With the exclusion of Joe Thornton, Martin Brodeur and
Martin St. Louis, Canada’s roster for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games cannot be
called an ‘old boys club’ like in previous years. In fact, the oldest players
on the team are Roberto Luongo, Patrick Marleau and Chris Kunitz, all 34 years
of age.
However, at the other end of the spectrum, there are five
players that will be competing in Men’s Ice Hockey at the Sochi Olympics that
are over 40 years old. Two of those players are on the Czech Republic roster.
Jaromir Jagr – Czech Republic (42 on February 15)
The current member of the New Jersey Devils in the National
Hockey League began his pro career in 1988-89 with HC Kladno of the Czech
Extraliga, a team he now has a 70% ownership stake in. Jagr was the fifth
overall pick at the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. If he
continues to play into the 2014-15 NHL season, Jaromir will reach the 1,500
regular season game plateau.
Jagr has played in the NHL since 1990-91 with the Penguins,
Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars,
Boston Bruins and the Devils. He has also played in the Russia based KHL.
For Jagr, this will be his fifth Olympic Games for the Czech
Republic. He competed in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010, appearing in 23 games.
Jaromir has also competed in eight IIHF World Championships for his home
country between 1990 and 2011, appearing in 60 tournament games.
Petr Nedved – Czech Republic (42)
Nedved’s long NHL career ended after the 2006-07 season but
he has continued on in the Czech Republic’s Extraliga since. He is in his sixth
year and sixth year as team captain with Bili Tygri Liberec.
Petr has played pro hockey since 1990-91 in the NHL,
Extraliga, IHL and AHL. He was the second overall pick at the 1990 NHL Entry
Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. Nedved played 982 regular season NHL games between
1990-91 and 2006-07 with the Canucks, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers,
Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers.
Over that time, Petr scored 310 goals and assisted on 407 for 717 points.
Nedved played in one previous Winter Olympics. In a twist,
Petr played for Canada at the 1994 Olympic Games. He played in the World
Championships for his home country in 2012. Petr had played a total of 51 games
on the international front.
Teemu Selanne – Finland (43)
Selanne has played pro hockey since 1989-90 in Finland’s
Liiga and the NHL. Teemu was the tenth overall pick at the 1998 NHL Entry Draft
by the Winnipeg Jets. Like Jagr, if he plays into the 2014-15 season, Selanne
will reach the 1,500 NHL game plateau. Teemu has been in the NHL since 1992-93,
playing for the Jets, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche. He
is currently in the ninth year of his second stint with the Ducks.
Teemu has played for Finland at the Olympic Games on five
previous occasions between 1992 and 2010. Selanne has also played for his home
country at the IIHF World Championships on five occasions between 1991 and
2008.
Sandis Ozolins – Latvia (41)
Ozolins has played pro hockey since 1990-91 in the Soviet
Union, IHL, NHL, AHL and KHL. He was a second round pick by the San Jose Sharks
at the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, 30th overall. Sandis played 875 regular
season games in the National Hockey League between 1992-93 and 2007-08 with the
Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Anaheim
Ducks and New York Rangers.
Currently, Ozolins is the team captain of Dinamo Riga of the
KHL. 2013-14 is his fifth year in the KHL. Sandis played for Latvia at the 2002
and 2006 Winter Olympics. He also played for his country at the 1998, 2001 and
2002 World Championships.
Daniel Alfredsson – Sweden (41)
Alfredsson has played pro hockey since 1990-91 in Sweden’s
Division 1 and SHL, along with the NHL. Daniel was a lowly sixth round pick by
the Ottawa Senators at the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, 133rd overall. He
has played in the NHL since 1995-96 with the Senators and Detroit Red Wings.
2013-14 is his first year with Detroit after being team captain in Ottawa from
1999-00 to 2012-13.
2014 will be Alfredsson’s fifth time on the Sweden roster at
the Olympics. He has also competed for his home country at the IIHF World
Championships on seven occasions.
