Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk among 14 NHL players for Russia on 23-player Olympic squad

Russia announces Olympic hockey squad

MOSCOW — Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Ilya Kovalchuk are among the 14 NHL players on the 23-player Russia squad for the Vancouver Olympics.

Forwards Pavel Datsyuk of Detroit and Alexander Semin of Washington, defensemen Sergei Gonchar of Pittsburgh and Andrei Markov of Montreal, and goaltenders Evgeni Nabokov of San Jose and Ilya Bryzgalov of Phoenix were also selected.

Coach Vyacheslav Bykov says his team should be considered among the favorites as the reigning world champions.

Russia last won Olympic gold at the 1992 Albertville Games.

The squad will be finalized in February.

Russia squad:

Goaltenders: Ilya Bryzgalov (Phoenix Coyotes), Semyon Varlamov (Washington Capitals), Evgeni Nabokov (San Jose Sharks).

Defenders: Anton Volchenkov (Ottawa Senators), Sergei Gonchar (Pittsburgh Penguins), Denis Grebeshkov (Edmonton Oilers), Dmitry Kalinin (Salavat Yulaev), Konstantin Korneyev (CSKA), Andrei Markov (Montreal Canadians), Ilya Nikulin (Ak Bars), Fedor Tyutin (Columbus Blue Jackets).

Forwards: Maxim Afinogenov (Atlanta Thrashers), Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit Red Wings), Danis Zaripov (Ak Bars), Sergei Zinovyev (Salavat Yulaev), Ilya Kovalchuk (Atlanta Thrashers), Viktor Kozlov (Salavat Yulaev), Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins), Alexei Morozov (Ak Bars), Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals), Alexander Radulov (Salavat Yulaev), Alexander Semin (Washington Capitals), Sergei Fedorov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk).