlavaMalamud 7m
Russian lines seem pretty set: Radulov-Datsyuk-Kovy, Ovi-Malkin-Kulemin, Tarasenko-Anisimov-Tikhonov, filler-filler-filler.

Writer for the sports-express.ru.

[Idoit40fans]

Is that second line going to play with 2 pucks?

[Mr. Colby]

I'd probably have Datsyuk, Ovie, and Malkin all on separate lines

[Mr. Colby]

Give Malkin Kovalchuk, Give Datsyuk Radulov, and Give Ovie filler and filler since he'll be shooting anyway

[Shakes]

Pretty weak Russian team. But will be fun watching them try to outscore everyone. They're, fittingly, the anti-USA roster.

[viva la ben]

No Morozov?!

[penny lane]

Read Sergei Gonchar has concussion issues and is getting older, but ... first time he hasn't been on the russian team since the 90's.
The Russian defense will be their weakness, but they have the ability to out score all other teams.
edit:
http://stars.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=699299" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Sergei activated from IR yesterday~ good news!

[mikey287]

Arguably the most technically skilled player in the world, and certainly the best wrist shot in the world did not make this team in Alexander Semin...

Happy for Val Nichushkin though, special player.

[Shakes]

"What's so special about (Semin)? I don't see anything special there. Yes, he does shoot well, has a good head, good skill. But there's nothing else. Even if you compare him to Denis Kokarev from Moscow ... (Kokarev) is a much more interesting player. The way he moves, his deking abilities, his thinking on the ice and his anticipation of the play is so superb. I guess you can't take any player, even if he is "dead wood," and start promoting him, and get a star. Especially if it's been 4 seasons since he scored 60 points. No one is going to care about him. No one is going to care whether he possesses great skill."

[llipgh2]

The Hockey News stands by its prediction Russia will win the gold. Even after seeing the roster.

[MRandall25]

The Hockey News stands by its prediction Russia will win the gold. Even after seeing the roster.

They do have the Russian mob on their side

[sniper]

Lots of offense there. It's not going to matter though because they will be spending most of their time in their own zone.

[mikey287]

Again, Semin can help...

[Idoit40fans]

Of all the stuff there is about Semin his backhand impresses me the most. If the puck is on his stick in the offensive zone, hes a threat to put it on net with precision and power no matter which side you want to force him to. Skillwise he doesnt have any huge weaknesses. Hes pretty good in his own zone too when hes playing there. I think that might be why Russia didnt take him.

[Kovy27]

That defense sucks balls.

[Kovy27]

Russia...pencil them in at 5th place.

[columbia]

I wonder who Semin pissed off.

[bhaw]

I wonder who Semin pissed off.

Puts Russia in a sticky situation.