NHL Takes Break for Winter Olympics

The Olympics get started this weekend, and that means the NHL will take a 2 week break as well as players will represent their respective countries. The NBA, MLB, NFL don't have to deal with this. The NBA is the only other league that uses their players for the Olympics, but the summer Olympics are well after the NBA season. There is a lot of risk for both the NHL and NBA. The NBA could have a player get injured in the Olympics and then not play for the team that is paying their bills until late in the season. The NHL is a different deal. The NHL is in the second half of their season, and each team has about 20 games left to go. Its very much crunch time for the teams. So now they will leave their professional teams and join their nations team for those that are playing which are marquee players especially for Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. These players will start practicing and playing different styles, with better supporting players than what is on their NHL team, and be playing on a bigger sheet of ice as Olympic ice is bigger than NHL. The Olympics could really damage a team that has great chemistry right now and is playing good hockey by this break. I am a hockey fan, so I think its cool to have all these star players playing in the Olympics, but at the same time I wish it wasn't during the crunch time playoff run for these teams. Very odd situation that no other sport has to deal with.

I won't make a lot of predictions here, but some of these teams are loaded with NHL talent. Team USA always looks decent, but struggles every time, so don't get your hopes up for even a top 4 finish. Canada looks very strong, they were a huge disappointment last Olympics, but this time may be different as the Olympics are in Vancouver, Canada. I expect Canada to be in the Finals going for Gold. I think Russia may be the sleeper a bit with Ovechkin and company. The other team that will contend for the Gold with Canada will be Sweden. They always play very well in the Olympics, they play a very smooth style, and appear like they have been playing together since they were kids. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, and hopefully no one will get hurt and affects their NHL team's chances at the playoffs or title shot.