Unfortunately I haven’t been able to watch as much Olympic hockey as I’d like, but I’ve seen enough – and I didn’t miss a moment of Sundays action between USA and Canada. 

I’m enjoying the opportunity to look at the Olympians in a different fashion.  Seeing them compete against one another is interesting and often confusing for the heart.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, and Scott Niedermayer, but they’re wearing team Canada jerseys.  I’m an American and there is no question in my mind who I’m pulling for.  

Blogger pal and writer extraordinaire Matt Reitz over at View from my Seats summed it up perfectly in his Saturday post… 

- I’m surprised how easy it is to put down any previous allegiances during the Olympics. If you’re wearing USA on the front of your jersey, then I’m a big fan for the next 2 weeks. 

GO USA!  

Gary Bettman and the NHL have yet to commit to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.  While there are many negatives about having NHL players participate in the Olympics (i.e. compacted NHL schedules, potential player injuries, two week break, no All Star game, big travel…) for me, the one positive outweigh any negatives. 

I love watching NHL caliber players compete and I love watching my favorites battle it out against one another. 

I don’t know about you, but when Jonas Hiller completely stonewalled BOTH Perry and Getzlaf within seconds of one another, I practically jumped off the couch.  No matter what happens with the Swiss team in the upcoming week, Hiller will have his own personal highlight reel with that moment alone, and I for one loved it. 

Likewise, watching Teemu Selanne capture the Olympic scoring record is a momentous occasion on its own.  Selanne’s name doesn’t resonate throughout the NHL like it once did, but on an international stage, he’s a superstar.  I wonder if that would be the case if it weren’t for the Olympics. 

So while the Ducks may have too many Olympians who might wear out over the course of the next week, the fans are getting the show of a lifetime. 

The familiarity of the players who represent the various countries make it all the more exciting for fans to watch.  Without NHL players representing their countries, the Olympic Games might lose their luster.  There is definitely something to be said for the 1980 Olympics when the US completed their “Miracle on Ice” with a bunch of unknown youngsters, but with the current level of talent throughout the NHL, it would be a shame to miss out on the opportunity to watch the best from each country work together. 

Enjoy the next week hockey fans; we may not get to experience this again in 2014.