Thrashers' Olympians share favorite memory

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Thrashers have four players who will represent three countries at the men’s hockey competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which begin Friday. Two players will make their Olympic debut. Here’s a look at the players, including their favorite Olympic moment.

Maxim Afinogenov

Country: Russia

Olympic experience: 2002, Salt Lake City; 2006, Torino

Finish: third in 2002; fourth in 2008

Favorite Olympic memory: “When we got a bronze medal in 2002 in Salt Lake. That was a big moment in my life. Everybody dreams about Olympics. It’s everybody’s dream to be there. Everybody was waiting [when we returned], my family and all my friends were waiting. It’s a big, big thing back home.”

Tobias Enstrom

Country: Sweden

Olympic experience: none

Finish: none

Favorite Olympic memory: “Peter Forsberg’s penalty shot in 1994 [Sweden won gold medal with shootout win over Canada in Lillehammer]. I was seven years old. It was a couple years ago, but it feels like yesterday.”

Pavel Kubina

Country: Czech Republic

Olympic experience: 2006, Torino

Finish: third in 2002

Favorite Olympic memory: “Torino, bronze medal. That’s my favorite memory because we got the bronze medal.”

Ondrej Pavelec

Country: Czech Republic

Olympic experience: none

Finish: none

Favorite Olympic memory: “Nagano. I was 10 years old. I remember that [Czech Republic won the gold medal defeating Russia in 1998]. Also, Salt Lake City, we lost in the quarterfinals to Russia 1-0 [on current teammate Maxim Afinogenov’s goal]. We had like 50 shots and didn’t score. They had like 20, and they scored one.”