How is Sweden down the middle compared to other countries?

[Star Ocean]

Zibanejad
Pettersson
Backstrom
W karlsson/ lindholm

Click to read more...

 

[karhukissa]

Stronger than Finland for sure. First two centers on-par/slight edge to Finland but overall Sweden wins quite comfortably.

Canada
USA
Sweden
Finland
Russia
Czech
Germany (Draisaitl)

 

[Czechboy]

Zibanejad
Pettersson
Backstrom
W karlsson/ lindholm

If Backstrom is your 3C then I'd say exceptionally well.

 

[Czechboy]

Stronger than Finland for sure. First two centers on-par/slight edge to Finland but overall Sweden wins quite comfortably.

Canada
USA
Sweden
Finland
Russia
Czech
Germany (Draisaitl)

I don't disagree with your ranking but will say that the Czech Centre depth has improved and is about as good as it's been in a decade:

Hertl
Krejci
and then a slew of guys - Faksa, Zacha, Chytil, Necas (who'd be wing today but C in the future)

 

[Erikfromfin]

vs Finns they are better. I still think Barkov is cream of the crop with Zibanejad, Petterson and Aho more or less equal. But Finlands 3rd best center is propably Hintz vs Bäckström and 4th best Haula vs whoever is wash for Sweden. In couple years Finland will look to overtake thou with Bäckström aging and declining and with Aatu Räty, Brad Lambert, Anton Lundell, Jesperi Kotkaniemi etc in pipeline

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Stronger than Finland for sure. First two centers on-par/slight edge to Finland but overall Sweden wins quite comfortably.

Canada
USA
Sweden
Finland
Russia
Czech
Germany (Draisaitl)

Could change with Lambert, Räty, Lundell and Kotkaniemi.

 

[karhukissa]

I don't disagree with your ranking but will say that the Czech Centre depth has improved and is about as good as it's been in a decade:

Hertl
Krejci
and then a slew of guys - Faksa, Zacha, Chytil, Necas (who'd be wing today but C in the future)

Yeah Czechs are coming strong. Looks like pretty damn good center core in the future with Hertl, Chytil, Necas and Zacha in the bottom role. Then obviously Pasta on the wing and guys like Kaut n Zadina coming there aswell, looks like a team which can cause some serious problems to any team anytime.

International hockey needs strong Czech Republic, especially when Slovakia has regressed so badly.

 

[Czechboy]

Yeah Czechs are coming strong. Looks like pretty damn good center core in the future with Hertl, Chytil, Necas and Zacha in the bottom role. Then obviously Pasta on the wing and guys like Kaut n Zadina coming there aswell, looks like a team which can cause some serious problems to any team anytime.

International hockey needs strong Czech Republic, especially when Slovakia has regressed so badly.

It's definitely better with 6 or 7 contenders va the top 5 currently. We are not there yet... I sometimes wonder if we will ever get back. Just need to leave to develop D as that is a massive hole for us. We basically create one NHL Calibre D every 4 years and I'm starting to think they success in spite of the Czech development.lol

 

[Czechboy]

Could change with Lambert, Räty, Lundell and Kotkaniemi.

Love Kontkaniemi.. he's going to be stud!

 

[tony d]

Quite good. Zibenjad and Elias 1-2 down the middle are quite the force.

 

[jfc64]

Quite good. Zibenjad and Elias 1-2 down the middle are quite the force.

In a not to distant future: (Out-sisu this, finns!)

Forsberg - Bäckström - Nylander (skill)
Rakell - Zibanejad - Pettersson (tempo)
Landeskog - Sundqvist - Lindholm (meatballs)
Hagelin - Eriksson Ek - Hörnqvist (assistants)

 

[teravaineSAROS]

If Backstrom is your 3C then I'd say exceptionally well.

He could also be the 1C on the team though. The most polished player overall so he's a safe option for eating a lot of minutes and he's an insane playmaker. I think it would all just come down to matching what lines would work the best.

