Top defenceman in international play?

[Joe MacMillan]

Berg was the one to blame for the second goal, Nummelin just did not have time to react there really. Of course someone really good could have prevented it

Berg gets most of the blame, but Nummelin should have taken the player that scored the goal.

 

[psycho_dad*]

Berg gets most of the blame, but Nummelin should have taken the player that scored the goal.

Of course he should have if he had seen the guy, but he had his back turned to that guy and was watching where the rebound might land. Berg was the one who passed the puck straight to the Czech's tape and created the scoring chance so mainly it was his fault.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Of course he should have if he had seen the guy, but he had his back turned to that guy and was watching where the rebound might land. Berg was the one who passed the puck straight to the Czech's tape and created the scoring chance so mainly it was his fault.

As I said Berg gets most of the blame for that goal, but Nummelin isn't complitely innocent here. It isn't an excuse that he did't "see" the guy or he had his back "turned" to the guy, he still should have taken the guy.

But the scoring chance was created by Berg making a stupid pass straight to a Czech player so he is indeed first to blame, but Nummelin could have prevented the goal by playing the situation properly.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Doesn't seem to get that hot, Czech have nobody to do the "dirty work". Jarkko Ruutu was once again getting under their skin, and they did nothing about it. In an interview between periods they asked Ruutu if he was expecting some sort of revenge, so he said that Czechs have had all the chances in the world to revenge but nothing ever happens, just trash talk.

True, the Czechs dont have a Ruutu type of player in their squad but the aggressivnes is there. And both teams played a tough, physical game that seem to suit Finland much better but I think the other republic stood up well and fought back.

 

[Savolainen]

Berg
Nummelin
Lehtonen
Kukkonen

 

[HalifaxHit]

Kaberle
Kronwall
Streit

 

[mikkoz]

Berg
Kaberle
Bezina

Kronwall has been like the rock in the 80´s - sucked ***.

 

[Nihilism]

Anybody from Canada

 

[Lostedt]

Anybody from Canada

Dan Hamhuis has played pretty solid..still no match for Nummelin and Kaberle.

 

[Peter25]

Ilya Nikulin and Denis Kulyash are two unheralded but solid performers for Russia. Kulyash has 3 goals and Nikulin 6 points already. And they are only 23 (Nikulin) and 22 (Kulyash).

 

[psycho_dad*]

Are there still people who think Nummelin is not one of the top defensemen in this tournament?

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

1: Niklas Kronwall
2: Petteri Nummelin
3: Kenny Jönsson
4: Aki Berg/Kaberle

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Cant say that Aki have impressed me much, thought he would be better. I have not seen enough of Kaberle to say if he have done well or not but I very much like his style of play.

 

[reaper]

Kenny Jönsson is dominating yet a tournament. He is so cool when he is playing and doesn't make rash decisions and he knows how to hold on to the puck. Watching him play against the USA was watching a man among boys, he just dominated the ice and even got a goal. The fact that he isn't even playing in Swedens top league is just absurd, this guy should be in NHL. Kronwall has been good also but still a bit rusty since his injury. This guy can really move though, wonderful skating.

 

[Canuck21t]

Is this question regarding only this year? If not, well IMHO, Jay Bouwmeester ranks way up there.

 

[edd1e]

what about Nummelin, i know he sucks in defence, but he has 10 points already in this tourny.

 

[Gozer]

Nummelin is one of the best offenceman in any tournament, as good as anyone else. Defencively he is one of the worst if not entirely hopeless. What that amounts to depends on what your team needs, for this Team Finland he is the key player offencively.

I've yet to see a single Sweden game, but based on previous tournaments I'd say Kronvall is the best dman in this tournament. The kid is right there along with Pitkänen and Phaneuf as the young dman I'd love to have on my team. And I'm a Finn.

Kenny Jönsson has without question been sweden best defensman in this tournament. Kronwall shows he got plenty of skills, but he is far from perfect in swedens zone. He has made some horrible turnovers and sometimes he looses his man in the defensive zone, though not so much in the last two games.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Kronwall have the best set of hockey tools of all the defenders in this tournament but his problem seem to be when to use them, He is still youngish and will get better in a couple of seasons I am sure. Jönsson, well, what the **** is he doing playing in Rögle? he should play every other night on one of the bigger stages in hockey. He is great.

 

[Panopticon]

Are there still people who think Nummelin is not one of the top defensemen in this tournament?

Probably. But his 10 points and third place in scoring is hard to deny.

EDIT: I also think that Kukkonen is very underrated here. He's, afterall, the only Finnish defender who hasn't made big mistakes so far. And he can play. Offensively as well as defensively.

 

[Sampe]

10 or more points by a defenseman in the World Championships since 1986:

1) Petteri Nummelin...........FIN....2001....1+12=13
2) Lubomir Visnovsky.........SLO...2003.....4+8=12
3) Petteri Nummelin...........FIN....2006.....3+7=10
4) Dave Manson...............CAN...1993.....3+7=10

 

[Aki Berg]

Cant say that Aki have impressed me much, thought he would be better. I have not seen enough of Kaberle to say if he have done well or not but I very much like his style of play.

 

[Chimpradamus]

If I had to pick any defenseman to rely on in this tournament, it would be Kenny Jönsson. Incredible poise in his own end and still a threat on the offense.

A defensive defenseman who can dish the puck on PP. What more can you ask for?

I don't care how many points Nummelin will produce this tournament if he still makes a mess in his own end, which is the most important aspect for a defenseman to be good at. Scoring is what you have forwards for.

It has been the same problem for Kronwall this tournament. Great skill in the offensive zone, great skating but has messed up too often in his own end.