Gordie Howe expresses his opinion on the Olympics

[joe_shannon_1983*]

I don't get it. How does having more players = bad?
More players = more great players
More great players = good

Well it could be argued that teams like Sweden and Finland gelled quicker because they had players who had been playing together their whole lives, and are used to each other. Guys like Forsberg, sundin, Alfreddson, and etc. all have a wealth of experienced playing with one another, and know each other inside and out.

The less players a country has, the less their national team changes, as there is less different player combinations available. This creates familiarity with one another and with the system, familiarity that can be the difference between winning and losing.

A team like Canada didn't have the familiarity that a team like Sweden or Finland had. Canada had many guys who had never played with each other before, or had only played 1-2 times with each other before.

I am not necessarily saying that I agree with this argument. But this is the argument that one could possibly make as it relates to "having more players = bad".

 

[KrisKing*]

of course it’s the whole coaching staff that has to go as well, not just Gretzky. but as in any other entity, the head is in charge, whether he’s called a CEO, GM or President. that’s the guy who signs off the decisions, takes the credit or the blame. there seems to be universal acceptance that Quinn is done, but a reluctance to question the man in charge – almost as though the gambling scandal has amped the sympathy for a job not well done.

all the Team Canada coaches & "GMs" were replaced after '98 when we lost in the semi-finals by one goal to Dominik Hasek. this team was embarrassed and shut out in 11 of its last 12 periods. if wayne has the class his supporters claim, then he will step aside soon.

in 2010 we'll see how somebody else does. if we lose as badly again we can all cry for the great gretzky days, but these were them, and they're done for now.

oh, and sorry for typing Jari like Kurri in a flash.

Sorry, you're right, Gretzky sucks.

I forgot that this site takes such pleasure in ripping apart anyone the Canadian media seems to like. Gretzky, Crosby, Brodeur, the Maple Leafs, pretty much Team Canada as a whole... am I missing anyone here?

 

[Petey21]

Well it could be argued that teams like Sweden and Finland gelled quicker because they had players who had been playing together their whole lives, and are used to each other. Guys like Forsberg, sundin, Alfreddson, and etc. all have a wealth of experienced playing with one another, and know each other inside and out.

Forsberg, Sundin and Alfredsson has never played for the same team in neither Sweden nor in the NHL, only during a few games and tournaments with the national team. So they're no different than for example Sakic, Iginla and Bertuzzi.

But maybe it hurts Canada's (and the US) team chemistry that their players don't care much about the World Championships when their respective NHL team is out of the playoffs? The Europeans usually go there and play for their country unless they're injured, while North Americans don't (now I'm talking about "all-star calibre" players, not second or third liners).

 

[KrisKing*]

But maybe it hurts Canada's (and the US) team chemistry that their players don't care much about the World Championships when their respective NHL team is out of the playoffs? The Europeans usually go there and play for their country unless they're injured, while North Americans don't (now I'm talking about "all-star calibre" players, not second or third liners).

That's changed over the last little while, at least in Canada, I'm not sure what it's like for the US. (thanks to Gretzky by the way)

 

[LannysStach]

That's changed over the last little while, at least in Canada, I'm not sure what it's like for the US. (thanks to Gretzky by the way)

i wouldn't mind being corrected.
i know what wayne did in 02, and i credit him for that gold in many ways.
i guess i'm unclear about his role in Hockey Canada or Team Canada between 02 and this debacle. i know he GMed the "World Cup" team, but has he had some sort of larger ongoing role i'm unaware of?
and if he was really involved and it was an evolving team/project, how did it suddenly go so wrong?

 

[KrisKing*]

I believe it was Gretzky that made it clear that players' willingness to participate in the world championships would have a bearing on their chances of making the olympic and world cup teams, and all of a sudden guys were gungho to go to the world championships.

As for what went wrong this year, I think they just played badly. I don't think anyone could have predicted that the team they put together wasn't good enough to win gold. Sometimes teams just don't gel and there's not a whole lot you can do about it in such a short tournament. We've all seen NHL teams start terribly in a season, and then turn it around without making any personnel changes.

 

[LannysStach]

thanks former Ranger.
it's going to be interesting to learn more about the machinations as the autopsy is performed.
including why Lanny McDonald wasn't back as Dir of Player Personnel.

i just hope we get a whole fresh staff and approach going into the future.