When Team Russia announced their Winter Olympics roster the inclusion of two sets of NHL teammates on the blue-line suggested the Russian brain trust had the intention of pairing those players up for the games. The idea being it's difficult to develop a level of comfort in a short tournament and any experience players have had playing with one another at any level could manifest itself in quick chemistry and provide that team with an advantage.
In this case Team Russia selected Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin from the Montreal Canadiens and Nikita Nikitin and Fedor Tyutin of the Columbus Blue Jackets but so far have decided to split those players up. Markov and Emelin have often been paired together in Montreal over the last two seasons and at various points Nikitin and Tyutin have been partnered on the Blue Jackets blue-line. It would have appeared to be an easy choice to reunite them in Sochi but Team Russia has different ideas.
Markov has practiced with Slava Voynov of the LA Kings and Emelin with Evgeny Medvedev, his former defense partner with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL.
Tyutin is playing with another member of the Ak Bars squad, Ilja Nikulin. Nikulin, 31, was a 2nd round draft choice of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2000 but remained in Russia, never suiting up in the NHL and playing 14 seasons in his home country. Nikulin, a left-hand shot, checks in at 6'3" and 211 pounds. He has 24 points in 48 games this season.
Nikitin is skating with Anton Belov of the Edmonton Oilers. Belov is in his rookie NHL campaign and has 6 points in 47 contests for the Oilers.
I thought perhaps the Russians were looking for lefty-righty pairings on the blue-line but Tyutin, Nikulin, Belov and Nikitin are all left-hand shots.
The choice to go this route with his defense corps is certainly interesting but Team Russia head coach Zinetula Bilyaletinov's (better known as Bill) toughest decision will come in who starts in goal. "Bill" has two solid options in Semyon Varlamov, who has plenty of international experience, and Sergei Bobrovsky, who enters the tournament with the hotter hand.
Varlamov has played for Bill before in two IIHF World Championships, guiding the team to gold in 2012. Bob has never played for Bill. Russian journalists have noted a tendency for Bill to ride the guy he knows which would seem to give the advantage to Varlamov but with the pressure Team Russia is facing as the home team, any slip up in goal could cause Bill to make a quick change. Bill has said a decision will come later today.
Team Russia's first game of the round robin will take place Thursday against Slovenia. Slovenia's roster includes LA Kings center Anze Kopitar and young Red Wings forward Jan Mursak, currently playing in the KHL.