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2nd Best Hockey Nation

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wilka91 said:
I don't think so. Soccer is, just like in the Czech Republic.
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No, it is hockey. I spoke to some Slovaks who told me that. Czechs are much better at football. And why would Slovaks be crazy about football? They have nothing to be crazy about! What? Strong league? Storng national team? There is no reason to be very passionate about something that you are not good at.
 
B Boarding said:
If there was a league where every nation played each other say 4 times, my guess would be:

1. Canada (Strengths: Everything...Weaknesses: Not much. They don't have a Gretzky or Lemieux anymore that could be the difference in tight situations.)
2. Sweden (Strengths: Top 2-lines and defence. Scary PP-units. Weaknesses: Goaltending. Lundqvist keeps up with everyone, but behind him is...Tellqvist. Coaching is not a strenght anyway.)
3. Russia (Strengths: Scoring, skating. Weaknesses: Team spirit and good defensive d-men)
4. Czech Rep. (Strenghts: Wingers and probably still goaltending. Weaknesses: The defence and centers doesn't look that impressive)
5. USA (Strengths: The team seems quite solid but without the obvious strenghts and weaknesses).
6. Finland (Strengths: Goaltending and team spirit. Weaknesses: Overall depth is not good enough against the best in the long run)
7. Slovakia (Strengths: Wingers. They have a scary arsenal of scoring wingers. Chara, the best d-man in the world. Weaknesses: Everything except the strengths is prteyy much a weakness. The team lacks role players etc...)
8. Germany
9. Switzerland
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Good post, I pretty much agree with the ranking here, except that Sweden is too high IMO. They probably have the number 2 team on paper, but it rarely delivers. I'd put Sweden behind Czech Rep., and maybe also USA.
 
Raimo Sillanpää said:
Not to take too much position on this, but I would say that only a few countries, USA, Canada, Russia have more top-end prospects than finland does right now. Sweden for example, has a bare cupboard..
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Yes, Sweden haven't got that much good prospects. But remember that Swedish prospects tend to develop a bit later than many other countries. I guess we are to soft on our juniors...?
Anyway, it's not about having the best prospects, but team and players right now. And Sweden has Forsberg, Näslund, Sundin, Alfredsson, Zetterberg, Holmström for their top-2 lines and pp-units. Not many, and not Finland, can compete with that. The defense with Lidström, Norström, Kim Johnsson, Öhlund, Ragnarsson, Tärnström, Kenny Jönsson and possibly Tjärnqvist, Bäckman, Tallinder and Hävelid ain't *********. Only Canada can compete with that. Lundqvist is an awesome keeper. Anyone whose seen him can back me up on that. But we don't have any good 2nd keeper.
The rest of the team would be some of those: Huselius, Jörgen Jönsson, Sedins, Marcus Nilson, Renberg, Axelsson, Påhlsson, Modin, Sundström etc...
 
Boucicaut said:
Good post, I pretty much agree with the ranking here, except that Sweden is too high IMO. They probably have the number 2 team on paper, but it rarely delivers. I'd put Sweden behind Czech Rep., and maybe also USA.
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Thanx! Now that Sweden has got Lundqvist I think they can deliver. There are a lot of winners on the team: Forsberg, Sundin, Homer, Lidström etc. And the new coach was a winner as a player at least.
 
12# Peter Bondra said:
I live here so I should know :D.
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IMO Slovakia is just like the Czech Republic ... or Poland, Hungary for that matter. Soccer is just number 1. It has to be. That's just the way it's meant to be.
 
wilka91 said:
IMO Slovakia is just like the Czech Republic ... or Poland, Hungary for that matter. Soccer is just number 1. It has to be. That's just the way it's meant to be.
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Well, it depends on which time. When theres the WC qualif. in soccerm then soccer>hockey.

But during the rest of the year, its hockey>soccer really.
 
Sweden was in the top three for a long time, but their prospect cupboard is now bare and they've still never had a marquee goaltender.
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Lundqvist. Well he did outplay Theodore in the playoffs.
 
Hasbro said:
Football way before Baseball and basketball and there is some regional variation which matters with 300 million people.

Is baseball or soccer bigger in japan?

Isn't rugby and footy bigger in Australia?
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Japan: soccer
Australia: Cricket or Australian rules football. Rugby is limited to the east coast of Australia.

But I was referring to our major hockey nations,
 
Overall Canada has the depth but as for current players with out-and out skill and dominance, I'd say Sweden everywhere but goal. Unfortunatly for them. I can't work my mind around how a team that good can be so bad. At any rate, I'd say Sweden is still going to be scary good for the Olympics(If NHLers are playing) next year. Sure, Forsberg's always hurt, but he'll be good to go.You watch.
 
octopi said:
Overall Canada has the depth but as for current players with out-and out skill and dominance, I'd say Sweden everywhere but goal. Unfortunatly for them. I can't work my mind around how a team that good can be so bad. At any rate, I'd say Sweden is still going to be scary good for the Olympics(If NHLers are playing) next year. Sure, Forsberg's always hurt, but he'll be good to go.You watch.
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Scary good? How so?
 
The Czechs were Canada's best competition by far at the recent world cup so my vote goes to them. For some reason when Czech players play on a national stage they bring there games to another level.

The Czechs killed Sweden I dont see how anyone would pick the Swedes over the Czechs.

The Russians have the second most talent but appear to have the least amount of heart considering half the team wont even play for them.

The US is finally giving its young guys a shot this will help alot as they get to develop there international game.
 
Sweden seems strong to me. The Czechs always seem to look good on paper, but never perform to how they look on paper IMO. I'll admit the US is at a stinker point right now but have strong youth and should be good in the end of the decade.
 
nyrmessier011 said:
Sweden seems strong to me. The Czechs always seem to look good on paper, but never perform to how they look on paper IMO. I'll admit the US is at a stinker point right now but have strong youth and should be good in the end of the decade.
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If the U.S. is at what you consider a "stinking point," then we're in better shape than I thought. Things aren't nearly as bad you make them out to be.
 
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