Hypothetical Russia “4 nation” team

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Rough defence but amazing goaltending

Better defense than the Finns

 

[frontsfan67]

Better defense than the Finns

Debatable. Forward group is way better though and goalies are way better too. Finland is definitely the weakest team of the 4 at the tournament.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Let’s pretend the NHL ignored the IIHF ban and allowed Russians to participate.

Clearly, only active NHL players are allowed.

What’s the roster you think Russia will ice ?

My take:

Artemi Panarin - Evgeny Malkin (A) - Nikita Kucherov (A)
Kirill Kaprizov - Ivan Barbashev - Andrei Svechnikov
Alex Ovechkin (C) - Pavel Buchnevich - Kirill Marchenko
Matvei Michkov - Vladislav Namestnikov - Dmitry Voronkov

Vladislav Gavrikov - Mikhail Sergachev
Artem Zub - Ivan Provorov
Alexander Romanov - Dmitry Orlov

Igor Shestyorkin
Andrei Vasilevsky
Ilya Sorokin

Glaring holes are centers and the lack of good puck moving offensive defensemen.

Russia if allowed to play in 2026 Olympics would be a threat to win Gold based on
just goaltending and PP.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Let’s pretend the NHL ignored the IIHF ban and allowed Russians to participate.

Clearly, only active NHL players are allowed.

What’s the roster you think Russia will ice ?

My take:

Artemi Panarin - Evgeny Malkin (A) - Nikita Kucherov (A)
Kirill Kaprizov - Ivan Barbashev - Andrei Svechnikov
Alex Ovechkin (C) - Pavel Buchnevich - Kirill Marchenko
Matvei Michkov - Vladislav Namestnikov - Dmitry Voronkov

Vladislav Gavrikov - Mikhail Sergachev
Artem Zub - Ivan Provorov
Alexander Romanov - Dmitry Orlov

Igor Shestyorkin
Andrei Vasilevsky
Ilya Sorokin

Glaring holes are centers and the lack of good puck moving offensive defensemen.

Has Russia\USSR always been a top heavy country talent wise? Seems they lack depth upfront & on D.

Can remember back to 1979-80 season the US Olympic Team beat what was called
the USSR B Team in Lake Placid around Christmas and then the A Team in February.

Funny thing is that 1980 US Team were missing about 8 players who were of NCAA
aged in 1979-80 who would have been on the 1980 USOT had they hadn't turned pro
early like Steve Baker, Langway, Roberts, Dunn, Mullen , Nilan, McDougal and Gorence.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

This the guy that wouldn't let Michkov play?

And won't let Demidov play, yes

 

[Zine]

Has Russia\USSR always been a top heavy country talent wise? Seems they lack depth upfront & on D.

Can remember back to 1979-80 season the US Olympic Team beat what was called
the USSR B Team in Lake Placid around Christmas and then the A Team in February.

Funny thing is that 1980 US Team were missing about 8 players who were of NCAA
aged in 1979-80 who would have been on the 1980 USOT had they hadn't turned pro
early like Steve Baker, Langway, Roberts, Dunn, Mullen , Nilan, McDougal and Gorence.

Perhaps.

I've no idea how the Soviet team at that mid-season exhibition in Lake Placid was selected (see below), but only Tyurin, Tyumenev and Shalimov would've been legitimate "National Team B" quality. Everyone else…. meh. Perhaps a better indicator of depth is the 70-80s super series? Even teams like Khimik and Riga were playing NHL clubs pretty evenly, albeit only exhibitions.

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the 1980 USA team getting slaughtered by NHL clubs during their pre-olympic schedule?


Goalkeepers: Shundrov (Sokol Kiev), Bistrovs (Dynamo Riga)
Defenders: Presnyakov, Vodzhankov (all Torpedo Gorky), Makarov, Paramonov, Sidorenko (all Traktor Chelyabinsk), Durdin (Dynamo Riga), Tyurin, Glukhov (all Krylia Sovetov)
Forwards: I. Orlov, A. Orlov, Fakhrutdinov (all Izhstal Izhevsk), Kapustin. Kabanov, Tyumenev (all Krylia Sovetov), Tarasov, Evstifeev, Shalimov (all Spartak Moscow), Shumakov (Traktor Chelyabinsk)

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Perhaps.

