Your Home team rivals and the Olympics?

No not at all. These days theres almost a good chance that a rival player will one day play for your home team anyways.

Besides Im Canadian. Theres a relatively strong possiblity that an excellent rival player is also Canadian. For example, I hate the Chicago Blackhawks, but I think Duncan Keith is an excellent addition to our national team. I hate the Penguins, but Crosby will be a great asset during the olympics.

When it comes to the regular season I dont like these guys very much. But no one can deny their ability to play. They are playing for the team im rooting for in February.

That's what is funny about sports. One teams fans can hate a team so much. But once it becomes an Olympic team and many of those players are joined together, the rules change. During the Olympics (which I'm not a fan of) I'll be rooting for Patrick Kane. But normally I would be hoping he fails when my Wings play him. See how it works?

Sports are just bragging rights. And anyone will take a win anyway they can get one. Even if their most hated player joins their favorite team. I'm sure Pens fans would root for Zetterberg and Datsyuk if they joined the Pens as free agents. And likewise Wings fans would go crazy over Malkin and Crosby if they joined the Wings as free agents. It's actually funny.

As for rivals in the Olympics, I don't get into that anymore. I don't like how they use NHLers. I liked the old way better. And communism fell in many countries, making it less exciting to me..

I have no hesitation rooting them on because they play for my home country. But when the Olympics are over then I continue hating them.

When it comes to Olympic hockey, I don't root for specific countries and just like watching a good game.

Now, if a certain country has a lot of Red Wings on it and very little Blackhawks, then that makes it very easy for me to root against them. Even if they were team USA.

It doesn't make much difference to me; if I hate the specific player, I'll stay hate him (...Kane...) but if it's just a team I dislike, then I have no problem at all.

But I do tend to not really side with my country so much as with the team that I think will be the most entertaining and/or deserves to win. Call me unpatriotic, but I really just want to see a good game of hockey.

And to the person who remarked that Wings fans would love Malkin and Crosby if they played here--I'd still hate Crosby. I just can't stand the guy, whatever I think of the team he plays for.

I dislike teams, not players (for the most part). I would root with all my heart for Canada even if their team were made up of 50% Sens and 50% Habs players.

No. They are playing for the country now, not for the rival. Differences are put aside for the Olympics.

When you play for the flag that allows us to put aside any and all issues. Pride is an amazing thing and when the pride of your nation is at stake you dont care who helps them win even if it is a bitter rival. Gold medals and Stanley Cups both feel amazing....no hesitation at all!

I root for the team, there are people from teams that i hate on USA but i root for the team as a whole whoever gets it done doesnt matter as long as its done

I root for the team, not individual players. One player I "dislike" isn't going to change anything.