RUUTU EYES OLYMPIC GAMES

Forward of Finnish hockey team Jarkko Ruutu shares his point of view on his team’s chances t the coming Olympic Games in Vancouver.


"Finland has no fewer chances for winning medals in Vancouver than any other national team, which will go to the Olympic games", said Ruutu. "We proved the strength of our hockey school not once already".

"For example you can recall our silver medals at the Turin Games. We failed to grab the gold only because of contradictory suspension at the end of the match, when Sweden fired in decisive goal".

"Canada and Russia possess more star players in their squads, which makes them the main favourites of the coming tournament, however players’ names not always guarantee success. Everything will be decided on the ice, so we can easily include five or six teams to the group of favourites".

"Finland lost one of the main players Teemu Selanne because of broken jaw, but I have no doubts that he will be able to play hockey. Jaw is not a hand or leg, and at the worst he will play in special mask".

"It’s likely to be his last Olympic games as a player, and Selanne will do everything necessary to help the national team. For example, I would do the same thing".

"In Russia I am considered to be a player of dirty style. I would say that I am defensive player, and it’s unpleasant to play against me for others. My task is to complicate the opponents’ life by all means".

"I play according very easy rules, since my job is to make the rivals’ leaders less effective on the ice. I don’t want to inflict injuries to them, but at the same time I play roughly as I try to make them stop getting pleasure from hockey".

"I agree that Alexandr Ovechkin plays very carelessly for a guy with his talent as he risks picking an injury. Sometimes it leads to bad consequences, because in this case the opponents’ enforcers get an opportunity to reply in the same manner".

"But on the other hand it’s his style and he demonstrates all his best qualities when he destroys everything on his way. Of course this style can tell upon duration of his career, but it’s his choice. Moreover supporters are delighted by this kind of hockey".

"In any case I think that Ovechkin will be safe anyway, because enforcers don’t chase after star players in NHL nowadays".

"I heard about the ice fight in KHL match. But I am sure that KHL management won’t like it. "Some time ago mass fights on ice were normal in NHL, however they disappeared, since players risk being suspended".