Walshy's Wrap Around

Welcome to Walshy’s Wrap Around. Everyone hockey fan or not knows the Olympics are fastly approaching. The opening ceremony is February 12th and National Hockey is defiantly a must see this Olympic season. This week on Walshy’s Wrap Around I will give a rundown of each Nations team and my prediction for the Gold Medal.

United States
Yes the United States Olympic team may be overlooked this time around with their young inexperienced players but they could do some damage. In the 2006 Olympics the USA finished a dismal 8th. Some of the same faces are back to bring gold back to the US this year which hasn’t occurred since 1980. Some new faces that could make big impacts. Bobby Ryan, Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel, Erik Johnson, and Jack Johnson. Philadelphia Flyer was a hopeful to take the injury spot that is now vacated by Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes
Prediction-8th
Breakout player-Phil Kessel

Belarus
Yes everyone Belarus does have an Olympic hockey team. Yes this team didn’t qualify for the 2006 winter Olympics. Yes they only have 4 NHL players on there roster. AND yes non of their goaltenders were born in Belarus but I guess you cant overlook this team with talented players like Mikhail Grabovski, Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn, and Ruslan Salei. This team will either sink or…………sink more.
Prediction-10th
Breakout Player-Sergei Kostitsyn

Germany
Germany does have more NHL faces then Belarus does but the talent ugh. Marco Sturm, Marcel Goc, Christian Ehrhoff, Dennis Seidenberg, Alexander Sulzer, Thomas Greiss, and AHLer Philip Gogulla. This squad finished 10th in 06 but with younger faces all I can see from here is improvement.
Prediction-9th
Breakout Player-Philip Gogulla

Latvia
Lativia wow heres another team. 2 NHL faces on there team. Philadelphia Flyers own Oskars Bartulis and Karlis Skrastins. 16 of the 21 members play on Dinamo Riga. Chemistry could be there. That’s why im making this team my SLEEPER nation of the Olympics. This team finished dead last in 06 so all they can go is up.
Prediction-7th
Breakout Player-Oskars Bartulis

Norway
It gets worse here. One NHL face and that’s former flyer Ole Kristian Tollefsen, who is now with the Detriot Redwings. Heres the rundown here I will guarnatee this team comes in last it just seems that this team is undersized with their tallest player being 6’3 and only weighing 193 pounds so I can see this team being beat up in the physical game.
Prediction-12th
Breakout Player-Patrik Thoresen

Switzerland
Hers another team that could do some damage in the Olypics. Luca Sbisa, Mark Streit, and Jonas Hiller round off the big names on the team. Other than that not a lot of names jump out at you. This team had a lot of older players that could be guidance for some young guys which the Swiss has plenty of.
Prediction-11th
Breakout Player-Luca Sbisa

Slovakia
This is one of my favorites for a possible gold medal bid with big names like Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa, Zdeno Chara. Former NHLers Marcel Hossa, Ziggy Palffy, Jozef Stumpel, and Richard Zednik will be in Vancouver fighting for gold. I see big things for this team lets see if they deliver.
Prediction-4th
Breakout Player-Ziggy Palffy

Czech Republic
This is another favorite of mine. Stong on defense with Tomas Kaberle,Marek Zidlicky and Pavel Kubina and will be able to score with forwards like Martin Havlat, Milan Michalek, Patrik Elias and former NHL all-star Jaromir Jagr. I guess you could say I like this team cause of Jagr yes that could be the reason but id love to see Jagr light it up again on the ice
Prediction-3rd
Breakout Player-Jaromir Jagr

Sweden
The defending gold medal team is back to bring the gold home once again. With big names like the Sedin brothers, Daniel Alfredsson, Nicklas Backstrom,Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and Lundqvist. Former NHL Star Peter Forsberg is also on the roster so it will be exciting to see how he plays. I defiantly see this team attempt to bring the gold back but will fail this team is a little bit older than the 2006 gold medal team.
Prediction-5th
Breakout Player-Peter Forsberg (if not Injured)

Finland
Silver medal team from 2006 and bringing back tournament MVP Antero Nittymaki with big name goalies like Niklas Backstrom and Mikka Kiprusoff Antero may not get the chance for an MVP again. A lot of big names her like Teemu Selanne, Kimmo Timonen, Mikko and Saku Koivu and Jarkko and Tuomo Ruutu. This team has the fire power to get the job done in 2010.
Prediciton-6th
Breakout Player-Mikko Koivu

Russia
Everones Favorite for the Gold this year. I have myself liking this team a lot too. With MVP caliber names like Datsyuk, Kovalchuk,Ovechkin, and Malkin. And not to forget Gonchar, Nabokov, Semin and former NHLer Sergei Fedorov. This team will defiantly be one of the Juagernaughts this year.
Prediction-2nd
Breakout Player-Alex Ovechkin

Canada
The birthplace of this sport. The home of the 2010 Olympics, Canada!!! After a very disappointing 7th place finish in 06 this team is hungry for gold and this could be there year with big names like Mike Richards, Sidney Crosby, Dany Heatley, Jarr….wait im not gonna name the whole team here. That’s how powerful this team is with NHL stars.
Prediction-1st
Breakout Player-Mike Richards