Rank your top 5s among Europe’s top 3

[Ben White]

Sweden vs Finland vs Russia

As I didn’t completely agree with the squads in the previous thread made on the topic I decided to do one for myself incl Russia to round out Europe’s top 3.

Rank your top 5s among Europe’s top 3:

Sweden

Pettersson - Backstrom - Zibanejad
Hedman - Karlsson

Finland

Aho - Barkov - Rantanen
Heiskanen - Ristolainen

Russia

Ovechkin - Malkin - Kucherov
Orlov - Provorov

Click to read more...

 

[Brucelenok]

On paper, Russia pretty comfortably even despite Ovi and Malkin are already in their 30s already. In reality probably they are last since Ovi and Malkin don't mesh well together

 

[Nadal On Clay]

Panarin should be over Ovechkin. I would take Russia over Sweden (Finland 3rd) if that was the case due to 2 reasons:

1) Panarin being considerably better than Ovechkin right now
2) Malkin and Ovechkin don’t necessarily have good chemistry together.

 

[Ben White]

Panarin should be over Ovechkin. I would take Russia over Sweden (Finland 3rd) if that was the case due to 2 reasons:

1) Panarin being considerably better than Ovechkin right now
2) Malkin and Ovechkin don’t necessarily have good chemistry together.

fair point

 

[KIRK]

Russia's D personnel represents such a pronounced disadvantage for international play.

 

[amnesiac]

Panarin > Ovie now

 

[filinski77]

Definitely agree with the above that Panarin should be in over Ovi. I mean, there shouldn't be any debate that Panarin was (quite easily) the best Russian in the NHL this season. No reason to leave him out at all.

+point for how Malkin and Ovechkin have never really had chemistry.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Who cares if it's Panarin or OV? Russia's forwards are way better either way and make this an easy choice.

 

[bobholly39]

Who cares if it's Panarin or OV? Russia's forwards are way better either way and make this an easy choice.

yeah but their defense is seriously lacking. Even moreso if you're one of those (like me) who still values Karlsson very highly. Maybe if this was peak Ovi/Malkin it wouldn't matter, but as it is I'll pick Sweden first due to defense.

Finland isn't that far behind, but i put them #3

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Sweden is first because their blue line production is insane. Russia definitely afterwards but Finland is by no means some slouch and there's definitely a case of them ahead of Russia for second.

 

[Dr Salt]

Panarin > Ovi

 

[amnesiac]

Who cares if it's Panarin or OV? Russia's forwards are way better either way and make this an easy choice.

defensemen are 2/5 of the lineup and Russia's are by far the worst of the 3... its not an easy choice at all

 

[MrOT]

IMO (right now)

Pettersson = Aho = Ovie
Malkin > Barkov >= Bäckström
Kucherov > Zibanejad = Rantanen

Hedman > Heiskanen > Orlov
Karlsson > Ristolainen > Provorov

Doing this mathematically (based on my opinion) it's Sweden with the slightest of margins over Russia who is second with the slightest of margins over Finland. This is really close.

 

[wetcoast]

Panarin should be over Ovechkin. I would take Russia over Sweden (Finland 3rd) if that was the case due to 2 reasons:

1) Panarin being considerably better than Ovechkin right now
2) Malkin and Ovechkin don’t necessarily have good chemistry together.

All this being said I think all 3 groups are fairly equal (right now).

Also Mattias Ekholm needs more love here.

 

[jetsforever]

All this being said I think all 3 groups are fairly equal (right now).

Also Mattias Ekholm needs more love here.

Ekholm?? The guy who is better than Hedman and Erik Karlsson??

 

[Regal]

defensemen are 2/5 of the lineup and Russia's are by far the worst of the 3... its not an easy choice at all

Russia's are definitely not worse than Finland. Heiskanen isn't that much better than either Orlov or Provorov and Risto is terrible.

 

[bert]

Can we just put Panarin on D and call it a day?

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

defensemen are 2/5 of the lineup and Russia's are by far the worst of the 3... its not an easy choice at all

Always take the BPA. In this case the 3 best players are Russian so it's an easy choice. And I'd say Finland has the worst D because risto is garbage.

 

[Lambo]

Always take the BPA. In this case the 3 best players are Russian so it's an easy choice. And I'd say Finland has the worst D because risto is garbage.

Than pick Lindell instead of Risto and the D is okay.

 

[joe dirte]

Russias forwards are easily the best. As in miles ahead. Butbtheir d is easily the worst.

Hedman makes swedens d the best, not a huge fan of those forwards. Finland is the most balanced. I really like them and thi k they could be the best group in a few years but not so sure they are yet.

Not easy to rank.

 

[garbageteam]

Finland consistently is able to be competitive and play right alongside these two countries showing that their roster top to bottom is not much behind at all, even if their top end D isn't as good as Sweden's or top end F as good as Russia's.