Olympics: Datsyuk says this medal means more than the Stanley Cup

[Auston Marlander]

Russians weren't impacted by the lack of NHL players?
It seems to me that all the countries were on a levle playing field.

There are top Russian players on the KHL, players that would still be 1st or 2nd line players in the NHL. There are 5th tier Canadians, Swedes and Americans in the KHL who would have trouble cracking a 4th line in the NHL. Russia only has 33 players in the NHL so their pool was not hurt nearly as bad.

 

[Auston Marlander]

The teams that could have competed with Russia refused to show up. What can we do about it?

Enjoy your win. Nothing wrong with that. I just don't get the pride on beating lesser competiton. I get no pride in scoring when I fill in for my buddies C level team in Toronto, the challenege just isnt there.

Also they didn't refuse, they were legally held out due to the NHL owners.

 

[Jon Riley]

the competition was so low and winning it doesn't mean you are the best in the world which is where the value of an olympic gold is supposed to come from "

I disagree. An olympic gold would tell which team is the best in the world only if Canada wins.
If the whole purpose of the international tournaments is to determine which country is the best at playing hockey, then we do not even have to organize it, we already know.
The best hockey nation is Canada, it is not close, and most likely it will not be close for still quite some time.
The only way a tournament could be used to determine which country is the best one, is to have a huge round robin where everyone meets everyone several times. And at the end Canada wins.
Chemistry, lucky bounces, hot goalies, refs mistakes, injuries, fatigue, stupid mistakes etc. almost play a larger role than pure skills in short tournament with playoffs.
And this, from my perspective, means that every victory in such type of tournament has to be respected.

 

[jj cale]

I disagree. An olympic gold would tell which team is the best in the world only if Canada wins.
If the whole purpose of the international tournaments is to determine which country is the best at playing hockey, then we do not even have to organize it, we already know.
The best hockey nation is Canada, it is not close, and most likely it will not be close for still quite some time.
The only way a tournament could be used to determine which country is the best one, is to have a huge round robin where everyone meets everyone several times. And at the end Canada wins.
Chemistry, lucky bounces, hot goalies, refs mistakes, injuries, fatigue, stupid mistakes etc. almost play a larger role than pure skills in short tournament with playoffs.
And this, from my perspective, means that every victory in such type of tournament has to be respected.

It can be respected, I wanted Canada to win this olympics, everyone always wants to win.

But some are respected less, sometimes far less and for good reason, like this olympics.

 

[Jon Riley]

It can be respected, I wanted Canada to win this olympics, everyone always wants to win.

But some are respected less, sometimes far less and for good reason, like this olympics.

Fair enough, I do not disagree with that. I was just commenting on the concept of "the value of the olympic is coming from being the best in the world".
Being the best in the world for sure helps a lot, but it is not enough to win the gold. Fortunately.
...and that is exactly why elimination games are always the most exciting.

 

[Faterson]

The circumstances will be forgotten and all that matters will be the gold in history books.

Does this ring any bell, particularly the flag of the Olympic gold-medal winning team?

Ice hockey at the 1992 Winter Olympics - Wikipedia

Of course it doesn't. EUN then, OAR now – who cares? Russia rightfully claims both of those gold medals as its own, and that's it.

Slovakia (along with Czech Republic) rightfully claims bronze from those 1992 Olympics despite – outrageously – only 3 Slovaks on the Czechoslovakia roster (a big and recurring reason for early 1990s nationalistic tensions in Czechoslovakia), but that's insider information 26 years later. No one gives a damn decades later as to how exactly that medal was won, let alone against what competition. It's an Olympic medal, and that's all that matters for history.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

That's fine, if his dream is to beat severely handicapped competition all the power to him. Just need to understand most people would not agree. Best vs best he would be supported 100% by most people, but that was not the case for these Olympics.

He isn't asking anyone to agree with him. It's his personal opinion. It means more to him to win a gold medal for his country before he retires than the Stanley Cup ever did. It's not a reflection of athletic ability or competition, but his own personal goals.

This thread is full of bitterness.

 

[jj cale]

The circumstances will be forgotten and all that matters will be the gold in history books.

Does this ring any bell, particularly the flag of the Olympic gold-medal winning team?

Ice hockey at the 1992 Winter Olympics - Wikipedia

Of course it doesn't. EUN then, OAR now – who cares? Russia rightfully claims both of those gold medals as its own, and that's it.

Slovakia (along with Czech Republic) rightfully claims bronze from those 1992 Olympics despite – outrageously – only 3 Slovaks on the Czechoslovakia roster (a big and recurring reason for early 1990s nationalistic tensions in Czechoslovakia), but that's insider information 26 years later. No one gives a damn decades later as to how exactly that medal was won, let alone against what competition. It's an Olympic medal, and that's all that matters for history.

The circumstances will be forgotten? they will never be forgotten with serious hockey fans of the kind you see here.

Has anyone around here ever forgotten how all those long ago olympics were without all the best players and had Russia cruising to gold almost every time? no way, you see it brought up all the time here.

The reality of the 2018 olympics mens hockey tournament wont be forgotten, not in a hundred years.

It's firmly stamped with an asterick for all time.

 

[ohcomeonref]

He isn't asking anyone to agree with him. It's his personal opinion. It means more to him to win a gold medal for his country before he retires than the Stanley Cup ever did. It's not a reflection of athletic ability or competition, but his own personal goals.

This thread is full of bitterness.

Anything other than agreeing wholeheartedly with Datysuk's sentiment is bitterness and sour grapes. Cool story.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

Anything other than agreeing wholeheartedly with Datysuk's sentiment is bitterness and sour grapes. Cool story.

No, whining about someone having different career goals and ambitions, along with an unwillingness to accept that the NHL isn't the centre of the hockey universe for everyone is bitterness.

 

[Auston Marlander]

He isn't asking anyone to agree with him. It's his personal opinion. It means more to him to win a gold medal for his country before he retires than the Stanley Cup ever did. It's not a reflection of athletic ability or competition, but his own personal goals.

This thread is full of bitterness.

I'm bitter the NHL didn't go. Tool away a meaningful tournament. The winner is irrelevant when looking at the best hockey nation which is sad. The fans are the ones who lost out. Dats can be as happy as he likes, but you'd think he'd want to beat the best to be the best.

 

[Faterson]

The circumstances will be forgotten? they will never be forgotten with serious hockey fans of the kind you see here.

"Serious hockey fans" are a minuscule minority within the general population of any nation. Seen from this perspective, it's not surprising if anyone – especially European – values Olympic gold over a Stanley Cup, regardless of circumstances.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

It was a joke of a tournament without the best. Not worth much.

The whole idea of Olympics is to face the toughest competition and make your dream come true beating the best. This was something else.

 

[jj cale]

"Serious hockey fans" are a minuscule minority within the general population of any nation. Seen from this perspective, it's not surprising if anyone – especially European – values Olympic gold over a Stanley Cup, regardless of circumstances.

Sure they are a minority, but you said it would be completely forgotten and it won't.

Hockey fans won't forget, I can absolutely 100% garuntee you Canadian fans for one NEVER will.

Take that to the bank,it's as sure a thing as there is.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I know,

It's unbelievably arrogant to think that it means as much in Russia as it does in Minneapolis,

To most of these guys the Wold's and a Gold Medal are above the Cup

Regular people in Finland overrate World Championship quite a bit. Winning it is a huge event, but it's not even the best vs best tournament.

It's probably similar to every European country. Canadian's don't give a shit about WC.

 

[BruinsNeedaRussian]

Which Russians on our Olympic hockey team were doping? Again. No one cares about your asterisks and this win in spite of the Witch Hunt has brought our people closer together.

"Witch hunt." When even your curlers are doping there is a problem. There is no rational debate. Doesn't take anything away from the hockey team, but holy delusion.

 

[More 2004]

Feeling a little left out?

Of college or the winter olympics?

 

[PenDuhNotPittsburgh]

That's fine, if his dream is to beat severely handicapped competition all the power to him. Just need to understand most people would not agree. Best vs best he would be supported 100% by most people, but that was not the case for these Olympics.

