Biggest threat to Canada In Olympics?

[Zine]

The Czechs are pretty helter skelter,for as good as they are.............they could end up in fifth place if they don't have their head screwed on straight(hardly a given with them)

Head screwed on straight? Some are headcases in the NHL, but Czechs always turn it up a notch when playing for their country. Guys like Rucinsky, Reichel, Slegr, Jagr, Spacek, etc, etc, have always been money with the national team.

 

[Rogalo]

Absolutely untrue,we did'nt get outplayed by The Czechs in 2002 and really did'nt in 98 either.And we outplayed the Czechs at the world's the year before last.

The Czechs better not get too confident,we're ready to take them out at Torino(they'll be older too) we'll be ready and won't have a second team defense at Torino like at the world cup unless injuries again play a part.we're ready to put the hurt on those guys.................that is,if they don't get knocked out before they meet us.The Czechs are pretty helter skelter,for as good as they are.............they could end up in fifth place if they don't have their head screwed on straight(hardly a given with them)

I think your head is a little unscrewed, my friend

 

[teme]

My rankings would be:
1. Czechs - The overall team skill level, from #7 dman to #1 center is insane, only thing that compares is Russia, and unlike them the Czechs actually play very well as a team.
2. Canada - Nothing wrong with this team, but they are not that dominating in any aspect of the game (Brodeaur hasn't really been that special in international play.) Still, a safe bet to reach finals and a very strong Gold candidate.
3. Finland - Least likely team to self-destruct, problems with scoring. Overall solid team, could finish lower if other teams play to their potential, and conversely higher if they don't.
4. USA - Much like Finland, we know what they are capable of and they are a steady performer. However, there is a generation change going on and I'd be much more optimistic about the team in 2010.
5. Sweden - The older guys have not really impressed in recent tournaments, like USA in the midst of generation change.
6. Russia - If they show up, they are a Gold candidate. Chances are they won't.
7. Slovakia - Dangerous team, but little depth on defence and suspect goaltending.

Bottom line: This a short tournament with one-off games. Any of the above seven can win the Gold.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

What kind of team is Italy icing? Is it full of Canadians with dubious connections to Italy like how Greece filled most of their team sports at Athens? Or is full of actual Italians?

Could Dino Cicerelli strap em up for them?

Team italy will be made of a lot of more italians than teams you used to see.

 

[therealdeal]

My rankings would be:
2. Canada - Nothing wrong with this team, but they are not that dominating in any aspect of the game (Brodeaur hasn't really been that special in international play.) Still, a safe bet to reach finals and a very strong Gold candidate.

Bottom line: This a short tournament with one-off games. Any of the above seven can win the Gold.

1.4 goals against and a 9-0-1 record not that special?

 

[espo*]

I think your head is a little unscrewed, my friend

Really,care to elaborate? Because those games i watched that i mentioned the Czechs did'nt outplay us......................unless you guys get a different feed then we get over here.Which i'm sure you do..................the Czech fan in a barroom feed i'll call it.I'm sure that feed(chirping from fans) told you that the Czechs devastated us in those games.Of all the teams i want a peice of in Italy you guys are at the top.Cheers until then Wish it could start tommorow.

 

[Big Phil]

My rankings would be:
1. Czechs - The overall team skill level, from #7 dman to #1 center is insane, only thing that compares is Russia, and unlike them the Czechs actually play very well as a team.
2. Canada - Nothing wrong with this team, but they are not that dominating in any aspect of the game (Brodeaur hasn't really been that special in international play.) Still, a safe bet to reach finals and a very strong Gold candidate.
3. Finland - Least likely team to self-destruct, problems with scoring. Overall solid team, could finish lower if other teams play to their potential, and conversely higher if they don't.
4. USA - Much like Finland, we know what they are capable of and they are a steady performer. However, there is a generation change going on and I'd be much more optimistic about the team in 2010.
5. Sweden - The older guys have not really impressed in recent tournaments, like USA in the midst of generation change.
6. Russia - If they show up, they are a Gold candidate. Chances are they won't.
7. Slovakia - Dangerous team, but little depth on defence and suspect goaltending.

Bottom line: This a short tournament with one-off games. Any of the above seven can win the Gold.

I'll admit as a Canadian the team that has the most mystique is the Czechs. They do put a bit of fear into you. They play well as a team like no one else. And may not have the stars that Canada has but always are in every game they play because of their system. What scares me is the possibility of Hasek being back in net. And if Jagr returns to his '98 form we may have one hell of a game. Thankfully we'll find out sooner since we play each other in the round robin. But a gold medal game between those two would be special. I'll still take Canada though.

