WJC: 2018 Russia Roster Talk

[Kshahdoo]

It was hard for Kravtsov to make the team, the RW position is the strongest this WJC.

 

[Atas2000]

Thought on what exactly they are doing with their D?

Also surprised Lipanov got cut. Thought theyd play the chemistry route w Svechnikov

They are taking the best D available. And Lipanov played himself out of a roster spot.

 

[Passionis]

Most surprised by Veryaev..he looked good in the first ex. Everyone else makes sense..lipanov is actually a good call by bragin

 

[forsbergfan21]

Bragin is the one coach who consistently makes the right calls, and I'm saying this as a Canadian. I don't think the Russians medal this year, but it'll be due to a weaker team than usual, not due to team's cuts. Smaller ice, Canada and US very strong and deep, Finland's got a really strong team, and the Swedes are strong as usual (which means a 4th place finish btw, as usual). Gonna be hard for the Russians to get past whomever finished 3rd in Group A in the quarters (assuming the Swedes win Group B as they always do). Last year the Russians had Kaprizov and Samsonov. They've got some good players this year, but the other teams just seem much stronger than them.

 

[Yakushev72]

Bragin is the one coach who consistently makes the right calls, and I'm saying this as a Canadian. I don't think the Russians medal this year, but it'll be due to a weaker team than usual, not due to team's cuts. Smaller ice, Canada and US very strong and deep, Finland's got a really strong team, and the Swedes are strong as usual (which means a 4th place finish btw, as usual). Gonna be hard for the Russians to get past whomever finished 3rd in Group A in the quarters (assuming the Swedes win Group B as they always do). Last year the Russians had Kaprizov and Samsonov. They've got some good players this year, but the other teams just seem much stronger than them.

Good analysis. Sometimes teams play better on the ice than on paper, but a weak defense, weaker goaltending than has been the standard in recent years, and no real leadership among forwards make Russia's chances of winning a medal more remote this year. Bragin isn't THAT good!

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Bragin is the one coach who consistently makes the right calls, and I'm saying this as a Canadian. I don't think the Russians medal this year, but it'll be due to a weaker team than usual, not due to team's cuts. Smaller ice, Canada and US very strong and deep, Finland's got a really strong team, and the Swedes are strong as usual (which means a 4th place finish btw, as usual). Gonna be hard for the Russians to get past whomever finished 3rd in Group A in the quarters (assuming the Swedes win Group B as they always do). Last year the Russians had Kaprizov and Samsonov. They've got some good players this year, but the other teams just seem much stronger than them.

The Russians have the unknown factor. The KHL guys could come out and rip up the tournament.

 

[c9gunner]

IMHO - good (not the best) offence, weak defense and mediocre goaltending. I agree with the 4th place prediction.

 

[kp61c]

the 4th place will be a huge success for them, the team is meh at best.

 

[forsbergfan21]

If by "the 4th place prediction", you're referring to my post, I never meant to say they'll finish 4th. I think they're gonna get knocked out in the quarters to either Finland or the US, which would put them at 5th.
My predictions:
1. Canada
2. US - exactly the opposite of last year, including the losing in the finals on home soil.
3. Finland
4. Sweden
5. Russia

The KHL factor helped them a lot last year, but that factor could also have been called the "Kaprizov" factor. They have no one as good as him this year (although to be fair, no other team does as well!). I think the KHL guys will be their top guys, but it won't be anywhere near enough.

 

[c9gunner]

Russia still has enough firepower to make it to the semis. All they need to do is to stay away from penalties. Don't see them advancing to the final though.

 

[TonyStrecher]

What does the Russian defense look like? Also does anyone know who will be quarterbacking the powerplay?

 

[Fantomas]

What does the Russian defense look like? Also does anyone know who will be quarterbacking the powerplay?

Makeyev maybe.

 

[lakai17]

The offense still looks decent.

Abramov and Svechnikov are hard to contain.

