WC: 2017 Team Russia

[Nino33]

Ovechkin has always been criticized by NHL fans for failure to win the Stanley Cup all by himself. He is the best goal scorer in the NHL, so everyone thinks he should be able to go solo and hoist the Cup every year.

I've never noticed this myself (the NHL fans criticizing Ovechkin for failure to win the Stanley Cup all by himself)...and IMO any criticism Ovechkin receives doesn't seem "NHL centric" either; the criticism is in best-on-best (with good teams), both NHL playoffs and Olympics, he has NEVER won


The "hatred for Ovechkin" is a fallacy IMO
The negativity regarding Ovechkin isn't "hatred" and it's almost always in response to an Ovechkin fan praising him

I've noticed in recent years more and more Russian NT fans seem to realize having Ovechkin on your team maybe isn't an overall win (moreso than NHL fans IMO!); seems to me Capitals fans [and many NHL fans] are more likely to believe he's the best goal scorer, like you do



IMO Team Russia is definitely better off without Ovechkin, even if he's 100% healthy and motivated (I think a better "team" would be produced without Ovechkin, and I don't think it's best when so much of the team's game has to go into setting up one guy to shoot, especially a team that's promoting creative hockey)

 

[Reds4Life]

Kuznetsov isn't even that good? lol, okay, I guess. Seriously... That's way off.

Kuznetsov regularly chokes in big games. He's nice for round robin or regular season, but useless when it matters. He'd be taking ice time from other players. IMHO Russia is better without Kuznetsov.

 

[ViD]

Kuznetsov regularly chokes in big games. He's nice for round robin or regular season, but useless when it matters. He'd be taking ice time from other players. IMHO Russia is better without Kuznetsov.

Check WJHC 2011 and when Kuznetsov scored his goals

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

Kuznetsov regularly chokes in big games. He's nice for round robin or regular season, but useless when it matters. He'd be taking ice time from other players. IMHO Russia is better without Kuznetsov.

Yes lol in game 5 and 6 against the Pens he was terrible

 

[Reds4Life]

Yes lol in game 5 and 6 against the Pens he was terrible

Did nothing in game 7. If you are playing a forward for some 18-20 minutes a game, he better deliver. Russia has plenty of firepower already. What does Kuznetsov add that Russia doesn't already have in spades? The guy is a minus player 5on5 and average at best defensively.

 

[Raptor1990]

Did nothing in game 7. If you are playing a forward for some 18-20 minutes a game, he better deliver. Russia has plenty of firepower already. What does Kuznetsov add that Russia doesn't already have in spades? The guy is a minus player 5on5 and average at best defensively.

Kuznetsov can easily replace Gusev or Tkachyov. Kuzya could be even with Panarin and Kucherov probably best line since Datsyuk-Fedorov-Malkin some time ago.

 

[Fantomas]

Gusev is doing just fine. No one is replacing him.

 

[Raptor1990]

Pity that Tarasenko could not come anyway. That would be probably dream team.

Tarasenko-Kuznetsov-Panarin
Kucherov-Namestnikov-Kaprizov

This could be Russia`s elite offense lines some time in future.

 

[Yakushev72]

I've never noticed this myself (the NHL fans criticizing Ovechkin for failure to win the Stanley Cup all by himself)...and IMO any criticism Ovechkin receives doesn't seem "NHL centric" either; the criticism is in best-on-best (with good teams), both NHL playoffs and Olympics, he has NEVER won


The "hatred for Ovechkin" is a fallacy IMO
The negativity regarding Ovechkin isn't "hatred" and it's almost always in response to an Ovechkin fan praising him

I've noticed in recent years more and more Russian NT fans seem to realize having Ovechkin on your team maybe isn't an overall win (moreso than NHL fans IMO!); seems to me Capitals fans [and many NHL fans] are more likely to believe he's the best goal scorer, like you do



IMO Team Russia is definitely better off without Ovechkin, even if he's 100% healthy and motivated (I think a better "team" would be produced without Ovechkin, and I don't think it's best when so much of the team's game has to go into setting up one guy to shoot, especially a team that's promoting creative hockey)

As long as he continues to play at the current level, how could a team possibly be better off without Ovechkin? That makes no sense to me at all. He is a consistent 50-goal scorer in the NHL. How could a team be better off without those 50 goals? I've acknowledged the fact that it takes more than him to win a Gold Medal or a Stanley Cup, but it sure doesn't hurt at all to have him in the lineup. In the match-up with Pittsburgh, its a case of 2 vs. 1. The Penguins have Crosby and Malkin, while the Capitols only have Ovechkin!

