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Blackhawks guide to 2018 Olympics men’s hockey tournament

The Chicago Blackhawks won’t have any players competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics, but will have some old faces playing.

This year’s tournament will be much different without the participation of the NHL, which declined to stop its season to send players to Pyeongchang. Instead the teams are made of mostly European players, including ex-NHL players.

Three groups of four teams will compete in three preliminary round games with one against every other team in their group before advancing to a four-round single elimination portion of the tournament. All 12 teams will advance past the group stage, with the winner of each group, along with the highest ranking runner-up, getting a first-round bye in the elimination stage.

Finland has the largest contingent with ties to the Hawks at four. Canada has three and the United States two. The Czech Republic, Germany and Sweden each have one.

Here’s a list of every former Hawks that’ll be in the tournament:

Canada

Rene Bourque (2005-08)

Andrew Ebbett (2009)

Rob Klinkhammer (2008-11)

Czech Republic

Jiri Sekac (2016)

Germany

Christian Ehroff (2016)

Finland

Lasse Kukkonen (2003 draft pick, 2003-04, 2006-07)

Sami Lepisto (2011-12)

Marko Anttila (2004 draft pick, never played in NHL)

Petri Kontiola (2004 draft pick, 2007-09)

Sweden

Viktor Stalberg (2010-13)

United States

Chris Chelios (1990-1999) as an assistant coach

James Wisniewski (2002 draft pick, 2005-09)

There will also be six other players that might look familiar as they played for the Rockford IceHogs and the Chicago Wolves.

Former IceHogs

Daryl Boyle of Germany

Mathis Olimb of Norway

Former Wolves players

Sergei Andronov of Russia

Henrik Odegaard of Norway

Adam Polasek of Czech Republic

Fredrik Pettersson of Sweden

And here’s the complete schedule. All times are Central:

Group A

Canada

Czech Republic

Switzerland

South Korea

Thursday, February 15

Czech Republic vs. South Korea (6:10 a.m.)

Canada vs. Switzerland (6:10 a.m.)

Friday, February 16 (Game takes place in Pyeongchang on Saturday, Feb. 17)

Canada vs. Czech Republic (9:10 p.m.)

Saturday, February 17

Switzerland vs. South Korea (1:40 a.m.)

Sunday, February 18

Czech Republic vs. Switzerland (1:40 a.m.)

Canada vs. South Korea (6:10 a.m.)

Group B

United States

Olympic Athletes from Russia

Slovenia

Slovakia

Wednesday, February 14

United States vs. Slovenia (6:10 a.m.)

Olympic Athletes from Russia vs. Slovakia (6:10 a.m.)

Thursday, February 15 (Game takes place in Pyeongchang on Friday, Feb. 16)

United States vs. Slovakia (9:10 p.m.)

Friday, February 16

Olympic Athletes from Russia vs. Slovenia (1:40 a.m.)

Saturday, February 17

Olympic Athletes from Russia vs. United States (6:10 a.m.)

Slovakia vs. Slovenia (6:10 a.m.)

Group C

Sweden

Finland

Norway

Germany

Wednesday, February 14 (Game takes place in Pyeongchang on Thursday, Feb. 15)

Finland vs. Germany (9:10 p.m.)

Thursday, February 15

Norway vs. Sweden (1:40 a.m.)

Friday, February 16

Finland vs. Norway (6:10 a.m.)

Sweden vs. Germany (6:10 a.m.)

Saturday, February 17 (Game takes place in Pyeongchang on Sunday, Feb. 18)

Norway vs. Germany (9:10 p.m.)

Sunday, February 18

Sweden vs. Finland (6:10 a.m.)

Bracket

After pool play, the teams will be ranked, with the top four squads receiving byes into the quarterfinals.

Playoff Round (Monday, Feb. 19 and Tuesday, Feb. 20)

No. 8 vs. No. 9

No. 5 vs. No. 12

No. 6 vs. No. 11

No. 7 vs. No. 10

Quarterfinals (Tuesday, Feb. 20 and Wednesday, Feb. 21)

No. 1 vs. winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9

No. 4 vs. winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12

No. 3 vs. winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11

No. 2 vs. winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10

Semifinals

No. 1 vs. No. 8 or No. 9 winner vs. No. 4 vs. No. 5 or No. 12 winner

No. 3 vs. No. 6 or No. 11 winner vs. No. 2 vs. No. 7 or No. 10 winner

3rd-Place Game (Friday, Feb. 23)

Loser of semifinal No. 1 vs. Loser of semifinal No. 2

Final (Saturday, Feb. 24)

Winner of semifinal No. 1 vs. winner of semifinal No. 2