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Hurricanes’ Faulk Recalls Olympic Experience in Sochi

By Dan Scifo, 02/02/18, 10:15AM EST

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Faulk will be another Team USA fan come February

With the 2018 Olympic Winter Games just around the corner, Justin Faulk can’t help but recall his own Olympic experience.

Faulk, the Carolina Hurricanes’ standout defenseman, saw limited action on the blue line as a 21-year-old during the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.

“It’s obviously hard not to have those thoughts in your head when people bring up the Olympics and the U.S. team,” Faulk said. “It was cool and I had a fun time.”

Faulk said he was fortunate enough to make it to additional events that were part of the Winter Games during his time in Sochi, Russia.

“It was just a fun event,” Faulk said. “It was awesome to be part of it and kind of experience it. The pinnacle of all sporting events in general for athletes is the Olympics. These athletes train their whole life to get to the Olympics. These people specialize in that for four years strictly to get to the Olympics.”

Faulk said he appreciated the work his counterparts put into accomplishing their goals at the Olympics.

“It was special to see those athletes and how much time and effort they put in to get there,” Faulk said. “Just to hang out with them and see how they go about their days and to get to know them was pretty cool.”

Canada defeated Sweden to win the gold medal in 2014, while Finland topped the United States in the bronze medal game. The National Hockey League allowed its players to participate in the last five Olympic Winter Games. But the NHL reversed course this year, leaving NHLers like Faulk at home while a new-look U.S. team takes the ice in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Faulk said he didn’t agree with the league’s decision, but he was happy for the players in every country who will have an opportunity to experience the Olympics this time around.

“As much as we hate [not playing], it will be an awesome opportunity for the guys that will get to go that maybe wouldn’t have gone before, who will get that opportunity,” Faulk said. “It was a fun experience, I had a great time and I know for a fact that they will too.”

Faulk clearly has a rooting interest and he plans to follow along with the action.

“I know quite a few of those guys on the Olympic teams,” Faulk said. “You always want to see your friends do well and have success. I’ll probably check in and see how they’re doing. Hopefully the U.S. wins.”

Faulk previously played with Team USA forwards Bobby Butler and Jim Slater in addition to Bobby Sanguinetti, a defenseman. He also briefly played alongside defenseman James Wisniewski, who will also play for Team USA in the upcoming Olympic tournament. Wisniewski played just 47 seconds on opening night for the Hurricanes in 2015 before an ACL tear ended his season. He hasn’t played in the NHL since.

“He had to grind his way back and found a way to make the Olympic team,” Faulk said. “He had one shift with us essentially. It’s a pretty cool opportunity for him.”

Faulk will obviously be pulling for his countrymen, in addition to the friends he has on the team. He also wished well for former Hurricanes goaltender Justin Peters, who was named to Team Canada.

“I hope [Peters] has a shutout every game except the gold medal game against the U.S.,” Faulk said playfully. “They’re all good guys and I hope they do well.”

Faulk has extensive international experience, going back to his days with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. Though Faulk won’t have the chance this winter, he said he feels fortunate for the opportunity to represent the United States at not only the Olympics, but also at the World Championships, World Junior Championships and the Under-18 World Championships.

“Every event has been an honor,” Faulk said. “It’s not every day you get the opportunity. You wish you can continue to have those opportunities, and I’ve been lucky enough to do it since I was 16 years old. It has been awesome and I hope to have those opportunities in the future, too.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.

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