Sochi 2014 - Finland & Sweden

Finland - A pair of teenagers and the absence of a national icon on Finland's 25-man roster for the 2014 Sochi Olympics named Tuesday have signaled the start of a transition for the country. Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta will provide a measure of youthful enthusiasm for the Finns, but Anaheim Ducks center Saku Koivu has reportedly declined an invitation to participate in his fifth Olympics and was not on the announced roster. Finland is the only country to medal in three of the four tournaments since the NHL began taking a break from its schedule to allow players to participate in 1998. While it will be strange to see the Finns without longtime captain Koivu, Ducks forward Teemu Selanne will be on the team for a sixth time. The team is also stacked in net, with goaltenders Tuukka Rask (Boston Bruins), Anntti Niemi (San Jose Sharks) and Kari Lehtonen (Dallas Stars). Another elite goaltender, Nashville’s Pekka Rinne, has missed most of the season because of an infection in his hip and was not named to the roster. The defense corps includes only two current NHL veterans, Kimmo Timonen (Philadelphia Flyers) and the Tampa Bay Lightning's Sami Salo. They are joined by Maatta and young Ducks defenseman Sami Vatanen, and four players from Europe. Mikku Koivu, Saku's brother and likely successor as team captain, was named to the team but his participation is also in doubt because of a broken ankle.


On the heels of a title at the world juniors, Finland trotted out its Olympic roster for Sochi, but this one doesn’t have anywhere as near as intimidating a defense. At the under-20s, the Finns had excellent blueliners, but the collection assembled for the Winter Games features a couple veterans at the ends of their NHL careers (Sami Salo and Kimmo Timonen), a couple young guns (Olli Maatta and Sami Vatanen) and some serviceable if unspectacular players from Europe. That depth may become an issue, though at least the Euro-based players will be well-versed in playing ‘D’ on the bigger ice surface.

Goaltending will be excellent, with recent Stanley Cup winners Antti Niemi and Tuukka Rask (though Rask was only the starter when Boston lost the final) plus Kari Lehtonen of Dallas, who has extensive national team experience over the years. Finland may be the only country that could lose a Pekka Rinne and not be worried about it.

Up front, Teemu Selanne will play in a record-tying sixth Olympics (fellow Finn Raimo Helminen was the other), but Anaheim buddy Saku Koivu withdrew from consideration due to the lingering recovery he’s going through for a concussion. Younger brother Mikko Koivu made the cut, but an ankle injury puts his participation in doubt right now. Nonetheless, this forwards corps will be big, nasty and well-rounded with a mix of skilled scorers, grinding agitators and national heroes. There may not be a Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin type, but Finland has done very well at the World Championship lately and that will no doubt help cohesion.

The biggest X-factors will come from the youth. Florida’s Aleksander Barkov is quickly establishing himself as a very good young center with man size and man strength, while Mikael Granlund has historically found more success on bigger ice in Europe than he has so far in the NHL with Minnesota, though he is still in the infancy of his career here. That patented Finnish grit will also be on full display, particularly with former Toronto Maple Leafs agitator Leo Komarov, now in the KHL. It goes without saying there won’t be many NHL players excited to see him again when they arrive in Sochi.

Goaltenders - Kari Lehtonen, Dallas Stars, Antti Niemi, San Jose Sharks, Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins

Defensemen - Lasse Kukkonen, Kärpät Oulu (FIN), Juuso Hietanen, Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod (RUS), Sami Lepisto, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (RUS), Olli Maatta, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sami Salo, Tampa Bay Lightning, Kimmo Timonen, Ossi Vaananen, Jokerit Helsinki, Sami Vatanen, Anaheim Ducks

