The Olympic Gold Medal Team

[Rabid Ranger]

I agree.

Gold-Canada
Silver-Czech Rep.
Bronze-Sweden
4th-Russia
5th-Finland
6th-USA
7th-Slovakia
8th-Germany

Tough to win without a goalie.
I'm a Canucks fan...so I know a lot about that...

Rick DiPietro is just as good as anything Sweden, Russia, Finland, or Slovakia has to offer.

 

[TheRedressor]

Canada's still the favorite. They are deeper, bigger and stronger than anyone at every position.

Being deep may not help them. The Czech's have the biggest advantage of team chemistry. 5 of these guys play together each game (Jagr, Rucinsky, Prucha, Straka, Malik.) Not to mention that Dom Hasek is one of the top goalies in the league right now. If Canada hands it to Broduer they will lose.

 

[TheRedressor]

Rick DiPietro is just as good as anything Sweden, Russia, Finland, or Slovakia has to offer.

Rick DiPietro does not compare to:

Sweden: Hernik Lundqvist

Russia: Nikolai Khabbibulin

Finland: Miika Kiprusoff

The US team is going to be terrible this year. Stupid picks. They should have gone with young legs.

 

[psycho_dad*]

Rick DiPietro is just as good as anything Sweden, Russia, Finland, or Slovakia has to offer.

Kipper, Khabibulin. Did you even bother to read the other rosters?

 

[Tuggy]

Being deep may not help them. The Czech's have the biggest advantage of team chemistry. 5 of these guys play together each game (Jagr, Rucinsky, Prucha, Straka, Malik.) Not to mention that Dom Hasek is one of the top goalies in the league right now. If Canada hands it to Broduer they will lose.

Unlike some people I'll take Broduer's career and international experience as an indicator instead of a 30 game small sample size.

Not to mention I am perfectly comfortable with Luongo and Turco. Or Canada's defense.

 

[Ciccarelli]

Finland

It's so obvious that Finland is going to win. I mean we got the best goalie(Kiprusoff), many solid defensemans (etc. Timonen, Pitkanen, Salo) , and our forwards are also some top guys (etc. Selanne, Koivu, O.Jokinen, Lehtinen)
PS. Swedes can stay home!!!!!

 

[flambers]

Rick DiPietro is just as good as anything Sweden, Russia, Finland, or Slovakia has to offer.

Rick is a good goalie but in my view he is not at the same level as Kipper with Finland.

 

[Bloody Sabbath]

I think Sweden could surprise, but the favourite is easily Canada...

 

[interminded]

Man, this going to be a fine Olympic hockey tournament !

I love all those country-rivalries ! (as long as it stays polite.)

 

[Maken*]

Canada in a romp.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Being deep may not help them. The Czech's have the biggest advantage of team chemistry. 5 of these guys play together each game (Jagr, Rucinsky, Prucha, Straka, Malik.) Not to mention that Dom Hasek is one of the top goalies in the league right now. If Canada hands it to Broduer they will lose.

Yeah, funny, we handed it to Brodeur in 2002, and we won. We handed it to Brodeur in 2004, and we won then, too.

What people seem to forget is that Brodeur did not play all that well in the NHL in 2001-02. In fact, it was one of the worst seasons of his career. There was specuation that he might have played his way off Team Canada. But he was brilliant at the Olympics, making the big saves when he had to. He is unbeaten for Canada in the last two best-on-best competitions.

 

[KH1]

Rick DiPietro does not compare to:

Sweden: Hernik Lundqvist

Russia: Nikolai Khabbibulin

Finland: Miika Kiprusoff

The US team is going to be terrible this year. Stupid picks. They should have gone with young legs.

You don't think that DiPietro even compares to 'Bulin or Lundqvist? Lundqvist has been great but he is a rookie part-time player who has a much better defensive team in front of him and is every bit as inconsistent as the more tested DiPietro. And Khabibulin has been downright awful this season.

Kipper easily wins that one but he's the only one. I am absolutely stunned by the amount of hate that DiPietro has garnered seemingly out of nowhere since the Olympic team was named.

