Sweden top line vs Finland top line

[NyQuil]

Laine - Barkov - Rantanen

Is that some scary shit or not?

Scary for the coaching staff.

 

[Ben White]

July 2020
Barkov vs Pettersson - Barkov has 74.5% of votes saying he's better now, Petterson has a slight majority (55.4%) picking him "going forward" which is a nebulous date.

Aug 2020
2v2: Pettersson + Hughes vs Barkov + Ekblad - I'd guess your looking at massively lopsided polls like this, but the question in the poll is "better in the long run" which has nothing to do with Finland v Sweden today. Obviously the Nucks duo wins this, because they are like a combined decade younger.

Feb 2020
Cage-match - Barkov VS Pettersson - 57% of people think Barkov will be better for the next 5 years.

It seems pretty clear that over an undefined period in the future, people are choosing Petey, but in the near short term and right now - Barkov is winning in landslides. Also, I will admit I chose Petey in the better now/future, but got easily proven wrong this year since Barkov has been better in a landslide. Still think over the next 5 years, Petey becomes better, but that's not really what this thread is about, nor a surprise since he's younger. In hindsight I should have chosen Barkov now, Petey in the future. Guess I have to own that.

Both TSN and THN had EP comfortably ahead of Barkov going into this season. Also the pre season poll Pettersson vs Barkov had EP wining in a landslide until the season started where Barkov quickly closed the gap in that same still running poll and eventually got ahead of EP.

 

[BlueBaron]

Two good groups but we still don't know what EP is, Aho is money in the bank so went with the Finns.

 

[NyQuil]

Both TSN and THN had EP comfortably ahead of Barkov going into this season.

That's what happens when you play in a Canadian market as opposed to one of the least covered markets in the league.

It's also why people have been calling Barkov the most underrated player in the NHL for what seems like five years now.

 

[North Cole]

Both TSN and THN had EP comfortably ahead of Barkov going into this season. Also the pre season poll Pettersson vs Barkov had EP wining in a landslide until the season started where Barkov quickly closed the gap in that same still running poll and eventually got ahead of EP.

This poll?
Better season - Barkov or Pettersson?

Guess I missed posting that, but yes presently Barkov is winning. Althought it may have been a landslide, cant really verify this, its not today - again that doesn't support the notion that Petterson is better today.

As it stands, basically every poll has Barkov better in the last year and apparently at present. Regarding media outlets, not sure what to say. They are driven by traffic and profits, one guy is a superstar in a big Canadian Market, the other is treated like "some dude" in Florida.

Ranking the NHL's top centers: Where execs put McDavid, Matthews, Crosby

From 3 days ago, ESPN has Barkov at 8 and appears to have Petey at 12, behind ROR. Frankly not sure how he's above Kopitar this year.

I would also like to say - you claim its recency bias for Barkov to be better based on an "outlier 30 games" which I think is faulty. Based on the three polls I posted from the first 8 months of 2020, I really don't see how Petey is unanimously regarded as better prior to the season because of one preseason poll (that you remember was a landslide, but currently is tied) Seems more likely the preseason poll was just recency bias based on his small playoff run and everyone assumed he would keep going.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

Both TSN and THN had EP comfortably ahead of Barkov going into this season. Also the pre season poll Pettersson vs Barkov had EP wining in a landslide until the season started where Barkov quickly closed the gap in that same still running poll and eventually got ahead of EP.

Pettersson's career high is 66 points. He is heavily overrated until he proves otherwise.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

How is this Finland??

Pettersson ~ Barkov (not this season but in general, just look at all the polls and lists prior to this season where EP was well ahead everywhere)
Backstrom ~ Aho
Zib ~< Rantanen

Hedman > Heiskanen
Klingberg >> Ristolainen

Goalies: no opinion

Can I have some of whatever you’re on?

 

[TomppaKoo]

Scary for the coaching staff.

Barkov 6 3", Rantanen 6 4", Laine 6 5"

Each of them can play it Physical, when needed and the skill level is off the charts.

 

[NyQuil]

Each of them can play it Physical, when needed and the skill level is off the charts.

I think they currently need Laine to play more physical.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

I think they currently need Laine to play more physical.

Laine's been terrible. I skip all the threads about him. Makes me sick in the stomach.

 

[Connor McConnor]

EP is slowly becoming the most overrated player in the NHL while Barkov remains ridiculously underrated for some reason.

