New school Russia

[BLACKBURN]

With players like Kovalchuk, Malkin, Ovechkin Russia has a new generation of players who have incredible skill combined physicality and passion. I'm loving watching this team play and if Nabokov can steady the ship I can see them going all the way.

Anyone else loving watching this new wave of Russians?

Click to read more...

 

[Vikke]

Yeah, most entertaining team to watch for sure.

 

[Stephen]

I'm definitely a fan of the passion these guys play with. I also love the combination of grit and speed and skill they have on the blueline. The way they defended out there was pretty inspiring stuff.

It's too bad we didn't see more of Canada's new wave.

 

[shawn_kemp*]

if they played exactly the same way and lost 1-0 or 2-1, we would have the same talk as always : they have no heart/are selfish/never play as a team, etc.

anyway, yes, the new generation is here, definetly.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

They're defense is just unheralded. Volchenkov, Danny Markov, and Kasparitus play with no fear at all. They'll dive in front of every shot, just as long as they block it. Markov, Tyutin, and Gonchar are all good puck moving defensemen. Vishnevski and Zhukov are a little slow out there, but have looked OK.

The big thing is Bure chose people who wanted to be there, and it shows.

 

[kjri]

With players like Kovalchuk, Malkin, Ovechkin Russia has a new generation of players who have incredible skill combined physicality and passion. I'm loving watching this team play and if Nabokov can steady the ship I can see them going all the way.

Anyone else loving watching this new wave of Russians?

CCCP is my favorite still. However Krikunov seems to have succeeded in his job. More individualism + defence + physical play and still there is something left from the old soviet game.

 

[Chimaera]

Nice to know there probably will be 2-3 more Olympics for most of the young Russians.


Malkin, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, Volchenkov and a few other younger players should see a few more tournies.

 

[Icekube]

Kovalev from gazeta.ru:

"I don't want to jinx it, but looks like our time has come"

 

[Habsaku]

Good for Bure, i've always liked him. He was also a genius to have found the most underrated defensemen in the league in Markov and give him a prominent role. Good for Russia, I'm a big fan of their culture.

 

[Resolute]

Hate em as much as any other generation of Russians.

You beat a listless Canadian team that didnt care at any point in the entire tournament. Obviously it makes this crop of Russians the best team ever.

 

[thebodyczech]

With players like Kovalchuk, Malkin, Ovechkin Russia has a new generation of players who have incredible skill combined physicality and passion. I'm loving watching this team play and if Nabokov can steady the ship I can see them going all the way.

Anyone else loving watching this new wave of Russians?

Don't forget about Zherdev and Frolov.

 

[Habsaku]

Hate em as much as any other generation of Russians.

You beat a listless Canadian team that didnt care at any point in the entire tournament. Obviously it makes this crop of Russians the best team ever.

Go cry in a corner.

 

[octopi]

Good for Bure, i've always liked him. He was also a genius to have found the most underrated defensemen in the league in Markov and give him a prominent role. Good for Russia, I'm a big fan of their culture.

I'm just floored that at 36, Bure managed to be such a good GM.
He's 8 years younger than Chelios for Pete's sakes. And, of all things, the CBC announcers were talking about how defensivly responsible the Russian team was playing. I'm sorry, but that I don't think they could have learned from Bure.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Hate em as much as any other generation of Russians.

You beat a listless Canadian team that didnt care at any point in the entire tournament. Obviously it makes this crop of Russians the best team ever.

 

[Lupul*]

Hate em as much as any other generation of Russians.

You beat a listless Canadian team that didnt care at any point in the entire tournament. Obviously it makes this crop of Russians the best team ever.

...just abiding by the HFBoards Gospel.

 

[shawn_kemp*]

I'm just floored that at 36, Bure managed to be such a good GM.
He's 8 years younger than Chelios for Pete's sakes. And, of all things, the CBC announcers were talking about how defensivly responsible the Russian team was playing. I'm sorry, but that I don't think they could have learned from Bure.

