WJC: Favorites for the tournament?

[Barkkonen]

Finland has one of the best offense/goaltending so it all depends on how our D-corps can handle talented forwards from top countries. So this year is the year i see Finland in medalgames

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

How on earth is the U.S. the 5th place team?

Yeah, I agree. On goaltending alone, the U.S. medals.

 

[Helpoing]

It might not look like it, but Latvia could have a pretty solid team this year actually, specially upfront they´ll have some interesting players in 2012 probable first round pick Zemgus Girgensons, Oilers draft pick Kristians Pelss and Rihards Bukarts, who is the youngest player in the MHL, but has done pretty well so far. He was born on 31/12/1995, so he´d be just 15 to start the tournament.

I really hope that Latvia can survive this year. We might even slip into the knock-out part, since we got lucky with our group (poor Denmark ). I'm expecting two good games with the Swiss and the Slovaks.

Girgensons is progressing nicely, Kolesnikovs blossomed at the right time & for most of our '92-94s playing in the MHL helps a lot. The only real concern is goaltending, since we still don't have a #1 guy (I see that the same position troubles almost every other country). Gudlevskis was highly touted, but he's had a rough start (and he looked weak in the playoffs last year as well).

 

[Eye of Ra]

Sweden! No doubt.




Ã…berg - Larsson - Rakell
Westerholm - Zibanejad - Westerholm
Sörensen - Rask - Rensfeldt
Collberg - Karlsson - Forsberg


Nemeth - Brodin
Klingberg - Klefbom
Norén - Tom Nilsson


EXTREMLY strong team.

 

[Fulcrum]

Sweden! No doubt.




Ã…berg - Larsson - Rakell
Westerholm - Zibanejad - Westerholm
Sörensen - Rask - Rensfeldt
Collberg - Karlsson - Forsberg


Nemeth - Brodin
Klingberg - Klefbom
Norén - Tom Nilsson


EXTREMLY strong team.

Zibanejad might not be in if he stayes in Ottawa

 

[Pajicz]

Sweden! No doubt.




Ã…berg - Larsson - Rakell
Westerholm - Zibanejad - Westerholm
Sörensen - Rask - Rensfeldt
Collberg - Karlsson - Forsberg


Nemeth - Brodin
Klingberg - Klefbom
Norén - Tom Nilsson


EXTREMLY strong team.

Certainly not strong enough to beat us 7-1 again...

Who are your goalies? Gustafsson?

 

[nudpedler]

Finland:

Donskoi - Granlund - Pulkkinen
Granlund - Salomäki - Armia
Ruuttu - Barkov - Teräväinen
4th line: Aaltonen/Mustonen/Åsten/Hännikäinen/Rautiainen/Suoranta/Halinen etc.

F depth looking very good. Fan of that 3rd line.

Hakanpää - Määttä
Pokka - Riikola
Ristolainen - Auvinen

D is very promising, but maybe too young if you check offensive of opponents.

Aittokallio
Gibson

Only concern to me is our inexperienced coach.

 

[WayneBruce]

Certainly not strong enough to beat us 7-1 again...

Who are your goalies? Gustafsson?

I actually like this swedish team more than the last 2 teams we have sent. Johan Larsson and Sundstrom might just be the most dangerous duo in the whole tournament. Åberg and Zibanejad will also be good. Can´t say the team is going to beat the czechs 7-1 again because i know nothing about your team, but they better be good.

 

[malkinfan]

Interesting that Kabanov is not invited, I was under the impression that Bragin was going to look at him in the SSS. Other CHL omissions Kamaev, Kuptsov, Gogolev and Galiev although the later is injured. I find it surprising that these guys don't even get a "look."

 

[Swipes]

Certainly not strong enough to beat us 7-1 again...

Who are your goalies? Gustafsson?

If you're referring to WJC tournaments then we lost 6-3 last time and the year before that we lost 10-1 (after our players decided they couldn't be bothered anymore).

So whilst we seem to have gotten better in terms of not conceding as many goals, I still think we're going to lose, maybe this time by a much closer margin (1/2 goals) as I have read that Sweden will have a very strong team.

Having said that I hope we surprise them!

EDIT: Just realized we're not playing Sweden in the group this year lol. But if we were then my prediction stands. On a more relevant point we're going to have a tough time getting out of that group into the quarterfinals.......

 

[Helpoing]

Interesting that Kabanov is not invited, I was under the impression that Bragin was going to look at him in the SSS. Other CHL omissions Kamaev, Kuptsov, Gogolev and Galiev although the later is injured. I find it surprising that these guys don't even get a "look."

