Finnish roster in a best-on-best an absolute favorite together with the US and Canada?

[CanadaIsIrrelevant]

Yes all the Soviet teams are Russian.

Otherwise we can discount every Canadian team that has players born in different countries with dual citizenship.

Wanna do that?

Or let’s discount every win for Canada before 17th April 1982.
Because Canada didn’t have full sovereignty from Great Britain.

 

[Czechboy]

Nope. The Solviet Union was a country that no longer exists. It included many other countries that are now part of the IIHF including;

Russia
Ukraine
Belarus
Latvia
Lithuania
Estonia
Kazakhstan

Soviet Union ≠ Russia

I mean, I would absolutely give it to the Russians from the history perspective. But I am really happy the Czechs have won a gold at the major levels on their own since leaving communism and seperating from Slovakia (whom I love and cheer for). Feels nice to be honest. No asterisk like we needed the Stastny's or communist funding.

 

[Old Man Jags]

I mean, I would absolutely give it to the Russians from the history perspective. But I am really happy the Czechs have won a gold at the major levels on their own since leaving communism and seperating from Slovakia (whom I love and cheer for). Feels nice to be honest. No asterisk like we needed the Stastny's or communist funding.

The Czech Republic by itself is more successful than Czechoslovakia was... 6 golds for the Czech Republic in a much shorter period of time than the 6 golds achieved by Czechoslovakia. Also, Czechoslovakia never won Olympic gold, the Czech Republic did, in the first best-on-best tournament. It's actually insane how successful the Czech Republic was in a few short years after the split (considering that we have won nothing since 2010 and only twice after 2001, having become a separate country only on 1 January 1993).

Maybe one reason is also that the Czechs have turned out to be very good at knock-out competitions, at least during the very successful period after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. Remember the system used to be essentially a double round robin - after the initial group games, the top 4 all played against each other again for the medals. Czechoslovakia was rarely as consistent as the ultimate winner, hence 12 silvers and 16 bronze medals at the worlds, and only 6 golds.

 

[matsqq]

A thread started by a finn and promoting and exaggerating the finnish teams level has no meaning at all. "an absolute favourite ... together with Canada and USA"


You can always argue and try to elevate your own team and defend it with a lot of words- but the truth is that it's more telling to let more unbiased people have their say.

I do believe that if you do that Heiskanen would be the only defender in the swedish team, not anyone else coming very close to either starting or on the bench .

When the swedes have such a clear edge in the defense you brush that away by saying that although Finland has less defensive "stars" our defense is solid and you don't need "stars"...

But when Finland has an edge in the center department that's not brushed away with the same remark. we don't need center "stars" etc.

I think most neutral observers would say Sweden is better on paper (much because of the defense) but of course in a short tournament anything can happen.

Canada is far better than Sweden on paper though with McDAvid , MacKinnon, Makar etc and USA is probably no 2, but still anyone can win a single game so it's up for grabs.

 

[Erikfromfin]

I made prophecy over decade ago. Gold medal is coming!

 

[Silky Johnson]

I mean, I would absolutely give it to the Russians from the history perspective. But I am really happy the Czechs have won a gold at the major levels on their own since leaving communism and seperating from Slovakia (whom I love and cheer for). Feels nice to be honest. No asterisk like we needed the Stastny's or communist funding.

Can't agree with you on giving it to the Russians. It's just factually incorrect. Different country, different system. Different government.

USSR ≠ Russia period. It is undebateable. Case close.

#factsmatter

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Nope. Sweden has almost 200 NHL regulars.

If by “almost 200” you meant exactly half that number, and by “NHL regulars” you meant to include dozens of fringe players, stand-ins and hopefuls who are likely to be back in Europe in two years maximum, then you’d almost be correct.

 

[CanadaIsIrrelevant]

Can't agree with you on giving it to the Russians. It's just factually incorrect. Different country, different system. Different government.

USSR ≠ Russia period. It is undebateable. Case close.

#factsmatter

Just give it up man.

