Olympics: Sochi 2014 Roster Predictions
- Thread starter AlexanderTheGood
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Russia is weak for what?? what we measuring here? co... size?? Ovechkin,Malkin,Datsyuk, Kovalchuk and Radulov as team leaders and Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Yakupov and Grigorenko as new comers in upfront. Kulikov, Markov, Voinov( isnt much worse than Doughty but maybe even...), Volchenkov,Tyutin, Nikitin in defense and Bryzgalov,Varlamov and Bobrovsky in the net! BTW i think Semin will not even make the team.
JackSlater
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- Apr 27, 2010
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Very good top end forwards, although Datsyuk will be 35 by 2014, but depth is basically average compared to other elite teams. Up and comers are nice but are not proven yet at the highest level. Defence is behind where Canada, USA and Sweden will likely be and goaltending is mediocre. Still a team that could easily win the tournament though, and that's why they actually play the games.
Canada:
Stamkos Crosby Giroux
Skinner Getzlaf Perry
M. Richards Toews J. Staal
Hall Duchene Seguin
Tavares
Weber Keith
Doughty Letang
Pietrangelo M. Staal
Seabrook
Price
Fleury
Ward
Forwards look very promising. In addition to the 2010 forwards Canada can add some from Tavares, Duchene, Hall, Seguin, Skinner, Giroux, Kane, RNH. Lots of strong skaters available. I would be shocked if Canada actually went this young.
Defence doesn't look exceptional right now however, which is different compared to most tournaments. If Doughty and Keith can get back to their former level by 2014, which I expect, then it should be very good. Outside of the top 4 there are a lot of changes that can happen. I would really like to see a better skater in the seventh spot, but I cannot think of one at the moment.
Goaltending is not especially strong, but as long as someone plays decently it should be fine. Any of the listed goaltenders could be top five in 2014.
Looks like you all talking about depth having on mind NHL? Wrong approach. Just for example: Tarasenko and Kuznetsov are definitely better players than Burmistrov (he have 14 points in 26 games so far) so the fact that they are not playing currently in NHL dosnt mean much. Bryzgalov,Varlamov and Bobrovsky or even Khabibullin can fit it as good as any other top nation even if they have deeper depth on it they all have only 2 spots on the roster for the game.
Team Russia as it looks right now for me
Forwards:
Malkin 27 ( age at 2014)
Ovechkin 28
Kovalchuk 30
Datsyuk 35
Radulov 28
Kulemin 28
Tarasenko 22
Anisimov 24
Kuznetsov 21
Yakupov 20
Grigorenko 19
Burmistrov 22
Shipachev 26
Defense:
Kulikov 24
Markov 35
Volchenkov 31
Voinov 24
Tyutin 30
Nikitin 27
Chudinov 24
Emelin 28
Goalie:
Bryzgalov 33
Varlamov 25
Bobrovsky 24
Forwards:
Malkin 27 ( age at 2014)
Ovechkin 28
Kovalchuk 30
Datsyuk 35
Radulov 28
Kulemin 28
Tarasenko 22
Anisimov 24
Kuznetsov 21
Yakupov 20
Grigorenko 19
Burmistrov 22
Shipachev 26
Defense:
Kulikov 24
Markov 35
Volchenkov 31
Voinov 24
Tyutin 30
Nikitin 27
Chudinov 24
Emelin 28
Goalie:
Bryzgalov 33
Varlamov 25
Bobrovsky 24
Acallabeth
Post approved by Ovechkin
Are you impressed with THIS?
Our forwards will be very good, our goalkeepers are questionable, our defence looks simply atrocious. Markov is a huge question mark, Kulikov, Voinov, and Orlov will still be too young and inexperienced, Volch is 1-dimensional (though good) and I would simply question the level of Emelin, Tyutin, Nikitin, Emelin, Nikulin, Chudinov etc. as Olympians.Semin is a very good performer for Team Russia, he will be on the roster if nothing goes wrong.
I want Megafon nowhere near our national team. He's just not that good.
Maybe a supermassive F.Fedorov-Svitov-Artyukhin checking line?
Are you impressed with THIS?
Kulikov, Voinov and Orlov will be 23/24 at 2014. How old they should be to be experienced players? 34? However having on mind big rinks i would take Chudinov ahead of Kulikov 7 days a week though Kulikov is first line defender in Florida.
Semin has a history of performing MUCH better for the national team then for the Caps.
He seems to be more focused.
Unfortunately, it's the opposite with Ovechkin.
He seems to be more focused.
Unfortunately, it's the opposite with Ovechkin.
I think its impossible to predict, the only "guarantee" (assuming he is healthy) is Crosby. This is what I HOPE it looks like though:
Stamkos - Crosby - Giroux
Duchene - Toews - Nash
Hall - Nugent Hopkins - Eberle
Seguin - Getzlaf - Perry
alternates - E. Staal, J. Staal, J Benn
Defense
Doughty - Weber
Keith - Letang
R Murray - Phaneuf
Alternates - M. Dumba, A Pietrangelo
Goal
C Ward/M.A. Fleury/C Price (won't argue who starts, its a toss up)
Stamkos - Crosby - Giroux
Duchene - Toews - Nash
Hall - Nugent Hopkins - Eberle
Seguin - Getzlaf - Perry
alternates - E. Staal, J. Staal, J Benn
Defense
Doughty - Weber
Keith - Letang
R Murray - Phaneuf
Alternates - M. Dumba, A Pietrangelo
Goal
C Ward/M.A. Fleury/C Price (won't argue who starts, its a toss up)
There aren't many "locks" to make the team at the moment, for me it's Crosby, Toews, Doughty, and Weber.
I'm surprised nobody is including Iginla... He'll be 36 when Sochi comes around, and given his history with Team Canada, he will be offered a spot.
JackSlater
Registered User
- Apr 27, 2010
- 18,342
- 13,109
I'm not talking about NHL entirely, but you are definitely making valid points. My main point is that they have not proven themselves to be great players yet against the highest level. This is definitely true for Burmistrov, but it's possible that I just do not know enough about Kuznetsov and Tarasenko. This is not completely an NHL/KHL issue either, as I believe a player can prove that they are great in the KHL, with Radulov as an example.
As you are saying, it only takes one goaltender to play in the Olympics. If any of Russia's best are on their game they will be fine. It's just a similar situation to Canada where there is not one goaltender who has proven himself consistently great over the last few years, and instead there is a bit of projection that guys like Bobrovsky can develop into that kind of player in two years.
the only better forwards are, kovy, ovie, malkin, and datsyuk. at this point it is extremely likely that he makes it
Bure
Registered User
nanzenkills
Registered User
Replace Nikitin with Orlov, or maybe Nikulin if he still has it by 2014, and its looking OK.
Markov - Emelin
Kulikov - Volchenkov
Orlov - Tyutin
Chudinov - Voinov
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