Worse age groups upcoming?

[VictorLustig]

The U16 National team has really struggled, no win in regulation this whole season. I just watched them get absolutely embarrassed by Finland in the first period in Oskarshamn. The U17 team does not look strong either and they haven't had much success at all up to this point. Are the happy days of dominant national teams soon over?

Click to read more...

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

I think the U17 (-97) is a solid age group. 2nd place in Sundsvall behind the US. 2 wins so far against RUS and CZE in Finland

 

[PuckPoise]

Heard they don't select the best players.

 

[joe89]

There's still a few great prospects per age group coming, I'm not too worried about depth. Also if I remember it right, we weren't always impressive at the U16 and U17 level despite great age groups. Specifically against Finland I feel like we've lost our fair share of games. It's a bit too early for our development program to have impact at that stage.

 

[KRM]

Yeah, not to worried, some great players mixed with good depth in 97-99.

 

[B Boarding]

97 and 98 borns doesn't seem as deep as the earlier crops. But it still has some elite talent, mainly on defense I'd say.
This U16 team was very physically under developed compared to the other attending nations. Sweden were clearly the smallest and physically weakest team. Something that will change in a year or two probably, so I'm not worried yet.
I wonder why Alexander Nylander wasn't on the U16 team. The guy is dynamite and has hockey sense like no other forward on this team.