WC: 2021 Russia Roster Talk

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Over recent years, lineups like the one above have created interest in the WC in the most surprising of all places - Canada. They simply see an easy kill and a chance to wave the flag while flashing the Gold Medals around their necks. It is always possible that Sweden or Finland could put together good teams, but for Russia, Russian NHL players are becoming incredibly creative in thinking of a million plus reasons why they can't represent their (maybe former) country!

It is really disappointing. I thought we left these times behind us. In a way it will be still interesting to see how our NHL Defense combined with our KHL Offence will work. Still hoping for a short Tampa vs Florida series.
 
Final roster

Samonov, Fedotov

Zub, Provorov, Gavrikov, Nesterov, Dronov, Ozhiganov, Rafikov, Marchenko, Zadorov

Slepyshev, Shalunov, Okulov, Karnaukhov, Burdasov, Morozov, Galimov, Shvets-Rogovoy, Kamenev, Timkin, Kuzmenko, Tolchinsky, Voronkov, Grigorenko, Barabanov.


Bocharov, Kirsanov, Marchenko, Safonov and Podkolzin will also go to Riga, but for now they will be out of the application. The coaches reserve one spot for the goalkeeper and one for the forward.
 
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So, something like this?

Slepyshev - Shalunov - Okulov
Kuzmenko - Morozov - Burdasov
Barabanov - Voronkov - Tolchinsky
Grigorenko - Karnaukhov - Galimov

Provorov - Zub
Gavrikov - Ozhiganov
Nesterov - Zadorov

Samonov

...at least the defense should be good.
 
So, something like this?

Slepyshev - Shalunov - Okulov
Kuzmenko - Morozov - Burdasov
Barabanov - Voronkov - Tolchinsky
Grigorenko - Karnaukhov - Galimov


Provorov - Zub
Gavrikov - Ozhiganov
Nesterov - Zadorov

Samonov

...at least the defense should be good.

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He was injured by Wilson. He didn’t play the rest of the NHL season after that injury.

He refused to come way before he got injured in that infamous game vs the Caps.

Of course, it coud be because he was afraid to come to Riga. Or just didn't wanna experience another bubbled tournament. I personally think he's just on bad terms with FHR now, so I doubt we'll even see him at the Olympics.
 
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So, something like this?

Slepyshev - Shalunov - Okulov
Kuzmenko - Morozov - Burdasov
Barabanov - Voronkov - Tolchinsky
Grigorenko - Karnaukhov - Galimov

Provorov - Zub
Gavrikov - Ozhiganov
Nesterov - Zadorov

Samonov

...at least the defense should be good.
Bragin just said he'd like to keep Voronkov - Shalunov - Okulov line for now

Voronkov - Shalunov - Okulov
Slepyshev - Grigorenko - Burdasov
Barabanov - Morozov - Galimov
Shvets-Rogovoy (?) - Kamenev - Timkin (?)

Kuzmenko
Tolchinskiy
Karnaukhov
 
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Pretty crazy? And that’s why?
I mean they basically singlehandedly carried Ak Bars to 7 games against Ava, to me it's pretty crazy to split them up.

Edit: nevermind, it's not even the good Galimov, it's just another SKA boy...
 
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And the „bad“ one didn’t played with Voronkov in the games at the EHT. It was for Slepyshev - Shalunov - Okulov in the games before Grigorenko arrived. With Grigs Bragin tried Slepyshev on his line and Voronkov with Shalunov. Galimov played with Morozov and Marchenko on the third. So with Barabanov joining and Marchenko out with Bragin sticks to the first line it looks probably like Flynn showed it.
 
I don't know what to think of this team / world championship. Basically I don't think we need help from the NHL with these kind of rosters. Our goal or the goal of the Russian Hockey Federation should be to win a tournament with mainly players from Europe only with a KHL selection. Yes, even to dominate.

I just don't think Bragin is the right coach for this. I don't see any benefit in inviting NHLers who play subordinate roles. Grigorenko is no significant help to the team in my opinion at all. And he is not the future of the NT. Marchenko, Morozov or Podkolzin may be. I don't understand why Bragin doesn't test the young players a year before the Olympics, especially at a rather weak WHC, instead of inviting mediocre grinders.
 
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Well if anything, Russian stars were always more willing to play in the WC than those from any other country. It's just that at the same time, Swedes and Finns have done with more. Only times Russia has won was with absolutely stacked teams.

Also Russia should have realized earlier that developing defensemen that could do more than defend against the rush or stand in front of a goal is a good idea. As is having more than one rightie on the team.

But I mean this is all old news, it's just kinda laughable to blame Russian stars for anything in comparison to those on the other teams.

I fully support the right of NHL players to make that choice, and they don't have to have any justification for it. And I don't disagree that other countries have the same problem. What is probably true is that there is a steady but gradual trend in all countries for NHL players to skip the WC after a long, grueling NHL season. That trend makes the WC increasingly irrelevant, because (1) the quality of participant seems to be getting lower, and (2) the thrown-together nature of the rosters makes it silly to draw any conclusions about national hockey strengths or weaknesses based on the results. It is almost as if, do they really want to continue holding this 3 week long tournament at the end of the hockey season?
 
I fully support the right of NHL players to make that choice, and they don't have to have any justification for it. And I don't disagree that other countries have the same problem. What is probably true is that there is a steady but gradual trend in all countries for NHL players to skip the WC after a long, grueling NHL season. That trend makes the WC increasingly irrelevant, because (1) the quality of participant seems to be getting lower, and (2) the thrown-together nature of the rosters makes it silly to draw any conclusions about national hockey strengths or weaknesses based on the results. It is almost as if, do they really want to continue holding this 3 week long tournament at the end of the hockey season?

I think the season in the COVID bubble has really been a huge factor this year. If I was them, I would probably decline the invitation too. Especially if I had a family.
 
Lines on the first ice practice in Riga.

Samonov, Bocharov

Zub - Zadorov
Gavrikov - Provorov
Ozhiganov - Dronov
Rafikov - Marchenko

Barabanov - Shalunov - Okulov
Slepyshev - Karnaukhov - Grigorenko
Galimov - Morozov - Burdasov
Shvets-Rogovoy - Kamenev - Voronkov

Reserve:
Fedotov

Tolchinsky, Safonov, Timkin, Kuzmenko, Podkolzin.
 
Kinda hilarious. Throughout my life, I really wanted to believe Bragin is a mad genius but reality just keeps proving he is just mad.
 
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Lines on the first ice practice in Riga.

Samonov, Bocharov

Zub - Zadorov
Gavrikov - Provorov
Ozhiganov - Dronov
Rafikov - Marchenko

Barabanov - Shalunov - Okulov
Slepyshev - Karnaukhov - Grigorenko
Galimov - Morozov - Burdasov
Shvets-Rogovoy - Kamenev - Voronkov

Reserve:
Fedotov

Tolchinsky, Safonov, Timkin, Kuzmenko, Podkolzin.
Any information for PP units?
 
Kinda hilarious. Throughout my life, I really wanted to believe Bragin is a mad genius but reality just keeps proving he is just mad.
Same here he can motivate young players, but he is just not good with adult teams. He keeps proving it year after year after year...
 
and btw why are SR and Kamenev on the team (besides the obvious being on ska roster) beats me. Both had a bad season and bad play offs.
At least Karnaukhov is a pk guy, and Timkin can be physical which is needed.
 

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