Finland's status and reputation in the hockey world (merged)

[Cawz]

What is anti-hockey? Because it just seems like something you made up to fit your narrative that the Finns don't play a likeable brand of hockey. Thing is, thats just your opinion. Finland brings a cohesive unit to the World stage comprised of players that fit different roles, not 19 Esa Tikkanens

I didnt make it up. Wish I did. Its apt for these defensive teams that counter-strike.

Hahaha! So, when people show you how wrong you are by simple statistics, you go with "you lost me". No, you just lost.

I understand, you don't care for complete packages or results. You care about names on the back of the jersey and the INDIVIDUAL scoring statistics.

No, you lost me since my country "produced" against the Fins. Your post also didnt have any statistics (simple, as you called them), but I already noted that from your past posts that a small sample size is a weak argument, and you are trying to use goals against Norway as some indication or something. You are just arguing in circles now. I get it. You like your defensive hockey team. Others dont. Thats fine.

As a neutral, I absolutely loved it. There's nothing exiting about watching one country curb stomp the other, this one was very intense right 'till the end.

And there nothing exciting about watching a fight where one guy who's outmatched turtles the entire time and waits for a couple opportunities to try and land a punch.

 

[Bluejaysfan*]

Top 5 hockey country in the world IMO. On the uprise but they have a ways to go to be considered with the top 4 giants. One win vs Russia in the Olympics will not change that. The big 4 hockey countries have been great for a long time, Finland has to do the same to be in the same conversation IMO.

 

[Sabane]

Lol @ this thread. What does it matter what some "there's no hockey outside NHL" guys think about us. All sports are for spectators and at least i love to watch every game of our national team, no matter if it's WC, WCJ or the Olympics. And every time we go on ice we have a great chance to win that game. The hell, we have won 2 world championships, both youth and adults and have had pretty darn deep runs at olympics too.

Let's just all enjoy the great game of hockey and let the others bark of our great style of playing this game!

 

[Harvest]

I didnt make it up. Wish I did. Its apt for these defensive teams that counter-strike.

No, you lost me since my country "produced" against the Fins. Your post also didnt have any statistics (simple, as you called them), but I already noted that from your past posts that a small sample size is a weak argument, and you are trying to use goals against Norway as some indication or something. You are just arguing in circles now. I get it. You like your defensive hockey team. Others dont. Thats fine.

And there nothing exciting about watching a fight where one guy who's outmatched turtles the entire time and waits for a couple opportunities to try and land a punch.

Woah, woah, woaaaah!

 

[Bluejaysfan*]

please beat the U.S in the bronze medal game on Saturday please!...I kid, have no favourites the Finland vs Sweeden game.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Bronze medal favorites for sure. I can't see whoever loses the Canada-USA game as being all that likely to get up the next day and play with any kind of intensity. That team will be bitterly disappointed to not be playing for a shot at Gold.

I think the Swedes will take this one tomorrow. Very similar teams but Sweden just a bit better all around (except net, I got Rask > Lundqvist). Makes sense since they're twice the size.

I'm pulling for Finland though. If USA doesn't take it, I would love to see the Finns win Gold.

 

[Lepardi]

I think Finland is a top 4 country, what do you think?

They have beaten Russia, for one, now 4 times in a row when its best on best.

Sochi 2014: Finland - Russia 3-1
Torino 2006: Finland - Russia 4-0
Salt Lake City 2002: Finland - Russia 3-1
Nagano 1998: Finland - Russia 4-7

What am I missing?

 

[Dennis Bergkamp]

And there nothing exciting about watching a fight where one guy who's outmatched turtles the entire time and waits for a couple opportunities to try and land a punch.

I don't watch fighting so I can't comment, but the Latvia-Canada game was tremendously exciting.

 

[Lepardi]

Maybe that's the reason they usually win THAT match against Russia, when it's about one game only, they are that one step ahead. Same thing goes against Chech Republic, I still remember for when some freakin reason WC-finals were played at two parts.. and exactly that happened, Finns lost their edge after the first game.

It was in 1999. Finland lost game one against the Czech Republic 3-1 and won game two 4-1. A funny way to lose an edge after the first game.

 

[novisor]

Hockey is really only a 6 nation sport. So top 4 in itself puts you in the middle percentile.

Hockey is more than 6 nation sport. There is a reason they call it the "Big 7"
Canada
USA
Sweden
Finland
Russia
Czech Republic
Slovakia.

But the big 7 is really outdated, it should be the "Big 8"
Switzerland has made great strides since 2006 where it upset both Canada and the Czech's. It beat the Czech's again this year, and is currently the reining silver medalists at the WC. In 2010 they brought Canada to a shootout.

 

[tuozzi]

I had respect before the game, even after. I just have respect for the team, not the fans. Listening to you guys is like you got robbed when actually every time I stared at the TV it looked like you were on the PK, I actually had to look at the score to make sure Canada wasn't on power play that how's bad Finland puck possession was despite the scoreboard. In the GDT you cried and insulted the refs etc.

