This is for me bigger reason as defense excuse why Russia cant put it together.
It is coaching, player selection, whole structure looks semi profesional.
For me it looks like it always go like lets bring the most famous names (not looking what kind of season they have and what they bring) and just try to put them together without any structure.
If coach and whole team management would have a vision they need Kovalchuk and if what role they need him they would call him. We see you on forth line, 12 minutes a games, second PP, and so on.
Same for Ovechkin. He totally regressed and yet if he gets out of SC playoffs they will call him, put him on first line , first PP and gave him 2 great players and Ovechkin will just kill whole line chemistry. (I dont know why nobody did try Ovechkin with 2 grinders that have also some skills, like Telegin and Anisimov )
It looks like players are the one calling the shots in Russia, and bigger the name more leverage they have. For me this is unprofessional and bad results show for it.
Secondly coaching looks crap year after year. Crappy special teams, too much individualistic play, bad chemistry..
Otherwise i agree, that rooster looks , although would rather see Radulov go far into SC , love him and Montreal!