WJC 2004 Medal Predictions

[fredez]

GOLD MEDAL : Canada
SILVER MEDAL : Slovakia
BRONZE MEDAL : USA
4-Finland
5-Russia

Surprise team : Slovakia
Reveals itself as an offensive powerhouse and very solid goaltending by Halak.

Disappointing team : Russia
Khudobin fails to deliver by letting many suspicious goals go in.

Surprise player : Marek Zagrapan
Leads Slovakia in every offensive department.

Disappointing player : Anton Khudobin

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[Captain Conservative]

GOLD MEDAL : Canada
SILVER MEDAL : Slovakia
BRONZE MEDAL : USA
4-Finland
5-Russia

Surprise team : Slovakia
Reveals itself as an offensive powerhouse and very solid goaltending by Halak.

Disappointing team : Russia
Khudobin fails to deliver by letting many suspicious goals go in.

Surprise player : Marek Zagrapan
Leads Slovakia in every offensive department.

Disappointing player : Anton Khudobin

Slovakia? Wow...Bold Prediction.

Heres mine

Gold: Canada
Silver: USA
Bronze: Sweden


Surprise player: Johan Fransson, puts on a dominating performance and is named best defenseman of the tournament.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Gold: Canada
Silver: America
Bronze: Finland

 

[ZombieMatt]

Gold: Canada
Silver: Russia
Bronze: USA

 

[Amadeus]

Gold- Canada
Silver- Sweden
Bronze- Slovakia

 

[Lessy]

GOLD - CANADA

SILVER - USA

BRONZE - RUSSIA



Surprise Player - Shawn Belle... if you consider it a surprise, I thought he was Canada's second best defensemen last year behind Phaneuf and is very underrated and forgotten behind Canada's elite defensive corps. Fransson and Voloshenko are also valid picks.

 

[canucksfan]

Gold Canada
Silver USA
Bronze Finland

 

[sharkyz15]

I am gonna go a little differently

1. Russia (ovechkin will absolutly dominate this thing, abs unstopable)
2. Canada
3. USA

 

[Sting]

I am gonna go a little differently

1. Russia (ovechkin will absolutly dominate this thing, abs unstopable)
2. Canada
3. USA

While it's great to see different opinions..do you think Ovechkin is going to dominate the Canadian defense? You can be sure Phaneuf will be matched up with him. While Ovechkin is known to dish out hits...I don't think he's going to get very far against Phaneuf.

Not to mention Crosby is a year older now, so he's going to 'dominate' as well.

 

[Vinland]

1. Canada
2. Finland
3. USA
4. Russia

Rask pulls upset to get the finns into the final but Canada has too much.

 

[BuppY]

1.Canada
2. Russia
3. U.S

 

[Jacob]

Gold - Russia
Silver - Canada
Bronze - USA

 

[God Bless Canada]

1. Canada
2. U.S.
3. Finland

Canada and the U.S. are clearly the class of the tournament. They're both well coached with deep, talented forward units. The U.S. has the edge in goal, while Canada will ice one of its best defence corps...ever. In the end, Canada's offensive talent, defensive strength and excellent coaching (best coach since Don Hay in 1995) will get the job done.

Finland will finish third because they have the fewest weaknesses. They don't have Lehtonen or Toivonen to bail them out, but they should still have a solid team. Czech Republic is too volitaile to give serious consideration to. They may challenge for bronze, they may finish eighth. Neither result would suprise me. The Russians just don't have the depth to compete with Canada or the U.S. Two players don't win a team a medal, unless one of those is a goalie, and Russia doesn't have the goaltending. Sweden shouldn't be threatened with the possibility of relegation this year, but they're still a long way from contending for a medal.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

Gold-Canada
Silver-Finland
Bronze-USA

 

[willie]

While it's great to see different opinions..do you think Ovechkin is going to dominate the Canadian defense? You can be sure Phaneuf will be matched up with him.

I have a feeling we are going to see both Phaneuf and Weber out there against Ovechkin. And, that is going to be a very,very,very tough defense pairing to produce on. At this level, it's like watching Mario Lemieux have to get through Scott Stevens & Adam Foote. As much as I like Lemieux/Ovechkin, that is a very tough assignment.

Not to mention Crosby is a year older now, so he's going to 'dominate' as well.

I also have a suspicion that if Crosby and Bergeron are paired together, their line is going to be even more impressive than the Richards line from last year/this year.

That said, Canada is obviously fallible. The 'tending is still a question mark of sorts and there is too much talent on the other teams. Canada is going to face some stiff competition along the way and may very well lose. In a one game showdown...

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Goaltending will make the difference in this tournament:

1) USA
2) Canada
3) Slovakia

Montoya will be the dominant figure of the tournament, but Halak will be the surprise player to shine. Canada's best player will be Sidney Crosby but they will ultimately be hurt by no clear-cut No. 1 netminder.

 

[ZombieMatt]

Goaltending will make the difference in this tournament:

1) USA
2) Canada
3) Slovakia

Montoya will be the dominant figure of the tournament, but Halak will be the surprise player to shine. Canada's best player will be Sidney Crosby but they will ultimately be hurt by no clear-cut No. 1 netminder.

Bold choice. We'll see, I've been waiting to see big things from Halak but have been disappointed each time I've seen him. Hopefully he'll elevate himself in this tournament.

 

[sharkyz15]

"1. Canada"

The ghosts of:
Steve Bernier
Marc Antione Pouliet
Alexandre Picard
& the rest of the Q
will not allow it

 

[Douggy]

1. Canada
2. Czech
3. USA
4. Russia

Surprising Team: Belarus
Disapointing Team: Sweden

 

[Riggins]

"1. Canada"

The ghosts of:
Steve Bernier
Marc Antione Pouliet
Alexandre Picard
& the rest of the Q
will not allow it

Last time I checked they weren't dead.

 

[Papa Smurf]

1. Canada
2. USA
3. Russia
4. Sweden
5. Slovakia
6. Czech Republic
7. Finland
...

 

[Epsilon]

I'm going with a bit of a dark horse here. I think with their progessive improvements, it's time for Finland to take a big internatonal tournament. I had them pegged to win the World Cup and they came up just short, so I don't feel any reservations about picking them here. Russia and Canada are basically a tie in 2nd for me; whichever doesn't play Finland makes the finals. I don't think the USA is going to break the host country losing streak.

1. Finland
2. Canada/Russia
4. Czech Republic
5. USA
6. Slovakia
7. Sweden

 

[Hiishawk]

1. Canada
2.U.S.
3. Slovvakia (who will tie or beat Canada in the opener- which serves as a wake-up call to an apparently overconfident Canada).
Russia falls into disarray and finishes in the middle of the pack.

 

[DaveG]

1) USA (Montoya delivers again)
2) Canada
3) Slovakia (suprise team)
4) Czech Republic
5) Sweden
6) Russia (suspect goaltending sinks an otherwise outstanding team)
7) Finland

 

[Pepper]

1) Canada
2) Russia
3) USA/Sweden/Finland (very small differences IMHO)