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It’s Winter Olympics time and you know what that means. Time to get out your flag and be obnoxiously prideful (if you’re an American at least) for the next couple of weeks. While you’re watching a bunch of random people who you’ve probably never heard of do a bunch of random stuff on ski’s skates and snowboards get ready to do the same thing with hockey because the NHL decided that they were too cool for the Olympics anyways. Lets take a look at the teams for the 2018 Pyeonchang Winter Olympics.

Group A:

In Group A we have Team Canada, Team Czech Republic, Team Switzerland, and Team South Korea. So we all know how thats going to go. The Canadians are one of the few teams this year who bolster a lineup with former NHL players such as goalie Ben Scrivens. The Czechs however do have a couple of former NHLers. Most notably the Czechs will have former Nashville Predators right winger Martin Erat. The Canadians have had major success in the past 4 Winter Olympics winning gold in 3 of them but maybe… just maybe Martin Erat and the Czechs could sneak there way into the medal round this year.

Group B:

In Group B we will get to see Team USA, “The Olympic Athletes From Russia”, Team Slovakia, and Team Slovenia. For Slovakia and Slovenia, not having NHL players in these Olympics was a gift from the hockey gods. Without many of their NHL stars the U.S. team will have a lot to prove in these Olympic Games. Former Stanley Cup champion Brian Gionta will help try and take this young U.S. team to a gold medal. “The Olympic Athletes From Russia” are primed and ready to absolutely annihilate every team that steps on the ice with them. They will be the biggest test for the U.S. and every team that has to face them. Without the presence of the NHL every team loses a lot but for the Russians, They’re still able to muster up a group of KHL all stars which is often considered the second best league in the world by many hockey enthusiasts.

Group C:

In the wonderful Group C we will get to take a look at Team Sweden, Team Finland, Team Germany, and Team Norway. From Team Sweden we will get to see Rasmus Dahlin. Dahlin is just 17 years and old and yet he has already proven to the world during The World Junior Championships that he is ready to play with the big boys. With that being said Sweden and Finland will still have a tight race to see who wins the C division in this years games. Team German and Team Norway will basically just be there because they kind of have to.

These Winter Olympic Games will be the first time since 1994 not to feature players from the NHL. Fans may not know many of the players on the teams this year but it will definitely bring the possibility of some crazy upsets in these games… unless you’re from Canada, the United States, Russia, or Sweden. I predict that the “Olympic Athletes From Russia” and Team Sweden will meet in the Gold medal game while the United States and Team Canada will square off in the Bronze medal game. And no I’m not a communist.

USA Olympic Hockey Schedule

Wednesday Feb. 14th 7:10 am ET

Friday Feb. 16th. 10:10 pm ET

Saturday Feb. 17th 7:10 am ET