Olympics: Groups are set

[Czechboy]

It could go either way in that group tbh. On a good day the Czechs can beat the Russians, they do it quite frequently in prelims at the worlds and beat them in Vancouver in a SO.
The Swiss got 2 silver medals in the 2010s and can beat teams like Canada when all cylinders are firing.
Danish team with Ehlers, Bjorkstrand, Eller and Andersen is surrounded by solid euro depth that has plenty of international experience.

Group B will be interesting.

All of this! This group probably creates an upset later on. Not a gold (maybe Russia) but an upset.

 

[jj cale]

Denmark best on best team has some heft too! Solid NHL goalie and elite forward is a nice start for an upset. I think it might also be the first time (at the senior level) that the Danes can piece together a best on best team as they've had some nice drafts over the year. They'll be a solid challenge to all 3 team in group IMO.

I don't think it's the best group but I think it is the most even group.

Swiss will be a flatout nightmare to everyone they play... some nice forwards, a Norris Dman and some strong Euro Goalies. Beautifully coached.

It's a division of Russia and 3 good dark horses.

Yes,I am probably overlooking the Danes a little bit, they are certainly better then they have ever been and you can't just go into a game against them thinking you already have it in the bag. If you do that at best you get a game where it's way too close for comfort before closing them out and at worst you get a Belarus redo circa 2002.

I agree, I think it's the most even group and by that measure could provide us with the best round robin action. No way Russia walks over everyone unless they sure have their shit together which hasn't been their strong point as a national team at all for quite some time.

Expect a tough group.

 

[um]

Does anyone know how the playoffs will work?

 

[Bure80]

German group sucks. Not one competitive matchup.

 

[Czechboy]

German group sucks. Not one competitive matchup.

That Canada and US matchup will be Epic.. that is an HFBoards dream come true!

Germans will be tough comp for both... Vezina goalie nominee, Hart Trophy winner, insanely good young prospects and Seider might be rounding into form!

Outside of China, I really don't expect many blowouts at all. The big 5 are very even and the next 5 all have dark horse spoiler potential.

 

[Czechboy]

Yes,I am probably overlooking the Danes a little bit, they are certainly better then they have ever been and you can't just go into a game against them thinking you already have it in the bag. If you do that at best you get a game where it's way too close for comfort before closing them out and at worst you get a Belarus redo circa 2002.

I agree, I think it's the most even group and by that measure could provide us with the best round robin action. No way Russia walks over everyone unless they sure have their shit together which hasn't been their strong point as a national team at all for quite some time.

Expect a tough group.

Best round robin action but least likely group to have a gold medalist. I say this because we only have 1 gold medal contdner and the other 2 groups have 2 each. I've grown to enjoy all the nations over the years and their different approaches.

FTR.. this better happen.. I've been dying for a best on best for a long time now!

 

[Bure80]

Germans will be tough comp for both... Vezina goalie nominee, Hart Trophy winner, insanely good young prospects and Seider might be rounding into form!

Dont think so. A few good players arent enough. Germany hasnt the depth to compete with Canada or the US. Maybe in 4 years if the developement of players like Peterka, Bokk...goes well. Dont like this group for us.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Russians bringing KHL players over NHL ones is admittedly a poor strategy (Czechs do this too and it sucks).

I used ALL senior events since 1980... World Cup, Canada Cup, best on best Olympics and the Skoda Cup.

I'd say Russia's 3 starters are greater than US 3 starters

US D are better on paper
US C are better on paper
Russian Wingers are better on paper

If they played a best of 7.. I think it'd go 4-3. I wouldn't say one is comfortably better than the other at all.

My initial point was that as a Canadian, I would not like to face a team that has Vasilevskiy in net and Ovechkin shooting in a one off, especially if properly coached. Russia nearly beat full strength Canada in 2016 despite being severely outplayed by sitting in (parking the bus) the whole game and capitalizing on the 8 shots they had during the first forty minutes, which is why I would have them as the second favourites in this tournament

 

[Puck Dogg]

could china upset germany?

China's national team is essentially bad KHL team minus some of the players. Germany has done well in international tournaments (last Olympics silver medal and fourth place in this years' World Championships) so they would be heavy favorites even without the NHL players.

 

[majormajor]

Germany might be scary in 4 years after a couple more strong drafts and after Stutzle, Seider, Reichel, Peterka, and Bokk reach their primes. Right now they're in the category of teams that need a goalie to stand on their head to win a game over full-strength Canada or U.S.

 

[Rob]

I'd eat my shoes if Canada ended up 3rd in that group.

Without NHL players it is definitely a possibility.

