World Cup: if Sweden goes to the final - are they the 2nd best hockey nation?

[The Macho King]

Because Sweden winning a watered down World Championship where they do not even have half of their best players is that more engaging? Seems something that a IIHF member would say.

How is this a "watered down" World Championship? WHC has a bunch of ****** players on the team because people are either still playing or don't go. The only reason players are missing out on this one are because of injuries or snubs.

Seems like this should have more weight than anything other than the Olympics for quality of talent. Not being able to beat up on Latvia and instead having a "best of Europe" squad seems like a smart decision (as evidenced by them being in the Semis).

 

[Scotty B]

How is this a "watered down" World Championship? WHC has a bunch of ****** players on the team because people are either still playing or don't go. The only reason players are missing out on this one are because of injuries or snubs.

Seems like this should have more weight than anything other than the Olympics for quality of talent. Not being able to beat up on Latvia and instead having a "best of Europe" squad seems like a smart decision (as evidenced by them being in the Semis).

Pretty sure the guy ur calling out was also disparaging the World Championship, plus tacitly recognizing the superior talent in evidence at the WCOH

 

[Vide]

Haven't they already been for a while? IMO Canada is the clear #1 and Sweden the clear #2. 3-5 is more up in the air between Finland/USA/Russia.

 

[Chimpradamus]

I concur that Sweden is the second best hockey nation and has been for quite a while now. Russia has the better offensive stars, but Sweden makes up for it with the defense and two-way game.

The results speak for themselves, Sweden almost always medal when they can form a team with their best players.

As for the World Championships, Sweden almost never get any of their best players, just a bunch of players from SEL and KHL.

 

[Murky]

Sweden already is the second best hockey nation. Coming in second or winning the tournament will only separate them from USA and Russia more clearly.

 

[The Macho King]

Pretty sure the guy ur calling out was also disparaging the World Championship, plus tacitly recognizing the superior talent in evidence at the WCOH

Yeah - guess that was responding more to the person he was quoting.

 

[Slimmy]

I do not think this a IIHF tournament, so it should not give any points there, or shall a all star team also get points?

I agree. World Cup, even if "sanctioned" by the IIHF, is purely for entertainment purposes.

 

[DoubleGold]

I'd still say that Sweden is #2 in hockey, especially when thinking proportionally. Their game is structured around their strong defense and it works.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Sweden already is the second best hockey nation. Coming in second or winning the tournament will only separate them from USA and Russia more clearly.

This seems right. I had Sweden as the 2nd favourite going in to the tournament and I think most others did too.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Finland is number 1 in juniors.

 

[DoubleGold]

Finland is number 1 in juniors.

We had a couple of good years but some of the former players are too old for U18 or U20 now. I wouldn't say that we are number 1 yet, need more success.

 

[jfc64]

if Sweden reach the final, they have been in consecutive finals in best of best tournaments.

Are they ahead of Russia and USA in rankings?

We could have had an almost as good a team!


Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Loui Eriksson (Alexander Steen - Henrik Zetterberg - Gustav Nyquist)

Filip Forsberg - Nicklas Bäckström - Patric Hörnqvist (André Burakovsky - Viktor Rask - Elias Lindholm)

Carl Hagelin - Marcus Krüger - Jakob Silfverberg (Marcus Johansson - Calle Järnkrok - William Nylander)

Gabriel Landeskog - Carl Söderberg - Patrik Berglund (Mika Zibanejad - Alexander Wennberg - Rikard Rakell)

Mikael Backlund (Johan Larsson)


Mattias Ekholm - Erik Karlsson (John Klingberg - Adam Larsson)

Victor Hedman - Anton Strålman (Alexander Edler - Tobias Enström)

Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Niklas Hjalmarsson (Niklas Kronwall - Johnny Oduya)

Hampus Lindholm (Jonas Brodin)


Henrik Lundqvist (Robin Lehner)

Jacob Markström (Eddie Läck)

Jhonas Enroth (Jonas Gustavsson)

 

[Lollipop]

Sweden is already clear #2 IMO.

 

[Nordic*]

It's basically year to year.

And right now, while Canada is clearly the best team in the world - even if they somehow were to lose the semi, USA doesn't even have their best team availible.

To me, trying to use a medium between roster players and team play..

1: Canada
2:
3:Sweden/USA/Russia
4:
5: Finland/Czech Rep.
6:
7:
8:
9:
10: The rest..


