from Corey Masisak of NHL.com,

So how does each of these eight medal contenders stack up against the competition at each position? NHL.com breaks down the top eight sides at forward, on defense and in goal. We began Sunday with the goaltenders. Now it is time to shift the focus to the defense, with the forwards to follow Tuesday.

5. Russia

Andrei Markov might be one of the most important players in this tournament. Vintage Markov for about 10 days would go a long way towards helping the Russians secure the gold medal. Slava Voynov could also emerge as this team's best defenseman. Markov could play with Montreal Canadiens teammate Alexei Emelin, and the two Columbus Blue Jackets, Fedor Tyutin and Nikita Nikitin, could be paired together. Where Voynov fits could be interesting. Two veterans of the Kontinental Hockey League, Ilya Nikulin and Evgeny Medvedev, have plenty of international experience.

read on for the other 7 medal contenders...