I don’t care for watch most of the Olympics, but the hockey is definitely something I’m interested in watching – because most of the teams are All-Star teams! The hockey is faster with more electrifying plays (although this might also be because the Olympic rink size is larger).
Canada is always strong, but I think the “traditional” rivalry is no longer Canada vs Russia. Russia has a good team, but they seem to have no defense (and have a stubborn desire to have strong representation from the KHL, even if they are sub-par). Sweden has always been strong, and I think they are better than Russia. A lot of the “pushover” teams have a couple of NHLers now and can compete (Slovakia, Switzerland, etc). But I think the strongest team next to Canada is USA.
Canada is still a superpower, and it’s sometimes a bit funny watching them play weaker teams. They spend the entire game in the offensive zone due to their superior puck possession capability; and their players (especially defensemen) seem to be giants and tower over the other players.
I don’t know if Canada will win gold, but at least it will be entertaining to watch.
Hi! and welcome to the eclectic personal blog of Kevin Quan. Come in, stay awhile, peek into the nooks & crannies, and learn a bit about me and my interests.