Belarus names Olympic roster
by James Mirtle on Dec 23, 2009 10:12 AM CST
9 comments
Belarus is the first nation to name its provisional roster for its men’s national team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. New head coach Mikhail Zakharov named the 23-man roster only a few days after meeting the team for the first time at two exhibition games in Slovakia.
Zakharov’s roster looks similar to the teams that Belarus had at the 2008 and 2009 World Championships.
The roster is highlighted by four Belarusian NHL players. Colorado veteran defenceman Ruslan Salei, 36, is on the team, as is Toronto forward Mikhail Grabovski, 25, and Montreal’s Kostitsyn brothers, Andrei, 24, and Sergei, 22.
The full roster is available here.
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Also on the roster are Kostitsyn family friends Ivan “Big Guns” Mikhailovich and Yuri “the Smolensk Strangler” Gusmanov, who will play the hereto-unknown position of “button man”.
by Benjamin Massey on Dec 23, 2009 10:18 AM CST reply actions 4 recs
Salei
I’m under the impression he’s not going to be able to play due to injury. He hasn’t suited up yet for the Avs and just had back surgery a week or two ago.
The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time
by Jibblescribbits on Dec 23, 2009 10:19 AM CST reply actions
Thought the same thing. Rusty has played all of 1 game for the Avs this year, and looked labored doing it. With the surgery, I’m guessing he will be enjoying the Olympics from a training table
If this is a re-build...we should do it every year.
I forgot he played in that one game this year.
The New Improved Avalanche. Now with Real Coaches!
Jibblescribbits: C'mon over and waste some time
by Jibblescribbits on Dec 23, 2009 11:04 AM CST up reply actions
Put the Grabowski the the Koti sisters on the same line.
It will be like watching AL secord and Wendel play of the same line:(
Leafs selling hope to the hopeless since 1967
by Toe Blake Hockey on Dec 23, 2009 10:31 AM CST reply actions
The Grab-Tits line will bounce around all game long!
by Fred Poulin on Dec 23, 2009 10:49 AM CST reply actions 3 recs
Belarus are totally my second team this year…I cannot believe that Mezin is still their goalie (his name won me a pint one night :)
by Richard S. Argent on Dec 23, 2009 4:38 PM CST reply actions
I just hope the cops etc. are vigilant “every minute of every day” on the streets of Vancouver in case Grabovski is there waiting to fight S. Kostitsyn.
On a more hockey-related note, it’s sad for the entertainment value of Belarus that the Olympics are on small ice – Grabovski is one of the most entertaining and skilled hockey players on international ice but can’t quite do the same on the smaller surface.
As for Belarus’ chances, they don’t have Hanlon anymore, so their awesome trap (awesome when it comes to results, but extremely boring) might not be as sharp. I don’t know if Zakharov and Dave Lewis have been able to do such a great job.
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