The full impact of representing Canada in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics hasn't hit home yet for Cochrane's Mason Raymond, but it will soon.

"It's unreal," says Raymond, speaking to CochraneNow.com from Riga, Latvia, "I still think I haven't totally settled into what it means to be an Olympian and to represent your country. Maybe at the opening ceremony things will start to set in."

Cochrane's most celebrated hockey player and his Team Canada teammates arrive in South Korea today after two pre-Olympic games in Latvia. They shut out both of their opponents in two warmup games, 2-0, and have a third, final and likely toughest matchup on Sunday against Sweden.

The 32-year-old wasn't about to call it a career when released by the Anaheim Ducks after 10 years in the NHL. It's that same stubborn determination and passion for the sport that saw him rise from the ranks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League and worked his way into the Vancouver Canucks organization.

Raymond left for Europe to focus on playing in Switzerland and to explore the potential of being an Olympian. Along the way, he was part of two back-to-back Canadian championship teams in the Spengler Cup and his connection to Team Canada continued to grow.

It wasn't a cakewalk, though. There were tryouts and hurdles to jump and a whirlwind of mini-tournaments that started in Sochi, Russia in August.

Several players were in the running, and he worked, he worked hard.

Over the phone line, you feel the pride in his voice of what he has accomplished and his eagerness to represent our nation in a sport we covet as Canadians.

"I'm so proud to be able to represent Canada, the people, my family, friends and my hometown. I'm very proud of what I've accomplished and where I've come from and the ability to go out there and represent Canada and be an Olympian."

With teammates scattered across Europe in various leagues, it wasn't until Sunday that they had all arrived and played as a full unit. Raymond was among the last to arrive when the Swiss national league started its Olympic break.

The hockey culture of a national team is special, and Raymond knows it.

"It's awesome. Anytime you're around Canadians representing Hockey Canada it's a very special experience. This is a group of guys forever. It's going to be a bond that we have forever to go to the Olympics to represent Canada. We hope we can go on there and achieve some big things."

Twelve teams in all will be vying for medals and Canada will first be competing against teams in their pool, starting with Switzerland on Feb. 15. Games against the Czech Republic and South Korea follow.