Russia may ice weakened team.

[therealdeal]

Fedorov, Kovalev, Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Kovalchuk, Samsonov, Mogilny, Malkin, Frolov, Afinogenov etc. would provide much more speed and skill upfront than Canada could ice, sorry. Yes they have bigger players but if those russians would decide to play their best Canada (especially on big ice where guys like Pronger have serious difficulties) would be in trouble.

And if you remeber, Canada was outplayed by the Czechs in last years World Cup and olny saved by luck and Brodeur. So much for Canada beeing head and shoulders above ohter teams. What Canada has got over the others is depth and probably the best defensmen (but not on big ice).

In a few years Russia will have the better forwards compared to Canada with Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Malkin, Frolov, Semin and Zherdev.

We can throw your opinion out the window.

 

[Tundra]

The russian teams of the recent past seemed real disjointed unlike the Czechs who have a real kinship with one another and play a more adaptive style of hockey. I don't think the Russians have a player other than Ovechkin who you could classify as having a third line mentality if the situation presents itself. You can't expect to win a tournament at this level with pure skill.

 

[Tundra]

The only thing I am pretty sure about is that NO other national team could beat Team Canada in a seven games series. On any given night somebody could beat us and that's why Olympic gold is not won yet. Anyways, upsets happen in the NHL and could very well happen with Team Canada, but on paper NO BODY could beat us in a seven games series.

Stellar goaltending could beat Canada in a seven game series. I'm not saying its likely but I wouldn't be overconfident. This is hockey after all. We've seen it happen before.

 

[Zine]

The only thing I am pretty sure about is that NO other national team could beat Team Canada in a seven games series. On any given night somebody could beat us and that's why Olympic gold is not won yet. Anyways, upsets happen in the NHL and could very well happen with Team Canada, but on paper NO BODY could beat us in a seven games series.

The only problem: internation tournaments are not 7 games series...

The only problem is that hockey isn't played on paper - it's played on the ice.
Canada could be beaten in a 7 game series....it wouldn't suprise me.
It happens every year in the cup playoffs. Some mediocre 6 or 7 seed gets on a roll and beats a cup favorite. Heck, teams like Carolina, Anaheim and Calgary made it all the way to the finals.
Top to bottom, Canada is the most complete team, but they aren't head and shoulders above everybody else.

 

[Gozer]

I still believe no country in the world can match Sweden's top 6.

Sundin
Forsberg
Alfredsson
Naslund
Zetterberg
D. Sedin/Modin/Lidstrom

That's sick.

To bad most of them usually suck when it really matters in international play.

 

[McGuillicuddy]

Sundin
Forsberg
Alfredsson
Naslund
Zetterberg
D. Sedin/Modin/Lidstrom

Indeed, a very, very good top 6. However, I counter with:

Iginla
Thornton
Lecavalier
Heatley
Richards
Gagne/Staal/Crosby/Spezza (take your pick)

All capable of threatening 40G/100Pts, all well under 30 years old (some closer to 20!). I think there are precious few objective hockey aficionados who, given the choice, would take your suggested top 6 over mine.

 

[octopi]

The only problem is that hockey isn't played on paper - it's played on the ice.
Canada could be beaten in a 7 game series....it wouldn't suprise me.
It happens every year in the cup playoffs. Some mediocre 6 or 7 seed gets on a roll and beats a cup favorite. Heck, teams like Carolina, Anaheim and Calgary made it all the way to the finals.
Top to bottom, Canada is the most complete team, but they aren't head and shoulders above everybody else.

Well said


http://rushockey.com/events.php?i=iihf&stream=iihf_news&id=389

and it seems my fears of a weakend team may be unfounded, still, wait and see.

 

[Brent Burns Beard]

when do the Russians ever ice their best team anyways?

and even if they did, most of them are no good anyhow. other than some flashy prima donna cherry pickers, Russia doesnt develop very good hockey players anymore.

Ovechkin and Kovalchuk are hot dogs, but will give them credit for their youth and dominance of their age group. The rest ? bah, who really cares, they are better off with foot soldiers from the Siberian hockey league.

dr

 

[octopi]

and even if they did, most of them are no good anyhow. other than some flashy prima donna cherry pickers, Russia doesnt develop very good hockey players anymore.

Ovechkin and Kovalchuk are hot dogs, but will give them credit for their youth and dominance of their age group. The rest ? bah, who really cares, they are better off with foot soldiers from the Siberian hockey league.

dr

Malkin, Grigorenko will be very good in the NHL as well, and there are many other good Russian players.....

Fedorov and Datsyuk are amazing to watch. Russian hockey is known for creativity and skill. Ovechkin is just one of the most dominant players ever.

Who cares? I care. Russian hockey has really made the league interesting, and it doesn't take anything away from people like Yzerman, Sakic, Thorton, Sundin, Iginla, Nasland, Forsberg to say that.

 

[TORRUS]

and even if they did, most of them are no good anyhow. other than some flashy prima donna cherry pickers, Russia doesnt develop very good hockey players anymore.

Ovechkin and Kovalchuk are hot dogs, but will give them credit for their youth and dominance of their age group. The rest ? bah, who really cares, they are better off with foot soldiers from the Siberian hockey league.

dr

Ha, you're a joke!

You know, if I was a fan of some other country I would be afraid of the Russian team too...

 

[jekoh]

all well under 30 years old (some closer to 20!).

