Team Russia announced!!!

[wilka91*]

Here is Team Russia's complete roster for this summer's World Cup of Hockey :

Goalies
Evgeni Nabokov, SJ
Nikolai Khabibulin, TB
Maxim Sokolov, Avangard

Defensemen
Oleg Tverdovsky, Avangard
Sergei Gonchar, Was.
Daniil Markov, Phi.
Alexander Khavanov, Stl.
Darius Kasparaitis, NYR
Anton Volchenkov, Ott.
Vitaly Vishnevski, Ana.
Andrei Markov, Mtl.

Forwards
Dainius Zubrus, Was.
Artem Chubarov, Van.
Sergei Samsonov, Bos.
Alexei Kovalev, Mtl.
Sergei Fedorov, Ana.
Ilya Kovalchuk, Atl.
Maxim Afinogenov, Buf.
Pavel Datsyuk, Det.
Viktor Kozlov, NJ
Alexei Yashin, NYI
Alexei Zhamnov, Phi.
Valeri Bure, Dal.
Oleg Kvasha, NYI
Alexander Ovechkin, Dynamo
Maxim Shishinski, Avangard

Link : http://www.gazeta.ru/sportnews.shtml#112030

Click to read more...

 

[CSKA]

Hmm i think Kovalenko is the better choise than Sushinsky ....

But hey the team looks good to me ! Chubarov is useful ! The defence looks good !

And hey what about our Goalies

 

[helicecopter]

Oh yes! This comes as relief to me, considering there were some predicted defections it looks good to me!
Is it absolutely official?

 

[wilka91*]

I know the Canadians like to talk about players who didn't make the team, so let's do it too :

Frolov >>> why the hell isn't he on the team???
Mogilny
P. Bure
S. Kozlov
Korolyuk
Malakhov
Zubov
Zhitnik
Kalinin >>> same as Frolov!!!
Nikolishin >>> by the way, wasn't he supposed to be on the team???
Morozov

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

I would've had Andrei Nikolishin, Alexander Frolov and Nikolai Zherdev over Dainius Zubrus, Maxim Shishinski and one of Maxim Afinogenov or Oleg Kvasha, but that's just me.

 

[CSKA]

I know the Canadians like to talk about players who didn't make the team, so let's do it too :

Frolov >>> why the hell isn't he on the team???
Mogilny
P. Bure
S. Kozlov
Korolyuk
Malakhov
Zubov
Zhitnik
Kalinin >>> same as Frolov!!!
Nikolishin >>> by the way, wasn't he supposed to be on the team???

Zherdev ......

But yes WTF is with Frolov !!!!!

 

[CSKA]

So wich players played with Dynamo Moscow in past years ?

Yashin , Afinogenov , Ovechkin , who else ?

 

[wilka91*]

You know what? I think this list is not the FINAL list, because Avangard will likely want to keep its players for the start of the Superleague season, or the federation must do something!!!

But why the hell Frolov isn't on the team? They clearly said they wanted to see young talent on the team, because they consider this tournament is a preparation for the 2006 Olympics!!!

 

[CSKA]

But why the hell Frolov isn't on the team? They clearly said they wanted to see young talent on the team, because they consider this tournament is a preparation for the 2006 Olympics!!!

Perhaps they want to win i dont know

 

[ZBORNAJA]

Perhaps they want to win i dont know

:lol

 

[Ironchef Chris Wok*]

The name missing I'd be concerned most would be Zubov. He's a HUGE upgrade over some of the bottom pairing guys like Khavanov.

The forwards look fine, just need a little tweaking. NIce to see Chubbie make the team.

 

[helicecopter]

I know the Canadians like to talk about players who didn't make the team, so let's do it too :

Frolov >>> why the hell isn't he on the team???
Mogilny
P. Bure
S. Kozlov
Korolyuk
Malakhov
Zubov
Zhitnik
Kalinin >>> same as Frolov!!!
Nikolishin >>> by the way, wasn't he supposed to be on the team???
Morozov

Speaking only of the ones willing and healthy to play i would have liked 2 out of Korolyuk, Nikolishin, Frolov instead of Sushinsky, Kvasha and Kalinin instead of Khavanov, but you know, i had biggest fears so i'm satisfied.
Now let's try with the lines guys!

