OLYMPIC PRIMER

With the opening ceremonies only days away, and El Nino farting with the prospects of a snowy Vancouver for the Games, I thought I’d lay down some less fumegatious observations from the NHL stat pack - with a global perspective.

I bet you didn’t know...

-- 5 of the top 8 in goals against average are non-North American, and 3 of the top 4 are Finns!

-- 6 of the top 9 save percentages are owned by Scanda-Euros too.

-- 4 of the top 6 goal scorers are Canadian

-- 8 of the 11 highest scoring defensemen are also Canadian, and 3 of the 8 aren’t even on Team Canada (including our Stephane Robidas)

-- And when it comes to young guys though it’s hard to find a Scanda-Euro anywhere. Only 2 of the top 20 rookie point scorers are non-North American, and 7 of the top 9 rookie goal scorers are from this side of the Atlantic.

Razorboy synopsis:

Canada will ice the best defense.

The Finns, Czechs, Slovaks, Swiss, Swedes, Americans and Russians will be every bit as good in net as Canada.

Canada can score goals.

Russia will have a wicked powerplay.

Canada will not be weakening anytime soon. (And the Yanks should only get better)