 

[MaxV]

Ovechkin actually played well at the World Gimmick Cup, I thought.

 

[Atas2000]

Did nothing in game 7. If you are playing a forward for some 18-20 minutes a game, he better deliver. Russia has plenty of firepower already. What does Kuznetsov add that Russia doesn't already have in spades? The guy is a minus player 5on5 and average at best defensively.

you wish. he is the best center this team will have.

Panarin - Kuznetsov - Kucherov

Mozyakin - Tkachyov - Kaprizov

Gusev - Shipachyov - Dadonov

Plotnikov - Andronov - Telegin

 

[Atas2000]

Calm down maestro. This is the most fun russian team i watched in a long time in terms of creativity. Yes, for now just Sweden was real test, but it was also first game . How they will respond to USA and maybe Canadian pressure (if they meet), or Finland defensive system is yet to be seen.
Czech can be also dangerous. Defense wasnt tested yet for real so hard to make any conclusions yet.

Bravo Znarok for changing Gusev and Panarin, good move. Instantly great duo, Kucherov and Panarin. Now i cant wait to see Kuznetsov between them, mama mia what a potential this line has. Malkin would be also great with Mozyakin and Radulov or Kaprizov. All lines that can play creative, combinational hockey.

AO injured or not just lost his mojo somehow. I am 100% russian team would be worse with AO unless you get 2010 or younger version of AO.

Amazing. You praise the man for making up for his own stupidity.

Ever heard of injuries? Ovechkin haters are deaf and blind it seems. If Crosby doesn't score for a couple of games he is "probably injured" even if he isn't. If Ovechkin is not going to the WC because of 2(!) injuries he is old, not the same, lost his mojo.

Wake up!

 

[Hinterland]

So is this Kucherov / Panarin duo expected to be a permanent thing? Or just a tactical change inside the game? And is Kucherov finally also gonna get some real PP-time? Maybe it's just me but I feel like he got used in a rather strange way so far and, taking that into consideration, has done really well so far.

 

[zbornaja36]

Amazing. You praise the man for making up for his own stupidity.

Ever heard of injuries? Ovechkin haters are deaf and blind it seems. If Crosby doesn't score for a couple of games he is "probably injured" even if he isn't. If Ovechkin is not going to the WC because of 2(!) injuries he is old, not the same, lost his mojo.

Wake up!

If you read my posts you will know i am big critic of Znarok and the whole russian coaching and management of team. But in first case, trying Gusev with Kucherov was natural, they did played in past, had chemistry. Also Panarin with Dadonov and Shipa was also already proven line. It is not stupidity to try something like that. It was working ok, but the change at least in this game was proven better.

As i said, lots of things to see yet from this team and how they will respond. Defense not tested yet, PK still suspect, overpassing at times, not crushing a net to much, PP against agressive PK teams and so on ... So wont praise Znarok until i see play and adjustments with bigger opponents...

As for AO :

Now, it’s completely unfair to both Orpik and Ovechkin to say that, by highlighting Crosby’s work ethic, Orpik was referencing Ovechkin as a superstar who coasts through practice. But it’s also ignorant to not notice the discrepancies here. It’s also instructive that on the very day Orpik said that about Crosby, Ovechkin left practice, the first in preparation for the Penguins’ series, because of a broken skate. Minor issue. No big deal. But he never returned to the ice.

“I said, ‘You didn’t have another pair?’” Coach Barry Trotz said then, making light of the incident. “He goes, ‘I couldn’t find them.’”

.....

“He should never have been named the captain,” said one person with first-hand knowledge of the situation. “You’re asking him to do something he’s not capable of.”

....

In Washington, there’s no getting around that the way is Ovechkin’s. He is the room’s largest personality, the employee with the longest tenure. If he drifts through a crucial playoff game — as he did in Game 4 against Pittsburgh, whether because of injury or disinterest — it’s hard for the players who will come and go to get the one who knows he’ll be here to change his work habits, his DNA.

Karlson is said is playing through injections, probably others are. But even that isnt important. As somebody said in humor he must get inflammed with same injury since 2010 in PO. Majority people see that AO lost it.
Can he regain lost step? Maybe if someone transfers Crosby work ethic into him, and he losses 15, 20 pounds of fat and reinvents his play.
I could go on and on about how inefficient he is for team in this form and will drag any line down (even for PP specialist if IK will prove that he still got it in NHL - is much better option for me on PP) but will just say that if he doesnt change something drastically he will be totally washed out in 3 years...

