WJC: So who wins Gold?

[Alberta tough]

Who wins it all? And why?
My guess is the USA. Playing at home, 8 returning players, very deep forward group I believe they will win it all again.
Gold= USA
Silver= Sweden
Bronze= Canada

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[Grabovski]

GOLD = Norway
SILVER = Germany
BRONZE = Switzerland

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

Canada and the US are the obvious favourites. Difficult to truely determine who has the better squad ; it depends on the night.

The best Euro team is Russia IMO after seeing Sweden in the prelims. This Russian squad is probably being overlooked due to its poor performance last year combined with the fact that we actually don't know many of the names on the roster. It seems to have alot players who NHl fans won't be aware of. But the depth is good and they IMO have two of the best Forwards at the event.

 

[obsenssive*]

for buffalo to be considered "home" for team usa is a stretch.

 

[GenerationalTalent]

Canada is determined to get back on top and whenever I hear the words 'blue collar' and 'deep' desrcibing Team Canada I know Team Canada is going to be tough to be beat.

I don't get how Canada isn't the favourite to win. They have won 5 of the last 6 and have some very high draft picks on there roster. IMO Canada is still the team to beat.

 

[YARR123]

gold: Finland obviously
silver: sweden just so that finns can win the final against them!
bronze: I'll let USA have this one because they're the home team




and now to my unbiased answer:
gold: canada
silver: USA
bronze: Sweden

my goal as a finn is that we reach the semis

 

[Statsy]

Canada is determined to get back on top and whenever I hear the words 'blue collar' and 'deep' desrcibing Team Canada I know Team Canada is going to be tough to be beat.

I don't get how Canada isn't the favourite to win. They have won 5 of the last 6 and have some very high draft picks on there roster. IMO Canada is still the team to beat.

Don't worry, they always will be the team to beat at this tournament. Having said that, it's the U.S. that is the reigning champion, not Canada. We also know that they have the big edge in experience with all their returnees, a fact which can't be overlooked.

But thirdly, and most important to this discussion, is the fact that those people that built this particular edition of Team Canada seemed to have mistakenly thought that size was the antidote to an opponent with speed. It isn't. In fact it probably takes you in the wrong direction of where we needed to be going. We should still be fine against the other nations, however.

As for the States, the time bomb that's waiting to go off in their hands is the lopsided pool alignment this year. They are going to destroy the competition in that side of the pool, earn the quarterfinal bye and suddenly have to face a tough test that the prelim games didn't prepare them for. If they sweep the first round and lose the semi, you'll know why. Not saying it's going to happen for sure, just that it's something that they will need to be aware of.

 

[nitz]

Can we make this into a poll?

 

[Regina Pat]

GOLD: Canada
SILVER: Sweden
BRONZE: ... dare I say it... Switzerland

Major upset by Swiss in Bronze game vs. USA. 2-1, El Nino Scores Twice in 1 minute with 10 left in 3rd, Conz plays stellar.

 

[tez]

GOLD: Canada (Homer pick, but still)
SILVER: USA
BRONZE: Finland
FOURTH: Sweden

 

[Dosing]

Gold - USA
Silver - Canada
Bronze - Russia

 

[Garyboy]

Gold - Russia

Silver - U.S.

Bronze - Canada

 

[Made Dan]

Gold-U.S
Silver-Canada
Bronze- Sweden


No real surprises IMO. I think Russia will be 4th.

 

[Lundell4Prez]

Gold - US
Silver - Canada
Bronze - Finland

 

[canucksfan]

I don't know much about prospects but I think Russia may be the underdog. I don't think they will win but they may knock off Canada or the U.S.

I'm cheering for the U.S. or Sweden to win, but even though I have not been impressed with the Canadian team, I think they will win.

 

[Gobo]

Gold - Canada
Silver - Finland/Sweden
Bronze - Russia

I see Campbell chokin for the US big time.

 

[danishh]

tough to say. US have to be the favorites. Defending champions with key pieces in goal and up front returning. Also, they're the home team.

I hope canada can do well in this underdog role, maybe force the USA to make some mistakes, but USA basically has a free ride to the semis while canada has to duke it out with Russia and Sweden in the same group.

As for russia and sweden, it will take a cinderella run. It will likely require them beating the other in round robin play, then beating finland/switzerland in the quarters, then beating canada in the semis, then beating USA for the gold. That's a tough road, and requires at least 2 upsets.


My guesses:

Gold: USA
Silver: Canada
Bronze: Sweden
4th: Finland

 

[GopherState]

Gold: Canada
Silver: USA
Bronze: Russia

Got to love the anti-jinx.

 

[pouskin74*]

tough to say. US have to be the favorites. Defending champions with key pieces in goal and up front returning. Also, they're the home team.

I hope canada can do well in this underdog role, maybe force the USA to make some mistakes, but USA basically has a free ride to the semis while canada has to duke it out with Russia and Sweden in the same group.

As for russia and sweden, it will take a cinderella run. It will likely require them beating the other in round robin play, then beating finland/switzerland in the quarters, then beating canada in the semis, then beating USA for the gold. That's a tough road, and requires at least 2 upsets.


My guesses:

Gold: USA
Silver: Canada
Bronze: Sweden
4th: Finland

dont think that you can call this as UPSETs if Russians are going to beat USA and Canada. seems to me that people arent able to estimate what was happening in last year! Russian U20 from last year arent comparable to Team coached by Bragin! this one is better coached,motivated,skilled and more ready physically.

 

[Lapa]

Gold - USA
Silver - Canada
Bronze - Sweden/Finland/Switzerland/Russia

Any of those teams can be third. USA is simply the best team at the moment.

 

[McGreat One]

Gold-U.S
Silver-Canada
Bronze- Sweden


No real surprises IMO. I think Russia will be 4th.

This. Although you can never rule out Canada no matter how many returnees the opposition has. Might sound a little cliche, but Canadians always wear they're hearts on their sleeves and for some reason this tournament brings out the best in every player wearing the maple leaf.

 

[Minister of Offence]

1. Russia
2. Canada
3. Sweden

It burns.

 

[GopherState]

This. Although you can never rule out Canada no matter how many returnees the opposition has. Might sound a little cliche, but Canadians always wear they're hearts on their sleeves and for some reason this tournament brings out the best in every player wearing the maple leaf.

A little cliche?

 

[slovakiasnextone]

I´ve got no idea for the actual medal winners, but I expect USA/Canada/Sweden/Russia to finish in the top 4, IMO after we had two upset teams in the top 4 in the last two tournaments in a row, I don´t expect any major upsets in the quarterfinals (It´s just seems way too unlikely that the same scenario would repeat itself twice in a row and that some of the 4 teams would mess up like US did in 09 and Russia in 10 again). Just maybe Finland might be able to find a way into the top 4 making one of the Big 4 finishing 5th, but I guess it depends just on you whether you wanna consider it and uoset or not.

 

[ErikKarlsson]

This. Although you can never rule out Canada no matter how many returnees the opposition has. Might sound a little cliche, but Canadians always wear they're hearts on their sleeves and for some reason this tournament brings out the best in every player wearing the maple leaf.

Then why were Hall and Cowen awful last year?