Five Columbus Blue Jackets have been chosen by their respective home countries for duty at this year's Winter Olympics with four slated to suit up for Team Russia. Sergei Bobrovsky, Artem Anisimov, Fedor Tyutin and Nikita Nikitin will represent the host country while Marian Gaborik was picked to play for Team Slovakia.
I was a little surprised Nikitin made the team over a veteran like Sergei Gonchar or a talented young blue liner like Dmitry Kulikov but Team Russia saw it differently.
Gaborik, recovering from a broken collar bone, will be making his third appearance in the Winter Olympics for Team Slovakia.
Tyutin will also be appearing in his third Winter Olympics after representing Russia in the 2006 Turin and 2010 Vancouver games.
Anisimov and Bob are each first-time Olympians though each has played for their home country in many international tournaments.
Aside from perhaps Jack Johnson, there were no questionable omissions involving Blue Jacket players. Brandon Dubinsky did receive serious consideration from the committee assigned to choose Team USA. His experience at center and on the wing, ability to kill penalties and grit would have provided added flexibility for Team USA but Dubinsky didn't make the final cut.
GM Jarmo Kekalainen will serve as the assistant general manager for Team Finland and Todd Richards will be behind Team USA's bench as an assistant coach.
As for the favorites in the tournament, it's proven difficult previously for the two North American squads playing on the bigger ice surfaces in Europe. This could give Sweden and Russia, two teams with loads of talent, an advantage.
If I had to throw a dart at the board and pick one team to win Gold it would be the Swedes.
Sweden will need star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to show his first-half struggles won't carry over to Sochi but if he's on top of his game they will be tough. The Swedes have plenty of skill up front with the likes of the Sedins, Henrik Zetterberg, Nicklas Backstrom, Daniel Alfredsson, Johan Franzen and Gabriel Landeskog. On the blue line Sweden boasts two of the most gifted young, offensive defenders in the game in Erik Karlsson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. To balance the unit out Alexander Edler, Nik Kronwall and Johnny Oduya are around to provide veteran savvy. It's a solid lineup from top to bottom with no discernible weakness. They have skill and mobility on the back end, talented offensive talent up front and one of the world's best goalies.