Branko Radivojevic

There have only been two sports I have been following intently at the 2010 Winter Olympiad in Vancouver – curling (both men’s and women’s . . . it’s like shuffleboard on ice and I’ve just found it to be strangely interesting) and, of course, ice hockey.  Watching the preliminary round-robin, a lot of interesting-looking and interesting-sounding names have popped onto the scene.  Most of these names are random unknowns – guys who usually haven’t even sniffed NHL opportunities.  I took a list of about 30 of these relative-unknowns and somewhat-forgottens and whittled it down to 10 to produce a Top Ten Names in Men’s Ice Hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics.  As you can imagine, the Latvians are heavily involved . . . but they don’t bring home the top prize!

10. Martin Pluss, Forward, Switzerland

I had originally left him off the list, but when you’re talking about a guy who – if you pronounce his last name correctly – has a name that doubles as the sound of dropping a heavy object into a bucket full of water (PLOOSH!), you make the list.  Never drafted by an NHL team, Pluss has plied his craft in the Swiss League for most of his career, starting with Kloten from ‘96-’97 to ‘03-’04, jumping to Elitserien of Sweden from ‘04-’05 to ‘07-’08 before moving back home to play for Bern last season, continuing this season.  He had a stat line of 21-22-43 in 38 games last season for Bern.

9. Pål Grotnes, Goaltender, Norway

When your name is Pål, then buddy, you make the list.  Stats are light on Grotnes, but he did play in Sweden’s top minor league in ‘04-’05 and ‘05-’06.  He is Norway’s top goaltender, starting in all of their games thus far in the Olympics.

8. Jakub Ficenec, Defenseman, Germany

A German HAD to make the list.  Ficenec makes it not only because it’s an interesting name, but it’s also not particular German-sounding.  In fact, Ficenec was born in Czechoslovakia (in a city that is now in the Czech Republic) – in fact he played for the Czech Republic in the European Junior tournament in 1995 – but is now a German citizen.  Ficenec was in North America for five seasons (two in Juniors) before moving to the Deutschland Elite League in 2001, where he has since remained (and during which, presumably, he gained his German citizenship).

7. Girts Ankipans, Forward, Latvia

Some would think this guy would be higher on the list, but there have been so many puns about his name (mostly about “hockey pants”, obviously) that he gets dropped in this assessment.  Ankipans has spent his whole professional career in Europe, the last two with Dynamo Riga of the KHL after dominating in several German minor league levels.

6. Branko Radivojevic, Forward, Slovakia

You may be familiar with this name.  Radivojevic played in 393 National Hockey League games with the Coyotes, Flyers and Wild before moving to Spartak Moscow at the beginning of ‘08-’09.  Selected in the 3rd round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche, Radivojevic also played his junior hockey in Ontario.  Plus, you can’t go wrong with a long last name paired with a first name of “Branko”.

5. Juha Kaunismäki, Defenseman, Norway

If you transpose the U and the N, then add an M between the K and the I, you get a name that loosely spells and could sound like “Can you smack me”.  That’s why he comes in at number 5.  Born in Finland, Kaunismäki has played for Norway internationally since 2008.  He has been in the Norwegian elite league since 2003.

4. Georgijs Pujacs, Defenseman, Latvia

Poo-yocks.  That’ll get you #4 positioning.  Pujacs was drafted by the Bruins in 1999 in the no-longer-existent 9th round.  As you could imagine, he didn’t last long in North America, playing two seasons five years apart on the continent.  He currently plays for Dynamo Riga with Girts Ankipans.

3. Hnat Domenichelli, Forward, Switzerland

This name speaks to the diversity of Swiss culture.  If you don’t know, Switzerland draws influence from France, Italy and Germany.  The first name is Germanic, the last name obviously Italian.  If you’ve heard this name before, it’s because he was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in 1994 and played 267 NHL games with the Whalers, Flames, Thrashers and Wild before moving back home in 2003, where he’s been since.  Domenichelli was actually born in Edmonton, thus being eligible for Team Canada.  But they reserve those spots for Canadians, usually.

2. Aleksandrs Nizivijs, Forward, Latvia

“LAYLA!  YOU GOT ME ON MY NIZIVIJS!”, sang Eric Clapton, both solo and as a front-man for Derek and the Dominoes.  Alright, maybe he didn’t.  Nizivijs is another Latvian playing for Dynamo Riga.  He has never played in North America and only recently joined the KHL.  And yes, the Clapton reference was the main reason he’s on this list.  And probably why he’s #2.  I love Eric Clapton.

AND YOUR NUMBER ONE NAME OF THE MEN’S HOCKEY TOURNAMENT AT THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES IS . . . *drum roll* . . .

1. Tore Vikingstad, Forward, Norway

You knew this name was tops, right?  Of course!  Vikingstad was actually drafted by the Blues in the 6th round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.  After spending three seasons in the Swedish Elitserien, Vikingstad has since played in Germany, where he overall has averaged somewhere around a point per game.  Vikingstad has never played in North America, but after posting a hat trick against Switzerland, his possibilities may change.  The problem is that he turns 35 in October.

There are plenty of names that I missed here, but that’s just how many awesome names there are in this Olympic hockey tournament – some had to be left off.

The Throwdown Lowdown returns next week when the Blues return to action.

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

and

USA!! USA!!!!

(I know, white doesn’t come through well on a white background.  Oh well.)

Information obtained from various sources including The Internet Hockey Database, Eurohockey.net, Hockey Reference and Wikipedia