Olympic Hockey Seeds Form Stunning Olympic Hockey Bracket 2010

The Olympic hockey seeds for the Olympic hockey bracket 2010 are defying all expectations. Everyone thought the top Olympic hockey seeds would be Canada and Russia as they headed for a gold medal showdown. However, that dream match up may happen a lot sooner than everyone thinks. As if it wasn't surprising enough to have the USA as the top Olympic hockey seed, the 2010 bracket now has Canada needing a win just to meet Russia in the quarterfinals.

The seeds for the second round were finally set with yesterday's three big showdowns. The one with the biggest impact was the USA vs. Canada, though not in the way anyone thought. With the Americans' 5-3 win, Team USA is now the top seed in the tournament and has the supposedly easiest path to the medal round.

The Olympic hockey seeds have America as No. 1, Sweden as No. 2, then Russia and Finland as No. 3 and 4. Those four nations will have byes for the second round as the remaining eight teams have to endure playoff qualifiers.

The Olympic hockey bracket 2010 will have the Czech Republic face Latvia, Canada take on Germany, Slovakia vs. Norway, and Switzerland against Belarus. America will face the Switzerland-Belarus winner and has already beaten the Swiss in Group A play.

The most shocking of the Olympic hockey seeds is for Canada as they are a mere sixth now. As such, if they beat Germany, they will face third-seeded Russia in the quarterfinals and not the gold medal game. No matter what, one of these two favorites will not medal, and now Canada has become the underdog in this tournament.

Second-seeded Sweden will face either Slovakia or Norway, and if they win, they may get either Russia or Canada in the semifinals. But on the other side of the Olympic hockey bracket 2010, the USA seems to have the easier route. Thanks to being the top Olympic hockey seed, they are likely to get either Finland or the Czech Republic if they go to the medal round.

The tide has clearly turned from this shocking first round, as this 2010 bracket would have looked weird and impossible a week ago. Now, it has become legitimate to wonder if someone other than Russia and Canada will win it all - and if that winner will be America.

But although the USA wouldn't face Sweden, Russia or Canada until the gold medal game, their path may look deceptively easier now - since Finland and the Czechs are no pushovers. Even before that, the Swiss might loom, and they kept things close with the U.S. well before they shocked Canada.

The Olympic hockey bracket 2010 will unfold its next surprises tomorrow with all four playoff qualifiers. Then on Wednesday, the winners will face the top seeds - both the favored ones and the surprises.

Sources

On The Forecheck- "Olympic hockey bracket set as Team USA earns #1 seed, Canada faces Germany next"