How is that relevant ? Being under 30 doesn't make you any better.

 

[McGuillicuddy]

How is that relevant ? Being under 30 doesn't make you any better.

No it doesn't, professor. But I just thought I'd mention it to contrast with the suggested Team Sweden lineup, which was largely made up of players much closer to retirement. This certainly bodes well for the Team Canada program in the future.

 

[McGuillicuddy]

Ha, you're a joke!

You know, if I was a fan of some other country I would be afraid of the Russian team too...

As a Canadian, I think it's important to have a healthy respect for any opponent. Now, I have confidence that Canada currently produces the highest number and highest calibre of hockey players in the world. However, as we all know, in a single game situation at the elite level, any one team can beat any other team (I don't need to point out examples of this...it happens all the time). For anybody here to say that any one team is unequivocally the best and unbeatable is just silliness.

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

I still believe no country in the world can match Sweden's top 6.

Sundin
Forsberg
Alfredsson
Naslund
Zetterberg
D. Sedin/Modin/Lidstrom

That's sick.

Yepp it's good, but I'd rate Nylander as the no 6 at this moment, just ahead of Modin.

Hopefully the swedish roster:

Tellqvist, Lundqvist, Holmqvist

Lidström, Norström, Johnsson, Öhlund, Hävelid, Bäckman, Tärnström

Sundin, Forsberg, Alfredsson, Näslund, Nylander, Zetterberg, Modin, Samuelsson, Nilson, Sundström, Sedin, Sedin, Holmström

HM: Tjärnqvist, Påhlsson, Axelsson, Ekman

 

[greatwhite101*]

You answered the question yourself:



Of course that is what it is all about. Never said otherwise. This is all about politics. The governance of players within the IIHF, and compensation for the transfer of players.



This has nothing to do with the topic at hand. I'll refer you to the archives of the buisness of hockey forum where all of this has been discussed ad nauseum.

I guess you do not see the difference between politics and economics.. Look it up …. Dictionary may help.

 

[Slitty]

To all those who read this article : don't pay any attention to it, and forget it.

The guy who wrote it simply misinterpreted what was written in the Russian press, or used a very bad Internet translator. He has absolutely no clue what he's talking about.

To be fair, now that the release of the Olympic rostor approaches: this guy was suprisingly quite right.


1. He said Federov wont play: Federov declined to play due to "injuries" or saving face because he was informed he wasn't going to be selected.

2. He said Samsonov wont play: there are reports of Samsonov declining to play because of the "tingling" he has suffered.

3. He said Zhamnov wont play: Zhamnov has sucked to the point where he wont get invited, and has an outside hope of making the injury reserve list.

4. He said Kovalchuk wont play: barring injury, Kovalchuk will be there.

5. He said Khabibulin wont play: its come out through the press that both Bryzgalov + Sokolov will be on the team. That leaves a choice between Nabokov and Khabibulin... I am assuming Khabibulin will go, but the RHF may punish him for his 1998 refusal and take Nabokov who jumped through hoops just so he could play for Russia. I doubt Steblin said "no way is Khabibulin our #1 goaltender" in reference to these Olympics, and if he did it was back when Khabby was playing poorly. Khabibulin wants to play, and I doubt, with Nabokov's form as of late, the RHF will refuse him.

6. He said Malahkov won't play: He wasn't "stiffed" as the article stated, but declined to play prior to release of the perliminary roster due to age and giving younger guys a chance. He sucked, and is now retired as it is.

7. He said Tverdovsky wont play: this very well might be true because Tverdosvky is battling a long term injury and was never a lock for the team. Some have said he was never even considered, but if he can recover, his current status is on the bubble.

8. He said Danny Markov wont play: Popular opinion is that he will play, however there has come out some inside information that he wont play. If he made it, it would only be as a third pairing defender, and he really has not shone in the new NHL. I wouldn't be suprised if he dosen't play, but he is expected to be named to that final roster.

9. He said Kasparitis wont play: Kasparitis is on the bubble. Old, and unsuited to the big ice and open style... Kirkunov suggested he wont go. Who knows, he may get on the injury reserve as thanks for prior contributions to Russian hockey, but as it stands now, he isnt going to be selected.

10. He said Zherdev wont go: and very rightfully so as Zherdev has not impressed anyone enough to get consideration, yet alone an invitation.

11. He said Volchenkov is on the bubble: In certain scenarios, ie if Kulyash goes, it may come down to Tyutin or Volchenkov... but as the new Darius Kasparitis, Volchenkov will most likely be there.

12. He said Afinogenov is on the bubble: again very rightfully so as Afinogenov was on the bubble and it looked as he wasn't going to take one of those 3 remaining open winger positions on the team to be supersceeded by some combination of Samsonov, Kharitonov, Morozov, and Korolyuk. With the likelyhood of Samsonov not playing now: Afinogenov may very well make it, but there exists the slight possibility that he will not.


Out of the 12 assertions that the article made:

7 were completely right.
4 may be right or wrong at this point.
2 are stupid and wrong.

*Danill Markov's and Khabibulin's case is split half-and-half between wrong and maybe right/wrong.


Dosen't seem like too bad of an article to me.

 

[Slay]

To be fair, now that the release of the Olympic rostor approaches: this guy was suprisingly quite right.

All you need to know about this article is that author claimes that 50% players will be from RSL, when in reality it is maximum 4-5 RSL players and the rest will be from NHL.