 

[Czechboy]

He could also be the 1C on the team though. The most polished player overall so he's a safe option for eating a lot of minutes and he's an insane playmaker. I think it would all just come down to matching what lines would work the best.

It's not as deep as Canada or US IMO. However, the top 4 Russian Cs seem to be weaker than I would expect (their wingers though... Wow!). Not sure how they stack against the Finn's C but I'm assuming at least a few if the new amazing Finn's are Centres.

In all cases... I maintain the top 5 is extremely close and I would never call one of them winning an upset. I miss my best on best Olympics!

 

[jfc64]

vs Finns they are better. I still think Barkov is cream of the crop with Zibanejad, Petterson and Aho more or less equal. But Finlands 3rd best center is propably Hintz vs Bäckström and 4th best Haula vs whoever is wash for Sweden. In couple years Finland will look to overtake thou with Bäckström aging and declining and with Aatu Räty, Brad Lambert, Anton Lundell, Jesperi Kotkaniemi etc in pipeline

"Centre" players goals for Team Sweden vs Team Finland in NHL this season:

255 - 129

 

[theslatcher]

In a not to distant future: (Out-sisu this, finns!)

Forsberg - Bäckström - Nylander (skill)
Rakell - Zibanejad - Pettersson (tempo)
Landeskog - Sundqvist - Lindholm (meatballs)
Hagelin - Eriksson Ek - Hörnqvist (assistants)

William Karlsson.

 

[Star Ocean]

Zibanejad wow

 

[EK47]

Zibanejad wow

What he did last night was nothing new really, he's been this good when healthy for the past three years. The only difference this season might be the consistency at which he's been able to produce. There are absolutely no dips at all.

 

[theslatcher]

What he did last night was nothing new really, he's been this good when healthy for the past three years. The only difference this season might be the consistency at which he's been able to produce. There are absolutely no dips at all.

List of players with five or more goals in an NHL game - Wikipedia

5 goal games are always "something new", there's so few of them that there's a wikipedia list with them. 4 in the salary cap era.

 

[Star Ocean]

What he did last night was nothing new really, he's been this good when healthy for the past three years. The only difference this season might be the consistency at which he's been able to produce. There are absolutely no dips at all.

Grönborg didnt even pick him for world cup even though he was a 50p player lol

 

[EK47]

List of players with five or more goals in an NHL game - Wikipedia

5 goal games are always "something new", there's so few of them that there's a wikipedia list with them. 4 in the salary cap era.

Of course a five goal game is sensational, I'm merely pointing out that monster performance's have been a frequent feature for Zibanejad the past three years when he's been healthy.

 

[wetcoast]

I don't disagree with your ranking but will say that the Czech Centre depth has improved and is about as good as it's been in a decade:

Hertl
Krejci
and then a slew of guys - Faksa, Zacha, Chytil, Necas (who'd be wing today but C in the future)

I think Germany with the current Hart favorite needs to be above the Czechs at this point, even if the next 3 centers are from the DEL

 

[wetcoast]

In a not to distant future: (Out-sisu this, finns!)

Forsberg - Bäckström - Nylander (skill)
Rakell - Zibanejad - Pettersson (tempo)
Landeskog - Sundqvist - Lindholm (meatballs)
Hagelin - Eriksson Ek - Hörnqvist (assistants)

Meatballs for the 3rd line?

Is that a common term in Sweden to describe the 3rd line or....?

 

[Lambo]

I think Germany with the current Hart favorite needs to be above the Czechs at this point, even if the next 3 centers are from the DEL

But the depth ist more important. Here are the Czechs clearly in front.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

But the depth ist more important. Here are the Czechs clearly in front.

Germany could pass the Czechs but it hasn't happened yet.

 

[wetcoast]

But the depth ist more important. Here are the Czechs clearly in front.

I'll take the superstar and then some merely good players over the Czech depth at center right now.