MOSCOW — Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar are among the 14 NHL players on the 23-player Russia squad for the Vancouver Olympics.

Forwards Pavel Datsyuk of Detroit and Alexander Semin of Washington, defenseman Andrei Markov of Montreal, and goaltenders Evgeni Nabokov of San Jose and Ilya Bryzgalov of Phoenix were also selected.

Coach Vyacheslav Bykov said his team should be considered among the favorites as the reigning world champions.

Russia last won Olympic gold at the 1992 Albertville Games.

The squad will be finalized in February.