Russia National Team discussion thread

[Caser]

If I got it correctly, this is our roster at the start of the tournament:

GK
Vasiliy Koshechkin
Igor Shestyorkin

D
Vladislav Gavrikov
Dinar Khafizullin
Bogdan Kiselevich
Nikita Nesterov
Nikita Tryamkin
Yegor Yakovlev
Nikita Zaitsev

FW
Sergei Andronov
Artyom Anisimov
Alexander Barabanov
Pavel Buchnevich
Yevgeniy Dadonov
Pavel Datsyuk
Mikhail Grigorenko
Ilya Kablukov
Kirill Kaprizov
Maxim Mamin
Ilya Mikheyev
Maxim Shalunov

3 skater and 1 goalie roster spots open for Gusev and NHLers.

 

[MaxV]

Which goalie are they waiting for? Bob?

 

[Caser]

Which goalie are they waiting for? Bob?

If I understood correctly, Khudobin or Vasilevskiy.

 

[Caser]

Apparently they decided to add Sorokin though.

 

[MaxV]

Sounds like Khudobin was never an option.

 

[Caser]

Malkin is also not joining, as he got a knee injury.

 

[Caser]

Gusev, Sorokin and Soshnikov have been added to the roster.

 

[Atas2000]

Team performs on it's supposed level so far.

 

[Caser]

Bereglazov added, the roster is full now.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

Team performs on it's supposed level so far.

In a way yes. It seems the roster is sort of 'weak' this year though, I mean we have guys who have never played in Team Russia before, such as Mikheev, Soshnikov, etc.
I guess we can't expect too much from the team. If they get 3rd place, one could call it a 'successful' run. Obviously I want the team to win Gold, but I'm not sure how realistic that is with this lineup.

 

[Yakushev72]

Any ideas on when Gusev will actually dress and play for the team?

 

[Caser]

Any ideas on when Gusev will actually dress and play for the team?

They have reunited Gusev-Datsyuk-Kaprizov line in today's practice, so I guess tomorrow Vs. Switzerland we will see it.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

They have reunited Gusev-Datsyuk-Kaprizov line in today's practice, so I guess tomorrow Vs. Switzerland we will see it.

The Swiss have actually progressed quite a bit. It's probably not going to be such an easy match.

 

[Atas2000]

Any ideas on when Gusev will actually dress and play for the team?

Tonight probably.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

The game vs. the Swiss wasn't too good. I didn't like the fact that the Swiss had the initiative for most of the 3rd. Slovakia won't be an easier opponent.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

We're facing Canada in the 1/4 finals. I assume we're going to lose, our record vs. Canada in the last few years is very bad. However, we do have a chance, obviously I hope we'll pull through - provided that Gusev, Datsyuk and Kaprizov click, and if the rest of the boys step up.

 

[Atas2000]

We're facing Canada in the 1/4 finals. I assume we're going to lose, our record vs. Canada in the last few years is very bad. However, we do have a chance, obviously I hope we'll pull through - provided that Gusev, Datsyuk and Kaprizov click, and if the rest of the boys step up.

Oh my! I fear if they win against Canada all will be declared good again and the C-SKA show will go on. And if they lose it will be against Canada and all will be declared good again and the C-SKA... Oh my...

We need somebody with balls to run hockey and declare that not winning gold is not acceptable for Russia and beating Canada is expected to be a given. That is the hockey we need.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

Oh my! I fear if they win against Canada all will be declared good again and the C-SKA show will go on. And if they lose it will be against Canada and all will be declared good again and the C-SKA... Oh my...

We need somebody with balls to run hockey and declare that not winning gold is not acceptable for Russia and beating Canada is expected to be a given. That is the hockey we need.

We're out against Canada, as I expected. They just haven't been able to beat Canada in the last 5 years or so. Our roster wasn't that good (maybe a Team B or C) and in theory Canada had a bit of an advantage in that sense. Some of our boys stepped up, especially Mikheev, who was a rookie in Team Russia but who obviously battled hard and gave his best. I really liked Barabanov, I think he has a lot of potential with his non-standard dekes and skating, which often fools defensemen. Grigorenko also stepped up and played solid hockey. Overall, a disappointing tournament, even though our roster was far from optimal.

 

[Caser]

We're out against Canada, as I expected. They just haven't been able to beat Canada in the last 5 years or so. Our roster wasn't that good (maybe a Team B or C) and in theory Canada had a bit of an advantage in that sense. Some of our boys stepped up, especially Mikheev, who was a rookie in Team Russia but who obviously battled hard and gave his best. I really liked Barabanov, I think he has a lot of potential with his non-standard dekes and skating, which often fools defensemen. Grigorenko also stepped up and played solid hockey. Overall, a disappointing tournament, even though our roster was far from optimal.