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

2. Canada - Nothing wrong with this team, but they are not that dominating in any aspect of the game (Brodeaur hasn't really been that special in international play.) Still, a safe bet to reach finals and a very strong Gold candidate.

Not that dominating in any aspect of the game?

- How about defense (Pronger, Niedermayer, Blake, Foote, Redden, Jovanovski)?

That right there is 6 of the top 8 defenseman in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 defenseman to the table (they barely even bring 1 top 20 defenseman to the table), yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12 How is that not dominating?

- How about forward (Iginla, Sakic, Lemieux, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Richards, Heatley)?

That right there is 7 of the top 12 forwards in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 forward to the table, yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12. How is that not dominating?

- How about goaltender (Brodeur, Luongo)?

That right there is 2 of the top 3 goaltenders in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 10 goaltender to the table (although Russia and Czech Republic bring some definite goaltending talent), yet Canada brings 2 of the top 3. How is that not dominating?

I must say that I disagree with your claim that Canada is "not that dominating in any aspect of the game". It is in my opinion that they are much more dominant than any other country at just about every aspect of the game.

 

[Wisent]

Germany

 

[RorschachWJK]

Not that dominating in any aspect of the game?

- How about defense (Pronger, Niedermayer, Blake, Foote, Redden, Jovanovski)?

That right there is 6 of the top 8 defenseman in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 defenseman to the table (they barely even bring 1 top 20 defenseman to the table), yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12 How is that not dominating?

- How about forward (Iginla, Sakic, Lemieux, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Richards, Heatley)?

That right there is 7 of the top 12 forwards in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 forward to the table, yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12. How is that not dominating?

- How about goaltender (Brodeur, Luongo)?

That right there is 2 of the top 3 goaltenders in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 10 goaltender to the table (although Russia and Czech Republic bring some definite goaltending talent), yet Canada brings 2 of the top 3. How is that not dominating?

I must say that I disagree with your claim that Canada is "not that dominating in any aspect of the game". It is in my opinion that they are much more dominant than any other country at just about every aspect of the game.

Keep in mind that this tournament is played on the big ice. Not all players that are dominant in the NHL will be as dominant on the big ice.

I also disagree with your ideas about nearly total Canadian domination at every position: Canada does have the best depth but they're not that much better.

 

[Rogalo]

Really,care to elaborate? Because those games i watched that i mentioned the Czechs did'nt outplay us......................unless you guys get a different feed then we get over here.Which i'm sure you do..................the Czech fan in a barroom feed i'll call it.I'm sure that feed(chirping from fans) told you that the Czechs devastated us in those games.Of all the teams i want a peice of in Italy you guys are at the top.Cheers until then Wish it could start tommorow.

Yeah, we watch totally different games here behind the iron curtain, in which the Canadians always dominate the game and play fair and hard. Like Ryan Smyth in the WCH for example

 

[teme]

Not that dominating in any aspect of the game?

- How about defense (Pronger, Niedermayer, Blake, Foote, Redden, Jovanovski)?

That right there is 6 of the top 8 defenseman in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 defenseman to the table (they barely even bring 1 top 20 defenseman to the table), yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12 How is that not dominating?

This is a big ice game were talking about, and Niedermayer is the only one of the above that has performed at a level I would call dominating in this type of game. Blake and Foote in particular have done nothing, that is they played OK but were nothing special in previous similar tournaments. Only thing about Pronger in international game I even remember was the incident with Selänne in Salt Lake City. NHL merits don't count, because it is a different game and the overall talent level of players is better. Stars become regulars, super-stars stars and so on. That's the beauty of it.

- How about forward (Iginla, Sakic, Lemieux, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Richards, Heatley)?

That right there is 7 of the top 12 forwards in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 forward to the table, yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12. How is that not dominating?

Look, it is a formidable group. Sakic is arguably one the best internationl players. Then again, I can't think of single power forward in recent international tournaments that would've been a clear all-star (Forsberg doesn't count.) So I wouldn't expect that much from Bertuzzi and Iginla. The problem with Richards and Heatley is that they are not that fast, something that is more important in big ice than NHL, I'd expect St. Louis to do better than either of those.

And 7 out of 12? Forsberg, Sundin, Jagr, Elias, Palffy to name five others off the top of my head that should in be any top 12 based on play in tournaments like this. Which I take to mean that none of the Russians or USA players would not make it. Heck, excluding Sakic, four Czechs scored more goals than any of the players you mentioned in the last World Cup and one of them was a dman (Zidlisky).

