How sick will Team Russia be in 4 years?

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Danny Markov is a pretty good dman, Anton Volchenkov too. But they aren't #1 defenseman at all. Maybe Markov could be a great #3 in the Olympics and Volchenkov a #5-6. I think that in 4 years, Andrei Markov will be a star in the league. He could be your #1...but I think that Team Canada will be stronger than Team Russia.

In 4 years, Volchenkov could be a #2 or #3. Russia has some solid young D.

 

[Panopticon]

Team Russia has always had spectacular players. This changes nothing.

And about Bryzgalov, I thought he was Ukrainian.

 

[Panopticon]

He played and he will play .

That's just wrong. Team Ukraine might actually be something if Russia didn't steal all their good players.

 

[CSKA]

That's just wrong. Team Ukraine might actually be something if Russia didn't steal all their good players.

steal ? Oh please ! They want play for russia .........they want play for the better team ! Whats wrong about it ?

 

[bizzz*]

Nabokov can't ever play for Russia in international competition. He tried to sneak in for the 2002 games, but they ruled that because he has already competed for Kazakzstan that he is not eligible for team Russia.

Nabokov already CAN play for Russia. He had such a problems last year, but IIHF has changed the rules on hockey citizenship and allowed him to play on the World championships and Olympic games for Russia.

 

[Slick Nick]

Team Russia has always had spectacular players. This changes nothing.

And about Bryzgalov, I thought he was Ukrainian.

Born and raised in Togliatti, Russia.

 

[Kevin Forbes]

And about Bryzgalov, I thought he was Ukrainian.

he's played for Russia in the past...(World Championships, World Juniors and I think he was #3 at the Olympics)

Also worth mentioning is Frolov
and maybe Chistov can rebound as well

Vishnevski is Ukrainian but played for Russia at the World Championships and the World Juniors

 

[GKJ]

Nikolai Khabibulin is only 31. I see that if he's in the playoffs he can't play, but so won't these other guys if they're all in. Khabibulin can be at worst solid, for at least 7 years.

 

[Samkow]

NO way in hell Zherdev plays for them, after how he left. Unless they make up (and that aint going to happen)

YOur assuming all these players are going to want to play for the Natinoal Team. With the way some of them are leaving, they dont want to play for them. Malkin and Ovechkin are probobly going to leave in the same way. (pretty much leaving the country illegaly)

 

[Bluenote13]

I think Russia has some great young players:

Ovechkin-Yashin-Kovalchuk
Chistov-Malkin-Frolov
Semin-Taratukhin-Kvasha
Vorobiev-Svitov-Grigorenko

Other forwards - Perezhogin, Shishkanov, Mikhnov,Koltsov, Polushin, Alexeev, Evseev, Tatarinov, Chubarov, Anshakov.

Volchenkov-Grebeshkov
Kalinin-Semenov
Knyazev-Tyutin
Lyamin-Semenov

Other D-men - Kondratiev, Kaigorodov, Kiril Koltsov.

Goalies- Barulin, Medvedev.

That defense could turnout to be pretty good in a few years.

 

[Traitor8]

Alexander Perezhogin
Andrei Markov
Korneev (Defenseman for Habs)

are Russians

 

[LuckyLUC20]

Also worth mentioning is Frolov
and maybe Chistov can rebound as well

Agreed... don't forget about these two. They will definitely add to the depth of the Russian Team.

GO FRO!

 

[Panopticon]

steal ? Oh please ! They want play for russia .........they want play for the better team ! Whats wrong about it ?

Well, for one thing it's very disrespectful.

And if these players played for their real country, they might succeed in something and that way advance the developement of youth hockey in their country. I don't really care either way, but it just seams to me that it would be better to get more competant teams out there, instead of a few good ones.

 

[BruinsGirl]

Well, for one thing it's very disrespectful.

And if these players played for their real country, they might succeed in something and that way advance the developement of youth hockey in their country. I don't really care either way, but it just seams to me that it would be better to get more competant teams out there, instead of a few good ones.

I am from Ukraine(8 years ago) and from what I read on Kiev Sokol site Ukraine doesn't have money to develop players.

These guys Vishnevsky, Tverdovsky (born in Ukraine) are probably playing for Russia because they developed and played long time over there.

 

[AWSAA]

...

Look at some of Canada's younger players:

Marleau, Heatley, Spezza, Nash, Thornton, Lecavalier, Crosby, Bouwmeester, Phaneuf, Coburn, Luongo, Fleury, etc.

Throw in St.Louis, Iginla, Doan, Smyth, Bertuzzi, Redden, and Jovo. Russia won't be dominating any time soon.

 

[ZBORNAJA]

I would rather have Ovechkin,kovalckuh and Zherder over canada top .. Only aspects that russians lack is psyhological,but even these is getting better with every new generation...It the current trend goes on ,russia will again will be head to head with canada

 

[Sting]

I would rather have Ovechkin,kovalckuh and Zherder over canada top .. Only aspects that russians lack is psyhological,but even these is getting better with every new generation...It the current trend goes on ,russia will again will be head to head with canada

I wouldn't. Most top Canadian players can score and they can nail you too. Most Russian forwards can only score...and this has hurt them pretty bad imo at these kind of events. I'll take Nash, Spezza, Crosby over Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Zherdev any day, personally.

