Does this tournament mean anything to Russia?

[JackSlater]

Why do Canadians care about having the best players there? Oh yes, they'd be the favourites.

Ah there is the dancing. The reason why Canadians, or anyone, would value having the best players is obvious. If your foolish theory is correct, why didn't Canadians value the Olympic tournament very much in the early years, when Canada was a huge favourite but the best players weren't there? The simple answer is that Canadians care primarily, in hockey especially, about the level of players in the tournament. Funny how that matches what the actual Canadians are saying. Of course I am sure that there is a tangential, poorly supported alternative that someone not from Canada can provide. Essentially it would be as if Canadians came in and said "Olympic posters from Russia really don't care about the tournament, they only pretend to because they are the favourites" when that seems to be pretty much untrue.

 

[stampedingviking]

You're clearly just looking for attention, I and many others have made it clear if it's not best and best we don't care because the level of hockey is worse and you just keep making the same idiotic talking point.

We want to watch the best complete not a bunch of rejects who can't make it in the NHL.

It's all about the badge on the front of the shirt, it shouldn't matter who the players are.

You're all about winning, not a fan of hockey.

 

[NyQuil]

It's all about the badge on the front of the shirt, it shouldn't matter who the players are.

You're all about winning, not a fan of hockey.

I have a Canadian hockey jersey but I suspect no one gives a crap if I go out there and call myself Team Canada.

And I win all the time baby!

 

[snipes]

Why do Canadians care about having the best players there? Oh yes, they'd be the favourites.

Because best on best matters more?

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

It's all about the badge on the front of the shirt, it shouldn't matter who the players are.

You're all about winning, not a fan of hockey.

Do you often make up what other people are saying so you can be right? Isn't that kind of pathetic?

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Because best on best matters more?

I'm pretty sure if you don't spend as much time watching the CHL as you do the NHL it just means you hate hockey. At least that's what this poster keeps implying.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Because best on best matters more?

exactly. it's just better hockey. not our fault that it gives us a massive advantage because no other country can keep up

 

[Rici]

There are two countries in the world where the olympics is not the number one hockey event this year. These are Canada and the US. Ice hockey is not as big in Russia as it is in Finland or Canada. Nevertheless, of course their possible gold medal will be celebrated. Same would be in Germany.

If Finland would have won the olympic gold medal the whole country would have gone nuts and thousands of people would have been welcoming the team back home already at the airport. You can compare that to the Stanley cup, the winner will be written in news. If there is a Finnish player in the team, he will be interviewed by few newspapers. That is all.

An olympic gold medal is an olympic gold medal and it will be remembered for decades maybe for centuries.

 

[waitin425]

Can you imagine if the top 30 athletes in every other Olympic Sport didn't compete. Imagine the Skiing events or snow boarding events. Imagine the summer Olympics with the top 30 sprinters in the world not competing. That is pretty much what this hockey tournament is. Every single team in this tournament could have had better players on it (except maybe Korea). Canada, the US, Russia, Sweden and Finland all could have fielded at least 2 or 3 better rosters. Canada easily could have sent 10 better teams than what they sent. I was mildly entertained by this tournament, however it means very little to me or the state of hockey in Canada. It means very little on the state of hockey in any of the competing countries. It was entertaining. Canada won bronze and I was happy for the players that they did, but it didn't mean much.

 

[bottomofthefoodchain]

What do you think about norwegian astmatics?

I think they are innocent until proven otherwise.
Russia having a state sponsored doping program is something that has been proven.

 

[Fantomas]

I think they are innocent until proven otherwise.
Russia having a state sponsored doping program is something that has been proven.

So proven that the IOC just lost an apellate court case to take away their Sochi medals.

 

[Hanji]

Why do non-Russians (particularly Canadians) feel the need to flood this thread and tell everybody how meaningless these Olympics are? Yea we get it already, you think it's second rate. Good for you. But the Original Poster wasn't asking about the sentiment in North America.
Are you all really that insecure?
If Russian fans value these results, that's their prerogative.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Why do non-Russians (particularly Canadians) feel the need to flood this thread and tell everybody how meaningless these Olympics are? Yea we get it already, you think it's second rate. Good for you. But the Original Poster wasn't asking about the sentiment in North America.
Are you all really that insecure?
If Russian fans value these results, that's their prerogative.