- How about goaltender (Brodeur, Luongo)?

That right there is 2 of the top 3 goaltenders in the world, all stacked onto one team.

How about Kiprusoff and Lehtonen? Or Vokoun who outplayed both and shut down Canada in last springs WC, in tandem with Hasek who is the only goalie who actually has dominated an international tournament in recent memory (Nagano '98)? And that Khabibulin guy is pretty good too...

Look, I don't want to dish the team, I think they are great, but to say they are way better than everyone else just isn't true.

 

[espo*]

This is a big ice game were talking about, and Niedermayer is the only one of the above that has performed at a level I would call dominating in this type of game. Blake and Foote in particular have done nothing, that is they played OK but were nothing special in previous similar tournaments. Only thing about Pronger in international game I even remember was the incident with Selänne in Salt Lake City. NHL merits don't count, because it is a different game and the overall talent level of players is better. Stars become regulars, super-stars stars and so on. That's the beauty of it.


Look, it is a formidable group. Sakic is arguably one the best internationl players. Then again, I can't think of single power forward in recent international tournaments that would've been a clear all-star (Forsberg doesn't count.) So I wouldn't expect that much from Bertuzzi and Iginla. The problem with Richards and Heatley is that they are not that fast, something that is more important in big ice than NHL, I'd expect St. Louis to do better than either of those.

And 7 out of 12? Forsberg, Sundin, Jagr, Elias, Palffy to name five others off the top of my head that should in be any top 12 based on play in tournaments like this. Which I take to mean that none of the Russians or USA players would not make it. Heck, excluding Sakic, four Czechs scored more goals than any of the players you mentioned in the last World Cup and one of them was a dman (Zidlisky).


How about Kiprusoff and Lehtonen? Or Vokoun who outplayed both and shut down Canada in last springs WC, in tandem with Hasek who is the only goalie who actually has dominated an international tournament in recent memory (Nagano '98)? And that Khabibulin guy is pretty good too...

Look, I don't want to dish the team, I think they are great, but to say they are way better than everyone else just isn't true.

Brodeur dominated the last world cup no question.Does the world cup not count?

 

[espo*]

Yeah, we watch totally different games here behind the iron curtain, in which the Canadians always dominate the game and play fair and hard. Like Ryan Smyth in the WCH for example

It seems you do.Now you're being honest anyway.

when you seemed to back the guy up that said the Czechs have outplayed Canada in every game since God knows when i had no choice but to question what games they show over there.You can understand that right?

Regardless,you guys are coming soon.We'll be there for you.No need in hashing historical games now...............it won't matter in Torino will it?

As for Smyth, no biggie,i'll take my players doing that over diving all over the ice anyday.How you guys live with that is beyond us here.

Can't wait not long now....................don't get knocked out before we meet you in the medal rounds.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

Brodeur dominated the last world cup no question.Does the world cup not count?

World Cup = NHL sized ice.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

As for Smyth, no biggie,i'll take my players doing that over diving all over the ice anyday.How you guys live with that is beyond us here.

1. You would like players slashing each other like mad men?

2. I didnt know guys like Paul Kariya were Europeans?

 

[espo*]

1. You would like players slashing each other like mad men?

2. I didnt know guys like Paul Kariya were Europeans?

I'd prefer them slashing like old men the having to play against a team that resembles 20 Mike Ribeiro's......................which is normally what teams have to put up with against you guys. I come to watch teams play a straight game not watch you guys make out like rainbow trouts tossed into the boat after catching them.And everyone knows you do it,don't kid yourself.So..........Ryan Smyth can whack your defensemens ankle all day for all i care.Clean up your game and i'll consider thinking less of the guy.Until then..............not gonna happen.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Sigh...

 

[B Boarding]

Not that dominating in any aspect of the game?

- How about defense (Pronger, Niedermayer, Blake, Foote, Redden, Jovanovski)?

That right there is 6 of the top 8 defenseman in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 defenseman to the table (they barely even bring 1 top 20 defenseman to the table), yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12 How is that not dominating?


Sweden have Lidström, Norström and Öhlund that definately match those. Kim Johnsson and Nik Kronwall are close (you'll see when he returnes).

- How about forward (Iginla, Sakic, Lemieux, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Richards, Heatley)?

That right there is 7 of the top 12 forwards in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 forward to the table, yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12. How is that not dominating?

