Olympic Hockey - What We Learned

We learned - or were reminded of - a lot about hockey during these 2014 Winter Olympics.
Here's the top 10 (no specific order) prominent things these winter games showed us: 

1.  Canada is still, and will be for the foreseeable future, the world power in hockey.
For all the blabbing I have to put up with from all the snobby Canadian fans about how superior Canadian hockey is to US hockey, I must say, at least they back it up. 

2.  Finland was the real best team in the tournament

Finland was the only team who actually came close to taking down Canada in the preliminary and I stick by my prediction that had they met again the Fins would have come out on top.  Every game they played was by the book and was extremely close.  A couple bounces go their way the it's Teemu Selanne getting the gold placed around his neck, not Sidney Crosby. 

3.  Teemu Selanne still has plenty left in the tank

The Finnish Flash has been benched more times this season then he ever has in his career.  After these Olympics, I'm pretty sure Coach Boudreau of the Anaheim Ducks will reconsider that.  Also, how lucky are we that we still get to see this guy play?  What a great player.  

4.  Olli Maatta is the real deal

Wow.  Is there anything this kid can't do?

5.  Dan Blysma - STILL - can't adapt on the fly

Stop me if you've heard this before.  A Dan Blysma coached team wins every game that does not matter (i.e. the regular season) then falters the as soon as the real games begin (i.e. the playoffs).  Hmm, seems familiar.  I don't completely blame him for the last two games - but his stubbornness when it came to not changing lines was something that seriously hurt the US squad in their final two contests.    

6. Defense wins championships

The three strongest teams on the back end won medals.  No coincidence there. 

7.  Russia's head coach was an idiot 

Zinetula Bilyaletdinov is somehow avoiding blame for the epic fail that was the Russian hockey team in this tournament.  Let me just say - if you employ a 4-1 scheme on the ice, with the kind of talent has offensively, you deserve to lose.  Also, he had no idea how to use the star power that was given him in Malkin and Ovie. 

8.  Carey Price is still overrated

The most overrated player in hockey got even more overrated because of his performance in these Olympics.  Carey, if you're not posting a shut out every single game with the kind of defense you had in front of you then there is something wrong.  I look forward to seeing you blow it in the playoffs again this year.  

9.  This will be the NHL's last year in the Olympics

Whatever chance the NHL had of competing the next winter games, a smorgasbord of injuries to NHL players put the final nail in that coffin.

10.  Olympic Hockey is amazing

Say what you will about the NHL taking time out of its season to participate in the games, but the kind of hockey we were treated to over the past two weeks was second to none.  It didn't matter what team you were rooting for, if any at all; this was just fantastic hockey.