The Russian Roster That Breaks the Best-on-Best Argument

Nikita Kucherov Photo: Alyssa Shimko | Graphic: Mike Smith

Byline by Ernie Norquist

Thunderstruck Sports

Honest question for hockey fans. If you remove today’s politics from the equation, are the 2026 Olympics truly best-on-best? Look at this Russian lineup and tell me, with a straight face, they wouldn’t be gold medal favorites.

First Line

Alexander Ovechkin – Washington Capitals

Evgeni Malkin – Pittsburgh Penguins

Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning

Start with Ovechkin, the most prolific goal scorer the game has ever seen, being fed by Kucherov, arguably the best playmaker of his generation.

Then add Malkin as the third piece.

That isn’t just a line. It’s a highlight factory.

Pure power and elite hockey IQ. One generational scorer flanked by two generational playmakers.

This group tilts the ice every shift and turns the power play into a problem no team wants to solve.

Second Line

Kirill Kaprizov – Minnesota WildArtemi

Panarin – New York Rangers

Andrei Svechnikov – Carolina Hurricanes

In most countries, this is the top line.

The kind generations would wax poetic about.

In this era of Russian depth, it’s somehow the second unit.

Speed, creativity, and controlled chaos. Relentless in transition and deadly off the rush. A matchup teams don’t just avoid, they plan entire game scripts around.

Third Line

Ivan Barbashev – Vegas Golden Knights

Vladimir Tarasenko – Ottawa Senators

Valeri Nichushkin – Colorado Avalanche

Heavy, playoff-tested hockey. Forecheck pressure, defensive responsibility, and timely scoring when games tighten.

Fourth Line

Alexander Radulov – Ak Bars

KazanSergei Plotnikov – CSKA Moscow

Mikhail Grigorenko – CSKA Moscow

All three are former NHL players now back home in the KHL, bringing veteran experience and institutional knowledge. Physical, disciplined, and trusted late in close games.

Defense Pairings

Top Pair

Mikhail Sergachev – Utah Mammoth

Ivan Provorov – Columbus Blue Jackets

Big minutes, physical play, and mobility.

Second Pair

Dmitry Orlov – Carolina Hurricanes

Alexander Romanov – New York Islanders

Reliable shutdown pairing with edge.

Third Pair

Nikita Zadorov – Vancouver Canucks

Artem Zub – Ottawa Senators

Size, penalty killing, and wear-you-down defense.

Goaltenders

Andrei Vasilevskiy – Tampa Bay Lightning

Igor Shesterkin – New York Rangers

Ilya Sorokin – New York Islanders

Pick one. Or rotate. It doesn’t matter.

Closing

None of this is an argument about politics, policy, or precedent. It’s about the sport itself. Olympic hockey is at its best when the world’s best players, from every corner of the map, are on the same ice with the same stakes. When entire tiers of elite talent are missing, the tournament may still crown a champion, but it cannot honestly claim to crown the best. Hockey has always been a global game built on comparison. Remove one of its deepest talent pools, and what’s left is a competition that feels complete on paper, yet incomplete on the ice.