 

[Atas2000]

So is this Kucherov / Panarin duo expected to be a permanent thing? Or just a tactical change inside the game? And is Kucherov finally also gonna get some real PP-time? Maybe it's just me but I feel like he got used in a rather strange way so far and, taking that into consideration, has done really well so far.

Kucherov is being deployed in his usual position at the right borads on PP. Don't know what you are talking about. Problem is he doesn't produce there so far while he does his thing - moving the puck, one timers from the right circle.

 

[Atas2000]

If you read my posts you will know i am big critic of Znarok and the whole russian coaching and management of team. But in first case, trying Gusev with Kucherov was natural, they did played in past, had chemistry. Also Panarin with Dadonov and Shipa was also already proven line. It is not stupidity to try something like that. It was working ok, but the change at least in this game was proven better.

As i said, lots of things to see yet from this team and how they will respond. Defense not tested yet, PK still suspect, overpassing at times, not crushing a net to much, PP against agressive PK teams and so on ... So wont praise Znarok until i see play and adjustments with bigger opponents...

As for AO :



Karlson is said is playing through injections, probably others are. But even that isnt important. As somebody said in humor he must get inflammed with same injury since 2010 in PO. Majority people see that AO lost it.
Can he regain lost step? Maybe if someone transfers Crosby work ethic into him, and he losses 15, 20 pounds of fat and reinvents his play.
I could go on and on about how inefficient he is for team in this form and will drag any line down (even for PP specialist if IK will prove that he still got it in NHL - is much better option for me on PP) but will just say that if he doesnt change something drastically he will be totally washed out in 3 years...

Nice conspiracy theory.

 

[jimstark]

Can we please forget about Ovi? He will not play and should not play end of story.

So will Kuznetsov play center between Kucherov og Panarin?

Have many spots to we have open now? Is it possibel to have Kaprizov if Mozyakin is out?

 

[ViD]

I think Mozyakin will be back and we won't see Kaprizov play at WC this year.

Now think of this beautiful PP unit we will ice really soon

Panarin - Kuznetsov - Kucherov

Provorov - Orlov

Then the second PP unit can look like

Gusev(Namestnikov) - Shipachyov - Dadonov

Mozyakin - Mironov(Belov)

 

[Atas2000]

Can we please forget about Ovi? He will not play and should not play end of story.

So will Kuznetsov play center between Kucherov og Panarin?

Have many spots to we have open now? Is it possibel to have Kaprizov if Mozyakin is out?

Kuznetsov between Panarin and Kucherov seems logical, but then there is Znarok.

The moment Orlov and Kuznetsov are on the official roster there is still one spot available regardless of the Mozyakin status. Mozyakin is not out. He is on the roster officially and you can't replaced injured players. Mozyakin should be ready to play soon too.

The big question is if Znarok finds that small thing he calls his brain and uses the final spot wisely.

 

[kuzminov]

Kuznetsov between Panarin and Kucherov seems logical, but then there is Znarok.

The moment Orlov and Kuznetsov are on the official roster there is still one spot available regardless of the Mozyakin status. Mozyakin is not out. He is on the roster officially and you can't replaced injured players. Mozyakin should be ready to play soon too.

The big question is if Znarok finds that small thing he calls his brain and uses the final spot wisely.

Mozyakin can't play, Znarok said he didn't pass his some tests. It's obvious that the spot is for Kaprizov, just wait the announcement.

 

[kuzminov]

Kaprizov is already training, guys.

 

[MaxV]

Well, both Nichushkin and Lyubimov were training with the team also.

 

[kuzminov]

Well, both Nichushkin and Lyubimov were training with the team also.

He played with Namestnikov and Kucherov, that is really matters. Lyubimov and Nichushkin played with Tkachyov. So, I believe Kaprizov is going to play in PP or something.

 

[Atas2000]

Mozyakin can't play, Znarok said he didn't pass his some tests. It's obvious that the spot is for Kaprizov, just wait the announcement.

There is no Mozyakin spot. You can't replace players. Mozyakin's spot is gone whether he plays or not.

 

[kuzminov]

There is no Mozyakin spot. You can't replace players. Mozyakin's spot is gone whether he plays or not.

We've talked about the only spot left in roster.