The Blackhawks' six Olympians are still playing as the Vancouver 2010 Olympics enter their final weekend. No other team in the NHL can boast similar tournament success. So now seems like as good of time as ever to do some Olympic grading:
USA: Patrick Kane - C
Kane is the ant under the magnifying glass. He has only one point (a goal) during the Olympic tournament and has been feeling the heat from all sides. Dubbed the next generation of American hockey, Kane was the poster boy for this Olympic team. He is yet to live up to that expectation, though he has two games left to play. Kane has been shuffled through the US deck several times already, but is yet to show any chemistry with his teammates on the ice. Kane's lack of scoring elicited a passive calling out by team USA general manager Brian Burke. Kane took the "team" criticism in stride, agreeing with Burke that his play has been poor.
Meanwhile the US team is 4-0 and will play for a medal. So regardless of what Patrick Kane has done, he hasn't cost his team anything. The real criticism of Kane, in my opinion, is that he is not showing the heart that comparable teammates are playing with. To me, Zach Pairse is the most comparable player to Kane in the league. Parise is also an Olympic teammate and a one time line mate of Kane. Parise scored two goals in the US' win over the Swiss on Wednesday, one of them coming from in front of the net. While Parise was doing dirty work, Kane looked like a germaphobe. His skills of working the puck along the half-boards and bringing the puck into the zone are negated by lopsided penalty kills and four man blue-line fronts that are so prevalent in the Olympics. Perhaps it is just a matter of time before Kane breaks out - and the timing couldn't be better for Kane to do so - but that breakout will require some adapting by the immensely skilled winger.
Canada: Jonathan Toews - A
Toews' value to team Canada was on full display Wednesday night, as he, Mike Richards and Rick Nash shut down the Russian offensive attack of Ovechkin, Semin and Malkin on the way to a 7-2 victory. Nash added four points of his goal in the lop-sided result. Toews has received lots of well deserved praise for his play, which to this point has been as been close to mistake-free. Toews has nine assists in the tournament, but no goals to his name yet. With Canada being "awoken," and poised for a gold medal run that last Sunday seemed increasingly unlikely, Toews is getting some chat as the tournament's MVP. I say he's one goal and one gold away from such an honor.
Duncan Keith - A-
Keith added two assists in Wednesday's clobbering of Russia. At this point, his offensive game has really been the highlight of his Olympics. The best defenseman on the Canadian team, and in the tournament, has been Drew Doughty, without a doubt, but Keith is not all that far behind. Doughty, Keith, Dan Boyle, Zdeno Chara and Erik Johnson have been the best blue-liners in the tournament thus far - it should come as no surprise that their teams are still playing. Does Canada having three of the best make the cards come up red? Knowing that the Olympics are won from the net out - my money says yes.
Brent Seabrook - D <----and that doesn't stand for defenseman.
Who? Seabrook? I forgot he was on Canada. Oh yeah, he had some penalties. Seabrook came into this tournament slumping, and with the uber-talented Canadian team around him, he hasn't been able to bust out of his funk. Playing time is coming at a premium for Seabrook, who has been nailed to the bench, at times, for third periods.
Slovakia: Marian Hossa - A-
Toews might be proving to the world that he is one of the best two-way players in the game, but he has a ways to go before de-throning Marian Hossa. Hossa hasn't put up the awe-drawing stats (save for a three-goal performance Wednesday) one might expect from Hossa, but his presence on the ice has been game-chainging for the Slovaks. The top line for Slovakia is now Hossa, Gaborik and Tomas Kopecky. Wait.. what?
Tomas Kopecky - B+
Kopecky has been sketchy for the entire tournament - up and down - but he showed up once the knock-out phase started and has looked world-class since then. No one has ever doubted that Kopecky is talented, the knocks on number 82 is that he doesn't use that talent. Sometimes it looks like Kopecky doesn't trust himself. That seems to be out the window. Kopecky scored the game winner against Sweden and will be called upon with Hossa and Gaborik to almost single handedly defeat Canada. Is Kopecky up the challenge? The trend says yes.
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