GDT: Group A • April 29 • Germany 2, Russia 0

[cheerupmurray]

I watched the entire game.

Unfortunately I think this shows what many have been saying for years. Russian hockey is on a serious decline, which is unfortunate. Canada exposed them at the Olympics. They have extremely poor defensive play and besides a few star players, their overall skill level is not nearly as good as it was in years past.

It's obvious that Russia is no longer in the top 3 nations for hockey, but I do hope they turn it around. They were seriously exposed at the Olympics in not only defense, but teamplay and coaching as well. Bykov is HORRIBLE.

Their players are also now being encouraged to play in a second rate league (KHL) instead of coming over to the top league in the world (NHL) to play against the best players in the world and improve their skill.

If I were to rank the top nations it would obviously be Canada, USA, and Sweden. I'm not even sure that Russia would be #4 anymore but that's likely where they sit right now. Hopefully they don't fall to much further down, but it's obvious that teams like Switzerland and Germany are still improving and that teams like Czechs, etc are all still doing well.

I watched the whole game and i saw russian players that didn't skate, didn't work hard and looked like they didn't care against a german team that did. This game shows that Russia is badly coached and have a lack of morale, but it say very little about the quality of russian hockey. It's not like Kovalchuk, Kulemin and Tyutin was awesome and the KHL-guys awful, it was a collective breakdown where the russians didn't put in any hard work.

To make bold statements about that this game shows that Russia is not one of the big hockey-nations anymore is kind of laughable. If Germany wins against a Russia that really fight for it and give it there best, then I would kind of agree with your rant.

 

[this providence]

For those who seen the game, how did Endras look?

There's a fairly decent chance he'll be backing up Backstrom in Minnesota next year. Can he hang?

 

[zecke26]

For those who seen the game, how did Endras look?

is this a serious quesion?

endras looked just like last year. and considering his not so good season, i'd say it was his best game since last WC.

 

[PaulieVegas]

I watched the whole game and i saw russian players that didn't skate, didn't work hard and looked like they didn't care against a german team that did. This game shows that Russia is badly coached and have a lack of morale, but it say very little about the quality of russian hockey. It's not like Kovalchuk, Kulemin and Tyutin was awesome and the KHL-guys awful, it was a collective breakdown where the russians didn't put in any hard work.

To make bold statements about that this game shows that Russia is not one of the big hockey-nations anymore is kind of laughable. If Germany wins against a Russia that really fight for it and give it there best, then I would kind of agree with your rant.

I disagree with the poster thst said Russia no longer has the talent. They do, and this post saying people are overreacting is correct.

I think Russia was exposed in the Olympics as a team with no passion to win or concept of a team (and Nabokov was exposed as a washed-up has been). They were not exposed as a country with inferior talent. This is so ironic to me because back in the Soviet days it was all about the team, and today Russian hockey players are all about the individual. Bottom line: they have the talent, they just can't get that talent to perform together as a team.

For any Russian who's ready to jump off the cliff over the state of Russian hockey, remember that they just won the juniors and basically only played when they wanted to. They mailed it in for large portions of that tournament, including the third period of the opening game with Canada, much of the Sweden and Finland games, and the first two periods of the gold medal game. And still, they were good enough to win. That says a lot.

 

[Maverick41]

For those who seen the game, how did Endras look?

There's a fairly decent chance he'll be backing up Backstrom in Minnesota next year. Can he hang?

Endras was amazing. He had some rebounds but usually directed them away from the dangerous areas, and he controlled the puck when he needed to. He also played very well through traffic. It will probabyl take him a little time to get used to the smaller rinks in North America, but I think he could make a very decent backup.

 

[Up7Yours]

Endras was amazing. He had some rebounds but usually directed them away from the dangerous areas, and he controlled the puck when he needed to. He also played very well through traffic. It will probabyl take him a little time to get used to the smaller rinks in North America, but I think he could make a very decent backup.

I'll second this. Would definitely make a good backup. And it also usually takes some time to figure out goalies in the NHL, so he could definitely win some games for the Wild.

 

[Celtic Note]

How did Tarasenko look in the game?

 

[Rob]

Russia may not be as good as they were during the Soviet era but it is inaccurate to say they Russian hockey is "in decline". They could still very well win the tournament.
They also just won the WJC.

Good on Germany for the win.

 

[Zine]

Bykov and Zakharkin have to go.

They *were* initially valuable because they were a breath of fresh air. They bridged the gap between NHLers and the national team. Currently, there are no NHLers as loyal to the NT as Russians.

However, they've gotten stale. I also think Bykov limited tactically and Zakharkin is arrogant.

