WC SF: May 14 GDT - Sweden vs. Czech Republic

[Riddarn]

Agreed, it would be nice. BUT, I think it's a little to often for the best to meet every year. It has to have some status, and then a tourney every other year is perfect IMO. As it is now, with NHLers in World Cup and the Olympics (although the time for the tournaments maybe aint the best).

Yeah. A IIHF world championships every other year, the Olympics and World Cup as shorter tournaments every 4th year and why not throw in a european championship in the "in-between" years, or a championship for non-NHL talent only. An u-23 tournament perhaps? (I'd love an u-23 tournament!!)

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

I'd guess Lubomir Vishnovsky will be on the all-star team as well. That would mean no defensemen from either of the finalists, but I don't think there's really anyone worthy there. Unless they decide to go with Jovonovski.

Have to agree on that as well... Visnovsky have been really good. Best defenseman on the ice in the quater. He did everything right... and it's impressive considering his small frame.

Hey, two small defensemen on the All Star team?

My first team:

Tomas Vokoun

Lubomir Visnovsky
Niklas Kronwall

Rick Nash
Joe Thornton
Jaromir Jagr

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

Yeah. A IIHF world championships every other year, the Olympics and World Cup as shorter tournaments every 4th year and why not throw in a european championship in the "in-between" years, or a championship for non-NHL talent only. An u-23 tournament perhaps? (I'd love an u-23 tournament!!)

Great idea. A u-23 or u-25 tournament with non-NHL players. With the 8 big countries. I'm already thinking of the swedish roster.

 

[BigE]

Brodeur

Phillips
Rhodin

Nash
Thornton
Sedin

 

[Vikke]

You sure about Jagr there, eh?

 

[Riddarn]

Great idea. A u-23 or u-25 tournament with non-NHL players. With the 8 big countries. I'm already thinking of the swedish roster.

Lets add 4 teams and make it 12 teams. I want Sweden to be able to beat at least a few teams..

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

You sure about Jagr there, eh?

He may not have scored as many points as some other great players, but he has been a threat every time he is on the ice. I couldn't move due to fear when he had the puck today. And he's on a team that reached the final, yes, I'm sure he is on my team.

 

[Winner]

Ufff, I just woke up from coma. I must stop watching hockey, it's too dangerous.

Congratulations to Sweden, we've won by a lucky goal, but they were clearly playing better in OT.

 

[czechhockeyfan]

ouch, Czech goal...

Terrific game, sad to Sweden lose after such a good ot period.. grr
oh well.

Congrats Czech fans!

Thanks Johan,

I feel really badly for Swedish team, they have played excellent game today.
I think Czech and Sweden are the best teams at the tourney.
Czech team isn´t very good in OT because we can´t play four against four very well. Five against five suits Czech style of the play much better.

 

[Playmaker]

On another note - I've been hesitant at times regarding Lundqvist. I love him as a goalie, but I was worrying that he might be overrated by swedish press, and that he might not be the real deal and a future superstar in the NHL someday.

I think this game shows what an amazing goaltender he really is. I don't doubt for a second that this kid will become a superstar in the NHL in the future. Some of his saves were just amazing.

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

Lets add 4 teams and make it 12 teams. I want Sweden to be able to beat at least a few teams..

Hm... I made a u25 team ('cause it's easy to see those players through, EP (great, Pred )):

Henrik Lundqvist
Stefan Liv
Mikael Zajkowski

Jonas Frögren - Lars Jonsson
Staffan Kronwall - Johnny Oduya
Daniel Fernholm - Adam Andersson

Jimmie Ölvestad - Tony Mårtensson - Jonas Nordquist
Dragan Umicevic - Yared Hagos - Alexander Steen
Jari Tolsa - Joel Lundqvist - Magnus Kahnberg
Andreas Jämtin - Calle Steen - Tim Eriksson

Spares: Tobias Enström, Johan Svedberg,
Loui Eriksson, Kenneth Bergquist, Björn Melin

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

Our defense would look like this in the U-25:

Vydareny-Meszaros
Stehlik-Slovak
Mezei-?

I am surely missing someone, this is off the top of my head.

 

[Riddarn]

Hm... I made a u25 team ('cause it's easy to see those players through, EP (great, Pred )):

Nice team, but isn't it really more interesting with an u-23 tournament? It tells more about the talent level. Besides, I think it's very odd that you have national teams from age 16 and up to 20 but then nothing. It usually takes 5-7 years from junior to be good enough for the national team, with a few exceptions of course. A u-23 program should be a natural follow-up procedure for the junior program.

