Top 10 Olympic Snubs Who Are Playing Like All-Stars

Everyone loves the Olympic fever and the decisions for the final rosters that cause debate and excitement. Since the Olympics have come and gone and the playoffs have arrived, a few players are making their Olympic exclusions seem like huge mistakes.

Many of the players left off of their national clubs are lighting it up for their NHL teams on the road to the Cup. Some players who didn't make the playoffs were among the NHL elite by finishing off the season with huge point totals.

Countries like Canada and the USA have the problem of having too many good players available, leaving out some top names. Places like Finland and Russia missed out on players that could have helped them in the quest for the gold medal.

These guys are making the people in charge regret their decisions to leave them out of the competition by playing some great hockey in the second half of the season and playoffs.

Steve Stamkos - Canada

Having to pick a final roster for Team Canada is probably the most difficult task Steve Yzerman and Co. have ever been faced with.

Many top players were left out of the mix and I'll bet they're kicking themselves after seeing the performance of Steve Stamkos in the final half of the season.

Finishing the year tied for first in goals with 51 and fifth in points with 95, Stamkos was the best player in the NHL on a non-playoff team.

The Tampa Bay Lightning forward can seemingly score at will, and with arguably the most ridiculous goal of the year, he can apparently also score while falling backwards and knocking the puck out of mid-air.

The young sniper is already leading the charge for Canada at the World Championships and if he keeps this up he could have a definite spot on the Olympic team in 2014.

Craig Anderson - USA

Team USA's goaltender decision was very easy for the starting spot, but the backup positions proved to be a bit more difficult. Fortunately for the Americans, they didn't need a backup after the stellar play of Ryan Miller.

Jonathan Quick was a solid choice for number two, but the third spot was up in the air. Picking Tim Thomas because he won the Vezina last year? Not a good call.

This season, Colorado Avalanche goalie Craig Anderson proved he deserved at least that third spot, if not the main back-up position. He led the Avs to a playoff finish and played well against a tough offense in the Sharks.

Along with Miller, Anderson could very well be the future of American goal-tending, something that has always been a problem for them. Let's hope he keeps it up.

Patrick Sharp - Canada

Yet another victim of the amazing group of Canadian hockey players, Sharp has played his ass off this year.

Putting up 66 points in the regular season, combined with 15 points in the playoffs, Sharp is trying to take the spotlight off of top Hawks Kane and Toews.

He was an integral part of the Blackhawks' run to the playoffs, and is now a huge reason they are leading their Western Conference series.

Sharp is playing like one of the best in the league and will definitely be a part of Team Canada in the near future.

Alex Kovalev - Russia

For a team that boasted such incredible goal scoring phenoms and talent up front, the Russian club lacked experience and depth.

Alex Kovalev has always been a threat on offense for both the Senators and Canadiens in recent years, as well as helping Russia in their 2006 Olympic run.

A 49-point season is not up to par with his usual skill level, but Kovalev is an integral part of the Senators offensive talent. Russia really could have used him to lead the young guys and help out on a second or third line.

Experience is a valuable commodity in the Olympics and the Russians were definitely lacking it. Next time don't just go for the trophy winners and look for the hard working players for the roster.

Anze Kopitar - Slovenia

Kings forward Anze Kopitar was not left off of an Olympic roster, he was snubbed because his team didn't have an Olympic roster.

Dozens of countries around the world breed great hockey players that eventually make it to the NHL. Unfortunately for some players, their countrymen aren't on the same page.

Kopitar has been a huge offensive force for the Kings this year, and seems to only get better as his career progresses.

Maybe someday Slovenia will put together a club that can make the Olympic cut, or maybe he will get fed up and become a citizen somewhere else. Either way, Kopitar is at the top of his game right now.

Simon Gagne - Canada

Flyers forward Simon Gagne had an average year, putting up 40 points. That might be a reason he was left off of Canada's roster at the Olympics. His playoff performance, however, has been above average.

After getting injured in the first round, Gagne came back with a vengeance scoring the game-winning goals in games four and seven to complete the comeback over Boston.

He has been leading the Flyers in their quest for the cup and has established himself as one of the main leaders on the team.

Gagne must keep up this level of play if he hopes to don the red maple leaf in the future.

Antti Niemi - Finland

Finland is known to produce some solid goalies and Antti Niemi is no exception. When it came time to decide on three Finnish goalies, the obvious choice for starter was Miikka Kiprusoff, and the back-ups would go to guys who were the starters on their teams.

Niemi at the time was backing-up French goalie Cristobal Huet, and wasn't chosen for the roster list.

Since then, Niemi has taken over the starting position in Chicago and is anchoring the Hawks in their lead over the Sharks in the West Finals.

He has played at a very high level in the playoffs, and is arguably the best goalie still fighting for the Cup.

Finland should definitely think twice before calling up Backstrom or Niittymaki before they get a hold of Niemi.

Mikael Samuelsson - Sweden

Samuelsson was part of the gold medal winning Swedish team from the 2006 Olympics.

He scored 30 goals this season for Vancouver, and was their leading scorer in the playoffs with 15 points.

He has skill and experience both on NHL and international ice.

Why wasn't he invited to this year's Olympics? I have no idea, but whoever is in charge of Swedish hockey better set that one straight next time around.

Bill Guerin - USA

Guerin was a part of the Pittsburgh team that won the cup last year, and has provided some much-needed leadership for the club.

He brings a certain level of experience and skill to every game and he is a valuable asset to the Penguins.

It was no secret that the 2010 Team USA was a very young and internationally inexperienced team that could have used what Guerin knows about playing for your country.

His skill in front of the net and his ability to score tough goals are what make him great, and he should have played in Vancouver for what could have been his last Olympics.

Mike Green - Canada

Mike Green, a finalist for the Norris trophy, and leading scorer among NHL defensemen during the regular season, was not a part of Team Canada's gold medal run.

Yzerman claims that it was because the team was looking for a more defensive role for its D-men so other players were chosen. It still doesn't hurt to have a guy who can do some serious damage from the blue line.

Green is a key part of the Washington Capitals' offense and he was a big reason they won the President's Trophy this year.

As long as he continues his solid play and maybe focuses a bit more on defense, Green will definitely be a part of Team Canada in the Future.