In Olympic hockey, expect the unexpected
After two weeks of suspense and surprises, Scott Burnside breaks down the highlights, lowlights and all matters in between.
By Scott BurnsideTORINO, Italy -- Four years in the making, 12 days in the telling, the Olympic hockey tournament. And with the Swedes' thrilling 3-2 win in the gold medal game Sunday, what of it?
Here's a look at some of the highs, lows and in-betweens of the 2006 Olympic hockey tournament.
Best player not in the NHL?
Evgeni Malkin is a treat to watch. Hard to believe that less than two months earlier he was playing in the World Junior Championship. Might have been better for the Russian effort had he not tried to kick Vincent Lecavalier, which resulted in his being suspended for the semifinal game.
Player whose phone will be ringing off the hook from NHL GMs and/or agents?
Ville Peltonen, a fringe player with San Jose and Nashville, was a revelation for the silver medalists. Playing on a line with Olli Jokinen, Peltonen had nine points, including a goal in Sunday's gold medal game. Although the 33-year-old's been playing in Finland and Switzerland since 2001, he could make an interesting addition to some playoff-bound team down the stretch.
Most disappointing performance by a team?
It's a toss-up between the Americans, who failed to win a game against a quality opponent while finishing the tournament 1-4-1 and the Canadians, who, for all intents and purposes, did not get a goal against a quality opponent, failing to score in 15 of their last 16 periods.
Speaking of injuries, here's our all-injured Olympic team.
Goal, Dominik Hasek (adductor muscle); defense, Mattias Ohlund (ribs); defense, Sami Salo (shoulder); defense, Pavel Kubina (concussion); forward, Simon Gagne (knee); forward, Jaromir Jagr (groin).
Shortest postgame interview?
"Tomorrow." -- Jaromir Jagr, after the Czechs were manhandled 7-3 by the Swedes in the semifinals. Jagr did not make himself available to the media for the balance of the tournament.
Most disappointing performance by a player?
Ilya Kovalchuk. The Atlanta Thrashers star had five points in eight games. Four of those points came in a four-goal outburst against Latvia. Kovalchuk augmented his lack of scoring by being ejected early in the second period of the bronze medal game for a leaping, head-high check on Czech defenseman Pavel Kubina. The Czechs scored on the power play en route to the bronze.
Worst performance by a coach?
Even when Milan Hnilicka led the Czechs to an improbable win over Slovakia in the quarterfinal, Czech coach Alois Hadamczik should have known not to go to that well too often. He did, however, and the Czechs were pounded 7-3 by Sweden in the semis and Hnilicka was lifted after giving up five goals. Had Tomas Vokoun, outstanding in the bronze medal win, started all of the playoff games, it says here the Czechs win at least a silver.
Worst off-ice decision by a coach?
Everyone knows that it's better to play Switzerland than Canada. Everyone. But if you're Swedish coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson, that's something he probably should have kept to himself instead of speculating in front of a pack of Swedish reporters that it might not be a bad thing to lose against Slovakia so his team could face Switzerland instead of Canada or the Czechs. The suggestion Sweden tanked the game was the only blemish on an otherwise gold medal-worthy tournament for Gustafsson and the Swedes.
Best postgame performance by a coach?
Ralph Krueger after Switzerland's shocking 2-0 victory over Canada. The thoughtful Canadian, who's been coaching the Swiss national team since the fall of 1997, put it all in perspective: "A very special day for Swiss ice hockey and a very special day for this group of individuals that believed this was possible and never stopped believing."
He also praised the courage of a group of players "who were just a few years ago asking for autographs from the players they faced today."
Biggest non-story of the Olympics?
Whether Wayne Gretzky's connection (or non-connection as the case may be) to the Rick Tocchet gambling probe would affect the Canadian team.
Biggest Olympic question without an answer?
How the defending gold medalists from Canada, with a lineup that included Joe Thornton, Simon Gagne, Rick Nash, Dany Heatley, Joe Sakic, Jarome Iginla, et al, could go scoreless in 15 of their last 16 periods of hockey.
Early suggestions for Canada's head coach at the 2010 Olympics?
• Mike Babcock
• Bryan Murray
• Craig MacTavish
Biggest non-surprise of the Olympics?
Keith Tkachuk taking ill-advised penalties in the U.S. loss to Finland in the quarterfinals.
Postgame comments a player wished he'd never made?
Mike Modano's ill-timed criticism of USA Hockey and U.S. coach Peter Laviolette. Modano is a classier player than the comments made him sound. He would later apologize.
Big Ice, Little Ice
One of the consistent complaints about Olympic hockey is that it lacks the urgency and the physicality of NHL hockey. That's what you get with the Olympic ice. It's simply harder to hunt an opponent down on the big ice, so the hockey is different. Not necessarily better or worse, but different.
Vancouver differences?
All the discussion about the schedule in Torino (the Czechs and Russians played eight games in 11 days, the Swedes and Finns eight games in 12) is certainly valid. But it will also be much different in Vancouver. The Torino schedule was set before it was known that NHL players would take part. Watch for the preliminary round to be dropped from five to four games with only 10 teams taking part, not the dozen that made up the Torino tournament. The travel schedule will be much less onerous and the tournament should be a banner event.
Tournament rankings
What were the odds going into the tournament that the seventh- and eightth-ranked teams at the end would be Canada and the United States? Long? You bet. But that's the way it shook out. For Canada, it is the worst finish in the history of the Olympics. Folks back home must be so proud.
Rankings
Here are the final tournament standings. They will be used to help determine world rankings and seedings.
1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. Czech Republic
4. Russia
5. Slovakia
6. Switzerland
7. Canada
8. United States
9. Kazakhstan
10. Germany
11. Italy
12. Latvia
Scott Burnside is an NHL writer for ESPN.com.
