Just one of those unfortunate years where the age group ended up too good, and the guys that you would hope would be leading the team are in the NHL
IIHF WJC
- Thread starter Metallo
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- Feb 24, 2012
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This is about as bizarre of a WJC as I remember. Slovakia looked the best they have in years, to just fall apart. Finns looked as bad as they have in years, to just find a way to win. Canada looked dominant in every game except against Sweden and found a way to lose. If the Swiss find a way to beat Sweden it would top it all off. 
I wouldn't say a lack of skill... plenty of guys with skill and they have a ton of depth. The only gamebreaker was MacK 2.0... nobody else could create from nothing. It had to be team driven and that can be a killer in single elimination tight games.
95snipes
Registered User
- Dec 11, 2019
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It was always going to be US or Sweden. They've both have proven to be the best for the '04 and '05 age groups for a long time now. US has the most skilled team where Sweden is the most well rounded and has the advantage of being the host. It's hard to imagine they don't play for the gold medal once again, but we'll see.
That was the worst Canadian team since the Comtois led team. Not they don't have talented players, but the team overall wasn't very impressive. And they buried the talented players they do have while guys like Minten gets premium usage. Yes it might have been different if Bedard, Fantilli, Benson, etc were there.
Slovakia had a good team and Gajan looked damn good, but they were really missing Nemec.
Finland.. that's just what Finland does.
Hopefully whatever bug is going around team USA runs its course by Thursday. They'll get Finland in the semis unless the Swiss pull the big upset. If it ends up US-Sweden, it's going to be like the '21 Canadian team where they haven't been challenged yet.
That was the worst Canadian team since the Comtois led team. Not they don't have talented players, but the team overall wasn't very impressive. And they buried the talented players they do have while guys like Minten gets premium usage. Yes it might have been different if Bedard, Fantilli, Benson, etc were there.
Slovakia had a good team and Gajan looked damn good, but they were really missing Nemec.
Finland.. that's just what Finland does.
Hopefully whatever bug is going around team USA runs its course by Thursday. They'll get Finland in the semis unless the Swiss pull the big upset. If it ends up US-Sweden, it's going to be like the '21 Canadian team where they haven't been challenged yet.
The Slovaks really, really blew it. This Finnish team has 4 of its 6 defenders possess the puck skills of Duncan Siemens with Coco in net allowing floaters (not sure how he was drafted by Seattle). How they didn't win and win by more is pretty insane. The problem with mainland hockey nations is that they tend to produce really good talent, but are also quite lackadaisical when it comes to overall defence. I cannot recall how many times I've seen the likes of Finland and Sweden play so poorly yet come out with a decent result simply because their teams have a great foundation and structure to it. That's the next step that nations like Slovakia, Czech, Germany, Denmark, and Austria really need to work on.
I've seen worse, the one with Malcolm Subban in goal was one that I clearly remember for being absolute rubbish. Not that it was his fault per se, but it was a wreck from top to bottom. The one which had MacKinnon on it was also really bad, but I think that was more of the head coach than the team.
To be fair, Canada definitely missed Bedard, Benson, and Fantilli. That is a first line right there that could've made its way to the Gold Medal game not factoring in anything goaltending-related though (as a bad goaler can easily lose games for good teams).
- Feb 24, 2012
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One big gamebreaker like Bedard changes all of it. But even Benson probably pushes them to a medal.
Swiss tied with Sweden now late in the 3rd. A Czech/Swiss semi-final absolutely was not on my bingo card
- Feb 24, 2012
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Just a completely bizarre WJC year.Swiss tied with Sweden now late in the 3rd. A Czech/Swiss semi-final absolutely was not on my bingo card
MaKarter
Big Game Bo
MaKarter
Big Game Bo
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UncleRisto
Not Great, Bob!
- Feb 24, 2012
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UncleRisto
Not Great, Bob!
MaKarter
Big Game Bo
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expatriatedtexan
Habitual Line Stepper
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But can Bob show off a pair of Levi's like that?
expatriatedtexan
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You can take Bonk out of Czechia, but you can't take Czechia out of Bonk 
As for us, there are three things certain in our lives - death, taxes and losing to Finland.
As for us, there are three things certain in our lives - death, taxes and losing to Finland.
The Shermanator
HFBoards Legend
Hennessy
Ye Jacobites, by name
I can't really complain about the result, but if I were a Swiss player or fan I'd be pretty livid. That call at the end of regulation was...interesting, and the one in OT was an outrage. I'm a proponent of calling a penalty the same no matter the time of season or game. But you just can't be calling ticky-tack stuff like that in OT of an elimination game.
The Sabres should've sent Benson. What is there to be accomplished by keeping him in Buffalo with things falling apart as usual?
- Feb 24, 2012
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Mostly it is about control. They are in control of his development, coaching, injury management etc etc. If he tore up his knee like Nemec did or maybe a better comparison, broke his wrist like Dach when the Hawks loaned him... they suffer and do so without any real benefit. I would have loaned him, but there isn't zero risk to it either.
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