PGT: Gold Medal Game - May 21 - Canada (1) vs Sweden (2) (SO) Part II

[tony d]

Once again congrats to Sweden, one of my favorite hockey nations.

 

[ciderfylla]

Good for you Sweden, it would be pretty boring if Canada won every competition. Hockey is what binds us together as brothers and sisters of the game. I hope the NHL allows all thier players to compete in the Olympics in South Korea; I want to see Canada send all of our best players. This was Canada's B-team, or at least some of the players were. I think everyone knows this. I'm not sure about Sweden, but I assume they had the majority of thier best players there.

Well, I glanced over the most obvious stats - points. Of the Swedish top 20 forwards in the NHL this season, four players took part in the WC. Defensively we lacked some of the top talent as well, including our best player overall.

 

[General Zodd]

nylander is the greatest player from sweden in 20 years!

what a player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Erik Karlsson say hi!!

 

[General Zodd]

Then why are you bringing up that the tournament will never be a big deal in Canada because it's not a best on best tournament? Sounds like a way to belittle the tournament, while making the judgement that it's a huge deal in Europe and nothing else. Canada always have the best team on paper. Sweden haven't had a serious contender in a long time, the best players have always ended up refusing to go, so it's not like Sweden have been going all in for these tournaments. They had a pretty strong team this year, but it still wasn't the best possible team that they could have iced.

Too bad Canada Cup has been dead for over 25 years.

Because ratings here are typically awful for this tournament cause it's not best-on-best. That aside this was an entertaining tournament with loads of action. Wide open fire wagon hockey on both sides. Much better than any NHL game these playoffs. And besides no one iced their best team, it's pretty obvious.

Canada Cup gave way to the Olympics. The Olympics supersede anything else. The World Cup comes in at a distant second with the World Championship coming in third.

 

[Macbanan]

This WC has been great for many reasons. Loved watching France play on home ice, beating Finland and playing really well.

Despite not being best-on-best the final was a battle between great hockey players with more talent than a SC-final has on average. All hockey fans should watch it and not listen to the nay-sayers about the tournament. Yaaay Sweden!

 

[Eternalize]

Because ratings here are typically awful for this tournament cause it's not best-on-best. That aside this was an entertaining tournament with loads of action. Wide open fire wagon hockey on both sides. Much better than any NHL game these playoffs. And besides no one iced their best team, it's pretty obvious.

Canada Cup gave way to the Olympics. The Olympics supersede anything else. The World Cup comes in at a distant second with the World Championship coming in third.

Seems like the Olympics won't be a "best on best" tournament going forward though. So that will leave you with the World Cup as the only "best on best tournament", if it even deserves being labelled an international tournament.

The concept of the World Cup currently is a complete joke, and the competition just doesn't give you the feeling of a serious international tournament. It's more an easy money grab for NHL than a serious attempt at being something great and something serious. These are the reasons why i'd still take the World Championships over the World Cup. The world championship is a journey. There will be upsets, there will be disappointments. The tournament is long with many games being played, so if you end up winning it, chances are good that you deserved it.

The biggest disappointment in World Cup was USA. The biggest upset was that a completely made up team ended up making the finals. Even if they were considered underdogs, it's not like you cared about it much anyways, which you probably normally would. It didn't feel like any of this mattered in the end, that any of the games mattered. The tournament have no soul whatsoever. I was pretty pumped for the tournament. I personally prefer watching the best settling things regardless of sport, which is why i have interest in NHL rather than SHL for instance, the swedish league.

But if something seems pointless it doesn't really matter if the best players are playing or not. I want my team to win the tournament that matters, not the tournaments that are only considered the "best on best" where you only play like 5 games tops.

 

[General Zodd]

Seems like the Olympics won't be a "best on best" tournament going forward though. So that will leave you with the World Cup as the only "best on best tournament", if it even deserves being labelled an international tournament.

The concept of the World Cup currently is a complete joke, and the competition just doesn't give you the feeling of a serious international tournament. It's more an easy money grab for NHL than a serious attempt at being something great and something serious. These are the reasons why i'd still take the World Championships over the World Cup. The world championship is a journey. There will be upsets, there will be disappointments. The tournament is long with many games being played, so if you end up winning it, chances are good that you deserved it.

The biggest disappointment in World Cup was USA. The biggest upset was that a completely made up team ended up making the finals. Even if they were considered underdogs, it's not like you cared about it much anyways, which you probably normally would. It didn't feel like any of this mattered in the end, that any of the games mattered. The tournament have no soul whatsoever. I was pretty pumped for the tournament. I personally prefer watching the best settling things regardless of sport, which is why i have interest in NHL rather than SHL for instance, the swedish league.

But if something seems pointless it doesn't really matter if the best players are playing or not. I want my team to win the tournament that matters, not the tournaments that are only considered the "best on best" where you only play like 5 games tops.

You're right. The World Cup was kind of meh. Not saying that cause we won either. Didn't find the love for the made up team fake either and in the end I was glad they got beat. That being said, that Cup still out ranks the Word Companionships tough even tough it was shorter as the talent was better.

I have a solution. Push the start date of your European tournament back to mid June and we are in business. The hockey world will finally recognize and sanction it as 100% official!

 

[LiveeviL]

You're right. The World Cup was kind of meh. Not saying that cause we won either. Didn't find the love for the made up team fake either and in the end I was glad they got beat. That being said, that Cup still out ranks the Word Companionships tough even tough it was shorter as the talent was better.

I have a solution. Push the start date of your European tournament back to mid June and we are in business. The hockey world will finally recognize and sanction it as 100% official!

That would be great but I don't think the players would approve to have an even shorter vaccination. Perhaps if some space was created with NHL going back to 78 games/season. The grinding could spare some games.

 

[SaltNPeca]

Its the same excuse Canada uses every year they dont bring home gold, "buuuut its not our A team."...

Well no ****!? IIHF was never best on best. And there will never be any more best on best because the NHL owners are greedy ********.

Stop with the excuses and accept Sweden won this year.

You just make this up in your head? What is your source?

I was in Cologne for all the games including player areas. Team Canada nor the fans made such statements that I heard.

If any "excuse" or grumbling was made it was:

1. poor ice (equal for all teams)
2. sucks to loose a gold in a shootout game

 

[Slimmy]

Good for you Sweden, it would be pretty boring if Canada won every competition. Hockey is what binds us together as brothers and sisters of the game. I hope the NHL allows all thier players to compete in the Olympics in South Korea; I want to see Canada send all of our best players. This was Canada's B-team, or at least some of the players were. I think everyone knows this. I'm not sure about Sweden, but I assume they had the majority of thier best players there.

Canada couldn't send all thier best players, many declined due to injury, needed​ rest from the NHL season and train for next season, or are still competing for the hardest trophy in all of team sports - The Stanley Cup.

I would have preferred no shootouts for the gold medal game. It's a lame way to end a team competition and turn it into a an individual skills game. This isn't soccer, no offence to soccer but hockey is all about the team, not the individual. Sweden had the better goalie that day, and I knew that would be what made difference.

Enjoy the win Sweden, but don't forget what could happen if you face Canada's best players next time around we meet
https://youtu.be/MB-5_bgqRZU

Yes, a game where Sweden was missing their 3 best centers. How ironic.