Finland: Nation of Domination

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Ye, sure Finland also won the WJC in 2014 without Barkov, Kapanen, and Olli Määttä. Plus Patrik Laine wasn't in this U18 tournie. Those excuses only go so far.

Anyways, Canada will always be #1 in Hockey. But Finland's next biggest challenge is to win a best on best, Men's tournament

It's only a matter of time. Let us enjoy the coming WJC and WHC gold medals in the meantime.

 

[snipes]

Ye, sure Finland also won the WJC in 2014 without Barkov, Kapanen, and Olli Määttä. Plus Patrik Laine wasn't in this U18 tournie. Those excuses only go so far.

Anyways, Canada will always be #1 in Hockey. But Finland's next biggest challenge is to win a best on best, Men's tournament

I've been very complimentary of the Finns at the junior level if you read my post history.

But asking at this rate if they are ready to pass Canada, I'm saying slow down a bit here. Maybe win 5 straight WJC first before that type of talk.

Regarding best on best, yeah winning at least 1 best on best event would help

Canada looks pretty damn strong for the foreseeable future. Hopefully the IOC and NHL don't screw this up and keep NHL players out of the Olympics.

 

[Scotty B]

Slow down here guys.

3 of the past 4 Olympic Golds went to Canada. Probably the most dominant team at the Skoda Cup in recent memory was the 2015 Canada team. The 2015 WC team would have beat the Swedes in Sochi as well, they were that good.

We still have the best players in the world. You have to remember our U18 team is our 'B' team. If you want to see our true U18 team, watch the Ivan Hlinka Memorial.

McDavid wasn't at the last WJC either when he could have been (scary considering he could be at the 2017 one too! Obviously he won't be).

Win 5 straight World Junior Golds first before you ask that. Remember the Czech's had their mini golden age in the late 90s/early 2000s.

If the standard is 5 straight WJC Golds ( twice ) , that may never happen again, for anyone. Suomi's have every right to crow...Maybe they will beat our Ivan Hlinka A team...and maybe that Yankee A team would too, if given the chance...

Not so long ago, there were only 2 Big Dogs in Junior Hockey, on the international stage...Now there are FIVE Nations with a legitimate chance of winning pretty much every tourney they enter...

That's Parity...As for the Rest?

Seems my fellow Canucks have decided, to a man, to disparage the Senior WHC, as The Skoda Cup

Although I didn't get the memo, I do get the sentiment...

Still it seems a tad overdone

 

[snipes]

If the standard is 5 straight WJC Gold's ( twice ) , that may never happen again, for anyone. Suomi's have every right to crow...Maybe they will beat our Ivan Hlinka A team...and maybe that Yankee A team would too, if given the chance...

Not so long ago, there were only 2 Big Dogs in Junior Hockey, on the international stage...Now there are FIVE Nations with a legitimate chance of winning pretty much every tourney they enter...

That's Parity...As for the Rest?

Seems my fellow Canucks have decided, to a man, to disparage the Senior WHC, as The Skoda Cup

Although I didn't get the memo, I do get the sentiment...

Still it seems a tad overdone

It's just the reality for the IIHF World Championship. Only hardcore fans like us seem to follow it, I enjoy the tournament but it is for all intents and purposes the Skoda Cup in NA.

Maybe if they waited to have it after the Stanley Cup playoffs it would be different?

It's kind of funny though because some of the best hockey I seen last year was played in the Czech Republic at the 2015 WC. That team Canada was unreal.

 

[kabidjan18]

Seems my fellow Canucks have decided, to a man, to disparage the Senior WHC, as The Skoda Cup

Although I didn't get the memo, I do get the sentiment...

Still it seems a tad overdone

Winning the Skoda world friendlies has about the same prestige for top programs (except Russia) as when you win that last basketball game before you all stop playing where everyone has already stopped trying. It's a fun tournament to watch but not really much more. Finland is progressing, depending on the strength if individual classes they may eclipse one team or another, but this isn't gauged with Skoda World Friendlies.

 

[Scotty B]

It's just the reality for the IIHF World Championship. Only hardcore fans like us seem to follow it, I enjoy the tournament but it is for all intents and purposes the Skoda Cup in NA.

Maybe if they waited to have it after the Stanley Cup playoffs it would be different?

It's kind of funny though because some of the best hockey I seen last year was played in the Czech Republic at the 2015 WC. That team Canada was unreal.