 

[Tuggy]

You don't think that DiPietro even compares to 'Bulin or Lundqvist? Lundqvist has been great but he is a rookie part-time player who has a much better defensive team in front of him and is every bit as inconsistent as the more tested DiPietro. And Khabibulin has been downright awful this season.

Kipper easily wins that one but he's the only one. I am absolutely stunned by the amount of hate that DiPietro has garnered seemingly out of nowhere since the Olympic team was named.

It doesn't make much sense. DiPietro is a much better goalie then most people around here give him credit for.

 

[greatwhite101*]

Gold-Canada
Silver-Czech Republic
Bronze-Sweden
4th-Finland
5th-USA
6th-Russia
7th-Slovakia

wow... You must be a USA fan. USA will ice 2nd-3d line NHL players team with maybe 5 exceptions. Most of guys who usually play well are not doing good this season.
There are players who I like Modano, Gionta(stand out in NJ), Tkachuk plays well but(injured), Gurien(doesn't play well this season), Rolston (playing great for Wild).

am I missing something? Please explain. Almost any Russian player is exceptional playing one on one. Of course it is a team sport and anything can happen in hockey game. Well at least Russia is not last on your list Slovaks are...

I just want to add that I would not trade Malkin Ovechkin and Kovalchuk for USA's roster. I am sorry, not trying to insult anyone here.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

wow... You must be a USA fan. USA will ice 2nd-3d line NHL players team with maybe 5 exceptions. Most of guys who usually play well are not doing good this season.
There are players who I like Modano, Gionta(stand out in NJ), Tkachuk plays well but(injured), Gurien(doesn't play well this season), Rolston (playing great for Wild).

am I missing something? Please explain. Almost any Russian player is exceptional playing one on one. Of course it is a team sport and anything can happen in hockey game. Well at least Russia is not last on your list Slovaks are...

I just want to add that I would not trade Malkin Ovechkin and Kovalchuk for USA's roster. I am sorry, not trying to insult anyone here.

I'll debate the U.S. vs Russia roster when Russia's is officially released. Russia's going to be horrible defensively and bomb out like they usually do in these types of tournaments. Jason Blake has more grit and determination than virtually the entire Russian team.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Rick DiPietro does not compare to:

Sweden: Hernik Lundqvist

Russia: Nikolai Khabbibulin

Finland: Miika Kiprusoff

The US team is going to be terrible this year. Stupid picks. They should have gone with young legs.

Sure he does. Lundqvist is a rookie playing behind a great defense and Khabibulin has been HORRIBLE this year. Of course DiPietro compares favorably to them. I'll give you Kiprusoff, but he's not what I would consider light years ahead.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Kipper, Khabibulin. Did you even bother to read the other rosters?

Khabibulin? Did you even bother to check his stats or watch him play this year? He blows (and it pains me to say that since he's one of fantasy goalies).

 

[psycho_dad*]

Khabibulin? Did you even bother to check his stats or watch him play this year? He blows (and it pains me to say that since he's one of fantasy goalies).

I know he has been bad this year, but he still is proven. Rick is not.

And Kiprusoff is miles away, he could very well be the best goalie in the world right now. Dipietro is not.

 

[greatwhite101*]

I'll debate the U.S. vs Russia roster when Russia's is officially released. Russia's going to be horrible defensively and bomb out like they usually do in these types of tournaments. Jason Blake has more grit and determination than virtually the entire Russian team.

Russia bomb only since 1992. Lets not get into the history of hockey please. You will only have one argument there and maybe 3 sets of medals to brag about.

Ohh you mean USA defense is impressive?
Chris Chelios, Derian Hatcher, Jordan Leopold, John-Michael Lile, Aaron Miller -
Brian Rafalski, Mathieu Schneider
Well.... Miller, Chelios, Leopold and finally Hatcher who is playing for Philadelphia Flyers and playing exceptionally however, I am not sure they will be able to handle Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Datsyuk, Malkin, Kovalev, Frolov, Samsonov (if he makes it), speed and lateral movement as well as scoring at will.

