The deadline to finalize rosters for the 12 teams playing in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, is fast approaching. (It’s Jan. 7, to be precise.)

Ever since NHL players started playing in the Winter Olympic games in the 1998 Nagano games, a highlight for fans of each franchise has been seeing familiar faces playing on the international stage. What longtime Buffalo Sabres fan doesn’t remember staying up late to watch Dominik Hasek lead the Czech Republic to the gold medal in those ’98 games, or recall Ryan Miller’s meteoric rise to the most beloved hockey player in America during the 2010 Olympics?

Needless to say, the talent level on the Sabres roster leaves a lot to be desired during this particular Olympic season. But that being said, there are a few players who will likely be a part of the tournament in February—and, of course, one head coach barking orders from behind a bench.

Also worth noting is that two of Germany’s top defensemen, Christian Ehrhoff and Alexander Sulzer, won’t be making the trip to Sochi because the German National Team failed to qualify for the tournament. Both Ehrhoff and Sulzer were members of the German team in both 2006 (10th-place finish) and 2010 (11th-place finish), while Ehrhoff was also a member in 2002 (eighth-place finish).

So while Ehrhoff and Sulzer will definitely be staying home, there are a handful of other Sabres players who may be playing for medals come February.

Note: All stats are updated through Nov. 30, courtesy of NHL.com, unless otherwise noted.

Follow me on Twitter @DEmkeSabres for team news and commentary.

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