You described it perfectly. In Olympic hockey, there is no way a top country like Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden etc., even rosters useless players like Wayne Simmonds or Tanner Jeannot. Olympic hockey is really the highest level of hockey, more than the NHL Playoffs.
From watching the Canada/USA Gold Medal game in 2010, you'll never see that level of hockey in a NHL Playoff game. Yes granted, NHL Playoff series are Best of 7, though I bet if you had those 2010 teams playing a Best of 7, would have been amazing hockey every game!