RANK: CAN vs RUS vs USA vs SWE

[amnesiac]

Teams have changed a bit in the last few years... how would you rank them with everyone healthy now?

Marchand-McDavid-Marner
Huberdeau-MacKinnon-Point
Barzal-Crosby-Stamkos
Tavares-Bergeron-Stone
(Horvat, Scheifele, Suzuki)

Toews-Makar
Rielly-Pietrangelo
Chabot-Ekblad
(Theodore, Morrissey)

Jarry-Kuemper-Fleury/Hart

Ovie-Malkin-Kucherov
Kaprizov-Kuznetsov-Panarin
Svechnikov-Buchnevich-Tarasenko
Kuzmenko-Barbashev-Nichushkin
(Mikheyev, Gurianov, Namestnikov)

Sergachev-Orlov
Provorov-Gavrikov
Zub-Romanov
(Kulikov, Zadorov)

Vasi-Shesty-Sorokin

Gaudreau-Matthews-M.Tkachuk
Robertson-Thompson-Kane
Connor-Eichel-Hughes
B.Tkachuk-Miller-Guentzel
(Pavelski, Larkin, Debrincat)

Slavin-Fox
Hughes-McAvoy
Carlson-Werenski
(Trouba, Jones)

Hellebuyck-Oettinger-Demko)

Pettersson-Zibanejad-Landeskog
Nylander-Lindholm-Forsberg
Bratt-Backstrom-Raymond
Arvidsson-JEE-W.Karlsson
(Kempe, Nyquist, Olofsson)

Hedman-Karlsson
Dahlin-Brodin
Lindholm-Ekholm
(Klingberg, OEL)

Markstrom-Ullmark-Lehner

Click to read more...

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

1- Canada
2- USA
3- Russia
4- Sweden

 

[Rengorlex]

Why no Finland?

 

[amnesiac]

Why no Finland?

clearly last on paper, imo

 

[Connor McConnor]

The one with Crosby as your 3C.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Canada dominates forwards, and a healthy advantage on D with Makar… but the goaltending options are a bit terrifying

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

USA/Canada
Russia/Sweden

The emergence of Thompson and Hughes has been huge for USA center depth. It's now less of a chasm between US center depth and Canada's center depth.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Canada-USA-Russia-Sweden.

 

[Play]

Toss up between Sweden and Canada for first

 

[gritdash60]

CAN-SWE-FIN-USA-RUS, forgot one, understable.

 

[NyQuil]

I think the US is the most well-rounded.

The fact that the NHL isn't taking advantage of this opportunity for a best-on-best victory for the States blows my mind.

 

[pi314]

Canada dominates forwards, and a healthy advantage on D with Makar… but the goaltending options are a bit terrifying

I can't believe how far we've fallen as a nation in goal.

What the hell happened?

 

[nbwingsfan]

I can't believe how far we've fallen as a nation in goal.

What the hell happened?

I’m not sure and there doesn’t seem to be anything all the great on the way either

 

[RapidKnight]

I think you missed Ekblad, Buchnevich, and Oettinger. Otherwise the lineups look good. The rest are just my opinions I obviously don’t except the lineups to be perfect.

Pelech should make Canada because his defensive play is more valuable with so many offensive defensemen and there’s only so much powerplay ice time to go around. He is bettter than Rielly regardless. Same could said for Pesce/Carlson but that’s a toss up. I also don’t see the benefit of moving McAvoy to his offside. Slavin-Fox would be an excellent combination.

 

[amnesiac]

I can't believe how far we've fallen as a nation in goal.

What the hell happened?

Price retired, Fleury got old.

I mean, we were spoiled for almost 3 decades from: Roy, Belfour, Brodeur, Luongo, Price, and even before them there was Dryden, Esposito, Parent. 80s took a bit of a dip with: Fuhr, Liut, Hextall, Smith (before Roy). Seems like that may be the case again, unfortunately.

 

[Boreal01]

Canada
Russia
USA
Sweden

Would also definitely swap out Chabot for one of Ekblad or Doughty, not even sure if he's worthy of a reserve spot at this point

 

[MardyBum]

I’m not sure and there doesn’t seem to be anything all the great on the way either

Hart's been very good this year but yeah, a bit too much up and down to inspire a lot of confidence.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Goaltending:
Russia > USA = Sweden > Canada

Defense:
Canada >Sweden = USA >>>Russia

Offense:
Canada >> Russia >= USA >> Sweden


Overall:
Canada
USA
Russia
Sweden


Canada's goaltending is a question mark but that center depth is pretty much untouchable. Defense is arguably the best too.
USA is strong everywhere but lack the high-end talent of Canada and Russia. Still, second best team.
Russia has high-end talents and is IMO the strongest in net but that defense team would get feasted on by top 2 teams.
Sweden lacks depth in front that Canada and USA has. Good goaltending and really solid defense, has always.

 

[centipede2233]

I’m Canadian saying this, Team USA would be the favourite. Better scoring forwards, better d men, and better goalies. In a one game elimination, I’d take the multiple 40 goal plus guys the states have then the 2 way cerebral play of the Canadian forwards.

 

[WarriorofTime]

If Canada didn't have McDavid, I think USA would be a bit better, but alas, McDavid is a thing.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Canada
Sweden/USA (very close)
Russia

Finland

 

[leafsfan5]

Canada
US
Sweden
Russia

I think the US and Canada are very close, can go either way. What a rise the Americans have had

 

[dire wolf]

U.S. forwards have taken a big step this year with Robertson, Thompson & Hughes and the re-emergence of Eichel. U.S. goaltending and D looking good also.

Canada's D and G are slightly underwhelming here. The forwards are still amazing, although aging a bit.

Sweden's D is nice with Karlsson, Dahlin and Hedman, but the forwards are lacking.

Russia maybe the most balanced and the best G.

This is freaking hard!

 

[The Podium]

US is the most balanced with top end talent at every position.

While Canada might have the slight D and F advantage, the US G advantage more than makes up the difference.

1. US
2. CAN
3. SWE
4. RUS

 

[logan5]

Somebody di some line combos/d pairs. Is the US really that close?