Slava Voynov and Artem Anisimov are among the many former NHL gamers named to Russia’s roster for the upcoming Beijing Olympics.
The Russians are the defending champions after successful gold in Pyeongchang 4 years in the past when the NHL additionally didn’t ship gamers. They need to be the favourite as soon as once more in one other Winter Video games with out the world’s greatest gamers, even with Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk not returning.
The Russian Hockey Federation named its 25-man roster Sunday that options seven gamers again from the 2018 group. Among the many returnees are KHL main scorer Vadim Shipachyov and ex-NHL gamers Nikita Gusev and Nikita Nesterov.
Right here is the total roster:
Forwards
Sergey Andronov
Artem Anisimov
Dmitry Voronkov
Mikhail Grigorenko
Arseniy Gritsyuk
Nikita Gusev
Pavel Karnaukhov
Artur Kayumov
Kirill Marchenko
Sergey Plotnov
Kirill Semyonov
Anton Slepyshev
Andrey Chibisov
Vadim Shipachev.
Defencemen
Yegor Yakovlev
Alexander Nikishin
Damir Sharipzyanov
Sergei Telegin
Nikita Nesterov
Artem Minulin
Vyacheslav Voinov
Alexander Yelesin
Goalies
Ivan Fedotov
Alexander Samonov
Timur Bilyalov
“On paper they’re in all probability going to have the strongest group of all of the groups on this upcoming Olympics, and they are going to be good once more,” stated Marco Sturm, who coached Germany to a silver medal in 2018 when it misplaced to the Russians within the remaining. “It doesn’t imply they’re simply going to stroll via this event and win all of it. Another groups, another international locations may have a superb event as properly and can give them a tough time.”
The Russians may have three completely different goaltenders as a result of 38-year-old Vasily Koshechkin was left off after beginning in Pyeongchang and Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin are within the NHL. Timur Bilyalov, Ivan Fedotov and Alexander Samonov had been the goalies named to the group.
Among the many different newcomers with NHL expertise are forwards Sergey Plotnikov and Anton Slepyshev. The group is coached by retired NHL ahead Alexei Zhamnov.
Goalie Dmitry Shugaev, defenseman Semyon Chistyakov and forwards Alexander Kadeikin, Andrei Kuzmenko, Vladimir Tkachyov and Stanislav Galiev are set to journey to Beijing as reserve gamers.
Voynov, 32, gained the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014. He was suspended for one season in 2019 by the NHL for home violence however has not returned, opting to remain within the KHL.
Anisimov, 33, put up 393 factors in 814 NHL regular-season and playoff video games from 2009-21. He spent final season with the Ottawa Senators.
After successful in Korea because the “Olympic Athletes from Russia,” the group will play because the “Russian Olympic Committee” this time on account of sanctions for numerous doping-related points throughout a number of Olympic sports activities. The Russians open the event Feb. 9 in opposition to Switzerland, they usually additionally face the Czech Republic and Denmark in group play.
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