When the Russian men's hockey team announced their Olympic roster on Christmas Day 2009, there was a collective cringe amongst the 11 other nations slated to compete at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
And while the Christmas turkey likely had a bitter taste for their Olympic counterparts, there's no doubt that the Russians enjoyed a holly-jolly holiday, as they own a club that is packed with power from top-to-bottom.
The Russian men's hockey team is a club that has never quite lived up to the billing of their Soviet predecessors, medalling only six times - three of which were gold - in the IIHF's annual World Championship tournament, and just twice in the Olympics - a silver and bronze - since disbanding from the Soviet Union in December of 1991.
While the aforementioned accomplishments are certainly not anything to scoff at, they simply do not compare to the international powerhouse that was the Soviet Union - a squad that brought home hardware in every single World Championship and Olympic tournament they ever took part in. Their amazing medal run extended from 1954 until their disbandment in 1991, and saw them capture 19 World Championship gold medals in 30 attempts, as well as seven gold medallions in nine tries at the Olympic Games.
The Russians, however, have been rekindling some of that Soviet magic as of late, medalling in the last three World tournaments, claiming gold in the last two. Now, with a team that includes all three nominees for the 2009 Hart Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the NHL's most valuable player - Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin and eventual-winner Alexander Ovechkin - the No. 1-ranked Russians have their sights set on Olympic gold.
"If you look at our roster, we have a good team and I'm looking forward to compete for the gold medal," said Russian defensive stalwart Sergei Gonchar. "It's a goal that we're going to have going into the Olympics and that's what we're going to compete for."
With a roster that reads like a who's-who of superstars from both the National and Kontinental Hockey Leagues, even Malkin, last year's Art Ross winner, had reservations about making the team.
"To be honest, I had some doubts until the last day," said Malkin, who narrowly won the 2009 NHL scoring title with 113 points, edging Ovechkin by just three tallies.
With a bevy of talent at their disposal, Malkin was somewhat surprised by a few of the players left off the team.
"I was a little bit surprised that Alex Kovalev and Alexander Frolov are not on the roster," said the 2009 Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe winner. "But there are only 23 spots, so it is impossible to take everybody."
Asked who he thought he might find as linemates in Vancouver, Malkin suggested Atlanta Thrashers forward Maxim Afinogenov and recently-turned New Jersey Devil Ilya Kovalchuk.
"I played with Ilya Kovalchuk before and that was a great experience," said Malkin. "Probably Max Afinogenov; but that will be the coach's decision. I am ready to play with everybody - all the guys on our team are great."
One area where the two North American teams - the United States and host Canada - may find themselves at an advantage in Vancouver is the use of an NHL-sized rink, which is smaller than the international rinks that many overseas players are accustomed to.
"NHL rinks are smaller and you have to do everything faster," said Malkin. "But all the players on our team have experience with the small rinks, so I do not see a problem there."
Malkin, who says he prefers to play on the North American-sized rinks, also believes that the use of international rules on the smaller rink will not pose any difficulty either.
"The rules are the same for every team," he said. "So it is not a problem."
While failing to medal four years ago at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy - finishing a disappointing fourth after a semi-final loss to Finland and a Bronze Medal Game loss to the Czech Republic - there's little doubt in anyone's mind that the mighty Russians will be a force to be reckoned with in B.C.
Regardless of who comes out on top and has gold placed around their necks at Canada Hockey Place in Vancouver, one thing is for certain: this is no ordinary tournament, as each and every player will put everything on the line to win for their country.
"When I was younger, at that time, nobody played in the NHL, so for us it was one of the biggest things," said Gonchar. "Now, to participate in the Olympics, obviously, it's a huge honour and I'm looking forward to it."
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