Edit: Just to add, ages 19-22 is where Swedish hockey faulters the most, imo. Most of these players don't fit in the SEL right away, they get little ice time on the worst teams in Allsvenskan and Division 1 or J20 is no challenge for them.

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

Nice team, but isn't it really more interesting with an u-23 tournament? It tells more about the talent level. Besides, I think it's very odd that you have national teams from age 16 and up to 20 but then nothing. It usually takes 5-7 years from junior to be good enough for the national team, with a few exceptions of course. A u-23 program should be a natural follow-up procedure for the junior program.

I agree, but I was to lazy to see what players that where under 23 and that wasn't.

 

[Riddarn]

I agree, but I was to lazy to see what players that where under 23 and that wasn't.

Hehe. I did a team off the top of my head. A team of players born 82 and later:

Fredrik Sjöström - Joel Lundqvist - Jens Karlsson
Loui Eriksson - Jonas Nordqvist - Dragan Umicevic
Anderas Jämtin - Alexander Steen - Joakim Lindström
Daniel Widing - Yared Hagos - Sebastian Meijer
Robert Nilsson

Staffan Kronwall - Daniel Fernholm
Adam Andersson - Simon Skoog
Tobias Enström - Lars Jonsson
Johan Fransson

Henrik Lundqvist
Christoffer Heino

 

[Vikke]

That's an awesome team. I'd really enjoy seeing them hitting everything that moves.

 

[Riddarn]

That's an awesome team. I'd really enjoy seeing them hitting everything that moves.

I imagine the Sjöström - Lundqvist - Karlsson line could be pretty funny to watch.

 

[Kronblom]

There will be at least two swedes in the final: Thomas Andersson & Joacim Karlsson.

http://www.ihwc.net/english/article/news/index.ihwc?&artId=2183

 

[Vikke]

There will be at least two swedes in the final: Thomas Andersson & Joacim Karlsson.

http://www.ihwc.net/english/article/news/index.ihwc?&artId=2183

As long as there's no Zindler, I'm satisfied with pretty much anything.

 

[An Ape called Yoko]

Why are you making u25 teams without Kronwall, Bäckman, Sedins, Zetterberg, Weinhandl etc?

I fail to see the point.

 

[Riddarn]

Why are you making u25 teams without Kronwall, Bäckman, Sedins, Zetterberg, Weinhandl etc?

I fail to see the point.

Looks a bit like he first tried to make a u-23 team and then changed his mind and filled out the rest of the roster spots with u-25 SEL players..

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

Looks a bit like he first tried to make a u-23 team and then changed his mind and filled out the rest of the roster spots with u-25 SEL players..

Nah, I excluded all players with a NHL-contract. That's as simple as it is.

Otherwise those players should be included:

Niklas Kronwall
Christian Bäckman
Douglas Murray
Fredrik Sjöström
Daniel Sedin
Henrik Sedin
Henrik Zetterberg
Christian Berglund
Rickard Wallin
Mattias Weinhandl


Lundqvist, Liv

Kronwall-Bäckman
Oduya-Kronwall
Murray-Frögren

Weinhandl-Hagos-Zetterberg
Sedin-Sedin-Sjöström
Wallin-Steen-Berglund
Kahnberg-Lundqvist-Kahnberg

Fernholm, L Jonsson, Umicevic, MÃ¥rtensson, Nordquist

But as you said, it would be more interesting with a u23-team.

 

[SChan*]

congrats to the czechs and a fantastic tournament for the swedes.

 

[Ola]

It's been amazing how every game in this final round have been exciting as hell. All of them were one goal games, and the sheer drama they have created will certainly be memorable in years to come.

It's a shame that the NHL has tarnished the name of hockey, when the great action from this year's tournament has continued to show us why hockey is the greatest sport in the world.

I agree with you 100%. Media in Sweden for example are always complaining a bit on that the WCH is played every year, soccer for example play their WC once every fourth year. Soccer fans just about goes crazy when the WC is beeing played, and long before the tournament starts its all people talkabout.. Sure in the WCH of hockey all the best players aren't in it, and its played every year ect.

But the way I see it the WCH is a fantastic tournament, due to the level of hockey that is beeing played. I love seeing all the best countrys play. For a hockey fan its a real threat.

 

[Rogalo]

Well, the Czechs "just" misses Hamrlik, Elias and Hejduk I think.

And Havlat. He is not injured but played like sh.t all season so was left out of the squad. But so far things are good so I dont care