Berdin is decent too.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

If by "the 4th place prediction", you're referring to my post, I never meant to say they'll finish 4th. I think they're gonna get knocked out in the quarters to either Finland or the US, which would put them at 5th.
My predictions:
1. Canada
2. US - exactly the opposite of last year, including the losing in the finals on home soil.
3. Finland
4. Sweden
5. Russia

The KHL factor helped them a lot last year, but that factor could also have been called the "Kaprizov" factor. They have no one as good as him this year (although to be fair, no other team does as well!). I think the KHL guys will be their top guys, but it won't be anywhere near enough.

Well, thing is, Russia usually gets written off by most North American analysts etc. before the tournament, but ends up medalling. So I wouldn't be so quick with judgements. Once the tournament and the adrenaline kicks in, we will probably see a much stronger unit than in the exhibition games. I hope so and wish the Russian junior team much success in this tournament, and Gold would be great .

 

[Garyboy]

They’ll look rather blah in the preliminaries and then turn it up in the quarters. It’s just how they roll.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Need some new lines.

Polodyan-Maltsev-Altybarmakyan
Abramov-Rubtsov-Svechnikov
Kayumov-Ivanov-Kostin
Sokolov-Sholokhov-Manukyan

PP1: Polodyan, Maltsev, Altybarmakyan, Makeyev, Kayumov
PP2: Abramov, Rubtsov, Svechnikov, Zaitsev, Kostin

 

[malkinfan]

The Russians have the unknown factor. The KHL guys could come out and rip up the tournament.

That would be nice but there are almost no KHL regulars on the squad. Kravtsov would have been their most prominent KHLer next to Dronov (injured).

 

[malkinfan]

They’ll look rather blah in the preliminaries and then turn it up in the quarters. It’s just how they roll.

Yes true but this is not the year to book yourself a date with the devil in the quarters, tournament is way too deep this year.

 

[Yakushev72]

They’ll look rather blah in the preliminaries and then turn it up in the quarters. It’s just how they roll.

The best chance to survive the QF is to win the remaining preliminary round games, which would require beating Sweden on the 31st. Otherwise, they will draw either the USA or Canada in the QF, both of whom will play in front of 20,000 frenzied home fans who will brutally intimidate the officials. Only a slim chance for all of this to happen, from what we say against the Czechs.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

Team Russia is strange this year. Unfortunately, the game necessary to win the tournament wasn't there for much of the 1st match. The team isn't skating fast, everything is taking too long. The necessary chemistry between the players wasn't there either. I hope our boys will bounce back in the match against Switzerland and show higher quality playing.

 

[Fantomas]

Abramov-Rubtsov-Svechnikov

This is what I want.

 

[Passionis]

I think the team will eventually gel (as they always do) and hit their best stride, but certainly concerned it might not be good enough.

If you guys remember, drunk Bragin last year said this team is doomed because their best player is Rubtsov. haha

My opinion is this birth year is super weak for obvious demographic reasons, and most of these kids started their hockey life during tough early and mid 2000's when corruption was way more rampant than now, and the newer KHL backed infrastructure wasn't even on the map yet. By my calculations, it won't be until atleast 2024 that we will see a first really solid all-around team with a couple of talents that we all dream of.

 

[Garyboy]

My opinion is this birth year is super weak

The 98’s won the U 17’s and were favoured to win the U 18’s before the doping fiasco. Are they really considered “super weak”?

 

[Atas2000]

The 98’s won the U 17’s and were favoured to win the U 18’s before the doping fiasco. Are they really considered “super weak”?

Like it or not, many of them moved to play in NA since then. Now they are being called super weak.

 

[Statsy]

I think the team will eventually gel (as they always do) and hit their best stride, but certainly concerned it might not be good enough.

If you guys remember, drunk Bragin last year said this team is doomed because their best player is Rubtsov. haha

My opinion is this birth year is super weak for obvious demographic reasons, and most of these kids started their hockey life during tough early and mid 2000's when corruption was way more rampant than now, and the newer KHL backed infrastructure wasn't even on the map yet. By my calculations, it won't be until atleast 2024 that we will see a first really solid all-around team with a couple of talents that we all dream of.

I don't really think Russia is going through a six year stretch without putting out a good team or a handful of elite players. Infrastructure issues or not, talent is talent.