Winter Olympics: 5 players to watch in men’s ice hockey at Beijing 2022, led by Owen Power and Matty Beniers
- Intriguing mix of young and old will be on show in China now that NHL players are out of the competition
- No 1 NHL draft pick Power will be the main man, but there are four other stars – including one from China – you should keep an eye on
So, National Hockey League players are out of Beijing 2022, but that doesn’t mean we can’t expect a thrilling men’s ice hockey competition much like we saw in 2018 in South Korea when Russia beat Germany to win gold.
Here’s five to keep your eye on who could make headlines Feb. 4 when ice hockey kicks off.
1. Owen Power
The Canadian is now the showpiece star of the tournament now that NHL players are staying home because of complications around Covid-19.
Power is likely to play in the NHL, possibly this season, snagging a few games at the end of the 2021-22 campaign for the Buffalo Sabres, who will not make the playoffs.
This will allow Power to get some NHL experience in without negating his rookie eligibility for the 2022-23 season. Pundits believe he could be a franchise defenceman, and the world will get a solid look at what he can do this February.
2. Eric Staal
The former NHL player who has yet to retire is a very interesting pick for Canada. He spent last season with the Montreal Canadiens, helping them all the way to the Stanley Cup finals before not getting signed to a new team for the 2021-22 season.
Staal is expected to be named captain of the squad given his vast experience in the NHL, which includes 1,293 games and 441 goals.
Staal has already won gold for Canada at both the Olympics and World Championships, but don’t expect him not to be motivated. If he plays exceptionally well in China, there is a solid chance an NHL team getting ready to make a deep play-off run will sign him to a short term deal and he could be chasing another Stanley Cup.
3. Artem Anisimov
Russia are the favourites after winning in 2018 in South Korea. They won in Pyeongchang playing good old fashioned Russian hockey (post Soviet Union that is), which means: outscore your opponent and forget about defence.
Anisimov will lead a forward corps that is basically a who’s who of talent in the Kontinental Hockey League, which is the third best ice hockey league in the world behind the NHL and its feeder league, the AHL.
Anisimov has NHL experience and is also a serious wild card for his personality, which gets him in trouble for over-celebrating goals from time to time.
4. Matty Beniers
As Power’s classmate at the University of Michigan, and the second overall draft pick behind Power in last year’s NHL class – going to the expansion Seattle Kraken – one may see the American Beniers as an understudy.
However he is far from it and many expect him to follow in the footsteps of young NHL centres such as Jack Hughes who are bringing a new level of skill to the game and position.
Beniers will lead a US team that is loaded with talent at a number of levels – collegiate, the minors, junior and international – that could challenge Russia for gold if they can gel quickly.
This will hinge on how well Beniers can play against the big boys on international ice, because without him, the US will be too weak down the middle to compete.
5. Spencer Foo
Although China has yet to officially announce its roster, reports are players who are currently suiting up for the Kunlun Red Star in the KHL will be playing.
This will surely include 27-year-old Chinese Canadian Spencer Foo, who is the team’s leading scorer.
With 14 goals and 33 points in 48 games, if China is going to score a goal (or two maybe if they are lucky) in one of their four games in the tournament, it will most likely be Foo who nets it. Foo is also joined on the team by his younger brother Parker Foo, who was also born in Canada and has been playing for the squad for a number of seasons.
