Russia isn't allowed to field a national Olympic team for Milan in February. While individual athletes can compete under a neutral flag, global politics have prevented the large Eurasian nation from fielding teams in the Olympics, including ice hockey. It's unfortunate for players like Andrei Vasilevskiy and Artemi Panarin because they're extraordinary athletes.
That's also a bummer for the Vegas Golden Knights, specifically with two players. You probably know their names by heart since they've won a Stanley Cup here. But these two players happen to be Pavel Dorofeyev and Ivan Barbashev.
The two wingers have done excellent work for the Golden Knights' top-six forward group this season. For Dorofeyev, he's on his way to breaking the single-season power play goals record. For Barbashev, it's business as usual on the top line, where he's making magic with Jack Eichel.
So, let's hop into an alternate universe where Russia learns to behave itself. Let's see what these two Golden Knights stars bring to the table. How would they help Russia in a hypothetical (you're going to see that word a lot here) Olympic team?
Pavel Dorofeyev would be a great fit for a fast Russian squad
Much can be made about Dorofeyev being solely a power play merchant this season. The Golden Knights winger has 11 goals on the unit (all stats are before Wednesday's game against the Kings) and is trending towards breaking the single-season record.
While some fans will make jokes about him being miles ahead on the power play, he has other attributes working for him. First, he's 25 years old and would provide a much-needed youth injection for Russia. Youth is always a good thing, especially when you're trying to win gold.
His defensive game has also improved. A solid two-way game makes him a logical choice, putting him in a solid position as a player. Dorofeyev has improved his all-around game, turning people's heads in the process.
That improved play would land him more than an Olympic spot in a hypothetical world. It would also land him a brand-spankin'-new deal that would make him a tenured Golden Knight. You know what they say about the world: it's his oyster.
Ivan Barbashev would provide plenty of hits and scoring for Team Russia
Ivan Barbashev has done an excellent job of providing scoring for the Vegas Golden Knights this season. The winger had 12 goals and 20 assists, putting him on pace for 22 goals and 37 assists this season.
But his bread and butter go beyond scoring. He's also a physical hitter, registering 69 hits this season. Jack Eichel needs protection from oncoming predators, which is what makes Barbashev perfect for the job.
Imagine the type of protection he'd provide for a hypothetical Russian team. He'd lay out guys one by one and would add more bite than the Siberian cold. He's not going to be a first-line guy for this would-be Olympic team. But his play would fit perfectly on the third or fourth line.