Bure is 34. Maybe even 35! but not 36 yet!

But he didn't play an important role anyway. He was appointed really late.

 

[shawn_kemp*]

Hate em as much as any other generation of Russians.

You beat a listless Canadian team that didnt care at any point in the entire tournament. Obviously it makes this crop of Russians the best team ever.

"Post of the day"

 

[Phanuthier*]

What's incredible is that they had Kovalchuk, Zherdev and Ovechkin/Malkin drafted in consecutive years.

If I'm the NHL / NHL fans, I fear the IIHF contract problems that might stop future Russian stars from being featured in the NHL. For the past couple years, Russia has been pounding out superstar goal scorer's for the past couple years. The IIHF/NHL contract could put a stop to it.

I generally don't really like Russians, just because of bad stories ect, but you gotta be impressed by the way they're producing NHL superstars.

 

[Goldark]

Hate em as much as any other generation of Russians.

You beat a listless Canadian team that didnt care at any point in the entire tournament. Obviously it makes this crop of Russians the best team ever.

 

[Baron Von Shark]

I didn't realize they've never won Gold at the Olympics (according to Wiki). I think this is their year.

 

[The_Eck]

Hate em as much as any other generation of Russians.

You beat a listless Canadian team that didnt care at any point in the entire tournament. Obviously it makes this crop of Russians the best team ever.

 

[Quiet Robert]

With players like Kovalchuk, Malkin, Ovechkin Russia has a new generation of players who have incredible skill combined physicality and passion. I'm loving watching this team play and if Nabokov can steady the ship I can see them going all the way.

Anyone else loving watching this new wave of Russians?

I've noticed the same types of things as well. Not only in this tournament, but more generally, the new generation of Russian players don't dive, slash, hook etc...essentially don't do the things that Russians used to get criticized for in the past. Now they're combining their incredible skill with a type of fearlesness and toughness that we didn't really see before.

I'm not comparing with USSR players of the 70's, but the 90's players compared to this new wave of players is really different. I look at a player like Yashin, who just got bumped off the puck and physically intimidated a few times this game. Contrast that with AO, Datsyuk, Kovalchuck etc...who were just rushing into the Canadian zone with a ton of speed and not caring about taking a hit along the way.

This new school of Russian player is really fun to watch. You have an incredible amount of speed and skill coupled with more toughness and a very visible passion for the game. Again a lot of fun to watch and great to see those young guys get real excited on the ice.

 

[Habsaku]

I've noticed the same types of things as well. Not only in this tournament, but more generally, the new generation of Russian players don't dive, slash, hook etc...essentially don't do the things that Russians used to get criticized for in the past. Now they're combining their incredible skill with a type of fearlesness and toughness that we didn't really see before.

I'm not comparing with USSR players of the 70's, but the 90's players compared to this new wave of players is really different. I look at a player like Yashin, who just got bumped off the puck and physically intimidated a few times this game. Contrast that with AO, Datsyuk, Kovalchuck etc...who were just rushing into the Canadian zone with a ton of speed and not caring about taking a hit along the way.

This new school of Russian player is really fun to watch. You have an incredible amount of speed and skill coupled with more toughness and a very visible passion for the game. Again a lot of fun to watch and great to see those young guys get real excited on the ice.

Why arent you comparing them to Kovalev? He's the master of old school skill while he takes a beating like no one else.

 

[Nemchinov13]

Good for Bure, i've always liked him. He was also a genius to have found the most underrated defensemen in the league in Markov and give him a prominent role. Good for Russia, I'm a big fan of their culture.

I think every Canadiens' fan will be happy to hear it, but I thought that Andrei Markov was our best all-around defenseman. Good decision-making with the puck, solid in his own end... I envy you. 7th round pick was he?

 

[DayWalk3r]

I didn't realize they've never won Gold at the Olympics (according to Wiki). I think this is their year.

CCCP won 8 olympic gold medals.