Kabanov's attitude is still the same as ever. Although he apologised, I think it was because he wanted to be at the upcoming WJC.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

If you're referring to WJC tournaments then we lost 6-3 last time and the year before that we lost 10-1 (after our players decided they couldn't be bothered anymore).

So whilst we seem to have gotten better in terms of not conceding as many goals, I still think we're going to lose, maybe this time by a much closer margin (1/2 goals) as I have read that Sweden will have a very strong team.

Having said that I hope we surprise them!

EDIT: Just realized we're not playing Sweden in the group this year lol. But if we were then my prediction stands. On a more relevant point we're going to have a tough time getting out of that group into the quarterfinals.......

I´m guessing that you thought Pajicz is Czech, because of the cz at the end of his name, but I think he´s probably Finnish and was refering to the Swedish 7-1 win over Finland in 2010...

 

[Swipes]

I´m guessing that you thought Pajicz is Czech, because of the cz at the end of his name, but I think he´s probably Finnish and was refering to the Swedish 7-1 win over Finland in 2010...

Hahahaha, woops yeah. My bad Though in my defence, a legitimate mistake to make

 

[WayneBruce]

Hahahaha, woops yeah. My bad Though in my defence, a legitimate mistake to make

woops! Actually made the same mistake before your post. Maybe I tricked you...

 

[Swipes]

woops! Actually made the same mistake before your post. Maybe I tricked you...

Hahahaha, looks like you did I think I'm going to have to start each of my posts with "Assuming you're Russian/Czech/Swedish/Finnish/Etc I believe that-" now.

 

[Pajicz]

Hahahaha, woops yeah. My bad Though in my defence, a legitimate mistake to make

I wouldn't have anything against being a Czech, but after all I'm Finnish... Sorry if I have confused you.

I'd like to know more about the Czech team, as I only know a few players well (Frk, Straka, Jaskin, Musil).

 

[vorky]

I wouldn't have anything against being a Czech, but after all I'm Finnish... Sorry if I have confused you.

I'd like to know more about the Czech team, as I only know a few players well (Frk, Straka, Jaskin, Musil).

D Jank and F Sekáč play for HC LEV in KHL. They are guys who can play at WCJ

 

[pouskin74*]

Let's see your prediction! Would you put Russia or Finland in 5th, or maybe Czech?! All it takes is for them to meet a strong team in the quarters. Or even to loose a couple during round robin.

Obviously Finnland and Czech are both better choices for 5-th place than USA

 

[pouskin74*]

Interesting that Kabanov is not invited, I was under the impression that Bragin was going to look at him in the SSS. Other CHL omissions Kamaev, Kuptsov, Gogolev and Galiev although the later is injured. I find it surprising that these guys don't even get a "look."

there is currently much better players available, so no suprise here. Kabanov is still LABELED in black so no suprises here either.

 

[pouskin74*]

Kabanov's attitude is still the same as ever. Although he apologised, I think it was because he wanted to be at the upcoming WJC.

And you know him, right?

 

[cska78]

Our offense will be great no matter if we call up Kabanov and Gogolev who are both talented but are very prodigious or not. So why risk the chemistry and call them up. I mean look at our B team going to the 4 nations tournament during the SSS2011, they can compete in the WJC and get a medal. I am worried about D ever so more than goalkeeping. Let's see what comes out of the next two, tournaments, hoping some d-men will show themselves fit to compete for gold. Loosing Marchenko is bad, Stepanov's progress has stalled (don't think he's on either team), Arzamastev is not having a great season either. But there are others who can hold the fort: Isangulov, Chudinov, Gurkin, Ozhiganov and etc. I have faith in Bragin, but due to weak D and inconsistency between the pipes put them in the silver/bronze category, having USA and Can fighting for the gold (think US will take it)

 

[alex20wild]

if russia assembles a team including CHL players, instead of boycoting them they should be a favourite. Yakupov is the best player in the CHL imo and Grigorenko is a great player himself. Zlobin, Namesnitkov, Khokhlachev and Galiev. Then back in russia they have great talent too, Kucherov, Shalunov, Nesterov ect...

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

U.S. should do well. They have three time player Campbell in net who has started well for Windsor this year.

How the HELL is he still eligible???

I am going to be 80 years old, on my death bed and reading Rabid Ranger posts about Campbell playing in this tournament. Did this kid play his first WJR's while he was still in the womb???

 

[Helpoing]

And you know him, right?

Nah, but you don't really think he's a responsible kid with a good work ethic now, do you? Just half a year before the WJC he's magically transformed into someone else? That's what I call suspicious

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Go Canada Go!!!!