Olympic Preview #4

...or as I like to call it: Where are the goalscorers?

My favorite team of the Olympics, Team USA is coming into the 2010 Olympics in a strange situation. The team will be laden with names you know, something that hasn't really happened since 2002, but at the same time, it will be a team so young and inexperienced, they might get chewed up.

Veteran Forward and best American born player in the history of the NHL, Mike Modano figures to make the team if for nothing else than veteran leadership. Hey, you've gotta counteract Mike Richards somehow...

Anyway, some other familiar names that should make the team include Zach Parise, Jaime Langenbruner, Ryan Malone (especially if he can keep up his good pace), Chris Drury, David Booth (if he is still alive after Mike Richards tried to kill him. That must be what it was, Richards was trying to eliinate the competition. Watch out Malkin/Ove!), Patrick Kane, Brooks Orpik, Ryan Miller, Tim Thomas, Brian Rafalski, Paul Stasny, and maybe even Ryan Whitney.

However, any fan of Hockey with a knowledge of half of these players will see a team of power- and two-way forwards, with Zach Parise and MAYBE Jaime Langenbrunner able to actually score a goal or two. Some solid defense. And what should be some great goaltending.

Too bad goals against isn't the deciding factor in the Olympics. This team is already set to to allow like 3 all tournament.

Anyway, there are also some younger players who could make and impact in these Olympic Games. One who jumps to mind is 24-year-old Alex Goligoski. Picked early in the 3rd round, he is a legitimate offensive defensemen who has filled in nicely for an injured Sergei Gonchar this season. Brandon Dubinsky is another player who could make the team, and at only 23, he's had 40 and 41 points in his first two full NHL seasons, respectively.

However, unfortunately this is just a team that seems to be rebuilding in comparison to the preset chemistry and sheer skill levels of the previous three teams I previewed, Russia, Canada, and Sweden. Still, it isn't out of the question for the solid two-way play of this team to see them with a bronze or silver medal when the dust settles. Of course, they could just as easily lose to Latvia. Oh wait, Arturs Irbe retired.

Nevermind.

Note: It took me longer to do this review than any other because the women's hockey team was mixed in with the guys team. And I was distracted. For like 30 minutes.