In the spirit of the NHL announcing quarter-century teams for each of its 30 franchises that have played since 2000, I thought I’d try a similar exercise by country – first and second teams. It’s not limited to NHL performance, although that carries a lot of weight. International play for the country also weighs heavily. To be eligible, a player needn’t have necessarily played for the country at a major tournament, but he had (or has) to be eligible.
Countries chosen have to have played in at least four major international tournaments (Olympic games, top-division IIHF World Championships or World Cups of Hockey) since 2000. Based on that arbitrary number, 20 countries qualify. Great Britain barely makes the cut with four top-level World Championships, while Hungary with three, South Korea and Poland each with two, and China with one do not.
I’m revealing them alphabetically starting with Austria, although the four teams in the 4 Nations Face-Off will be held back until the end, just before the start of the tournament. Scroll down for links to other teams published so far.
Inline
Norwegian goaltender Laus Haugen tries to manage a goalmouth scramble during the 2018 Winter Olympics.
© Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
NORWAY
First Team
F: Mats Zuccarello
F: Patrick Thoresen
F: Mathis Olimb
D: Jonas Holøs
D: Ole-Kristian Tollefsen
G: Lars Haugen
Second Team
F: Espen Knutsen
F: Andreas Martinsen
F: Morten Ask
D: Mats Trygg
D: Tommy Jakobsen
G: Henrik Haukeland
Norway has a few players who are obvious inclusions, such as Zuccarello and Thoresen, based on their careers in the NHL and the national team. NHL fans might wonder about Olimb making the First Team ahead of Knutsen, but although Knutsen turned 28 in January 2000, he never played a full season again after 2001-02 due to injuries and retired at 33.
Mats Zuccarello on Norwegian hockey: “We need more rinks”
There are also a few younger players who just haven’t played enough to make it. Although 24-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg came close, teenage prospects Stian Solberg and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård are still a few years away.
Other players considered include defensemen Anders Myrvold and Alexander Bonsaksen and center Anders Bastiansen.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, 18, enjoys playing with Thoresen & Zuccarello
Agree or disagree with the selections? Comment below and check back daily as more international quarter-century teams are revealed.