 

[CSKA]

Any ideas for the lines ?

I start :

Samsonov - Fedorov - Zubrus ( yes ! )
Kovalchuk - Datsyk - Kovalev
V.Bure - Zhamnov - S.Koslov
Ovechkin - Chubarov ( yes! ) - Yashin

Gonchar - Kaspar
A.Markov - D.Markov
Tverdowski - Volchenkov

Khavanov - Vishni

1.Khabi
2.Nabi

 

[Drake1588]

Not a bad roster, and it is balanced. They may have opted to leave certain purely offensive players off the list in favor of better two-way or outright defensive players. That could explain Zherdev and Frolov, though by that measure Nikolishin really ought to be on the list.

In a lengthy interview published in SE recently, Nikolishin stated that he was looking forward to playing in the World Cup, if asked. Interesting. Perhaps the list could very well change when all is said and done.

 

[incawg]

It's great to see Chubarov there. Hopefully he'll get a chance to play as he's quite an underrated shutdown man.

 

[wilka91*]

Perhaps they want to win i dont know

Nice one :lol

 

[helicecopter]

You know what? I think this list is not the FINAL list, because Avangard will likely want to keep its players for the start of the Superleague season, or the federation must do something!!!

Yeah, i was wondering the same thing; it would be nice to see Sushinsky replaced by Frolov but i hope there will be no problems for Tverdovsky.
My fear is: what happens if because of lock-out all the Russian NHLers sign with hometowns' teams before the world cup??

 

[wilka91*]

good question

 

[colonel_korn]

That looks like a very solid lineup overall. Unlike most of the other teams I don't really see any weaknesses in their roster; they have top-level goaltending, a good mix of offensive and defensive guys on D and some good skill up front. If they can stay motivated, I think they'll be one of the best teams there.

 

[wilka91*]

One thing is for sure : it's a pretty young team overall.

But why the hell didn't they take Frolov???

 

[CSKA]

Come on Wilka , Zbornaja ................ lines please !

 

[Staalwart]

i would love to see Kovalchuk and Ovechkin on a line.

 

[CSKA]

i would love to see Kovalchuk and Ovechkin on a line.

that will never happen ! i think for the next 2-3 years

 

[wilka91*]

Lines? Ok.

Here you go :

Samsonov - Fedorov - Zubrus/Ovechkin
Yashin - Zhamnov - Kovalev
Afinogenov (FROLOV) - Datsyuk - Kovalchuk
Sushinski - V. Kozlov - V. Bure

In my opinion there's no real 4th line.
Yashin could as well play with Kvasha.
Kovalev would look good on the top line with Fedorov.

Tverdovsky - D. Markov
Gonchar - Kasparaitis
A. Markov - Volchenkov

Khavanov will be probably paired with A. Markov.

Khabibulin
Nabokov

But I think Sokolov could be a good starter.

 

[CSKA]

Lines? Ok.

Here you go :

Samsonov - Fedorov - Zubrus/Ovechkin
Yashin - Zhamnov - Kovalev
Afinogenov (FROLOV) - Datsyuk - Kovalchuk
Sushinski - V. Kozlov - V. Bure

In my opinion there's no real 4th line.
Yashin could as well play with Kvasha.
Kovalev would look good on the top line with Fedorov.

Tverdovsky - D. Markov
Gonchar - Kasparaitis
A. Markov - Volchenkov

Khavanov will be probably paired with A. Markov.

Khabibulin
Nabokov

But I think Sokolov could be a good starter.

Come on wilka ! Kovalchuk will play on the 1st or 2nd line and you know that !!!

Afinogenov- Datsyuk - Kovalchuk = i think we will not see that line .....