Not sure if we watched the same games, Grigorenko was pretty bad both Vs. Sweden and Vs. Canada. Agree on Mikheyev and Barabanov though.

 

[Atas2000]

For the first time in a long time I don't care. Because this wasn't team Russia. It was a treat to watch Datsyuk stickhandle on his stomach(and making a successful play) and fooling two players at the boards where everybody else would have trouble with one, but that was about it. The result suits the roster. Shestyorkin was good. I guess with Koshechkin it would not be that close. And all the glorious and praised performances from Barabanov and Mikheev deserve praise, but they should have been 4th liners on team Russia at best and not the guys we rely on. I would also point out Gavrikov. He's had a strong tournament and has proven he made a step in the right direction, but beyond him and Zaytsev the D was brutal. Guys like Yakovlev and Bereglazov just look lost at this level. Tryamkin's performance was subpar as well. Size isn't everything. Russia obviously has one set of D-men worthy of the NT. Not even a full set.

Provorov - Zadorov
Sergachyov - Zaytsev
Orlov - Gavrikov(based on his current performance)

Beyond that is a group of flawed candidates.

That's not a bad D, but one injury away from being a liability again. Our lower pairings have goals against written all over them.

 

[DivochLubo]

Not sure if we watched the same games, Grigorenko was pretty bad both Vs. Sweden and Vs. Canada. Agree on Mikheyev and Barabanov though.

I think Grigorenko was not that bad. Think Anisimov´s line was solid whole tournament. Forwards mostly Datsyuk line excells against weak teams, but got like one goal in games agains Canada,Sweden,Czech Republic. Big problem for sure was defence, there was just low quality. Zaitsev was two steps ahead of others. Rest was like Gavrikov for me very good in defence, but low offence help, Nesterov show some shooting ability, but had defensive problems, rest was crappy, I supposed Tryamkin will be better.On goalies Shestyorkin for me looked much better then Koshechkin. Also what happened to russian top speed hockey? When all teams have problems with skating speed and whole game speed.

 

[Yakushev72]

There was a lot of hype for Grigorenko when he was a 15- and 16-year old, but he never lived up to it. Big and talented, but ineffective. He is not the kind of guy who is going to create momentum on his own, to be a leader that turns the tide of the game. Mostly, he just makes the occasional nifty play, and that is it.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

There was a lot of hype for Grigorenko when he was a 15- and 16-year old, but he never lived up to it. Big and talented, but ineffective. He is not the kind of guy who is going to create momentum on his own, to be a leader that turns the tide of the game. Mostly, he just makes the occasional nifty play, and that is it.

He moved to NA too early. And he's a tad slow.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

My opinion is that we had a solid tournament. Our roster wasn't that bad as other posters say, IMHO, although there were some glaring problems. First of all, the defense. But this is what our defensemen are, so there isn't much we could have done differently. On the international side, weaknesses are easily exposed: Gavrikov is excellent defensively, yet little offensive help. Nesterov is good with the puck, but God, help us if he is in the defensive zone.
Yakovlev is the face of what this "bazovy klub" policy made to our hockey: he was very good with Lokomotiv and then in his first season for SKA. Now he can't do anything anymore. Can't defend, can't attack. Results of "bazovy klubs" are, as it's said in Russian, "nalitso" (in your face). Belarus and Kazakhstan in Div I, Russia out in the quarterfinals. Why? Because in modern hockey it's much more useful to have players fighting for their spot in team's first lines, rather than having them rot in the fourth line even in a good club like SKA or CSKA is. This is modern hockey, our dirigents still think we are in the 70s.
Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan need to stop this policy as soon as possible and start spreading their top players in all the KHL teams. Only having players competing fiercely and gaining top-line minutes in a good-level league like the KHL is going to get us a better national team. Having Belarus and Kazakhstan players not counted as foreigners can also be a good thing for our players. It's not too many players, it could spark some additional competition to our stars. Moreover, having more Belarus and Kazakhstan good players can only help the KHL and ultimately the Russian national team as Russian teams and players will have to fight better-quality opponents.
Yakovlevs of this world could thrive in such an environment, instead of rotting down.

 

[sdf]

Just I mean that with all the respect to our young goalies, Vasya's talent is one of a kind and helping him fulfill his potential might benefit us long term. The ShestSorok would be a perfect backup pair, they could use the rock-paper-scissors to decide on who is #2 and #3. But yeah, of course, Tampa didn't give up yet, so I guess it is too early to think about that.

Short form of russian names sounds incredible stupid on english