Forwards:
Barkov
Rantanen

Backstrom
Aho
EP/Zib

Winner = Finland in a landslide

Defensemen:
Hedman

Heisk
Klingberg


Risto

Winner = Sweden

Goalies:
Rask
Markstrom
Ullmark

Winner = Finland

Overall winner = Finland

 

[Captain97]

I'd take Lindell over Risto on Finland

 

[jonlin]

If we want a heavy top-line only, we put this:

Aho - Barkov - Rantanen

If we put our offensive lineup:

Laine - Barkov - Rantanen
Donskoi - Aho - Teräväinen
Tolvanen - Hintz - Kapanen
Granlund - Kotkaniemi - Armia

xtras: Puljujärvi, Haula, Kiviranta, Lehkonen

Sweden:

Landeskog - Zibanejad - Forsberg
Hörnqvist - Bäckström - Nylander
Olofsson - Pettersson - Rakell
Karlsson - Lindholm - Burakovsky

I feel Finland is heavier in the Top6. Sweden has better depth. Our 3 best centers are all PPG+ . Sweden wins the D-core with a landslide though

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Did you not read my post? Prior to this season EP was anonymously regarded as quite a bit better than Barkov. All of a sudden after 30 odd games in an outlier season Barkov is “much better”. The recency bias here is amazing.

Anyone who regarded EP over Barkov coming into this season was wrong. If I’m not wrong there was a poll between the 2, and even then i staunchly said I would take Barkov and this season is proving why.

It’s not recency bias at all.

 

[MrOT]

This might actually be the first time in history when Finland would win such a poll, top unit vs top unit, vs Sweden. The decline of EK and OEL + Dahlins slow development, Pettersson + Zibanejad slumping and career years (possibly) for Barkov and Rantanen made this possible. It's still super close however (as I think most people voting for Finland still think it's close). I'd still choose Sweden by a hair though as I think the gap on defense in favor of Sweden is bigger than the gap on offense in favor of Finland. Finland basically only has Heiskanen on this level and then it's a huge drop off.

 

[Peat]

Way it's configured I can't bring myself to vote for the unit with Risto, but other than that it's probably Finland. So I went too close to call.

 

[Plural]

Barkov 6 3", Rantanen 6 4", Laine 6 5"

Each of them can play it Physical, when needed and the skill level is off the charts.

Laine sucks these days. He's nowhere near the caliber needed to crack the top-line over Aho.

 

[tomi2]

How is this Finland??

Pettersson ~ Barkov (not this season but in general, just look at all the polls and lists prior to this season where EP was well ahead everywhere)
Backstrom ~ Aho
Zib ~< Rantanen

Hedman > Heiskanen
Klingberg >> Ristolainen

Goalies: no opinion

Thanks for the laugh pal I needed that

 

[TomppaKoo]

Laine sucks these days. He's nowhere near the caliber needed to crack the top-line over Aho.

With Barkov and Rantanen all he needs to do is to get open and shoot. And he does that well...

+ Aho is not going to play as a winger in team Finland.

 

[Plural]

With Barkov and Rantanen all he needs to do is to get open and shoot. And he does that well...

+ Aho is not going to play as a winger in team Finland.

There's absolutely zero chance that this version of Laine makes the top-line over Aho. In real world, Aho would not be playing wing but he'd be the 2nd line C. But the poll is constructing best possible top-unit for both countries. In that scenario, Aho as a winger makes sense. And in that sense, Laine as the top-line winger makes no sense.

 

[TomppaKoo]

There's absolutely zero chance that this version of Laine makes the top-line over Aho. In real world, Aho would not be playing wing but he'd be the 2nd line C. But the poll is constructing best possible top-unit for both countries. In that scenario, Aho as a winger makes sense. And in that sense, Laine as the top-line winger makes no sense.

With Barkov and Rantanen in top line. Laine is the one winger that makes most sense. His talent and shot is still there and with 2 elite playmakers in same line he would be a deadly weapon for team Finland.
Furthermore, the thought of having a top line of 3 strong guys who are 6 3"+ in team Finland is a nice dream. There is absolutely 0 team wanting to face that line with Heiskanen backing them up.

 

[Slapshot Sultan]

Ok check all the polls and official lists prior to this season. This is a joke

Last season Pettersson became the most overrated player in the league taking the mantle from Carey Price. EP has done nothing to be considered on Barkov's level yet

 

[David OSullivan]

I'd have laine with barkov and Rantanen when making international lines as hintz and aho can slot elsewhere nicely. But hintz barkov Rantanen would be an awesome line and beats anything Sweden puts together.

Let's be fair, right now Finland wins the forwards, Sweden wins the defence as it would against any nation right now to be fair.

 

[jonlin]

I'd have laine with barkov and Rantanen when making international lines as hintz and aho can slot elsewhere nicely. But hintz barkov Rantanen would be an awesome line and beats anything Sweden puts together.

Let's be fair, right now Finland wins the forwards, Sweden wins the defence as it would against any nation right now to be fair.

This. Finland - Sweden would actually be Finnish offense vs. Swedens defence. Would probably be pretty good games.

 

[Ben White]

This. Finland - Sweden would actually be Finnish offense vs. Swedens defence. Would probably be pretty good games.

Well top line vs top could be something like that if EP and Zib are slumping but in a real game Sweden’s depth makes the offense close over all while Sweden has superior defense. Sweden is still clearly ahead of Finland roster vs roster.