I've no idea how the Soviet team at that Lake Placid Exhibition was selected (see below), but only Tyurin, Tyumenev and Shalimov would've been legitimate "National Team B" players at the time. Perhaps a better indicator of depth is the 70-80s super series? Even teams like Khimik and Riga were playing NHL clubs pretty evenly, albeit only exhibitions.

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the 1980 USA team getting slaughtered by NHL clubs during their pre-olympic schedule?


Goalkeepers: Shundrov (Sokol Kiev), Bistrovs (Dynamo Riga)
Defenders: Presnyakov, Vodzhankov (all Torpedo Gorky), Makarov, Paramonov, Sidorenko (all Traktor Chelyabinsk), Durdin (Dynamo Riga), Tyurin, Glukhov (all Krylia Sovetov)
Forwards: I. Orlov, A. Orlov, Fakhrutdinov (all Izhstal Izhevsk), Kapustin. Kabanov, Tyumenev (all Krylia Sovetov), Tarasov, Evstifeev, Shalimov (all Spartak Moscow), Shumakov (Traktor Chelyabinsk)

Thanks for the info.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Perhaps.

I've no idea how the Soviet team at that mid-season exhibition in Lake Placid was selected (see below), but only Tyurin, Tyumenev and Shalimov would've been legitimate "National Team B" quality. Everyone else…. meh. Perhaps a better indicator of depth is the 70-80s super series? Even teams like Khimik and Riga were playing NHL clubs pretty evenly, albeit only exhibitions.

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the 1980 USA team getting slaughtered by NHL clubs during their pre-olympic schedule?


Goalkeepers: Shundrov (Sokol Kiev), Bistrovs (Dynamo Riga)
Defenders: Presnyakov, Vodzhankov (all Torpedo Gorky), Makarov, Paramonov, Sidorenko (all Traktor Chelyabinsk), Durdin (Dynamo Riga), Tyurin, Glukhov (all Krylia Sovetov)
Forwards: I. Orlov, A. Orlov, Fakhrutdinov (all Izhstal Izhevsk), Kapustin. Kabanov, Tyumenev (all Krylia Sovetov), Tarasov, Evstifeev, Shalimov (all Spartak Moscow), Shumakov (Traktor Chelyabinsk)

I think the only game they didn't lose was a tie against Washington but not certain.

Were all those players in the Soviets Major League or were a bunch from an AHL
equivalent Soviet League?

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Perhaps.

I've no idea how the Soviet team at that mid-season exhibition in Lake Placid was selected (see below), but only Tyurin, Tyumenev and Shalimov would've been legitimate "National Team B" quality. Everyone else…. meh. Perhaps a better indicator of depth is the 70-80s super series? Even teams like Khimik and Riga were playing NHL clubs pretty evenly, albeit only exhibitions.

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the 1980 USA team getting slaughtered by NHL clubs during their pre-olympic schedule?


Goalkeepers: Shundrov (Sokol Kiev), Bistrovs (Dynamo Riga)
Defenders: Presnyakov, Vodzhankov (all Torpedo Gorky), Makarov, Paramonov, Sidorenko (all Traktor Chelyabinsk), Durdin (Dynamo Riga), Tyurin, Glukhov (all Krylia Sovetov)
Forwards: I. Orlov, A. Orlov, Fakhrutdinov (all Izhstal Izhevsk), Kapustin. Kabanov, Tyumenev (all Krylia Sovetov), Tarasov, Evstifeev, Shalimov (all Spartak Moscow), Shumakov (Traktor Chelyabinsk)

Also during the 1979 WC the US had Brooks coach the US Team and about half the team was made up of candidates for the 1979-80 pre Olympic squad, including
Joe Mullen, who led that team in goals!!! They tied Czechoslovakia 2-2 with Jim Craig in net. That game was somewhat a harbinger of what was to come 10-11 months later.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Better defense than the Finns

Somewhat damning with faint praise. Sergachev, Mintyukov and Orlov aren't exactly
Fetisov, Kasatonov and Vasiliev.

 

[Lartsaman]

Better defense than the Finns

Well it doesn´t take much to have a better defence than us....

 

[karhukissa]

Hard for them to medal because Canada wins everything.

Sweden has good D but bad forwards. Finland is the opposite. I would combine Sweden and Finland in the same country.
Then rest of the Europe as 1 country. Russia would be added to team Europe. They are pretty weak alone.

Now we have a competitive tournament:

1. Canada
2. USA
3. Sweden+Finland
4. Europe

I have better idea, don't watch international hockey. Problem solved!