Are there still enough gold medal candidates?

[Lambo]

Looking at the recent development of the last tournaments, only Canada and Finland seem to be able to win gold at the moment.

Sweden should be able to do the same. But something seems amiss. It can only be a mental question. Because the potential of Swedish hockey is gigantic. Reminds me a bit of Germany in soccer.

The Czech Republic doesn't seem to be there yet (I thought they were), maybe the home World Cup will give them a chance to win gold.

Switzerland has too weak nerves and perhaps overestimates itself a bit.

USA just can't get past the wall semifinals. It's a "law of nature".

At the moment only Canada and Finland are left.

Click to read more...

 

[ORRFForever]

Germany led in the GMG. Latvia finished 3rd. That's a positive.

Hockey world :

Canada

Finland
USA
Sweden
Russia

Czechia
Germany
Swiss
Slovakia
Slovenia

Everyone else.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Looking at the development of the last tournaments, only Canada and Finland seem to be able to win gold at the moment.

Sweden should be able to do the same. But something seems amiss. It can only be a mental question. Because the potential of Swedish hockey is gigantic. Reminds me a bit of Germany in soccer.

The Czech Republic doesn't seem to be there yet (I thought they were), maybe the home World Cup will give them a chance to win gold.

Switzerland has too weak nerves and perhaps overestimates itself a bit.

USA just can't get past the wall semifinals. It's a "law of nature".

At the moment only Canada and Finland are left.

russia...

slovakia won 2002

 

[hockeyFan029]

God. I wish Slovakia and Czechia could return to their prime days where they were gold medal contenders. Imagine a world juniors where all QF matchups are competitive. Because right now theres really only 4 contenders with Russia out: CAN, USA, SWE, FIN.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Germany led in the GMG. Latvia finished 3rd. That's a positive.

Hockey world :

Canada

Finland
USA
Sweden
Russia

Czechia
Germany
Swiss
Slovakia
Slovenia

Everyone else.

slovenia ahead of latvia, noway, denmark ?

God. I wish Slovakia and Czechia could return to their prime days where they were gold medal contenders. Imagine a world juniors where all QF matchups are competitive. Because right now theres really only 4 contenders with Russia out: CAN, USA, SWE, FIN.

czechia was the best team in the last wjc, you are forgetting them

 

[Lambo]

russia...

slovakia won 2002

I mean the recent developments. 2002 is a long time ago and Russia doesn t exist now.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I mean the recent developments. 2002 is a long time ago and Russia doesn t exist now.

slovaks can do it again...many good prospects..give them 2-3 year..

 

[Hanji]

9 different countries have won medals the last 5 years of the WC. There is no shortage of gold medal candidates.

 

[Peiskos]

God. I wish Slovakia and Czechia could return to their prime days where they were gold medal contenders. Imagine a world juniors where all QF matchups are competitive. Because right now theres really only 4 contenders with Russia out: CAN, USA, SWE, FIN.

Let's also not act like Russia was the biggest contender to begin with, a couple of world junior golds in 2003 and 2004, then a long drought broken in 2011 followed by another period in the wilderness since. The decline of Russian hockey has been obvious, even before they were banned from competing.

 

[MeHateHe]

There were 16 contenders for gold when the tournament started. How many posters thought we'd see Latvia or Germany in the gold medal game today?

That's why we play the games. Latvia was a bounce or two away from being in the gold medal game, and a bounce or two away from not making the medal round. In 2021, Canada had to get help from Norway on the last day of the round robin just to get into the medal round, and then they won the tournament.

Czechia or Sweden or the US or Switzerland were fully capable of getting through the medal round and into the gold medal game. They all pooped the bed. Slovakia weren't that far off either. But at tournaments like this, the margins are small. If you don't rise to the occasion, and your opponent does, you're going home early.

 

[Caser]

Let's also not act like Russia was the biggest contender to begin with, a couple of world junior golds in 2003 and 2004, then a long drought broken in 2011 followed by another period in the wilderness since. The decline of Russian hockey has been obvious, even before they were banned from competing.

NHL scouts might be not exactly agreeing with your decline theory if you'll look at the recent drafts.

 

[ViD]

Let's also not act like Russia was the biggest contender to begin with, a couple of world junior golds in 2003 and 2004, then a long drought broken in 2011 followed by another period in the wilderness since. The decline of Russian hockey has been obvious, even before they were banned from competing.

Russia won more medals than any other country. Too bad not many were gold.

 

[Lambo]

9 different countries have won medals the last 5 years of the WC. There is no shortage of gold medal candidates.

Since 2011 there have been 4 countries that have won gold medals. 3 countries since 2017 and 2 countries that have won gold in the last 4 years.

 

[JackSlater]

I see that it is in reality a bragging thread. Obviously there are plenty of contenders to win at this tournament. The poor quality of winning rosters at this tournament in recent years only reinforces that point even if the number of countries that happened to win is small. It isn't an exceptionally high bar to clear.

 

[Czechboy]

God. I wish Slovakia and Czechia could return to their prime days where they were gold medal contenders. Imagine a world juniors where all QF matchups are competitive. Because right now theres really only 4 contenders with Russia out: CAN, USA, SWE, FIN.

You are right BUT the Slovaks took Canada to OT in the quarters and the Czechs got silver after taking Canada to OT in the gold medal game.

It's a nitpick for sure but I actually do think the second best team at the jrs was the Czechs this year.

But that won't be happening year in and year out and our team next year is probably a quarterfinal out if Kulich is in the NHL

 

[Czechboy]

Let's also not act like Russia was the biggest contender to begin with, a couple of world junior golds in 2003 and 2004, then a long drought broken in 2011 followed by another period in the wilderness since. The decline of Russian hockey has been obvious, even before they were banned from competing.

Russia's.on the decline?

They have the best goalies in the world. A an improving NHL D core and they always have elite wingers.

I'm not touch the politics but Russian hockey is rising not decking to my eye. Only flaw is lack of younger centres that are elite.

 

[MeHateHe]

Russia won more medals than any other country. Too bad not many were gold.

In what sport are we talking about here?

 

[Peiskos]

NHL scouts might be not exactly agreeing with your decline theory if you'll look at the recent drafts.

4 Russians taken in 1st round of 2020 NHL draft.

1 Russian taken in 1st round of 2021 NHL draft.

3 Russians taken in 1st round of 2022 NHL draft.

I mean those better be hits because those are pretty slim pickings.

 

[Czechboy]

Germany led in the GMG. Latvia finished 3rd. That's a positive.

Hockey world :

Canada

Finland
USA
Sweden
Russia

Czechia
Germany
Swiss
Slovakia
Slovenia

Everyone else.

I'd remove slovenia and add Denmark and Latvia personally. No knock on Slovenia but the Danish and Latvian teams have more depth to my eye

 

[ORRFForever]

slovenia ahead of latvia, noway, denmark ?

TBH, I added Slovenia because they sound so much like Slovakia - and I couldn't remember the difference.

When you gonna change that avatar back?

I'd remove slovenia and add Denmark and Latvia personally. No knock on Slovenia but the Danish and Latvian teams have more depth to my eye

See my answer above.

 

[Czechboy]

TBH, I added Slovenia because they sound so much like Slovakia - and I couldn't remember the difference.

When you gonna change that avatar back?


See my answer above.

Fine ... But my avatar stays.lol. Congrats on a well.deaerved gold

 

[Caser]

4 Russians taken in 1st round of 2020 NHL draft.

1 Russian taken in 1st round of 2021 NHL draft.

3 Russians taken in 1st round of 2022 NHL draft.

I mean those better be hits because those are pretty slim pickings.

You mentioned 2011 as one of the prime years and back then only 1 Russian was taken and not that much more in years after that, so here this number is rather constant, no decline. Talent production doesn't end in the first round though, as there have been Kucherov, Kaprizov, Shestyorkin, Sorokin, Buchnevich, Orlov, Panarin, Bobrovski, Kuzmenko etc. and if we look at the total number of drafted players it has been increasing, so also doesn't look like a decline.

 

[ORRFForever]

Fine ... But my avatar stays.lol. Congrats on a well.deaerved gold

LOL. Not you. Eye Of Ra's avatar drives me crazy - the guy looks familiar but I have no idea who he is - other than he is ugly/greasy/creepy.

Eye Of Ra changed the avatar, and I thanked him, then he changed it back out of SPITE...

 

[Hanji]

In what sport are we talking about here?

Its true, Russia has most medals of anybody the past 10 years (in which they participated in) at the World Championships.

 

[MeHateHe]

Its true, Russia has most medals of anybody the past 10 years (in which they participated in) at the World Championships.

Great great. Of all the people wearing my pants at this moment, I am the best at everything.