Edmonton Oilers defenders Martin Marincin and Anton Belov got surprising presents Tuesday when they were picked by the Slovak and Russian Olympic teams to play in Sochi next month. They’ll be joining Czech winger Ales Hemsky as the Oiler representatives there.
Marincin, 22, who’ll be playing his eighth game this season Tuesday with a big test against the St. Louis Blues, has averaged 15 minutes a night and is plus two on the season.
“For sure this is the biggest achievement in hockey,” said Marincin, who probably wouldn’t be on the team if still playing on the farm in Oklahoma City, but made it as one of their eight defencemen, which includes former Oiler Lubo Visnovsky (Islanders).”I think I’ll be the youngest there.”
Belov is expected to be a healthy scratch for the Blues with Brad Hunt getting his third straight game since being recalled from OKC, but he played in the KHL for years and was very good on their world championship team last spring. He’s struggled with the smaller NHL surface where plays have to be made quicker, but he has a history with the selectors from his time playing in Russia.
While the Oilers will have three guys in Sochi, the Blues are tied with Chicago Blackhawks with 10 players going to the Olympics.
That’s half the roster that will be playing the Oilers Tuesday. The list includes the defence pairing of Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo for Canada, David Backes, Kevin Shattenkirk and T.J. Oshie for the Yanks, Patrik Berglund and the injured Thomas Steen (concussion) for Sweden, Vladimir Sobotka and goalie Jaro Halak for Slovakia and Vladimir Tarasenko for Russia.
Surprisingly, Czech defender Roman Polak, on the third pairing for one of the NHL’s powerhouses did not make it. He’s back shortly from a high-ankle sprain.
“I don’t understand that,” said Blues’ coach Ken Hitchcock, who doubles as one of Mike Babcock’s right-hand men on Canada’s Olympic squad.
