Biggest Dissaopintments and Surprises

[Ensane]

He's been doing this for years in the Playoffs.

Yeah, I know. It just seems like this has been worse than he's used to doing. I mean, to mean, it just epitomizes how the vets on the team just don't care.

 

[Jacques Plante]

Jay-Bo looked like a vet out there tonight against the Russian... I was skeptical with his placement on the team originally but he certainly impressed, hopefully he can keep it up.

Agreed. Isn't it great just watching him fly up-ice with the puck? Man, can he skate! It's a beautiful sight.

 

[Johnny]

Agreed. Isn't it great just watching him fly up-ice with the puck? Man, can he skate! It's a beautiful sight.

Yep, Florida has got themselves a special player by the looks of it.

 

[H/H]

I actually thought Bouwmeester looked a bit insecure in some situations. He wasn't bad, but if Redden is available in the QFs, I think Canada would be better off with him.

 

[Jacques Plante]

I actually thought Bouwmeester looked a bit insecure in some situations. He wasn't bad, but if Redden is available in the QFs, I think Canada would be better off with him.

That's a tough call for Quinn and company. Personal I would go with Boumeestrer. He just look so solid tonight. While Redden hasn't really impressed me as much. I don't have anything against Wade but unless he's 100% I take Boumeester.

 

[Johnny]

I actually thought Bouwmeester looked a bit insecure in some situations. He wasn't bad, but if Redden is available in the QFs, I think Canada would be better off with him.

Yeah, I do agree, I would prefer Redden in the lineup at this point as well, but Jay-Bo for a 20 year old I thought held his own just fine.

 

[MrMastodonFarm*]

Suprise.
Jukka Hentunen, the guy is playing very well.

 

[guinness]

Disappointments:
Team USA
Naslund
Forsberg

Surprises:
Esche
Homer
Modin
Jokinen

 

[lux_interior]

From Team USA

+Gomez
+Martin
+Blake
+Esche
+DiPietro

-Chelios
-Hull
-Wilson (for not starting Langenbrunner, Blake and Martin sooner)
-Amonte
-Roenick (obnoxious in the booth) "Oh Guerin does a great impersonation of Chris Farley...'IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!'" Great.

Guerin & Tkachuk get "evens." They've scored goals but taken dumb penalties that have cost the team.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Question, does Mickey Mouse Koivu look good out there? I haven't been able to catch up but I heard he has been extremely solid on the 4th line for Finland.

 

[Truckfighter]

Roenick (obnoxious in the booth) "Oh Guerin does a great impersonation of Chris Farley...'IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!!!!!!!!!'" Great.

Yea Roenick gets a little too worked up on a regular basis.

For Russia I think Afinogenov and Frolov have played better than expected. Afinogenov has been flying all over the ice. And Frolov for a guy not originally on the team has earned a lot of power play time and has used his strength with the puck to create a lot of chances.

 

[Canuck21t]

Surprices
- Jaromir Jagr (said that this is second hand tournament and he didnt really care much)

I don't get this. Saying that the World Cup is not as prestigious as the Olympics, that I agree, but it's surely a much better tournament than the World Championship, yet the Czechs and Jagr played their hearts out in that tournament. Sure they were the host but still, the World Championship is a 3rd rate tournament. I was sure happy that the Czechs got a big fat 0 and am hoping they'll get the same for the World Cup.

 

[Canuck21t]

I actually thought Bouwmeester looked a bit insecure in some situations. He wasn't bad, but if Redden is available in the QFs, I think Canada would be better off with him.

For a first time, he did great. I'm really happy that J-Bo is having his chance.

 

[Eds]

Question, does Mickey Mouse Koivu look good out there? I haven't been able to catch up but I heard he has been extremely solid on the 4th line for Finland.

I haven't been able to watch all the games, but I've liked what I've seen so far.

 

[Kovy274Hart]

I will just do pluses and minuses thus far.

Finland- team as a whole gets a plus.

Best players- Koivu, Selanne, Lehtinen, Kiprusoff, Lydman, Jokinen

Biggest surprises- Hentunen and Kapanen


Sweden

Best players- Modin, Sundin, Lidstrom, Alfredsson

Biggest surprise- That the Swedish coach insists on playing an overmatched Tellqvist in net even when he gives up softies. Why not make a change?

Disappointments- Naslund and Forsberg


Russia

Best players- Kovalev, Afinogenov, Kovalchuk, Datsyuk, Kasparaitis, Samsonov

Biggest surprises- Kovalenko, Zubrus and the two goalies Brzgalov <sp?> and Sokolov

Disappointments- Gonchar, Yashin and Ovechkin not playing thus far


Canada- team as a whole gets a plus.