 

[brian]

Nabokov has to go back to Russia and play there for the next 4 years before he can qualify to play for Russia. Since he represented Kazakhstan in 1995, he has to play in Russia for 4 consecutive years before he can make the switch. However, Nabby came to North America in 1997. Unless the IIHF took his Soviet passport into consideration then I don't see it changing. Remember he lost his case in the Court Of Arbirtration of Sport just before the Olympics.

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

I would rather have Ovechkin,kovalckuh and Zherder over canada top .. Only aspects that russians lack is psyhological,but even these is getting better with every new generation...It the current trend goes on ,russia will again will be head to head with canada

So, you'd rather have an empty roster spot since Zherdev won't play, plus a prospect who is no better thn Crosby at this point and one electrifying, yet soft forward over the likes of Thornton, Marleau, Nash, or Iginla....



Did you fish that comment out of the bay just beyond the right field bleachers at Pac Ball???

 

[Coburnfan05]

The shear thought of just the combination of Zherdev, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin makes me drool uncontrolably. Looks like the good ol red curtain should be dominate with some development. Any thoughts on the remaining lines?

To bad none of htem can play defense or in goal.

 

[Coburnfan05]

Look at some of Canada's younger players:

Marleau, Heatley, Spezza, Nash, Thornton, Lecavalier, Crosby, Bouwmeester, Phaneuf, Coburn, Luongo, Fleury, etc.

Throw in St.Louis, Iginla, Doan, Smyth, Bertuzzi, Redden, and Jovo. Russia won't be dominating any time soon.

I agree

And so many more players to mention but I am lazy.

 

[Habs Icing]

I hate to mention this but Canada hasn't been dominating either. Right now, you got Russia, Canada, USA, Czech Republic (thank God czechosolvakia split up or they'd be dominating hockey right now.) Hockey has progressed from the time when one country could dominate the sport and in a decade I'd say you'll have 3 or 4 other countries as part of the elite. As a Canadian it hurts to think we'll never be THE ONE HOCKEY COUNTRY but as a hockey fan it'll be great - imagine the next Lemieux could be a German or a Swiss or even a Belrussian.

 

[Slime]

Russia hasn't been dominating in any of the past 15 years, even though they've had players like:

F: Fedorov, Mogilny, P Bure, Yashin, Zhamnov
D: Gonchar, Kasparaitis, B Mironov, Zubov
G: Khabibulin

If you look at the future names, they don't look significantly stronger to me:
F: Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, Zherdev, Malkin, Frolov
D: Volchenkov, Grebeshov
G: Bryzgalov??


And of course we should look at the teams they're supposed to dominate:

Canada ... Crosby, Heatley, Bouwmeester and so on... no point trying to name them all, Canada will still be the strongest nation!

Czech rep doesn't look much weaker than in the past:
F: Jagr, Hejduk, Lang, Straka
D: Hamrlik, Slegr
G: Hasek

Future:
F: Havlat, Olesz, Michalek, Hemsky, Erat
D: Krajicek, Klesla
G: Schwarz?

Finland will be a lot better than in the past
F: Selänne, Koivu, Lehtinen, Kapanen
D: Numminen, Niinimaa
G: Hurme and other struggling goalies...

Will be replaced by:
F: Ruutu, Tukonen, Koivu, O Jokinen, Joensuu
D: Pitkänen, Lepistö
G: Lehtonen

Sweden will be weaker though
F: Forsberg, Sundin, Näslund, Alfredsson, Nylander
D: Lidström, C Johansson, Norström, Öhlund
G: Salo

Look stronger than...

F: Zetterberg, Sedin, Sedin, Steen
D: L Jonsson, Bäckman, Kronwall
G: Lundqvist


And USA looks horrible compared to Modano, Hull, Roenick, LeClair etc... (sorry, can't name a good future US lineup here, someone help me...) :lol

Let's not forget Slovakia who will have
Hossa, Gaborik, Nagy, Chara, Mezei... a team which for sure won't be any easier for the russians to beat than the Slovakian teams have been in the past.

 

[Slime]

You lost all credibility when you named Salo as the face of Swedish goaltending.

???
(who else would it be in the past 10 years if not Tommy Salo??)

 

[Rabid Ranger]

???
(who else would it be in the past 10 years if not Tommy Salo??)

You're right, Salo is the face of Swedish goaltending over the past ten years. I misread that part of your post. Anyway, look a little harder, the future of U.S. hockey is actually pretty bright. There has been a bit of a gap between the players that rose to prominence in the early nineties and the talent just now emerging, but that is about to end. As for what "younger" players look good:


Drury
Gomez
York
Cole
Malone
Legwand
Dipietro
Miller
Esche
Parise
Liles
Komisarek
Higgins
Ballard
Mara
Leopold
Taffe
Kesler
Brown
Gleason
Montoya
Jillson
Connolly
Hainsey
Eaves
O'Sullivan
Conklin



Some are in the NHL, some are prospects, but the bottomline is things look bright for USA Hockey.