Who has better centers right now, Sweden or Russia?

[Eye of Ra]

Sweden:

Elias Pettersson
Mika Zibanejad
William Karlsson
Elias Lindholm
Joel Eriksson Ek


Russia:

Evgeni Malkin
Yevgerni Kuznetsov
Vadim Shipachev
Ivan Barbashev
Vladislav Namestnikov

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[LuLover96]

Sweden and it's not close

 

[Czechboy]

Kuznetsov is awesome but can he even play at an International Event? Suspended?

 

[EK47]

Sweden.

 

[Gold Standard]

Sweden

And lagging way way behind, about 11 time zones behind to be precise, would be Russia.

 

[banks]

I'd rank those players like so:

Malkin
All of the Swedes
Shipachyov

The rest of the Russians

I mean, I could make a case for Ship over JEE. But that's just because I'm a big fan of Ship. This is the Swedes, easily.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Sweden and it's not close

you sure? Malkin and Kuznetsov are world class. Shipachev could be, if only given proper chance in NHL. Barbashev is a great 4C.

 

[ViD]

you sure? Malkin and Kuznetsov are world class. Shipachev could be, if only given proper chance in NHL. Barbashev is a great 4C.

Sweden has clear advantage on defense and in the middle. Russia has clear advantage in goal and on the wing

 

[Eye of Ra]

Sweden has clear advantage on defense and in the middle. Russia has clear advantage in goal and on the wing

not sure about goalies. ullmark and gustavsson is top keepers in NHL

 

[ViD]

not sure about goalies. ullmark and gustavsson is top keepers in NHL

Ullmark is a decent goalie, but this year is his only breakout year, Gustavsson is not proven yet

 

[Albatros]

Sweden has clear advantage on defense and in the middle. Russia has clear advantage in goal and on the wing

Normally you only need one goalie though and Ullmark is as good as anyone. With Gustavsson they have the quality backup, too. It's really just extra depth that they don't have.

 

[THE JAM]

Eye of Ra, hopefully you understand what's going on: russia is not going to participate internationally any time soon, probably for decades and there will be a different russia when they might again be allowed.

So this is a meaningless thread actually, this generation's russian players are not going to internationally compete against any other top nations unless they change their citizenship.

 

[EK47]

Sweden has clear advantage on defense and in the middle. Russia has clear advantage in goal and on the wing

Agreed, you don’t really need more than one goalie though, its enough to have a backup that doesn’t completely shit the bed.

 

[Czechboy]

Sweden has clear advantage on defense and in the middle. Russia has clear advantage in goal and on the wing

Normally you only need one goalie though and Ullmark is as good as anyone. With Gustavsson they have the quality backup, too. It's really just extra depth that they don't have.

This is what I was going to say to vid.

I absolutely agree Russia has the best goalies in the world and their first three are insane.

But ullmark is looking to win a vezina this season and markstron was a vezina nominee last season. I'd be ecstatic with a vezina winner (if it happens) and Vezina nominee (from the last 2 seasons).

Swedes may win vezina and Norris this season.

 

[Garl]

Sweden has clear advantage on defense and in the middle. Russia has clear advantage in goal and on the wing

Not so clear in goal
As for wingers, Russia is ahead of course, but swedish wingers are actually very good

you sure? Malkin and Kuznetsov are world class. Shipachev could be, if only given proper chance in NHL. Barbashev is a great 4C.

Shipachyov has never been world class, and now at 36 yo he is regressing even in KHL.

Malkin is way past his prime, and Kuznetsov doesnt have the same drive anymore

 

[Killer Orcas]

Sweden by quite a large margin in my opinion. Malkin is the best career wise but I'd take Pettersson, Zibanejad, easily over Malkin today and probably Lindholm and EK starting next year.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Kuznetsov is awesome but can he even play at an International Event? Suspended?

i forgot that....but still fun to speculate.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Sweden

And lagging way way behind, about 11 time zones behind to be precise, would be Russia.

Malkin might be old, but still has 63 points in 61 games,

Kuznetsov with 50 points aint shabby but can ofc do better. Still only 30.

Barbashev is a quality shutdown center.

Shipa would have been a NHL star if given proper chance.

Eye of Ra, hopefully you understand what's going on: russia is not going to participate internationally any time soon, probably for decades and there will be a different russia when they might again be allowed.

So this is a meaningless thread actually, this generation's russian players are not going to internationally compete against any other top nations unless they change their citizenship.

you are right, but still fun to speculate.

 

[Crosby2010]

I guess Sweden wins this

 

[Zine]

I'd rank those players like so:

Malkin
All of the Swedes
Shipachyov

The rest of the Russians

I mean, I could make a case for Ship over JEE. But that's just because I'm a big fan of Ship. This is the Swedes, easily.

Nix Shipachyov. His his age is showing big time this year...he turns 36 in a few days.
I'd move a W to C. Best candidate is probably Buchnevich.

Malkin
Kuznetsov
Buchnevich
Barbashyov

Sweden still takes this.

 

[illone84]

Sweden

 

[BurgoShark]

Germany

 

[NyQuil]

you sure? Malkin and Kuznetsov are world class. Shipachev could be, if only given proper chance in NHL. Barbashev is a great 4C.

I changed my mind thanks to your post.

Russia it is.

 

[sdf]

It is incorrect to compare Russia and other top countries, Russia is not a normal country, it is captured by a regime whose basis is systematic corruption and the removal of honest professionals from any business. It is very difficult for a talented child from a poor family in Russia to eventually become a professional player. But what happens when this country actually cares about hockey is something you saw in the 80s. This post will probably be deleted

 

[Czechboy]

Capitals' Evgeny Kuznetsov Suspended 4 Years by IIHF for Positive Cocaine Test

Kuzy is eligible in June 2023... I get it's pointless but it was bugging me!