Russian Olympic Hockey Team 2018: Players Who Should Be in the NHL

When the 2018 Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament got underway in Pyeongchang, South Korea, it was clear it would take a massive effort to keep the Olympic Athletes from Russia from winning the gold medal.

It almost happened, as the unheralded German team had the lead late in the third period of the gold-medal game. However, the Russians refused to be part of another miracle story, and Nikita Gusev scored the tying goal in the final minute of regulation and Kirill Kaprizov scored the winner in overtime.

Russia won the gold medal by a 4-3 score in overtime, and Germany took the silver medal.

The Russian team is loaded with talent, and there are number of players who could find themselves in the NHL in the foreseeable future.

Let's start with Gusev, who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012. The 25-year-old is an excellent skater who knows how to get into the best scoring positions. He scored four goals and eight assists in the six games he played in the Olympics, and he clearly has the talent to fit on an NHL roster.

Gusev scored 24 goals and 71 points for SKA Saint Petersburg last year. He has added 22 goals and 62 points through 53 games this year.

The Lightning traded his rights to the Vegas Golden Knights last summer, and general manager George McPhee said it would be "at least a year" before Gusev would join the team, per Ryan Quigley of Knights on Ice.

Kaprizov will almost certainly be an NHL star soon. Drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2015, he showed off his exquisite shot as he converted the game-winning goal.

The 20-year-old should be able to play left or right wing in the NHL, and he proved his talents throughout the tournament as he scored five goals and four assists.

Russian coach Valery Bragin believes Kaprizov will be a superstar when he decides to play in the NHL. 

"Kaprizov is an even brighter prospect than Vladimir Tarasenko," Bragin said, per the Kontinental Hockey League website. "I can see him being second only to Sidney Crosby in the NHL."

Forward Sergei Andronov did not score a goal during the tournament, but he showed off his skills as a passer and in the defensive zone. He handed out four assists and registered a plus-three during the tournament.

Vladislav Gavrikov was a stalwart on the blue line for the Russian team during the Olympics. The 22-year-old left-shot defenseman scored two goals and one assist during the tournament, and his 6'3", 190-pound build would do a solid job in the NHL.

The Olympic Athletes from Russia had a number of star players who have already played in the NHL, and Pavel Datsyuk is clearly a star who was one of the best players in the NHL during his 14 years with the Detroit Red Wings. 

If he ever wanted to return, the Red Wings could either welcome him back or trade him and get excellent value in return.

Ilya Kovalchuk has one of the best shots in the world, and he has played in the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers (now the Winnipeg Jets) and New Jersey Devils. Mikhail Grigorenko played parts of five seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche.

Slava Voynov was a stud on the blue line for three-plus seasons with the Los Angeles Kings before he was suspended by the NHL after a domestic violence incident. He is clearly a talented player who could have an impact in the league, but there are no indications the ban will be lifted. 

The talent on the Russian team is world class, and their stars lived up to their billing by winning the gold medal.