Forwards - Juhamatti Aaltonen, Kärpät Oulu (FIN), Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers, Valtteri Filppula, Tampa Bay Lightning, Mikael Granlund, Minnesota Wild, Jussi Jokinen, Pittsburgh Penguins, Olli Jokinen, Winnipeg Jets, Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild, Leo Komarov, Dynamo Moscow (RUS), Petri Kontiola, Traktor Chelyabinsk (RUS), Lauri Korpikoski, Jori Lehtera, Sibir Novosibirsk (RUS), Antti Pihlstrom, Salavat Yulayev Ufa (RUS), Tuomo Ruutu, Carolina Hurricanes, Teemu Selänne, Anaheim Ducks

Sweden - Sweden announced its roster for the 2014 Sochi Olympics On Tuesday, naming a team heavy on NHL players, including veteran Detroit Red Wings forward Daniel Alfredsson, who gets a last shot at Olympic glory. The Swedes were upset in 2010 at the quarterfinal stage, losing to Slovakia. In 2014, Sweden is drawn into Group C, joining Austria, Czech Republic and Switzerland.


If all the names look familiar, it’s because they are. Team Sweden’s roster for the 2014 Olympics features just one player, Jimmie Ericsson, who isn’t in the NHL this season. And the 33-year-old winger has a close connection to The Show; his brother Jonathan patrols the blueline for Detroit. There are a few surprises on Tre Kronor, a club fortified with speed, skill and decent depth.

In goal, Henrik Lundqvist isn’t having his best NHL season, but would you best against him coming up large in a short tournament? He’ll get support from the Jonas (Jhonas?) brothers, Gustvasson and Enroth. They’re capable NHL backups. So, too, is Ottawa’s Robin Lehner, who has a .922 save percentage for the Sens this season. You could have made a case for his inclusion, but he’s been streaky of late.

On defense, the decisions to leave off Tampa’s Victor Hedman and Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin are eyebrow-raisers, though one or both could be added as injury replacements. Regardless, the defense is blessed with smarts and skill, and ranks a close second to Canada in terms of depth. The aforementioned Ericsson is joined by Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, a potential future Norris winner in Oliver Ekman-Larsson (assuming he’s healthy), shutdown kingpin Niklas Hjalmarsson, along with capable blueliners in Niklas Kronwall, Henrik Tallinder, Johnny Oduya and Alex Edler (the latter of whom will miss the first two games due to suspension). If there is a question about this group, it’s their overall toughness, but that factor is mitigated by its speed and the diminished need for brawn on the international ice surface. It will also be interesting to see how they fare without legend Nicklas Lidstrom, their undisputed leader the past decade.

Up front, the high-end talent is enviable, led by Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Backstrom. Alex Steen (who’s still recovering from a concussion) is having a career year, complementary players such as Loui Eriksson (also nursing an injury), Marcus Krueger and Carl Hagelin will fill important roles, while youngsters Jakob Silfverberg and Gabriel Landeskog add fresh legs and a dynamic element. And, of course, 41-year-old Daniel Alfredsson, who’s appearing in his fifth Olympics, brings the veteran leadership and respect all championship teams require.

Goaltenders - Jhonas Enroth, Buffalo Sabres, Jonas Gustavsson, Detroit Red Wings, Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers.

Defensemen - Alexander Edler, Vancouver Canucks, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Phoenix Coyotes, Jonathan Ericsson, Detroit Red Wings, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Chicago Blackhawks, Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators, Niklas Kronwall, Detroit Red Wings, Johnny Oduya, Chicago Blackhawks, Henrik Tallinder, Buffalo Sabres.

Forwards - Daniel Alfredsson, Detroit Red Wings, Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals, Patrik Berglund, St. Louis Blues, Jimmie Ericsson, Skelleftea AIK (SWE), Loui Eriksson, Boston Bruins, Johan Franzen, Detroit Red Wings, Carl Hagelin, New York Rangers, Marcus Kruger, Chicago Blackhawks, Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche, Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks, Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks, Jakob Silfverberg, Anaheim Ducks, Alexander Steen, St. Louis Blues, Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings.