PGT: 9/18/16 North America vs Finland - North America 4 Finland 1 F

[snipes]

Let's see how they do against real competition in Russia. Finland just doesn't have a good team.

Team NA can expose that Russian D and dominate them.

If Russia quits when it gets tough, lights out. Team NA will dominate them like they did the Finns. Suomi couldn't rely on "sisu". The kids destroyed them with speed and skill. Russian teams lately have played like a bunch of quitters. No heart and soul.

Some Russian fans laughed at me for talking about Canadian "heat and soul". What do you think now?

Fire Znarok, put Bragin in as the coach. He understands "heart and soul", Canadians respect Bragin. He comes over every year with the juniors in the Super Series. He's an old school, tough Soviet era coach who gets 100% effort from his players.

Russians are playing soft. They deserve to be called out for it.

 

[snipes]

It's not really corruption. It's just that the NHL has shown that they'll do whatever they want if they think it'll make more money. They seriously considered a second Canada team but realized that some guys wouldn't like the idea of being on a Canada B team and that they would struggle to market it.

I think Canadian hockey fans have shown they'll buy whatever the NHL puts out there and the NHL has shown they don't really have any sanctity for international norms.

Let's not pretend this is Qatar World Cup level awful though.

Hockey is our game. Hockey is Canada.

You do not understand Canadian people.

 

[Xokkeu]

Hockey is our game. Hockey is Canada.

You do not understand Canadian people.

I don't understand what this has to do with anything

 

[Sky04]

I gotta say, the NHL got this one right. This North America under 23 team is definitely a gimmick, but I'll be damned if it's not the most entertaining gimmick in recent memory. You just don't get an opportunity to watch McDavid, Eichel, Gaudreau, Matthews, Ghost, Ekblad, Parayko, Mackinnon etc. etc. etc. on the same team ever. They're so young that they haven't had all of the creativity coached out of them yet either. Super crazy fun to watch.

Completely agree, the creativity is unreal on this team, making it one of the most fun hockey teams to watch in the past decade.

So many beautiful plays and passing that goes on, never ending rushes, all of this in at the top level also, a lot of the stuff that usually gets coached out of you.

 

[Tomas W]

The offensive lines on North America seems to gel really good. I thought this would be Swedens easiest opponant, but now it looks like its the other way around. Our D have to play at thier best against them!

 

[Not Sure]

Indeed. We saw tonight that Finland simply can't compete at this level. I honestly can't agree with the multitude of people claiming this was an entertaining match. How could it be, when the loser can't even put up a fight? Finland lost virtually all board battles, 1vs1:s at which point the whole tactical aspect of hockey becomes immaterial.

That said, the NA team is indeed good, but for better (more competitive) future tournaments the NHL should just scrap the concept of national teams altogether and just field various all-star lineups. U23, division this, division that, some canadian province or whatnot. As a Finn I just don't want to see us reduced back to 1970s ie. valiant battles but simply outmatched and losing 8-2 and so on with only the occasional win per tournament.

We already have teams made up of all-star lineups, it's called the all-star game. Finland is a great hockey nation and has been cleaning up lately. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, there's no sense going all doom and gloom because they lost one game against a team made up solely of the best young players from the two largest hockey producing nations.

 

[snipes]

I don't understand what this has to do with anything

Relying on NHL is about money, therefore, that = corruption.

Do you think Canadians would accept bias? We would be livid about bias. We are honest people, you do not seem to respect that.

Canadians are fair, honest brokers. Keep up the "fixed" narrative though (not you in particular).

Canadians would never tolerate a dishonest hockey competition. Research "Canadians buying Soviet trophy".

 

[Xokkeu]

Relying on NHL is about money, therefore, that = corruption.

Do you think Canadians would accept bias? We would be livid about bias. We are honest people, you do not seem to respect that.

Canadians are fair, honest brokers. Keep up the "fixed" narrative though (not you in particular).

Canadians would never tolerate a dishonest hockey competition. Research "Canadians buying Soviet trophy".

I said they'd consider making two team Canadas. I don't know where corruption and Match fixing came from

 

[Sorey*]

Relying on NHL is about money, therefore, that = corruption.

Do you think Canadians would accept bias? We would be livid about bias. We are honest people, you do not seem to respect that.

Canadians are fair, honest brokers. Keep up the "fixed" narrative though (not you in particular).

Canadians would never tolerate a dishonest hockey competition. Research "Canadians buying Soviet trophy".

Alan Eagleson

 

[snipes]

I said they'd consider making two team Canadas. I don't know where corruption and Match fixing came from

Sorry, it's not you. That comes from the whole reffing garbage we've been hearing. I think the refs have been great.

You're a very reasonable poster and I enjoy chatting with you. We've chatted lots before, what do you think of the reffing and game on NA ice? I love the smaller ice and more physical game.

 

[snipes]

Alan Eagleson

Eagleson is pure garbage. I'm a Canadian and I will never be afraid to apologize or admit wrong, Eagleson is a piece of ****. I am sorry for Eagleson hockey world, he ended up in prison as he should have.

He did help broker the Canada v Soviet 1972 Summit Series, so I'll give him credit for that. However, he stole from the players and was trash. Eagleson is a big reason why the NHLPA is so strong. A strong Players Union benefits all players. Canadians, Americans, Swedes, Finns, Russians, Czechs, et al benefit from this.

 

[Xokkeu]

Sorry, it's not you. That comes from the whole reffing garbage we've been hearing. I think the refs have been great.

You're a very reasonable poster and I enjoy chatting with you. We've chatted lots before, what do you think of the reffing and game on NA ice? I love the smaller ice and more physical game.

I don't have any issue with the refing so far. I think there were some issues back in the 1970s and 1980s but not now.


I like both larger and smaller rinks. They are different but it's like having a 4x4 truck and a sports car. Different but both still fun.

 

[Iceman]

What's most exciting about the NA team is that they are probably the only team that is playing with desire and thinking they have something to prove after Doughty, among others, have talked them down.

 

[snipes]

What's most exciting about the NA team is that they are probably the only team that is playing with desire and thinking they have something to prove after Doughty, among others, have talked them down.

They have a chip on their shoulder.

McDavid and Ekblad legitimately feel disrespected. Those two are the future #1 C and #1 D in the entire NHL. These kids are motivated.

 

[gwh]

Hockey is our game. Hockey is Canada.

You do not understand Canadian people.

You are you copy pasting this exact same drivel to every thread on the page?

 

[snipes]

I don't have any issue with the refing so far. I think there were some issues back in the 1970s and 1980s but not now.


I like both larger and smaller rinks. They are different but it's like having a 4x4 truck and a sports car. Different but both still fun.

The smaller ice is faster. More "crash and bang" than European ice.

But, when you watch it your entire life, you appreciate the physicality and intensity of the smaller ice. Heart and soul matter more, a willingness to fight means more.

On the big ice, sometimes we see team like the 2015 Team Canada in Czechia who just dominate with "pretty" hockey. I like the feistiness of the smaller ice more.

 

[snipes]

You are you copy pasting this exact same drivel to every thread on the page?

"drivel" or truth?

 

[Iceman]

They have a chip on their shoulder.

McDavid and Ekblad legitimately feel disrespected. Those two are the future #1 C and #1 D in the entire NHL. These kids are motivated.

I wish all teams played like them in this tournament.

 

[snipes]

You are you copy pasting this exact same drivel to every thread on the page?

Keep mocking Canadians. Works out well on the ice.

 

[snipes]

I wish all teams played like them in this tournament.

It truly is beautiful hockey. I don't feel the same militaristic "*** you, hockey is Canada" with the kids.

I just purely appreciate the beauty the kids are playing with.

 

[Xokkeu]

What's most exciting about the NA team is that they are probably the only team that is playing with desire and thinking they have something to prove after Doughty, among others, have talked them down.

They seem to be one of the most motivated teams in the entire tournament. I imagine being young and really gearing up harder before preseason than vets who might use preseason to get in shape is a big factor. I also think that for most if not all of them this is their first big tournament appearance and they are completely free from any pressure. If they lose who cares? They aren't actually a country. If Canada loses they'll be embarrassed and destroyed by the media and fans. So these guys get to just play and have fun.

 

[FinPanda]

I expected it but it was worse than I thought.

 

[snipes]

You are you copy pasting this exact same drivel to every thread on the page?

Keep up the Jokerit Jokers support.

Finns love hockey close to as much as Canadians. I respect that, but hockey will never mean as much to you as it does to us.

 

[Henri M]

Does anyonr really think european teams are taking this tournament seriously? The game was just as expected. Finland looked like they did not care, because they did not.

 

[Lempo]

Does anyonr really think european teams are taking this tournament seriously? The game was just as expected. Finland looked like they did not care, because they did not.

Tune in tomorrow night to see if they care.