Doesn't anybody else think it's ridiculous...

[NyQuil]

Not if Jeff Carter had somethign to say about that.

Bergeron was amazing in that tourney. Not only offensively, but defensively as well.

I don't even like the guy very much, he put out two Senators with borderline hits for the season. But I have to give credit where it was due.

Carter was great, but I think Bergeron's performance shows what a season playing against the best players in the world can do for your skill set.

 

[Letang fan 58]

that Malkin is playing in this tournament?! Lets face it, while I do love it dearly, th WJHCs are almost never a contest of the best U20 players in the world (last year being a glorious exception). Each year the cream is scraped off the top by the NHL and the truly elite U20 players go off and play with their respective NHL clubs (Crosby this year, Nash in 2004, Kovalchuk, etc.). For the most part, this process affects most countries' U20 teams more or less equally, so no one team is put at a major disadvantage. This year is no different, with one glaring exception being Evgeni Malkin.

As we all know, for whatever reason (I can't recall at the moment), Malkin has remained with his RSL team, and they have chosen to release him to the tournament. A player who is among the RSL leaders in points is clearly a "junior" player in age alone. I think we can all agree that for Pittsburgh to have released Crosby for the WJHC would have been absurd, and doubtless the detractors of Team Canada would have been in uproar. I wonder then, why has a similar response not greeted the presence of Malkin in this tournament?

clearly you are not someone who actually goes to the games or has ever been to a world junior tourney, if it were the case you would be happy as hell about the opportunity to see malkin play.
dont be that guy who whines about russia getting a chance to have their best player there.

 

[McGuillicuddy]

clearly you are not someone who actually goes to the games or has ever been to a world junior tourney, if it were the case you would be happy as hell about the opportunity to see malkin play.

Well duh...I'm a Canadian temporary living in the UK, and prior to this I lived in Ontario, which hasn't hosted a WJHC since 1986! I'm not sure how it can possibly be held against me that I don't live in a locale that affords me the opportunity to see the WJHC live. If it makes you feel better, I used to go watch the Peterborough Petes play on occasion .

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I think it's ridiculous...
He's not in Pittsburgh

What does where he is have anything to do with it? Pittsburgh would not have released him, but if they had, as his RSL team did, more power to him. If you are under 20, and can and want to play, you play. Why a player does or does not come is up to them. What more could Crosby have gotten from a WJC game that he did not get last year? That he is not getting more of in Pittsburgh? Last year for Russia was Ovechkin's year. Obviously it is important to Malkin to give Russia one more year of his all before moving on. He would be in Pittsburgh otherwise. And part of that all is the WJC's obviously, where he is the focus of the team.

 

[Metallian*]

It's not like he is running away with the scoring lead, either. He's tied with an 18-year-old Phil Kessel. I don't see the problem.

Kessel padded his stats vs. Norway, while Malkin has consistantly put up multiple-point games

No contest.

 

[CSKA]

Kessel padded his stats vs. Norway, while Malkin has consistantly put up multiple-point games

No contest.

one game less

 

[Metallian*]

How is being a dominant 19 year old Canadian in the AHL (being eligible for this tournament) any different? Why is Evgeni being centered out because he's good AND Russian?

 

[edd1e]

Were you thinking the same thing last year about team Canada?

Yeah, it didnt seem to trouble him then..

 

[alecfromtherock]

They're all under 20 so they're all eligble to play, it's up to their respective club teams if they let them go or not. As for Crosby playing, I wouldn't mind that either, but it's up to the Penguins to decide. But it WOULD be lame if the Penguins had for example a 19-year old Swedish or Finnish player on their NHL roster as well, and would let Crosby go play for Canada but not let the other guy play for their country, THAT would be bizarre.

In terms of points one of the best RSL players has not been too impressive at this junior tourny.

Malkin should be head over heals over every single other player this WJC, yet for some reason he is not the dominate force one would have thought Vs his peers.

Mabe this is a sign to come that Malkin will not be a instant bonafide super-star when he makes the trip to NA?

The Pens would not have released either Crosby or Malkin as their team would suck even more then they currently do.

Weaker teams have a hard enough time competing without having to play against NHL caliber players from the RSL/AHL etc.

Perhaps it is time the IIHF puts its foot down and says only junior-junior players are eligible to play at the world juniors.

 

[mooseOAK*]

Perhaps it is time the IIHF puts its foot down and says only junior-junior players are eligible to play at the world juniors.

I doubt that they will make a rule that would virtually ensure that Canada will win the gold every year since they have the most competitive junior league in the world.

 

[NyQuil]

I doubt that they will make a rule that would virtually ensure that Canada will win the gold every year since they have the most competitive junior league in the world.

I'd rather see the best players below a certain age than exclude some just because they're good enough to play pro and their teams release them.

Nothing is ever perfectly fair so you just have to deal with it.

I mean, it's JUST the Juniors.

This is all about exposure of future prospects to NHL clubs and to future fans around the world. The medals are nice but ultimately not what the tournament is about.

 

[Wetcoaster]

They tried. It was one of CP's main objectives in the offseason.

Sounded like Magnitogorsk and Malkin wanted one more year to try to win the RSL championship, then he'd come over without much hassle. Really, if they win the championship and Malkin is the league's best player at 19, he'd have no reason to play in that league (besides personal reasons).

Money????

And

A contract that was just extended in the off-season with a substantial raise that runs through 2008????

 

[Wetcoaster]

In terms of points one of the best RSL players has not been too impressive at this junior tourny.

Malkin should be head over heals over every single other player this WJC, yet for some reason he is not the dominate force one would have thought Vs his peers.

Mabe this is a sign to come that Malkin will not be a instant bonafide super-star when he makes the trip to NA?

Ovenchicken was not all that dominant at the WJC last year (very similar to Malkin) but look at him in the NHL. IIRC Eric Staal did not make Team Canada as a junior and he is having an outstanding year.

 

[Mr. Hab]

not bashing thread's author, but...

Malkin being in WJC this year is not ridiculous, if it is ridiculous then it's ridiculous that Crosby isn't in it. If you blame Malkin, then blame Crosby too (which doesn't make sense, so no one is to blame).

Malkin is under 20, that's all that counts.
We have good under 20 players too...
Anyways...I think Malkin should be there and it's just too bad that Crosby isn't, that's all. But, they will be probably be together next year!!

It should be an entertaining finals game!

 

[WVP]

Money????

And

A contract that was just extended in the off-season with a substantial raise that runs through 2008????

Well, he's not going to get paid with peanuts in the NHL. And if he ends up the player he's capable of becoming, he should be getting plenty of huge paychecks here.

If you are a dominant player in a league at the age of 19 (and by all accounts Malkin is the best player there), what's the point of staying there? That would be like me going back and playing high school or midget hockey (I'm 23). I can't speak for Malkin, but I would hope as a professional he would want to compete at the highest level possible to see how he ranks with the best of the best. If not, then he can stay over there.

As for the contract, that might be tricky, but all parties involved expect him to be in the NHL next year.

 

[MOGiLNY]

Yes, but so is Crosby. And I have no doubt whatsoever that it would be universally considered totally lame (especially by non-Canadian fans) if he were in the tournament this year.

Teams have released players for WJCs in the past and nobody said a word.. Brent Burns for example I think?

 

[Misos Milakos*]

For the most part, this process affects most countries' U20 teams more or less equally, so no one team is put at a major disadvantage. This year is no different, with one glaring exception being Evgeni Malkin.

You are way too kind to say all nations are affected more or less equally. We dont need to hide from the truth. Canada is clearly the team/country that is most consistently affected, with Russia being the only nation that comes close.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Well, he's not going to get paid with peanuts in the NHL. And if he ends up the player he's capable of becoming, he should be getting plenty of huge paychecks here.

If you are a dominant player in a league at the age of 19 (and by all accounts Malkin is the best player there), what's the point of staying there? That would be like me going back and playing high school or midget hockey (I'm 23). I can't speak for Malkin, but I would hope as a professional he would want to compete at the highest level possible to see how he ranks with the best of the best. If not, then he can stay over there.

As for the contract, that might be tricky, but all parties involved expect him to be in the NHL next year.

I really do not get the sense that money was a huge issue at all - he gets what he gets in the NHL, it is pretty much capped. Transfer agreement will be whatever it is. I just get the sense that Malkin felt that he owed his hometown, that he loved. and his country that he also loved, one more year. This was for reasons other than money. I could be wrong, but that is what I read into the situation.

 

[Misos Milakos*]

As for Malkin, no problem with him there, he is where he should be. The problem is with the players not playing at the WJC's. All players should be released to play in this tournament by their Jackass GMs.

 

[MOGiLNY]

Well, he's not going to get paid with peanuts in the NHL. And if he ends up the player he's capable of becoming, he should be getting plenty of huge paychecks here.

If you are a dominant player in a league at the age of 19 (and by all accounts Malkin is the best player there), what's the point of staying there? That would be like me going back and playing high school or midget hockey (I'm 23). I can't speak for Malkin, but I would hope as a professional he would want to compete at the highest level possible to see how he ranks with the best of the best. If not, then he can stay over there.

As for the contract, that might be tricky, but all parties involved expect him to be in the NHL next year.

Malkin does want to compete at the highest level possible. He's said numerous times though that he wants to win a gold medal with the Russian juniors and that's why he's here. Can you blame him? If I had a chance to play for my national team, hell yeah I'd go too. Don't make it sound like he's going to play at an U18 tournament while being 25 years old. He's playing with guys his age and he wants to win gold for his country.

He's also said he's looking forward to playing with Crosby in the NHL and he'll be here eventually, but his other dream is to win the Russian league with his hometown team Metallurg Magnitogorsk where he grew up and learned hockey. Again, no problems here, and it's really admirable of him to do.

Also, last year at the World Championships, Malkin played against team Canada that was stronger than usual and had many NHL stars on it. Malkin played against them, and he played extremely well. Now he's going to go to the Olympics in february, so clearly he's willing to play at the highest levels possible.

 

[WVP]

Malkin does want to compete at the highest level possible. He's said numerous times though that he wants to win a gold medal with the Russian juniors and that's why he's here. Can you blame him? If I had a chance to play for my national team, hell yeah I'd go too. Don't make it sound like he's going to play at an U18 tournament while being 25 years old. He's playing with guys his age and he wants to win gold for his country.

He's also said he's looking forward to playing with Crosby in the NHL and he'll be here eventually, but his other dream is to win the Russian league with his hometown team Metallurg Magnitogorsk where he grew up and learned hockey. Again, no problems here, and it's really admirable of him to do.

Also, last year at the World Championships, Malkin played against team Canada that was stronger than usual and had many NHL stars on it. Malkin played against them, and he played extremely well. Now he's going to go to the Olympics in february, so clearly he's willing to play at the highest levels possible.

I think you misunderstood me.