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Blue Jackets Playing Contingent Out in Sochi |
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Russia's disappointing dismissal in front of their passionate home fans means Columbus can pull the welcome wagon out for their playing contingent. With five participants in the games, four on Team Russia and the fifth, Marian Gaborik, injured and unable to play for Team Slovakia, no Jackets players remain in the Olympic tournament. The biggest fear for fans of any NHL team is seeing one of their guys get hurt playing overseas while representing their home country (i.e. like John Tavares). Fortunately for Columbus all of their players are coming home healthy and that's good news as the team prepares for the playoff stretch drive.
Thoughts on the tournament
It there are hockey gods somewhere out there then it was likely preordained that Canada and Team USA would oppose each other in a meaningful game with medal chances on the line. The fact that the contest takes place in the semifinals rather than the finals, as it did four years ago, makes no difference. This is the game nearly every hockey fan expected and wanted.
Team USA has shown the ability to play any style and find different ways of winning during the tournament. In their quarterfinals match with the Czech Republic it was the shutdown trio of David Backes, Ryan Callahan and Dustin Brown, self-anointed the "Meat Line," that was the big difference. They combined for two goals, three points and a +4 +/- rating while keeping the Czech's top line of Jaromir Jagr, Tomas Plekanec and Roman Cervenka off the score sheet.
The Canadians have struggled to put the puck in the net at times during the tourney but still boast a ton of talent. They netted just two goals in their quarterfinals game against Latvia but did so while firing 57 shots on net. It feels as if the machine is about to kick it into high gear and if they do watch out.
The top defense duo of Drew Doughty and Shea Weber have combined for seven goals through four games and are an absolute force.
Not to be outdone, the US can roll out the Ryan's, McDonagh and Suter, to match up with any squad's top line. Suter tallied three helpers against the Czechs and McDonagh, playing a lot of the time on his off side, had an assist as well.
The other semifinal game pits Finland and Sweden, two more geographic rivals, against each other. This game promises to be low scoring with Henrik Lundqvist, he of the two Olympic shutouts, backstopping Sweden while the Fins counter with Tuukka Rask in net. Rask stopped 37 of 38 shots in their somewhat surprising 3 - 1 win over the hosts and is one of the top goalies in the NHL.
Speaking of Russia, hindsight might be 20/20 but clearly Russian head coach "Bill" (I am not typing out his full name if I don't have to) made an error going with Semyon Varlamov between the pipes instead of Sergei Bobrovsky. As I mentioned before, Bill's familiarity with Varlamov in international play suggested Varlamov would get the nod but considering Bob was coming off a shutout against Norway and was stellar in his start against Team USA, Bob had a great case to get the call. Varlamov allowed all three goals on just 15 shots before being replaced by Bob late in the second. By then, down 3 - 1 and unable to put the puck in the net, it was too late for Team Russia.
Alex Ovechkin, in large part because he is the nominal face of Team Russia and since he has failed to deliver a Stanley Cup or even a berth in the finals for the Capitals, is in line to shoulder much of the blame for the lack of goal scoring and ultimately the failure of Team Russia to reach the medal round. Unfortunately for the "Great Eight," he did nothing to shake his reputation as a one-dimensional talent who folds when the pressure rises.
Marian Gaborik
Gabby, on the shelf for the past 23 games, has been cleared for contact and practiced this morning wearing a non-contact jersey. The news puts Gabby on the path to return to the lineup in time for their February 27th game against New Jersey.
Of course with the Jackets playing well leading into the Olympic break while Gaborik was out and the sniper's pending UFA, Gaborik well could be on the move again before the deadline. It will be interesting to see how motivated GM Jarmo Kekalainen is to deal Gaborik given the steep price paid to acquire him at last year's deadline. Will he ultimately decide to hang onto him for the stretch run and risk losing him for nothing in free agency or trade him now to recoup some assets, comfortable in the knowledge the team has played well in Gaborik's absence? It will be an interesting 10 days or so leading up to the deadline, once the roster freeze is lifted.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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