No extra pressure? I am here in Canada. There are flags draped everywhere with the slogan “Go Canada, Go!” All anyone talks about is hockey; Canadian gold medals; and how this is the tournament when Canada brings home the gold medal back to where it belongs. Tickets to the game are the hottest ducats in town.
There is a ton of pressure and expectation and media coverage and buzz. If Canada doesn’t win the gold, this community will turn morose. They have the best team on paper. This is their game. It is being played in their country. They expect gold as does everyone who lives here. You can feel it in the air.
No extra pressure - nice one. 
Ted, please do not repeat a Canadian fallacy: hockey is no longer Canada’s game. It is the world’s game. It was born and grew up there, but now it belongs to the world, and has for over two generations now. I will give them this: Canadian insecurity about hockey sure is funny to watch! It will be a great tournament, may the best team win (maybe even Canada….) but it is NOT their game any more.
Sydney who? The photos of Ovie, Sasha, Feds and the Russian coach in the Wash Post are great: they are all smiles and definitely look like they are enjoying themselves. The business of happiness?
F. Canada. Not that I liked them at all to begin with, but considering they rejected Greenie, it’ll be a pleasure to cheer against them.
Hopefully it will be the Russians who take them down, and that will give OV, Semin and Varly extra confidence for our inevitable playoff matchup against the Penguins.
Sorry, Ted, but the Canadians do NOT have the best team on paper – Russia does, and you know why. They have the better goaltending and the better offensive firepower. Might be a little suspect on D, but they’re pretty solid there (see: Volchenkov). But I love how the Canadians in general are setting up themselves for a huge disappointment. Won’t surprise me if Canada doesn’t even medal (see: 2006), who I personally think will wind up in bronze medal contest with the US or, more likely, Finland.
More importantly, let us know about those little chats you and GMGM have with your counterparts about certain players. . . .