GDT: Semifinals - February 23 - Canada (3) vs Germany (4)

Tryblot

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Oct 4, 2009
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You haven't won any Olympic gold since 2014, have you? And you're not going to, until 2022 at the very least. That's another 8-year gap at a minimum, just like between 2002 and 2010, so your "Golden Olympic Era" was exactly 4 years long. Big deal! (Again, please spare us the references to the 2016 Gimmick Cup.)

How can you claim Canada was losing from 2006 to 201o (fair) and then claim they they weren't winning from 2014 to 2018? Canada won in 2010 and then didn't lose until 2018. That is 8 years. They were the defending champions for 4 years after 2014.
 

Pouchkine

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May 20, 2015
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I'm Canadian too and I think you're delusional. I'm no millennial, I watched the 1994 game and while many Canadians would have been happy if we had won, it wasn't as important to the point of celebrating the win on the street. Best on best is not a myth. If every participating country can choose whoever of it citizens it wants within the rules, that's best on best. It doesn't take a genius to understand such simple concept.
The myth is that it happened often. It didn't and when 9/10 tournaments of those are home tournaments for Canada with everything that comes with it, it isn't a real competition, it has lesser value. Thus overall best on best in hockey is a misconception.
 
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Rob

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Feb 27, 2002
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The myth is that it happened often. It didn't and when 9/10 tournaments of those are home tournaments for Canada with everything that comes with it, it isn't a real competition, it has lesser value. Thus overall best on best in hockey is a misconception.
But since 1998 you can’t deny it has value.
 

cbcwpg

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May 18, 2010
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Erm... what happened to Nagano? Or does "historically" no longer include it?

I don't consider how the team played overall to be poor. Canada was 3-0 in the round robin games, won the quarter final game, and was a shootout goal ( coin toss ) away from at least a silver. Goes back to the whole shootout thing which isn't real hockey.
 

Pouchkine

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Yes it has for sure. The format isn't great though. You have about 6 strong teams and in the last 6 Olympics Russia and Canada played twice.
Another problem since 2002 is the way everyone uses the trap and dump and chase game. Another problem is that Russia isn't as strong as before and even worst their style of play isn't really pretty either. So while the famous hooking grabbing clutching is out of the game, there's also a lot of bad things that have replaced it.

Imagine Olympics in the 70's 80's 90's with those top Soviet teams Czechs Canadian all stars with the contrast in styles a good format and no hooking no trap. That would have been fantastic.

I enjoyed 1998 a lot 2002 was very good in parts but the last three were nothing special overall.
 

Pouchkine

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May 20, 2015
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I don't consider how the team played overall to be poor. Canada was 3-0 in the round robin games, won the quarter final game, and was a shootout goal ( coin toss ) away from at least a silver. Goes back to the whole shootout thing which isn't real hockey.
That's true but the Czechs dominated most of that game.
 

Pouchkine

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May 20, 2015
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Yes and every year at the Worlds it's the same excuses, although we don't hear them for the U20 when it's actually the same...
 

JeremyTB

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Mar 16, 2007
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I think Canada could have put a more talented team together if they had used junior players. 18 and 19 year olds.
 

stampedingviking

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Jul 2, 2013
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Couldn’t care less. Honestly feel somewhat vindicated now, the NHL and IOC ruined this event for hockey fans around the world.

Even still, this is really cool for Germany. Hope they can bring it home tomorrow
I suspect that only applies to North American NHL "fans". I've enjoyed it as a neutral.

Blames lies squarely with the NHL owners for their players not going.
 
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serp

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Jan 17, 2016
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I think Canada could have put a more talented team together if they had used junior players. 18 and 19 year olds.

Junior success doesn't neccessarily translates into success at the pros . The guys who play in the Europeans leagues have mostly been very successful junior players as well. Just could'nt take the next step or are at the tailend of their careers.
 
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stampedingviking

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Let's be real- this Canadian roster was a joke. I am surprised they made it this far. What pisses me off, is you will see some Russian posters call themselves the best in the world after they win Gold on Sunday. You will not be the best in the world. 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002, 1998 (the best on best tournaments) proved it. This tournament was another Spengler Cup.

The only way Russia can win, is when they are facing everyone's amateurs and marginal talent. Just like those supposed great Russian teams of the 70's. Funny thing is- the people of Russia are too gullible to believe that. They will celebrate like they are the best in the world. If Canada had won Gold, nobody here would be rioting and celebrating, because everyone knows this tournament (without NHL players) is another Spengler Cup. Sweden, Canada, USA, and Finland (with their best players) are ahead of Russia.
Salty tears :laugh:
 

stampedingviking

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Agreed. This Canadian team was a complete hodgepdge of basically ECHL quality players who play scattered all over Europe. They won the Spengler Cup and this was their FIRST regulation loss under Willie D. since his hiring. Needless to say this will mean nothing to his haters (hello Canuck fans!) but considering that we were somewhere around 6th or 7th in actual talent I feel this team has done the country proud. Congrats to Germany who deserved the win and this success; hope they can run the table.
What a load of bollocks!

ECHL level players my arse, most are ex-NHL, on paper Canada should have been second in talent behind the Russian non-Russians.

Stop making excuses for a poor tournament.
 
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Hanji

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Oct 14, 2009
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Agreed. This Canadian team was a complete hodgepdge of basically ECHL quality players who play scattered all over Europe. They won the Spengler Cup and this was their FIRST regulation loss under Willie D. since his hiring. Needless to say this will mean nothing to his haters (hello Canuck fans!) but considering that we were somewhere around 6th or 7th in actual talent I feel this team has done the country proud. Congrats to Germany who deserved the win and this success; hope they can run the table.

ECHL level?:facepalm:

This Canadian team was comprised of a lot of ex-NHLers who would be AHL all stars if they were still in North America.
 
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me2

Go ahead foot
Jun 28, 2002
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What a load of bollocks!

ECHL level players my arse, most are ex-NHL, on paper Canada should have been second in talent behind the Russian non-Russians.

Stop making excuses for a poor tournament.
Yeah, ahlers and NHL callup level. They should have beaten Germany pretty easily.
 

stampedingviking

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But it isn't close to being the worlds biggest hockey tournament at all. In fact you could easily say it was behind the Stanley Cup play-offs, World Cup, WHC and WJHC in terms of importance and relevancy.

That's great if your country (that isn't close to good enough to even partake in best on best tournaments anyways) didn't care, but the tournament is the only best on best tournament we have right now and is much more relevant than any other International hockey tournament out there.
Not for insular North Americans perhaps, but for the rest of the world, the Olympics is the pinnacle.

If you want to whine about it not being best-on-best, have a word with the NHL owners.
 

MarkStone

Frankie Fryer
Mar 12, 2016
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It'd be actually pretty cool for Germany to win. I don't feel bad about the loss since it is a non-NHLer tourney (and I suspect alot of Canadians feel the same way) and if there's an Olympic moment for a non-top 6 Country to win Gold this is obviously it. I'll be a German hockey fan for one day.
 
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stampedingviking

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so you'd rather see a bunch of bad/mediocre teams all have a chance? why not watch a highschool hockey tournament? I prefer watching the most talented athletes compete against one another on the biggest stage
I would have loved to have seen the NHL players take part but until Bettman/the owners start putting the sport before $$$ it probably won't happen.

Having teams of an almost equal level has ensured that most games have been competitive, unlike with the normally top heavy Canada/USA/Russia/Sweden/ Finland.

It's actually been refreshing to watch.
 

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