Sure they won...BUT our Sochi OG team was starved for goals...Maybe some of those young guns on our so-called B team, who really lit it up at the WHC in Prague, should have been on it...

Seguin, Giroux, Hall....all made strong cases for inclusion on our A team...

Eberle? Not a chance...but honourable mention nonetheless

 

[snipes]

Sure they won...BUT our Sochi OG team was starved for goals...Maybe some of those young guns on our so-called B team, who really lit it up at the WHC in Prague, should have been on it...

Seguin, Giroux, Hall....all made strong cases for inclusion on our A team...

Eberle? Not a chance...but honourable mention nonetheless

I was referring to the best hockey I had seen during the 2014-15 season, so from September until the end of the 2015 WC.

Great tournament hosted by the Czechs with awesome hockey. Our 2015 Skoda Cup team would have beat the Swedes in Sochi as well.

 

[kunekune]

It's just the reality for the IIHF World Championship. Only hardcore fans like us seem to follow it, I enjoy the tournament but it is for all intents and purposes the Skoda Cup in NA.

Maybe if they waited to have it after the Stanley Cup playoffs it would be different?

It's kind of funny though because some of the best hockey I seen last year was played in the Czech Republic at the 2015 WC. That team Canada was unreal.

In Europe WHC is even more respected than Stanley Cup by average fan.

Hardcore fans on the other hand respect Stanley Cup more.

 

[snipes]

In Europe WHC is even more respected than Stanley Cup by average fan.

Hardcore fans on the other hand respect Stanley Cup more.

Strange irony indeed.

 

[alko]

Winning the Skoda world friendlies has about the same prestige for top programs (except Russia) as when you win that last basketball game before you all stop playing where everyone has already stopped trying. It's a fun tournament to watch but not really much more. Finland is progressing, depending on the strength if individual classes they may eclipse one team or another, but this isn't gauged with Skoda World Friendlies.

Behind every such words i see jealousy. If not my team, its my duty to downplay every success of other teams. It doesnt matter, how ridicule it is, i have to do it.

Why not congrats to the winners?

 

[jalperi]

The only thing I will never forget and/or forgive is Vancouver

I feeled sorry for dropping Slovakia out of Quarters from Bratislava. But it was your or us situation.

 

[fredligh]

International Prestige:
Olympic gold
-
-
-
"World Cup"
World championships
-
WJC-20
WJC-18

As a swede i am very jealous of Finland and their recent sucess in the Wjcs, but still i would never swap it for our Olympic golds, still it is just a matter of time til we will see a ridiculous Finnish team performing in the best-on-best tournaments. A line with Laine-Barkov-Pulju, nightmare

 

[kitsumo]

International Prestige:
Olympic gold
-
-
-
"World Cup"
World championships
-
WJC-20
WJC-18

As a swede i am very jealous of Finland and their recent sucess in the Wjcs, but still i would never swap it for our Olympic golds, still it is just a matter of time til we will see a ridiculous Finnish team performing in the best-on-best tournaments. A line with Laine-Barkov-Pulju, nightmare

WJC-20 reflects much more nations current state of hockey than WCH does as it is much closer to best on best hockey, granted the players' development is still in progress. But in this context I would rate u20 much higher than WHC.

 

[Bruce Granville]

I've been very complimentary of the Finns at the junior level if you read my post history.

But asking at this rate if they are ready to pass Canada, I'm saying slow down a bit here. Maybe win 5 straight WJC first before that type of talk.

Regarding best on best, yeah winning at least 1 best on best event would help

Canada looks pretty damn strong for the foreseeable future. Hopefully the IOC and NHL don't screw this up and keep NHL players out of the Olympics.

Maybe you just have to get used to Finnish humor.
Nobody really thinks, that Canada might lose their #1 position in hockey to Finland.
Until it happens.
It will take at least 5 more years, so relax.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I'm perfectly happy with Canada's 3 gold medals of the last 4 Olympic games. Three of four is a damn fine record. The Olympics are the biggest event for me, so Canada is still on top in terms of REAL domination when the tournaments mean the most, IMO. But congrats to the Finns on their win. They've been doing really well lately.

Now waiting for snarky reply from a Finn fan...

 

[KimmoV]

I'm perfectly happy with Canada's 3 gold medals of the last 4 Olympic games. Three of four is a damn fine record. The Olympics are the biggest event for me, so Canada is still on top in terms of REAL domination when the tournaments mean the most, IMO. But congrats to the Finns on their win. They've been doing really well lately.