Sweden have Forsberg, Näslund, Alfredsson and the best player in INTERNATIONAL icehockey Mats Sundin. They are all top 12. Jagr and Kovalchuk are better than at least Richards. Hossa, Ovechin and Palffy can be discussed...

- How about goaltender (Brodeur, Luongo)?

Well, thats is not Swedens best position...by far. But Lundqvist is already good enough to carry a team. He has the advantage to be adjusted to bigger rinks. Canada has not, although your goalies are probably the best and deepest. But if Khabby and Nabby have good seasons they could be 2 of the 3 best. The same goes for Hasek and Vokoun.

That right there is 2 of the top 3 goaltenders in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 10 goaltender to the table (although Russia and Czech Republic bring some definite goaltending talent), yet Canada brings 2 of the top 3. How is that not dominating?

I must say that I disagree with your claim that Canada is "not that dominating in any aspect of the game". It is in my opinion that they are much more dominant than any other country at just about every aspect of the game.

Canada has the best team and the best depth. They should win it. But I think you overrate some of your players, definately since the tournament is played on big rinks.

 

[espo*]

Head screwed on straight? Some are headcases in the NHL, but Czechs always turn it up a notch when playing for their country. Guys like Rucinsky, Reichel, Slegr, Jagr, Spacek, etc, etc, have always been money with the national team.

Sometimes.Then again i've known them to implode a lot also.It all depends with them.Even at the last world cup they were getting spanked early until finally deciding to bring their "a" game when it moved them.You never know with them really.Like i said....................they could finish in fifth place too.People are talking about them like they are a shoo-in for gold or silver but i'd be wary putting money down on them.

 

[helicecopter]

Not that dominating in any aspect of the game?

- How about defense (Pronger, Niedermayer, Blake, Foote, Redden, Jovanovski)?

That right there is 6 of the top 8 defenseman in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 defenseman to the table (they barely even bring 1 top 20 defenseman to the table), yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12 How is that not dominating?

- How about forward (Iginla, Sakic, Lemieux, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Richards, Heatley)?

That right there is 7 of the top 12 forwards in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 forward to the table, yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12. How is that not dominating?

- How about goaltender (Brodeur, Luongo)?

That right there is 2 of the top 3 goaltenders in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 10 goaltender to the table (although Russia and Czech Republic bring some definite goaltending talent), yet Canada brings 2 of the top 3. How is that not dominating?

I must say that I disagree with your claim that Canada is "not that dominating in any aspect of the game". It is in my opinion that they are much more dominant than any other country at just about every aspect of the game.

It’s early in the season, but this one already deserves a strong nomination for homer-post of the year.

 

[espo*]

World Cup = NHL sized ice.

So what? it was an international tournament was'nt it? I think i recall seeing teams like Sweden,finland,etc playing there...............not the buffalo sabres and ottawa senators.

holy **** the arrogance.............................it it isn't in europe,the Euro posters don't consider it an international tournament.And you wonder why i don't like European hockey?

 

[Art Vandelay]

Not that dominating in any aspect of the game?

- How about defense (Pronger, Niedermayer, Blake, Foote, Redden, Jovanovski)?

That right there is 6 of the top 8 defenseman in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 defenseman to the table (they barely even bring 1 top 20 defenseman to the table), yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12 How is that not dominating?

- How about forward (Iginla, Sakic, Lemieux, Thornton, Bertuzzi, Richards, Heatley)?

That right there is 7 of the top 12 forwards in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 15 forward to the table, yet Canada brings 7 of the top 12. How is that not dominating?

- How about goaltender (Brodeur, Luongo)?

That right there is 2 of the top 3 goaltenders in the world, all stacked onto one team. Other countries barely bring 1 top 10 goaltender to the table (although Russia and Czech Republic bring some definite goaltending talent), yet Canada brings 2 of the top 3. How is that not dominating?

I must say that I disagree with your claim that Canada is "not that dominating in any aspect of the game". It is in my opinion that they are much more dominant than any other country at just about every aspect of the game.

You forgot the

 

[jekoh]

it it isn't in europe,the Euro posters don't consider it an international tournament.

Are Nagano and Salt Lake City in Europe, genius ?

And you wonder why i don't like European hockey?

No.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

So what? it was an international tournament was'nt it? I think i recall seeing teams like Sweden,finland,etc playing there...............not the buffalo sabres and ottawa senators.

holy **** the arrogance.............................it it isn't in europe,the Euro posters don't consider it an international tournament.And you wonder why i don't like European hockey?

I commented on the fact that some guys on bigger rinks arent as effective as on NHL-sized rinks and thats what one poster here talked about.