Opening Ceremony Hockey Highlights

by Mike Chen on Feb 13, 2010 12:31 PM CST in 2010 Olympics Comment 6 comments

In case you missed it (or didn't want to watch the four-hour broadcast on your DVR):

-Jaromir Jagr carried the Czech flag. His pants were undescribable.

-Aleksey Morozov carried the Russian flag. I know only KHL/European players could make the opening ceremonies...but doesn't Sergei Fedorov seem like a more apt choice for this?

-Ziggy Palffy carried the Slovakian flag.

-Peter Forsberg carried the Swedish flag.

-Wayne Gretzky and Manny Malhotra's brother-in-law (NBA player Steve Nash) were involved with the torch-passing and cauldron lighting, though mechanical problems caused them to just stand there for a few minutes. NHL.com has a small slideshow of Gretzky's involvement.

Update: NBC's Olympic website has a three-minute montage of countries walking in. You can see Forsberg and Jagr in it. NBC also has the opening ceremony in its entirety online, and this part of it has Gretzky -- just fast-forward to the 1:22 mark.

Update 2: NBC's Olympic site also has a slideshow of hockey players as flag bearers. I missed former NHLer Ville Peltonen carrying Finland's flag.

Correction: Wrong terminology in the Steve Nash/Manny Malhotra relation -- I've corrected it to brother-in-law, not step-brother.

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Aleksey Morozov has been playing in Russia/KHL since he left the Penguins at the lockout, and was the first “good” Russian player to stay. He has also been the best player on the best Russian team for some time now, including earning the Russian Conn Smyth in 2006 (?) I think it was apt for him to carry the flag over Federov for time spent in his home country.

Full Disclosure: I am obviously a Pens fan, but have never been anything but a critic of Morozov.

by Ulf Murphy on Feb 13, 2010 2:04 PM CST reply actions

I think there’s always been a little bit a lingering irritation with Fedorov over the defection and his decision to not go back for several years after the Soviet Union ceased to exist. AFAIK, he has never given up his US green card, either.

And as warmly as everyone in Washington speaks of him, he has a well earned reputation for being a prima donna. Heck, he still takes the occasional shot at Scotty Bowman. I don’t doubt that he’s rubbed people in Russia the wrong way, too.

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
On Draper having to wear a USA jersey at practice: "well at least the Wings can settle bets without involving gold plated desert eagles!"

by RedBirdie on Feb 14, 2010 8:41 PM CST up reply actions