 

[Silky Johnson]

Just give it up man.

??WTF

Give what up? The fact the the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was made up of 15 different countries that Russia is just one of?

It's like saying California is the United States or Ontario is Canada.

 

[CanadaIsIrrelevant]

90% of the players on any Soviet team born in todays Russia.
So give it up.

 

[jfc64]

??WTF

Give what up? The fact the the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was made up of 15 different countries that Russia is just one of?

It's like saying California is the United States or Ontario is Canada.

Absolutely right! Team Sweden might make it without Skåne in the south, though. They'd rather be owned by Poland and Germany alike. Successful "divers" might harbour around L.A. and MSG.

 

[jfc64]

I made prophecy over decade ago. Gold medal is coming!

When you can trade for Mattias Ekholm and Hampus Lindholm you will be serios contenders!

 

[mjlee]

 

[OskarOskarius]

The absolute favorite would be Canada. USA would probably be nr 2, especially in a couple of years, the US is just getting better and better.

Finland isn't that good. Finland+Sweden would have a squad comparable to the US.

 

[MeHateHe]

18 years ago.

We need more tournaments.

The US beat Canada in the round robin in 2010.

 

[NyQuil]

The US beat Canada in the round robin in 2010.

And Sweden beat Canada in the round robin in 2002. Switzerland beat Canada in the round robin in 2006.

But the games I consider most important are the elimination games, which has been awhile.

 

[MeHateHe]

And Sweden beat Canada in the round robin in 2002. Switzerland beat Canada in the round robin in 2006.

But the games I consider most important are the elimination games.

The poster you had quoted had asserted that Ru$$ia was the last team to beat Canada at a best-on-best. I was pointing out it was factually incorrect.

 

[Lambo]

Russia do have a good team

Panarin - Malkin - Kucherov
Kaprizov - Barbashev - Svechnikov
Ovechkin - Voronkov - Nichushkin
Buchnevich - Namestnikov - Tarasenko

Sergachyov - Zub
Provorov - Orlov
Romanov - Gavrikov

Bob/Sorokin/Vasilevsky/Kochetkov/Shestyorkin/Varlamov/Georgiyev


Which?

Lack of Elite-C! Malkin isn t getting any younger either. Elite-D? At most 2 with a lot of optimisn.

 

[NyQuil]

The poster you had quoted had asserted that Ru$$ia was the last team to beat Canada at a best-on-best. I was pointing out it was factually incorrect.

Yeah, “eliminate” would be the more accurate term.

 

[Lambo]

Nope. Sweden has almost 200 NHL regulars. Finland has like what 15?
Finland can compete for bronze medal.

While Sweden is a lock to Gold medal game.

Granlund. Swedish name.
Barkov. A Russian.
Puljujärvi born in Sweden ...

Then Germany is also extremely strong. Drai, Stützle, Seider, Peterka + all the Americans who have a German name (Boeser, Eichel, Kesselring etc.)

 

[Lambo]

Well, I'm not quite so optimistic about it now. Clearly Finland has the best generation ever and a traditionally good team game. But there are missing definitely still two elite defenders and at least two elite wingers to support the optimism.

 

[swissdude]

Then Germany is also extremely strong. Drai, Stützle, Seider, Peterka + all the Americans who have a German name (Boeser, Eichel, Kesselring etc.)

Zellweger, Guenther, Hofer, Hagel are german/swiss origin names as well....

 

[Lambo]

Zellweger, Guenther, Hofer, Hagel are german/swiss origin names as well....

I also have “etc.” written. I didn't feel like researching all the German names.

 

[swissdude]

I also have “etc.” written. I didn't feel like researching all the German names.

it wasn't my point that your list was incomplete more that it is also the case with canada not US only

 

[Nucks2001]

Guys like Suzuki, Thomas, etc. are excellent two way, roughly PPG centres. We'd be fine.

Point and Stone are also excellent two-way forwards that are winners and above PPG players that bring experience to the team.