 

[Yakushev72]

I watched the entire game.

Unfortunately I think this shows what many have been saying for years. Russian hockey is on a serious decline, which is unfortunate. Canada exposed them at the Olympics. They have extremely poor defensive play and besides a few star players, their overall skill level is not nearly as good as it was in years past.

It's obvious that Russia is no longer in the top 3 nations for hockey, but I do hope they turn it around. They were seriously exposed at the Olympics in not only defense, but teamplay and coaching as well. Bykov is HORRIBLE.

Their players are also now being encouraged to play in a second rate league (KHL) instead of coming over to the top league in the world (NHL) to play against the best players in the world and improve their skill.

If I were to rank the top nations it would obviously be Canada, USA, and Sweden. I'm not even sure that Russia would be #4 anymore but that's likely where they sit right now. Hopefully they don't fall to much further down, but it's obvious that teams like Switzerland and Germany are still improving and that teams like Czechs, etc are all still doing well.

You are just trolling to try to provoke Russian fans. The thing is, the only hockey nation that Canada truly fears is Russia. More so than the US or Sweden, Canada knows that on any given occasion, Russia has the ability to beat Canada best on best. You used the example of the 2010 Olympics (Canada deserves great credit for soundly beating an underachieving Russian team), but I would use the example of this year's WJC. Canada took a 3-goal lead into the 3rd period, and then got steamrollered by the Russians for 5 goals!! And while Canada's best looked great at home against the Russians in the 2010 Olympics, they looked awful in 2006 in Torino when their very best failed to score one single goal against Russia in a 2-0 loss. I think you should be more cautious about making sweeping conclusions on the basis of a single game.

 

[Quaz]

Is Barulin the 2nd goalie on the team, and if so does anyone think he will get a chance to play?

 

[Zine]

That's not truth. Guys like Gorovikov, Tereshenko, Korneev, Atyushov and Kaigorodov aren't NHL quality. And some guys like Morozov and Zaripov are too soft.

C'mon.

If Burmistrov can find a job in the NHL, no reason Gorovikov, Kaigorodov, or Tereschenko couldn't either.

 

[ts11]

Bykov and Zakharkin have to go.

They *were* initially valuable because they were a breath of fresh air. They bridged the gap between NHLers and the national team. Currently, there are no NHLers as loyal to the NT as Russians.

However, they've gotten stale. I also think Bykov limited tactically and Zakharkin is arrogant.

Don't know about their personalities but I too think it's kind of stagnating. That's not really unusual after some years IMO, happened for example with Zach for Germany and Krueger for Switzerland, too, so I see the reasoning behind a change at these positions after some time.

 

[MrGeno101]

I watched the entire game.

Unfortunately I think this shows what many have been saying for years. Russian hockey is on a serious decline, which is unfortunate. Canada exposed them at the Olympics. They have extremely poor defensive play and besides a few star players, their overall skill level is not nearly as good as it was in years past.

It's obvious that Russia is no longer in the top 3 nations for hockey, but I do hope they turn it around. They were seriously exposed at the Olympics in not only defense, but teamplay and coaching as well. Bykov is HORRIBLE.

Their players are also now being encouraged to play in a second rate league (KHL) instead of coming over to the top league in the world (NHL) to play against the best players in the world and improve their skill.

If I were to rank the top nations it would obviously be Canada, USA, and Sweden. I'm not even sure that Russia would be #4 anymore but that's likely where they sit right now. Hopefully they don't fall to much further down, but it's obvious that teams like Switzerland and Germany are still improving and that teams like Czechs, etc are all still doing well.

I guess sweden is in decline too after today??

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

Bykov and Zakharkin have to go.

They *were* initially valuable because they were a breath of fresh air. They bridged the gap between NHLers and the national team. Currently, there are no NHLers as loyal to the NT as Russians.

However, they've gotten stale. I also think Bykov limited tactically and Zakharkin is arrogant.

Agreed. Bykov is a great "psychologist", he and Zakharkin managed to sprinkle a great "sreda" within the team, now everyone would KILL to play in the NT. He must be credited for this and for the 2 WCs we won (especially the Quebec one). But now batman and robin have to go.

C'mon.

If Burmistrov can find a job in the NHL, no reason Gorovikov, Kaigorodov, or Tereschenko couldn't either.

Once again I agree, however Kaigorodov had a chance (well, not really, but still), and burned it. Still a very, very good playmaker.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

I guess sweden is in decline too after today??

Of course

 

[seeep]

Russia - Germany 0:2
the trailr for a big video about russian's win @ world championship