Now waiting for snarky reply from a Finn fan...

snark!

Olympics is the biggest for me as well as long as NHL and KHL stop for the time and there is no pressure from the teams to stop the players from playing....

Personally I think it is foolish to talk about any domination by any country. Apples/Oranges...you could just as well say that Soviet Union dominated Ice-hockey for decades because they won pretty much everything. I remember watching the Red Machine with Tretjak, Krutov, Makarov Larionov, Fetisov Kasatonov etc. That was enough to put the fear of god on anyone. But once again...apples-oranges.

There are realistically much more teams today capable of winning international tournaments than there were some 10+ years ago...
Good! Makes much more interesting tournaments! Good for the sport!

 

[QnebO]

I'm perfectly happy with Canada's 3 gold medals of the last 4 Olympic games. Three of four is a damn fine record. The Olympics are the biggest event for me, so Canada is still on top in terms of REAL domination when the tournaments mean the most, IMO. But congrats to the Finns on their win. They've been doing really well lately.

Now waiting for snarky reply from a Finn fan...

Of course Canada is ahead now. Also has always been.

That said,
I think every country should have as their open goal to be the best country in the World in hockey. What sense does it, otherwise, make to have a national hockey program? If you're just trying to be the silver guy? This can't be explained to me so any one shouldn't try. The real answer is it doesn't make any sense, it is waste of time. Finland shall work hard to become the best in the world of all, including Canada, and see how we do, period.

How close it is? Not very close, Canada could ice 3 teams filled with superstars. When / if we get there, lets see what happens.

 

[FiLe]

Finland's already become the world's leading ringette power, wresting that mantle from Canada. Who says hockey can't be next?

 

[KimmoV]

Finland's already become the world's leading ringette power, wresting that mantle from Canada. Who says hockey can't be next?

me!

 

[Scotty B]

Behind every such words i see jealousy. If not my team, its my duty to downplay every success of other teams. It doesnt matter, how ridicule it is, i have to do it.

Why not congrats to the winners?

Thing is...Euros ( you too perhaps? ) tend to downplay the World Cup/ old Canada Cups for similar reasons...it's become a never ending pissing contest...

 

[Scotty B]

Of course Canada is ahead now. Also has always been.

That said,
I think every country should have as their open goal to be the best country in the World in hockey. What sense does it, otherwise, make to have a national hockey program? If you're just trying to be the silver guy? This can't be explained to me so any one shouldn't try. The real answer is it doesn't make any sense, it is waste of time. Finland shall work hard to become the best in the world of all, including Canada, and see how we do, period.

How close it is? Not very close, Canada could ice 3 teams filled with superstars. When / if we get there, lets see what happens.

It's not written in stone that Canada must be number one in perpetuity....Circa the turn of the century, Czechs were repeat Junior + OG champ + WC ( yeah, yeah, doesn't count I know ) champs...

It can + has been done...So why not Finland, going forward, with their seemingly endless supply of great goalies, their traditionally cohesive team play + their rising young crop of scorers, reminiscent of Selanne + Kurri ?

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It has been happening, lately wins against Canada in U20, Canada's religion tournament.

 

[snipes]

It has been happening, lately wins against Canada in U20, Canada's religion tournament.

Hopefully the NHL and IOC figure it out and we'll see NHL players at the 2018 Olympics.

The Finns would definitely be among the contenders. There's some good young players from all the hockey power countries.

 

[DaJackal]

But asking at this rate if they are ready to pass Canada, I'm saying slow down a bit here. Maybe win 5 straight WJC first before that type of talk.

100% agree. Canada is the superpower of hockey and there is no way Finland can surpass it - in the long run. I'll be happy if our team can give them a run for their money and occasionally steal some wins.

I also think Canada must feel good about it too that some other nations take this game seriously. It'd be dull if Canada could just sail to WHC gold after another by defeating others 10-1.

Personally I rather see U18 and U20 golds than a single WHC gold. The former ones tell that we are developing quality players who have a shot at making it in the NHL, which is still THE big stage. (The latter one just tells that our best players couldn't help their team enough in a Stanley Cup run. )

 

[Scotty B]

It has been happening, lately wins against Canada in U20, Canada's religion tournament.

Our boyz won 2015 WJC. So If they win 2017, we'll be tied with mighty Suomi at 2 wins a piece in 4 years...tie breaker would be most wjc wins all time...16 (+1? ) >3