 

[Antiillafire]

Germany might be scary in 4 years after a couple more strong drafts and after Stutzle, Seider, Reichel, Peterka, and Bokk reach their primes. Right now they're in the category of teams that need a goalie to stand on their head to win a game over full-strength Canada or U.S.

Is Bokk even a top prospect? He was already a late first rounder and his development seems to have stalled. I would put someone like Glotzl ahead of him for importance for development

 

[majormajor]

Is Bokk even a top prospect? He was already a late first rounder and his development seems to have stalled. I would put someone like Glotzl ahead of him for importance for development

No not a top prospect, he probably only adds a small bit of depth.

 

[ffh]

I'd eat my shoes if Canada ended up 3rd in that group.

Delete

 

[ffh]

Without NHL players it is definitely a possibility.

How. No nhl players for Canada means no nhl players for Germany and the states. Easily 2nd.

 

[Rob]

How. No nhl players for Canada means no nhl players for Germany and the states. Easily 2nd.

Germany beat Canada in 2018 without NHL players. They can do so again.

 

[Maverick41]

Is Bokk even a top prospect? He was already a late first rounder and his development seems to have stalled. I would put someone like Glotzl ahead of him for importance for development

Bokk seems to have recovered a little and looked better last season, but as of now he could be more easily replaced.

We definitely need some of our young defensemen to really take a leap forward. Aside from Seider we only have a bunch of "maybes" on D. Our defensemen have traditionally taken longer to develop, but there just isn't much in the pipeline on the back end. Sure guys like Gawanke or Kälble (plays in college) are not bad and some young defenders like Leon Hüttl or Moritz Wirth have taken some steps forward, but none of them are a sure thing. We can hope that Pasanen or Glötzl take a huge step forward, and maybe the biggest hope for us right now is Luca Münzenberger, but even if they pan out they will not put us into a position to compete with the top teams best on best. Maybe we could make it a little interesting, but the gap is still too big.

We cannot compete with USA or Canada on the scoreboard in this tournament. There is no way this is even close at the end, unless they beat themselves by giving absolutely no effort and their goalies screw up.

 

[Exarz]

Does anyone know how the playoffs will work?

All group winners and the best second-place team advance to the quarter finals. The remaining 8 teams play a pre-round in a round of 16 format to set the quarter final pairings.

 

[ES]

I wish they'd go back to the 2006 format.

That's the optimal format for 12 teams but as NHL has given 12 days to play it is too compact. If they spread it through the whole Olympics (which would be 16 days) then it would be great.

The bronze medal game teams in 2006 played eight games in 11 days.

 

[Czechboy]

need a goalie to stand on their head to win a game over full-strength Canada or U.S.

Their goalie is a Vezina nominee.

 

[Urbanskog]

All group winners and the best second-place team advance to the quarter finals. The remaining 8 teams play a pre-round in a round of 16 format to set the quarter final pairings.

There are just 12 teams in total, though. Thus the format is such that group winners and the best-ranking team of those that came second in their groups automatically advance to the quarterfinals while everyone else (the remaining 8 teams) battle it out in the qualification playoffs.

 

[THE JAM]

I wish they'd go back to the 2006 format.

Why? So swedes or some other team can throw their last round robin game again and get a more favourable path to the final game?

 

[moropanov]

My initial point was that as a Canadian, I would not like to face a team that has Vasilevskiy in net and Ovechkin shooting in a one off, especially if properly coached. Russia nearly beat full strength Canada in 2016 despite being severely outplayed by sitting in (parking the bus) the whole game and capitalizing on the 8 shots they had during the first forty minutes, which is why I would have them as the second favourites in this tournament

Hmm why mention Ovechkin when he clearly isnt best forward of Russia and hasnt generally been good in national team.. Vasilevsky yes but Kucherov and potentially Panarin are More dangerous clearly than Ovechkin.. Honestly Ovy wouldnt Make Canada's Roster atm if going by playing lewel overall maybe as powerplay specialist but Canada doesnt need that kind of style they Have More effective ways.

 

[Czechboy]

Kucherov and potentially Panarin are More dangerous

A few others as well.. this isn't a team relying on one guy to sneak in a shot.lol With all due respect that is Denmark, Switzerland or even the Czechs. We hope to hang on and hope one of our strikers (Hischier, Ehlers, Pastrnak) sneak one in! That is not Russia at all... lots of guys that can break a game open for them.

 

[Exarz]

There are just 12 teams in total, though. Thus the format is such that group winners and the best-ranking team of those that came second in their groups automatically advance to the quarterfinals while everyone else (the remaining 8 teams) battle it out in the qualification playoffs.

Maybe I just expressed it poorly, but what you described was exactly what I meant