I mean, imagine if USA had Gaudreau, Kessel, Eichel, Matthews, Saad, Johnson etc.

That's a whole other and improved team compared to the one they iced in the World Cup.

 

[rj]

Based on performances, I think it is a fair conclusion to reach.

 

[Orange Dragon]

It's basically year to year.

And right now, while Canada is clearly the best team in the world - even if they somehow were to lose the semi, USA doesn't even have their best team availible.

To me, trying to use a medium between roster players and team play..

1: Canada
2:
3:Sweden/USA/Russia
4:
5: Finland/Czech Rep.
6:
7:
8:
9:
10: The rest..


I mean, imagine if USA had Gaudreau, Kessel, Eichel, Matthews, Saad, Johnson etc.

That's a whole other and improved team compared to the one they iced in the World Cup.

I think you are underestimating the strength of the rest, otherwise it looks fair.

 

[joe89]

I think we can back up recent tournament achievements with some other strong facts like junior development, number of NHLers relative to player pool, multiple NHL award winners and whatnot to claim #2 right now. It'd be harder to claim just based off a few results if we didn't have these things backing it up seeing as Russia and USA have a lot going for them aswell.

 

[Kshahdoo]

And if Team Europe goes to the final, will it be the 2nd best hockey nation?

 

[InGusWeTrust]

As an american (Granted I've watched the Swedish Mafia skate in Detroit through many years...) Sweden has been #2 in my eyes for a long time. Still is....USA needs better management. Russia has no D and iffy coaching IMO

 

[Srsly]

Honestly, as a Canadian I'm beginning to get embarrassed by this preconceived notion that we'll entitled to the claim of number one nation by default. As team USA demonstrated, NHL star power does not make a team the best. Players from the KHL and SEL are professionals as well. Not to mention the fact that the current format separated youth from veterans and as much as I hate to admit it, the USA is pretty strong youth wise while Canada is less of a clear cut winner in that age bracket.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I don't understand this attitude. To win over Russia when they ice their best players mean nothing? To win a tournament where every premier hockey nation in the world send their best, mean nothing? It means everything. You can't honestly say that a gold in the World Championships would be worth more?

I agree. This World Cup tournament is arguably the most competitive ever! It is a short tournament but it's the best 150-200 hockey players in the world (with a few omissions)!!

It's a world international event of countries and regions. Enjoy the hockey people!

 

[rj]

Honestly, as a Canadian I'm beginning to get embarrassed by this preconceived notion that we'll entitled to the claim of number one nation by default.

Winners of every tournament this century:

2002 Olympics - Canada
2004 World Cup of Hockey - Canada
2006 Olympics - Sweden
2010 Olympics - Canada
2014 Olympics - Canada
2016 World Cup of Hockey - it's looking like Canada

The Czechs have not won anything since '98. The Americans since '96. The Finns are the Finns. And Russia has to go way back to 1992 when NHLers were not on the ice and they competed as the Unified Team in Albertville.

You've sent B lineups and won the past two IIHF World Championships as well. Last Worlds in the final you shutout Finland 2-0 with Cam Talbot in net.

This century at the Worlds, Canada has won 5 times, the Russians 4, the Czechs 3, the Swedes twice, the Finns once in 2011, and the Slovakians once in 2002.

You're clear unquestioned #1 and any time you lose it's to an underdog until someone proves otherwise.

 

[Slimmy]

I agree. This World Cup tournament is arguably the most competitive ever! It is a short tournament but it's the best 150-200 hockey players in the world (with a few omissions)!!

It's a world international event of countries and regions. Enjoy the hockey people!

I am enjoying the hockey. But as far as international rankings go, this holds little value.

 

[rj]

I am enjoying the hockey. But as far as international rankings go, this holds little value.

so you actually believe that Sweden are the 5th-best team in the world, that they are worse than Russia, Finland, and the USA?

 

[bert]

This isn't a best on best tournament. How would the US have done with Eichel, Gaudreau, Gostibhere, etc?

Landeskog and Forsberg are allowed on the Swedish roster by comparison.

I do think Sweden is the second best hockey country by the way, I just don't think this tournament is true best on best.

I feel this way too, however based on who the US left off the roster in the first place there is no guarantee they would have taken any of those players. The post game interviews by Tortorella and Lombardi make me think they were picking a veteran/grit laiden team no matter what. Terrible concept but I feel like this might have been the USA squad no matter what.