Ten Blackhawks set for the Olympics

Michal Handzus

Slovakia

Forward

Age: 36

Profile: Like his Olympic teammate Marian Hossa, Handzus is a veteran of international competition. This will be his fourth Olympics appearance. The veteran center has 11 points in 40 games thus far this season.

Quote: “It’s a lot of fun playing for your country in the best tournament in the world. For me, this is probably the last one, for a lot of guys maybe they get in a couple more, Just enjoy it when you get back there.”

Niklas Hjalmarsson

Sweden

Defenseman

Age: 26

Profile: This will be Hjalmarsson’s first time playing in the Olympics. He has recorded a career-best 19 assists and 23 points this season and is coming off a victory over Anaheim where he led the Hawks with 6 blocked shots.

“The Olympics is something you’ve always seen on TV and stuff and you always wonder how that’s going to be. For me, being the first time going there is going to be exciting. And seeing the other athletes and everything else is going to be a lot of fun.”

Marian Hossa

Slovakia

Forward

Age: 35

Profile: The ageless Hossa, who, after his goal Wednesday against Anaheim, now has points in five consecutive games, ranks third on the Blackhawks in goals (24). He also added an assist for his 13th multiple-point game of the year. Sochi will mark Hossa’s fourth Olympics appearance.

Quote: “When you have the opportunity to play for your country in a huge tournament like that, it’s amazing.”

Patrick Kane

United States

Forward

Age: 25

Profile: On the heels of an emotional game in L.A. in which he notched a pair of goals and an assist — good for his team-leading 19th multi-point outing of the year — Kane ranks fourth in the NHL with 63 points, shares sixth with 26 goals and shares ninth 36 assists.

Quote: “Anytime you get to wear a jersey that says USA across it, it’s pretty exciting. You feel like you are representing the best country in the world and have 300 million people at your back.”

Duncan Keith

Canada

Defenseman

Age: 30

Profile: The Norris Trophy contender is doing it on both ends of the ice this season. He ranks third in the NHL with 45 assists and his plus-19 rating is good for 22nd in the league. This will be the second Olympics appearance for the veteran defenseman.

Quote: “Obviously, it’s a huge honor. That gets said a lot, but it really is. You look at all the people who play hockey in Canada ... to represent the country is very special.”

Marcus Kruger

Sweden

Forward

Age: 23

Profile: Kruger, a borderline surprise choice to make the Swedish team, scored his sixth goal of the season Monday in L.A. The fourth-line center has 24 points this season. Sochi marks his Olympics debut.

Quote: “The Olympics is something you’ve always seen on TV and stuff and you always wonder how that’s going to be. For me, being the first time going there is going to be exciting. And to see the other athletes and everything else is going to be a lot of fun.”

Johnny Oduya

Sweden

Defenseman

Age: 32

Profile: Oduya, who sat out the Anaheim game with a lower body injury, has 13 points in 58 games this season. The Sochi games will mark his second Olympics appearance. He also played for Sweden in Vancouver in 2010. The speculation is he might see ice time alongside teammate Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Michal Rozsival

Czech Republic

Defenseman

Age: 35

Profile: This will be Rozsival’s first Olympic appearance. He has appeared in three other international competitions for the Czech Republic, most recently winning gold at the 2010 IIHF World Championship. Rozsival tallied his fifth assist of the year against Anaheim and led the Hawks with 4 hits.

Quote: “I found out when they announced it,” Rozsival told espn.com. “I wasn’t watching it. My wife and my kids were watching it and they just kind of came to tell me that I was selected. That was exciting.”

Patrick Sharp

Canada

Forward

Age:32

Profile: No one was more determined to make Team Canada then Sharp, who gunned out of the gate on a goal-scoring spree and quickly moved from a borderline pick to a must-have. Sharp ranks second on the team and shares sixth in the NHL in points this season with 58 points (28g, 30a) in 59 games thus far.

Quote: I’m proud to represent my country, my parents, my family and of course the Blackhawks. I’m thrilled to have gotten the call. I really wanted to be a part of it this time around.”

Jonathan Toews

Canada

Forward

Age: 25

Profile: One of Team Canada’s alternate captains, Toews gave the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead Wednesday against Anaheim with his 19th goal of the season. Toews ranks third on the team with 55 points (19g, 36a) and has points in 12 of his last 16 games.

Quote: “Most of all it’s great to see how many world-class players we have in our room. You even look at some of the guys that won’t be going to the Olympics that definitely deserved to be and do have that type of talent.