Pick the Lines for Team Russia

[WingNut722]

This is the list of players invited to summer Olympic camp for team Russia.

Goalies: Konstantin Barulin, Sergei Bobrovski, Vasily Koschechkin, Evgeni Nabokov, Semyon Varlamov

Defensemen: Evgeny Biryukov, Denis Denisov, Alexi Emelin, Sergei Gonchar, Andrei Markov, Evgeny Medvedev, Nikita, Nikitin, Ilya Nikulin, Evgeny Ryasensky, Fedor Tyutin, Anton Volchenkov, Slava Voynov

Forwards: Artem Anisimov, Pavel Datsyuk, Denis Kokarev, Ilya Kovalchuk, Nikolai Kulemin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Perezhogin, Alexander Popov, Alexander Radulov, Alexander Semin, Vadim Shipachev, Vladimir Tarasenko, Alexei Tereshchenko, Viktor Tikhonov, Mikhail Varnakov, Nail Yakupov

If you were organizing the team which 12 forwards, 6 d-men and 2 goalies would you choose? Who would play together on lines?

About half of these names currently play in the KHL, If you think others not invited to camp should be on the team, add them and explain why.

Edited July 24, 2013 by WingNut722

[jammer2]

@WingNut722 My Russian team.....

Goalies

1)Sergei Bobrovski

2)Semyon Varlamov

3)Eveni Nabokov

Defense

1)Slava Voynov

2)Andrei Markov

3)Sergei Gonchar

4)Anton Volchenkov

5)Fedor Tyutin

6)Evgeny Medvedev

7)Alexi Emelin

This is not a strong defense, ladies and gents, we have a confirmed weakness! This team had better hope Bob stands on his head, cause I can see a lot of second shots with this crew.

Forwards

1)Pavel Datsyuk

2)Evgeni Malkin

3)Alex Ovechkin

4)Ilya Kovalchuck

5)Vladimir Tarasenko

6)Alexander Semin

7)Evgeny Kuznetsov

8)Artem Anismov

9)Alexander Radulov

10)Nail Yakupov

11)Nikolai Kulemin

12)Viktor Tikhonov

13)Alexander Popov

[WingNut722]

@jammer2 Not a whole lot of difference on D between this team and the team from Vancouver. And of course, in front of Bryz, they finished 6th. I see little improvement in front, with the exception of adding Nail Yakupov, but you're right, Bobrovski is going to make or break this team. However, count on the X-Factor being the home crowd. That alone could put them in medal contention.

[jammer2]

@WingNut722 It's not like the Russians ever dog it when playing for the homeland, but there will be a TON of pressure for them to win the Gold. They obviously have some elite talent, but the depth is not there, I had trouble filling out the last few forward spots and the last spots on D...a few key injuries and this team could be in trouble.

[WingNut722]

@jammer2 I'm sure they would rely very heavily on Datsyuk, Malkin, and Ovechkin to make mincemeat out of opposing goaltenders, which they're sure to do. In fact, those three could be overused, making them less effective in the later rounds when they need it the most.