WJC: Bragin Vindicated!!!

[Zine]

Despite what North American media/fans said about the lack of Russian CHLers, Russia's performance proved why Bragin's roster selection was the right choice --- experience and maturity.

Russia would've been led offensively by Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Kitsyn, regardless of what CHLers were there. However, under no circumstance would Russia have won with 2011 eligible Namestnikov, Yakupov, Khokhlachev, etc. in support scoring roles. In addition to talent, Russia won because of the maturity and experience of 1991 born KHL/MHL players. That maturity and experience was painfully evident come crunch time even among the unsung players like Golubev, Dvurechensky, Kalinin, Panarin, etc.

But its all politics right?
Well done Bragin.

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[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

Haha well written. I actually wrote the same somewhere in the threads

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Well there was one CHL player of theirs who loomed large in the result

 

[MXD]

Despite what North American media/fans said about the lack of Russian CHLers, Russia's performance proved why Bragin's roster selection was the right choice --- experience and maturity.

Russia would've been led offensively by Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Kitsyn, regardless of what CHLers were there. However, under no circumstance would Russia have won with 2011 eligible Namestnikov, Yakupov, Khokhlachev, etc. in support scoring roles. In addition to talent, Russia won because of the maturity and experience of 1991 born KHL/MHL players. That maturity and experience was painfully evident come crunch time even among the unsung players like Golubev, Dvurechensky, Kalinin, Panarin, etc.

But its all politics right?
Well done Bragin.

... Canada would probably have led anyways after 2 periods and would probably have started to play that kind of extremely passive game anyways.

This said, Russia won with their choices. Why bother about the choices they didn't make?

Not to mention -- why Golubev would have been out if, let say, Nail Yakupov would have been there?!?!?!

 

[MaxV]

It wasn't as much avoiding the CHL players as it was picking the right players for this team.

In the past, Russian coaches would just fill the roster with as many scorers as they could. As a result, poor fore- and back-checking, as well as crappy defense.

This year's team was FAR more balanced. Every line had scorers and defensively responsible players.

 

[antidotevsk]

Anyway how could anyone discuss the matches my opinion is that Namestnikov could have helped this team!
but Russia's team had only one 92 born player Kuznetsov. - it was the Bragins' decision.

 

[Kid_Roll]

It wasn't as much avoiding the CHL players as it was picking the right players for this team.

In the past, Russian coaches would just fill the roster with as many scorers as they could. As a result, poor fore- and back-checking, as well as crappy defense.

This year's team was FAR more balanced. Every line had scorers and defensively responsible players.

More this IMO. Otherwise it seems like you are picking and choosing when the "KHL" theory works or not, as the sample sizes for that kind of thing are too small to really make a sound argument out of.