A former Soviet hockey star and respected...

"I estimate Russia"s success at 30%, while Canadians may have a 25% chance," Sergei Gimayev Sr., who won 10 national champion titles in 1976 - 1985, said during a RIA Novosti news conference on Tuesday.

The Russian 2010 national Olympic team, which includes 14 players from the National Hockey League (NHL) and nine from the Continental Hockey League (KHL), will play its first game of the tournament against Latvia on February 16.

Gimayev said that the team could face a real challenge as early as in the quarterfinals.

"We should expect tough opposition not only from the Canadians but also from the Czechs and the Slovenians because they are playing in our group," he said.

With Russia clinching 2008 and 2009 world titles playing both times in the final games against Canada, many hockey fans and experts hope that the teams will meet again in the final of the 2010 Olympics.

With 1993, 2008 and 2009 Russia"s world titles and the Soviet Union"s 22 golds,

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