Best players- Brodeur, Foote, St. Louis, Richards, Gagne, Regehr, Thornton, Sakic

Biggest surprises- Draper, Doan, Lemieux, Bouwmeester, Smyth

Only disappointments- That Marleau hasn't played and Iginla hasn't scored


USA

Best players- Gomez, Rafalski, Esche, DiPietro, Drury, Konowalchuk, Guerin

Biggest surprises- Blake, Smolinski, Martin, Klee, Halpern

Disappointments- Hull, Weight, Amonte, Chelios and some of the undisciplined penalties our players have taken


Slovakia

Best players- Gaborik, Lasak, Stumpel, Nagy, Demitra, Zednik

Biggest surprise- steady goaltending from Lasak

Disappointments- Hossa, Satan, Chara


Czech Republic

Best players- Vokoun, Zidlicky, Malik, Dvorak, Elias, Vyborny

Biggest surprises- Slegr, Vyborny, Prospal

Disappointments- Jagr, Hejduk, Sykora, Havlat, Kaberle


Germany

Best players- Kolzig, Sturm, Hecht, Goc, Erhoff

No surprises

Disappointment- just that a team that works so hard doesn't get rewarded that much.

 

[Adlergirl]

Big dissapointment: Team Germany

 

[Sven]

Big dissapointment: Team Germany

Adlergirl, as we support the same team in the DEL - assuming that Adlergirl means that you go for Mannheim - I'm a little bit confused about your expectations concerning Germany in this World Cup.

Of course I would have loved them to create any upset in the past three games, but it's still obvious, that all the other teams are ranked higher in any perspective.

We saw a decent first period against Finland, a very good second one and one good first in Prague. But hey, did you really think we could expect our team to keep the level against these line-ups? Still years and years of work to come for german hockey, disappointment doesn't help. For now the invitation to the Cup is the real and realistic effort.

And yet there's one game to play on Monday....give this young team in change of tactics and in search for experience the time it needs.

We are happy to see our six guys playing in NA in the team once again, has been a long time and it seems it'll be a very long time until we'll see them again. Didn't you realize, that just the Czechs have 126 NHL-Players?

I just don't understand this attitude......

If there will be any chance to come closer to the big ones, it needs hard work, perspectives or the young ones in the league, support from every side and patience.

Looking forward to Monday....

Sven

 

[psycho_dad*]

Sven got the right idea. It takes time...Germany has started to produce NHL level talent in recent years, it will pay off eventually. But right now they are in the tournament to learn and have a chance to see how far they are from the top. Germany has not been disappointing at all. They played really solid defense against Finland and scored a few on Sweden.

 

[Petey21]

Positive surprises:

Finland
The American goaltending

Negative surprises:

Team USA as a whole
Team Slovakia
Team Sweden
Kim Johnsson

Expected positives:

Team Canada
Martin Brodeur

Expected negatives:

Swedish goaltending
Hardy Nilsson

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

Selanne is very disappointing.

 

[psycho_dad*]

Selanne is very disappointing.

Please explain? I thought nobody expected anything from him since he was supposed to be old news by now. Selänne was named the player of the game yesterday from team finland. He fought hard, even dove to block a shot....and went to kick Tärnströms ass when he went too close to Kipper.

Selänne has been pretty good

 

[QcS]

Selanne played hard and well... but when you watch his play and his chances around the net and you remind yourself that he's a former 76 goal scorer, you wonder if he has a sniper twin somewhere out there that took his place for the first few years of his career. When it comes to putting in the chances, he seems to have lost it in the last few years.

 

[psycho_dad*]

He has started to play defense.

 

[QcS]

Here are my disappointments and surprises for the tournament.

Disappointments:

- that all games for Canada from now on are in Toronto. Why didn't other cities deserve this? especially considering how quiet the crowd in TO is sometimes.

- Team slovakia. It is important to realize that the lack of depth of the team shows when 3 guys like Handzus, Palffy and Bondra are out, but still....

- Lemieux.. no offense to him, but so far he's looked VERY average on a quick Canadian team. I'm sure it can change in the next few games though.

- Tkachuk and team USA. Actually, this was an "Expected" disappointment... when things don't go their way, they crash the net or start trying to hurt the opponent. Reminds me of Canada in 72 when things weren't going their way.


Surprises:

- Esche. I was a big Esche doubter, and even after what he did i still wonder if he can be a #1 in the league who can bring his team to the championship, but he has impressed like no other in this tournament.

- Finland and Vincent Lecavalier. Both were a bit expected, but it's nice to see both perform so well.

- Modin. Here's another one which always surprises me. Same thing with Tampa this year.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Yea Roenick gets a little too worked up on a regular basis.

For Russia I think Afinogenov and Frolov have played better than expected. Afinogenov has been flying all over the ice. And Frolov for a guy not originally on the team has earned a lot of power play time and has used his strength with the puck to create a lot of chances.

Afinogenov is truly an example of style over substance. I don't recall a player in recent memory who looks so good, yet accomplishes so little.