Five Philadelphia Flyers Are Olympic Bound: How Will They Fare?

Written By: Mark "The Hard Hitter" Ritter

With the start of the 2010 Winter Olympic games just a few weeks away, many NHL fans are thinking about the Olympic tournament and how it will impact their teams.

The Philadelphia Flyers will see five of their players make the trip to Vancouver: Mike Richards (Canada), Chris Pronger (Canada), Kimmo Timonen (Finland), Oskars Bartulis (Latvia) and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (Norway).

Each one of these players will take on huge roles with their respective countries team. Let’s take a look at all five players, their roles, expectations, and the impact they will have on their countries team.

Mike Richards

Expected to be Canada’s shut-down centre, he will have a huge amount of pressure on him to keep opposing countries best players off the score sheet. Will be used on the penalty kill, in key face-off situations and be asked to lay the body at will.

Richards may also be asked to step up to the third and second lines in the event that one of Patrick Marleau, Sidney Crosby or Joe Thornton is injured. Richards ability to move up and supply offense is what makes him so valuable to Canada. His ability to play effectively in all zones and in all situations should serve him well at the Olympics.

Chris Pronger

May be asked to play a number of roles for team Canada. Pronger brings leadership, grit, the ability to shut down the opposition, and scoring prowess. Pronger will likely be asked to play heavy minutes for Canada, with a mandate to take the body and supply offense whenever possible.

Pronger is one of the few players that intimidates when he is out on the ice—an attribute that Pronger can use effectively at the Olympics. When the chips are down, when a penalty needs to be killed or when there is one minute to go in a game, Pronger will be there to ensure a Canadian victory.

Kimmo Timonen

Will be the cornerstone of Finland’s defense. Timonen is capable of logging heavy minutes and should see nearly 25 minutes a game in Vancouver. Known for his offensive abilities, Timonen will be given the freedom to jump into the offensive zone and he will be asked to contribute on the power play.

Given Finland’s limited goal scoring abilities, they will have to keep opposing offenses off the scoreboard. Finland allowed just eight goals in eight games in Torino with Timonen playing a huge role. Expect more of the same in Vancouver, with Timonen once again leading the way.

Oskars Bartulis

One of two NHL players to be selected to Latvia’s Olympic hockey roster, Batulis will be asked to log heavy minutes. Much like Pronger and Timonen, Bartulis will play in every conceivable situation, with defense being a priority.

Bartulis is still finding his way with the Flyers, but his NHL experience, while limited, should serve him well.

Ole-Kristian Tollefsen

It’s no secret that Norway will be over matched in Vancouver. Tollefsen was the only NHL player selected to the roster, as such, many would expect Tollefsen to asked to play in every situation.

Tollefsen is not accustomed to logging heavy minutes in the NHL—averages 10:02 minutes per game with the Flyers. With that in mind, one can assume that, while Norway would love to use Tollefsen in every conceivable situation, they will have to use him more sparingly.

Clearly, the Flyers can expect all five of their Olympic bound players to arrive back in Philadelphia, bruised and tired. That’s the price the Flyers must pay for employing so many great players.

Other teams will be sending multiple players to Vancouver, how it effects the teams down the stretch is anyone’s guess, but one can assume that the Olympic hangover will cost more than a few teams in the NHL standings, the Flyers will be no exception.

Until next time,

Peace!