World Championships Prediction

[SchwenningerWildWing]

Another issue.

Who's number 8 this year?

Still Switzerland?

Hockey is the number one game that's sure, but just 7 nations is a bit boring.

Esp since the expansion to 7 was by one of the 6 dividing itself (in a very civilized way, kudos to both).

But when will the semifinals get really exiting?
When will Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Latvia and other get the edge?

Switzerland still is the best of the rest. Germany has a long way to go. Hockey is outside of the cities with a hockey team almost an unknown sport.
Another thing is that German players only have a limited role on their teams. Usually in key situations the non-germans are on the ice. And the few german players playing in key situations (Sascha Goc, Mirko Luedemann) are all not there for different reasons (and I'm not talking the germans in the NHL)

 

[Chief Jokinen]

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

 

[pouskin74*]

Final: USA-Finland
Bronze: Slovakia-Russia
Relegation: Sweden

Canada somewhere in between.

 

[pouskin74*]

1-russia 2-canada 3-finnland 4-slovakkia.

 

[Garl]

1.Czech.Rep
2.Sweden
3.Russia or Finland

 

[e-e]

1.canada
2.usa
3.suomi
4.slovakia

 

[Snoil11]

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

Russia is the big question mark in that list. No team brings so much talent on the ice, but one more time the goalie situation may be their achilles heel.

 

[Caz]

1. FIN
2. RUS
3. CAN
4. SWE

 

[Rob]

Have any of you actaully looked at Canada's roster? There is no way they are making it to the medal round.

I strongly suggest lowering your expectations.

 

[Pica]

Gold: RUS-CAN
bronze: SWE-SVK

No medals for Suomi this time.

 

[Corto]

Have any of you actaully looked at Canada's roster? There is no way they are making it to the medal round.

I strongly suggest lowering your expectations.

It's not like the other countries are sending their best players.

 

[ES]

My prediction:
Gr A
SWE 9 (6 points to qualifying round)
SUI 6 (3)
LAT 3 (0)
ITA 0

Gr B
CZE 9 (6)
USA 5 (3)
AUT 2 (0)
BLR 2

Gr C
CAN 9 (6)
SVK 6 (3)
GER 3 (0)
NOR 0

Gr D
RUS 8 (5)
FIN 7 (4)
DEN 2 (0)
UKR 1

Relegation
BLR 9
UKR 5
NOR 3
ITA 1

Gr E
RUS 14
SWE 11
FIN 11
SUI 6
LAT 2
DEN 1

Gr F
CZE 13
CAN 12
USA 11
SVK 6
AUT 3
GER 0

Quarters
RUS vs SVK 5-2
SWE vs USA 3-2 OT
CZE vs SUI 4-0
CAN vs FIN 2-1

Semis
CZE vs SWE 2-1 SO
RUS vs CAN 1-3

Bronze
RUS vs SWE 4-1

Final
CAN vs CZE 3-2 OT

 

[Hennessy]

I'm not too thrilled with Sweden's roster, but they could end up as the best team of the big 7. That could go a long ways.

Recent history won't let me pick Russia for anything higher than bronze. No matter how good they look they always manage to fall apart.

Finland is always a sleeper in these tournaments. Any one of the 7 can finish anywhere for 1st to 7th, but with Finland it seems they like to make people guess.

Czech Republic looks good, as usual. On paper I'd say they're my favorites.

Slovakia always looks awesome but then plays like the expansion club into the elite teams that they basically are. They can score on anyone, but can they get good goaltending?

There's something about USA this year that makes me less skeptical of their chances than I usually am. They could get a medal and I wouldn't be shocked.

Canada is Canada. Who knows what they'll do? They look strong, but that hasn't stopped them before from tanking.Still, it is hard not predict a medal for that squad.

So...head says:

1. Canada
2. Czech Republic
3. Russia

Heart says:

1. Sweden
2. USA
3. Whatever cinderella team rises from the non-7 teams

 

[psycho_dad*]

From what it looks like right now, I'd say the winner will be one of Finland, Canada and Russia. Slovakia has great offensive talent for two lines and one defensive pairing, but after that the whole thing falls a bit flat. It's a team game after all. At least they should have better goaltending than in a while.

I'd rank Sweden over Slovakia too, because they have a solid roster and it probably turns into a team more than slovaks. Czechs will also be good, and I would still rank them ahead of Slovakia.

Final: Russia-Finland (Russia will win)
bronze game: Canada-Sweden (Sweden wins)

Interesting to go back and check your own predictions. I obviously trusted Czech too much, and maybe underestimated USA. I did pick the 3 best teams in Canada, Finland and Russia...but the final and bronze game went a bit wrong

 

[Canuck21t]

I see that Slovakia was quite overrated in here.

 

[Hedberg]

Have any of you actaully looked at Canada's roster? There is no way they are making it to the medal round.

I strongly suggest lowering your expectations.

This looks funny now

 

[McOylerz]

^^ I was thinking the same thing. LOL.

 

[jukka ruskeeahde]

Hello you all!

I'm already going for 2008 Halifax and Quebec City:

The final: Canada-USA

The bronze-game: some of the following teams; Finland, Russia, Sweden, Czech or Slovakia.

Why? The North-Americans have always known, how to make it at home! (Well, not in Calgary 1988... )

All the best
Jukka

 

[TeamPlayer]

How could Slovakia be overrated? Did you see their arsenal of snipers? Underachievers yes, overrated no!

 

[hdw]

Interesting to go back and check your own predictions. I obviously trusted Czech too much, and maybe underestimated USA. I did pick the 3 best teams in Canada, Finland and Russia...but the final and bronze game went a bit wrong

You did in fact pick the top four correctly.
But in messed up order