Most of the posts are just arguing with that Viking poster who keeps making sweeping statements about North Americans

 

[Riddum]

You can never have epic moments like this without having a best on best tournament.

 

[Xokkeu]

You can never have epic moments like this without having a best on best tournament.

Lol perhaps the greatest moment in American sports came without NHL players.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

The OP isn't exactly wrong. This tournament does not have a lot of hype in Canada or draw in casual fans. The start times also kind of suck, so that probably plays a slight factor as well, but still.

With that being said, I cared. I wasn't too disappointed in Canada losing and I think Germany has been quite the story, so that was cool. And obviously other countries care a lot as well.

 

[Revelation]

It should, they were hit the hardest by the NHL non participation with the 3 best skaters and 2 best goalies in the NHL this year all being Russians, plus Kuznetsov, Radulov, Provorov, Orlov being extremely good this year. If they still win despite that it's a pretty big testament to their resilience and the strength of their hockey program.

 

[Vladnyc]

It should, they were hit the hardest by the NHL non participation with the 3 best skaters and 2 best goalies in the NHL this year all being Russians, plus Kuznetsov, Radulov, Provorov, Orlov being extremely good this year. If they still win despite that it's a pretty big testament to their resilience and the strength of their hockey program.

That fact that we had to use Koshechkin should tell you everything about how hard Russia was hit. Worst goalie i have ever seen play for Russia.

 

[Passionis]

That fact that we had to use Koshechkin should tell you everything about how hard Russia was hit. Worst goalie i have ever seen play for Russia.

You probably don't watch KHL much but Koshechkin has been very solid. His poor stats and shady performance in Olympics are easily explained by him facing very few shots throughout the game and standing and freezing for 5-10 minute stretches. I'm sure most goalies would struggle with that. He had some very decent saves against US and Czechs when the pressure started to pile up, and even then he wasn't fully tested.

 

[XokkeyGuy]

Wohoo! The olympic gold medal in ice hockey is won by the russians and comes home to Moscow! Finally!

What a crazy game, filled by emotions and historic aspirations in what will be remembered in the history books of the olympic games!

This team and the players really deserved some joy, especially thinking of a great patriot like Kovalchuk and legendary Datsyuk! Also thinking about the 5 players that the IOC banned for no reason and the world cheering against the russians just because of their nationality even though it comes down to a group of great guys who have always loved this sport and done their best to represent the country they grew up in - to win it for the people they stand close to and share culture, history and fate with.
I hope they get celebrated well coming home with the gold!

Good to see younger players being able to step up in big games and become heroes!

When a player decides to leave for a league/sport like NHL you kind of abandon the international competiveness to go for money instead. I care about national team and the players representing it at the tournaments and its legacy, I don´t follow individual players and thus I don´t care about what they do in NHL.
It is like when great football players switch for futsal instead of trying it harder and eventually make it in football, you change sport and you are irrelevant.​

 

[IAM]

Well if they are willing to ruin KHL for winning the gold in C-class tournament, then it obviously means a lot for them. In the longer run it will ruin Russian hockey for keeping all the best players in one team. You can't see it as empty seats in the other teams arenas. 10 to 15 year for the total collapse.

 

[c9777666]

I guess we’re about to find out how much it means in Russia.

The German players had they won would have been treated like heroes and gods ala the Czechs in 1998.

In Russia, meanwhile..... I wonder how they’ll honor these conquering hero players, if at all, since they weren’t technically team Russia.

 

[Zine]

Well if they are willing to ruin KHL for winning the gold in C-class tournament, then it obviously means a lot for them. In the longer run it will ruin Russian hockey for keeping all the best players in one team. You can't see it as empty seats in the other teams arenas. 10 to 15 year for the total collapse.

Promoting national team success isnt the reason CSKA and SKA have stacked rosters.

That aside, you’re correct that the majority of talent being split between 2 teams isnt healthy for the league.

 

[IAM]

Promoting national team success isnt the reason CSKA and SKA have stacked rosters.

Yes it most definitely is.

 

[Zine]

Yes it most definitely is.

Nope. CSKA and SKA wouldnt waste money on, nor give precious ice time to foreigners if that was the case.

Both teams are stacked with talent due to tons of money and a dick measuring contest between Sechin and Miller.