Canada has roughly 30million citizens so it's hardly "most people"

 

[PenDuhNotPittsburgh]

Exactly this...most of the time, the rest of the world is laughing at us.

This. And it is not limited to hockey.
Boxing would be a good example too. The American boxers got their asses handed to them bye the Klitschkos for a dozen years, so casually that many Americans even got bored from watching them lose and stopped even following the sport.Meanwhile they would go on trash talking the Klitschkos how they are not legitimate champs.
Yeah legit. They've beaten any American figther there was to a pulp of goo, but they are not legit champs.
Makes perfect sence.

 

[sdf]

sometimes many world-class players come to the world championships and in particular the national team of Canada is very strong, I'm wondering whether in Canada this tournament is watched in such years

 

[Yakushev72]

I'm bitter the NHL didn't go. Tool away a meaningful tournament. The winner is irrelevant when looking at the best hockey nation which is sad. The fans are the ones who lost out. Dats can be as happy as he likes, but you'd think he'd want to beat the best to be the best.

It is one country, and one country only, that cares whether the NHL participated in Olympic hockey - Canada! The United States is totally indifferent to hockey. Even hardcore American sports fan have no idea who Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid are. And having NHL players available would not have substantially improved American prospects for winning a medal. Canada is left alone to weep in their isolation in the frozen northern extremities of the North American continent.

 

[jj cale]

It is one country, and one country only, that cares whether the NHL participated in Olympic hockey - Canada! The United States is totally indifferent to hockey. Even hardcore American sports fan have no idea who Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid are. And having NHL players available would not have substantially improved American prospects for winning a medal. Canada is left alone to weep in their isolation in the frozen northern extremities of the North American continent.

Americans cared whether the NHL players went to the olympics, american fans that are hockey fans that is.

You saw it all over the boards here leading up to the games and especially after they were eliminated, most were moaning that the NHL's decision cost them what they thought was their best chance at gold in quite a while due to the talent they could have brought.

The general public in America that doesn't watch hockey doesn't care but the hockey fans did. The people in Canada that don't watch hockey didn't care either. But Canadians who do follow hockey cared for sure and of course Canada has more fans of hockey then anyone else.

And some other fans from other countries that are hockey fans cared too, saw plenty of them that were pissed off around here. They were far from happy the n.h.L kept their top players from participating.

Now curiously enough I noticed Russian hockey fans didn't care that there was no NHL players there and there is a good reason for that and I don't even have to say here what the reason was, everyone knows why they were not bothered by the NHL players exclusion.

And Canada doesn't have to weep about anything, they are the reigning heavyweight champ 2 time defending best on best gold medal winners, they are currently the best. This can never be said about Russia by virtue of winning the gold in hockey this year so why would Canada be weeping about anything? Some are simply stating Russias gold here counts for so very little and some are questioning how Datsyuk could value a gold won in this manner more then his stanley cup triumphs. Both are legitimate points.

As usual, you twist things to fit your agenda.

It is difficult to rain on russias parade when their gold medal win doesn't mean anything to begin with.

 

[BruinsNeedaRussian]

Russians weren't impacted by the lack of NHL players?
It seems to me that all the countries were on a levle playing field.

Are you implying the KHL is about as strong as the AHL? I disagree.

 

[Vergil]

Congratulations Datsyuk. You beat an over the hill Brian Gionta. More rewarding feeling than winning cups. Sure!

Somewhere Brian Gionta got the best compliment of his life since he scored 48 goals almost 200 years ago.

 

[Baxterman]

It is one country, and one country only, that cares whether the NHL participated in Olympic hockey - Canada! The United States is totally indifferent to hockey. Even hardcore American sports fan have no idea who Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid are. And having NHL players available would not have substantially improved American prospects for winning a medal. Canada is left alone to weep in their isolation in the frozen northern extremities of the North American continent.

Well this line is just complete BS.

The Americans would have at worst been "co-favorites" for Bronze, after Canada and Sweden there isn't a team that is clearly better than the US so yes their medal hopes would have been quite a bit higher.