Yeah, I miss Sundin, too.
Yea the difference between now and then really is more our defense than tactics. There are loads of games where we took the lead and just tried to coast to the finish line. This time it worked thanks to defense, but the playeres were far from well utilized.
Team Sweden needs a brilliant goal scorer who can push the pace to really excell
Grönborg choosed to many grinders.
Team should have looked like this.
Sedin - Sedin - Eriksson
Forsberg - Bäckström - Johansson
Nyquist - Rask - Zibanejad
Hagelin - Söderberg - Silfverberg
And Klingberg for D.
And Markstrom instead of Lundqvist.
This is not tangible or anything, but I find that Swedish teams don't have a great mentality. They kind of play the same way regardless of what is happening. Not the killer instinct to put teams away, and not a lot of push back when trailing. Canada and Russia do a much better job in this regard. Just an observation.
Swedish players are never as good on the national team as in the NHL (these days). Not sure if it is the system or lack of passion for the national team.
Finns are the exact opposite.
Failing by what standards? I don't consider making the finals at the Olympics or losing in the semi finals during this tournament failing.
Looking at how Sweden was coached and the systems in use, it seemed as if they were trying to cover for a weak defense by demanding more from solid two-way forwards. Not exactly ideal when you have world class defense and a sub-par forward group.
With guys like Karlsson, Hedman and OEL, you want to give them as many opportunities as possible to assert themselves on the game while your forwards adapt and cover for them. Instead our guys were asked to play it safe and not take chances until they get back pressure, which is essentially just making the D-mans ability less of a factor by reliance on team play.
Canada does something similar, but it makes sense for them because their great defense can just give stability for their extremely strong forward group. Sweden needed our defense to be a difference maker, and coaching made it a non-factor instead.
This is not tangible or anything, but I find that Swedish teams don't have a great mentality. They kind of play the same way regardless of what is happening. Not the killer instinct to put teams away, and not a lot of push back when trailing. Canada and Russia do a much better job in this regard. Just an observation.
In that perspective I can agree, but I just think that it is a lack of individuals. With Sundin and P. Forsberg it was different.
On a side note, I do think that Sweden always (i.e. since I started watching the national team) has had a great mentality when it comes to acting as a team and ,most importantly not throwing the game when odds are stacking up during game (I think both Canada and esp. Russia are more prone to that).
Further Sweden is a smaller nation than Canada in real numbers and in percentage of active players/population. Sweden have enough to cover for an excellent team at all times, but just about that. When people for some reasons do not play it do matter. If Sweden lose Steen for example one can compare that with an even better Canadian not playing during this tournament and say that it is equal. But it is not, Sweden cannot cover that loss while Canada can (the situation is worse for many other countries of course). During many tournaments Sweden have had some key players which did not play. This tournament is actually one of the better in this aspect with Steen and a somewhat less missed Zetterberg missing.
World Cup 96, loss against Canada in semifinal.
Olympics 98, loss against Finland in qf.
Olympics 2002, loss against Belarus in qf.
World Cup 2004, loss against Czech in qf.
Olympics 2010, loss against Slovakia in qf.
Olympics 2014, loss against Canada in final.
World Cup 2016, loss against Team Eu in semifinal.
How is it possible to fail so often with so good teams?
My take on it, is that Sweden is playing to non-physical and with to little energy.
Yeah, I miss Sundin, too.