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Switzerland, Slovenia announce 2014 rosters; is Severin Blindenbacher the new Tore Vikingstad?

Greg Wyshynski

We’ll miss Tore VIKINGSTAD at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, as the Norge ice hockey god hung up his skates since the Vancouver Games.

How powerful was VIKINGSTAD? There was a player in Vancouver named Severin Blindenbacher and no one noticed. That’s how powerful.

But to paraphrase the late Herb Brooks: Tore’s time? Tore’s time is done. It’s over. This is Severin Blindenbacher’s time.

He was one of the players named the Switzerland men’s ice hockey team roster that will compete for gold silver scaring the ever-loving crap out of Canada at some point. Here’s the list, via He Shoots He Scores:

Team Switzerland

Goalies: Jonas Hiller (Anaheim Ducks), Reto Berra (Calgary Flames), Tobias Stephan (Ginevra Servette)

Defense: Severin Blindenbacher (ZSC Lions), Raphael Diaz (Montréal Canadiens), Philippe Furrer (Berna), Roman Josi (Nashville Predators), Mathias Seger (ZSC Lions), Mark Streit (Philadelphia Flyers), Julien Vauclair (Lugano), Yannick Weber (Vancouver Canucks)

Forwards: Andres Ambühl (Davos), Matthias Bieber (Kloten Flyers), Simon Bodenmann (Kloten Flyers), Damien Brunner (New Jersey Devils), Luca Cunti (ZSC Lions), Ryan Gardner (Berna), Denis Hollenstein (Ginevra Servette), Simon Moser (Milwaukee Admirals), Nino Niederreiter (Minnesota Wild), Martin Plüss (Berna), Kevin Romy (Ginevra Servette), Reto Suri (Zugo), Morris Trachsler (ZSC Lions), Roman Wick (ZSC Lions) Il capitano della Svizzera alle Olimpiadi sarà Mathias Seger.

As you can see, there are a few NHL players that made the cut. Sven Baertschi, rookie of diminishing returns for the Calgary Flames, was not one of them.

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Meanwhile, Slovenia didn’t select Kopitar.

No, not that one. His brother. Reader Toni Gruden explains:

No Gašper Kopitar in Sochi.

Father and Slovenia head coach Matjaž Kopitar didn't select second son, but of course there is first one Anže Kopitar. Only two Kopitar's then for Slovenia in Sochi. 25-men roster represents also Jan Muršak, ex Detroit Red Wings, now CSKA Moscow, who is second best Slovenian forward.

Here’s Team Slovenia for the 2014 Sochi Games:

Team Slovenia

Goaltenders: Luka Gracnar, Andrej Hocevar, Robert Kristan.

Defencemen: Blaz Gregorc, Sabahudin Kovacevic, Ales Kranjc, Ziga Pavlin, Klemen Pretnar, Mitja Robar, Matic Podlipnik, Andrej Tavzelj.

Forwards: Bostjan Golicic, Ziga Jeglic, Anze Kopitar, Anze Kuralt, Jan Mursak, Ales Music, Ziga Pance, Tomaz Razingar, David Rodman, Marcel Rodman, Robert Sabolic, Rok Ticar, Jan Urbas, Miha Verlic.

One name to watch: Gracnar, the young goalie, who is going to split time with Kristan.