You are right about only one thing. Lets discuss Russians roster when it’s officially released.
As far a Jason Blake I did mentioned that he is playing very well, always did like him. Gave my fair opinion of a guy who plays on USA team.. He better use his gritty finger to score 5 goals against the Russians.

 

[Schenn02]

Go Team Canada Go!

 

[Slitty]

I'll debate the U.S. vs Russia roster when Russia's is officially released. Russia's going to be horrible defensively and bomb out like they usually do in these types of tournaments. Jason Blake has more grit and determination than virtually the entire Russian team.

This is arguably Russia's best team in 10 years, and definetly the best team Russia has iced in 10 years in terms of defence + goaltending.

As for bombing the Olympics:
1998- Silver
2002 - Bronze

In each case we were 1 single goal away from the next medal up.

Yes we screwed up in 1994, but that was more than 10 years ago, and if you're gonna count that count the 1992 gold as well .


The most sensible ranking of teams is:
1. Canada
2. Czech Republic
3. Russia
4. Sweden
5. Finland
6. USA
7. Slovakia
8. Germany

With Russia being closer to the Czech republic and USA being closer to Finalnd to the point of where both can be put on #2 and #5 respectively are the smallest gaps.

If you are interested in the Russian roster, check out my post in the Team Russia thread in this forum... the roster is 95% set.

 

[greatwhite101*]

I know he has been bad this year, but he still is proven. Rick is not.

And Kiprusoff is miles away, he could very well be the best goalie in the world right now. Dipietro is not.

Olympic gold and Stanley cup for Bulin wall.

 

[greatwhite101*]

As for bombing the Olympics:
1998- Silver
2002 - Bronze

In each case we were 1 single goal away from the next medal up.

Yes we screwed up in 1994, but that was more than 10 years ago, and if you're gonna count that count the 1992 gold as well .


The most sensible ranking of teams is:
1. Canada
2. Czech Republic
3. Russia
4. Sweden
5. Finland
6. USA
7. Slovakia
8. Germany

That was my point exactly I just didn't want to get into the details.
TO me if it's not gold it's a failure. Thats why I said since 1992, 98 Hasek and Jagr were heart breakers

 

[Epsilon]

Rabid Ranger as usual brings the most hilariuous homerism to international hockey threads:

Russia's going to be horrible defensively and bomb out like they usually do in these types of tournaments.

Medals in the last two olympics (which is better than the USA has done) is "bombing out" apparently.

Jason Blake has more grit and determination than virtually the entire Russian team.

Another lazy stereotypical comment, and fairly irrelevant. Russia's forwards are way ahead of the USA's. Ovechkin has more talent AND grit than most of the USA roster.

Khabibulin? Did you even bother to check his stats or watch him play this year? He blows (and it pains me to say that since he's one of fantasy goalies).

Have you bothered to check Dipietro's? He's playing horribly and unlike Khabibulin doesn't have a Stanley Cup to fall back on.

Sure he does. Lundqvist is a rookie playing behind a great defense

The Rangers' defense is hardly "great". And while he may be a rookie, he's been playing professional hockey almost as long as Dipietro. It's not like Dipietro is some playoff-tested veteran.

and Khabibulin has been HORRIBLE this year.

As above, if Khabibulin has been HORRIBLE, then Dipietro has been HORRIBLE as well. Or maybe just Horrible.

I'll give you Kiprusoff, but he's not what I would consider light years ahead.

What exactly has Dipietro done to even be mentioned in the same breath as Kiprusoff? I suppose Hasek isn't light years ahead of Dipietro either.

There is no way the U.S. is the 7th team in this tournament.

So who exactly are they guaranteed to finish ahead of? They could very easily finish 7th, depending on who they draw in the medal round. They could also finish higher, of course.

 

[badtakemachine]

россия.

Russia has too many weapons that could and will play, and Khabibulin has the potential to steal games on any given night as well.