I would sure like to hear of the fan base that doesn't do everything you described. Guess you don't respect hockey fans...OK, a step further, sports fans

 

[novisor]

This couldn't be more obvious. Finland is ranked number 2 in the world, beating out Canada, USA, Russia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

LOL as if anyone takes the ranking seriously. They mean nothing and rely heavily on the World Championships, in which Canada and the US are at a serious disadvantage.

 

[Sabane]

LOL as if anyone takes the ranking seriously. They mean nothing and rely heavily on the World Championships, in which Canada and the US are at a serious disadvantage.

Why u guys are at a serious disadvantage? Everybody else are missing some of their top players also....

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

And there nothing exciting about watching a fight where one guy who's outmatched turtles the entire time and waits for a couple opportunities to try and land a punch.

Thats actually not very indicative of Finland's 'style' of play at all. In order to win, Finland still has to land a 'knockout' blow, and they do that, taking a lead, then they play defensive hockey. We get it, you don't like Finland's style of play.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Reading comprehension? I just wrote better team doesn't always win best of 7. It's a mathematical FACT. I suggest you and many others to study little about probabilities and variance.

Where did I mention probabilities and variance, please show me? I was stating an easy-to-comprehend- fact from real life.

Besides, don't preach about stats to me. Probabilities and variance aren't exactly alien to me. Some methods that I used regularly when I was active in research: NMDS, CCA, TWINSPAN, PCA and DFA. Hint: those a multivariate methods.

 

[Cawz]

Thats actually not very indicative of Finland's 'style' of play at all. In order to win, Finland still has to land a 'knockout' blow, and they do that, taking a lead, then they play defensive hockey. We get it, you don't like Finland's style of play.

I was responding about the Latvia game. I agree thats not Finlads style. They are a better team than that.

I don't watch fighting so I can't comment, but the Latvia-Canada game was tremendously exciting.

I only used a fighting reference since you compared it to curb stomping...

 

[Johno]

So can we now agree that Finland belongs in the top 4, ahead of USA and Russia.

 

[Eidyia]

So can we now agree that Finland belongs in the top 4, ahead of USA and Russia.

No, not enough points in the NHL regular season.

 

[FofH]

Waiting for the big win. However in 2018 (if all the best are in) we should have a stronger team and a very good chance for gold. In the last 16 years in best on best (6 tournaments) we have been three times third and two times second. It's only a matter of time when we manage to put it all together. This tournament was actually the one where I thought that our material was not top notch and we were so close. The tide is changing. Määttä, Vatanen, Pokka, Honka, Ristolainen, Rask, Koivu, Filppula, Barkov, Granlund, Teräväinen, Bergenheim, Ruutu, Komarov, Korpikoski, Haula, Pulkkinen, Armia and so on... That is a good ground to build on. The system is already there.

 

[Dennis Bergkamp]

Nice 5-0 win for anti-hockey.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

So can we now agree that Finland belongs in the top 4, ahead of USA and Russia.

No, we can agree that they finished higher in this Olympics. Lots of work to do before they'll seriously be considered for the 4th spot:

Olympic totals

5. Finland (Games-Gold/Silver/Bronze=Total)
15-0/2/4=6 (may not include today's bronze)

4. Sweden
20-2/2/4=8

3. Russia/Soviet
15-7/2/1=10

2. USA
21-2/8/1=11

1. Canada
20-8/4/2=14

And that's just starting with the Olympics alone, and totally ignoring the women's side for the moment, too.

 

[Kharkov]

Gotta agree with Ohashi. Great Britain is much better than Finland because brits have gold from 1936!

 

[crowi]

Yep, eternal underdog. Don't even care.

Also, Ohashi good job going out of your way to ignore several facts in your downplay of us, welcome to Ignoretown.

 

[Sabane]

No, we can agree that they finished higher in this Olympics. Lots of work to do before they'll seriously be considered for the 4th spot:

Olympic totals

5. Finland (Games-Gold/Silver/Bronze=Total)
15-0/2/4=6 (may not include today's bronze)

4. Sweden
20-2/2/4=8

3. Russia/Soviet
15-7/2/1=10

2. USA
21-2/8/1=11

1. Canada
20-8/4/2=14

And that's just starting with the Olympics alone, and totally ignoring the women's side for the moment, too.

Should you also list the WHC scores also, because most of the Olympics were also played with "B-squads"

 

[psycho_dad*]

No, we can agree that they finished higher in this Olympics. Lots of work to do before they'll seriously be considered for the 4th spot

Finland is quite clearly the #3 right now.

All results point to it. Since we started the best on best olympics, Finland has the most olympic medals out of any country and they have been #2 in IIHF rankings for 3 years in a row and might just end up #1 this year depending on WHC.

Finland seems to always beat Russia and USA when it matters. There are a few exceptions to the rule but the trend is absolutely clear and visible.

And of course you don't consider womens results with men. Women's hockey is it's own thing, and Finland would probably be the #3 in that as well.