In an Alternate Universe, What If? (Russia)

[Hanji]

...Finland is a better defensive team, at forward and on defense, imo...that's what I meant...Russia has Star power on the wings and in goal...I personally think the Finns beat them more often than not...

Finland is not a better defensive team; not at the highest levels with their notable lack of talent on the back end.
This isnt the world championships or u20s here.

They are 1-5 in the last 2 best on bests (with relevant players to today’s rosters) giving up 23 goals.
Russia even shut them out at the 2016 world cup with a worse D-core than they have now.

 

[daver]

I think yes, as Canada has the edge up front and on defense, but obviously severely outclassed in net. USA has slightly better forwards, much better D, and goaltending is even for me (remember, only one goalie can play).

Can you please explain how goaltending cost Canada its championship this year. Or at anytime when they actually did lose a best-on-best?

Like the team in general, their goalie, whoever it is, ups their game when the stakes are at their highest. I wouldn't count on Canada losing anytime soon due to goaltending.

 

[Daishi]

Russia took Ovechkin and Kovalchuk and others even to World Champs vs non-NHL players multiple times and busted out more often than not. It's not a top4 country in international competition. Hasn't been for a long time. The stigma is that their coaching is poor, team spirit is poor, and everyone plays either just for themselves or comes only to show up. They're pragmatic people. There's no money in it for them.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Why did I? Because apparently you were keen on intentionally missing the point. I'm sure you could find a few random regular season games you'd quantify as "big" to help your narrative too.

Great, you've found 2 outlier games. Those don't come close to outweighing the majority of his playoff body of work.

I was always talking about playoffs, be it NHL or international tournament


As Binnington has shown, regular season means f*** all.

And if youre blaming the Bruins collapse on Swayman, then there's no conversation to be had here

Isn't your back sore yet?

Doing all of that heavy lifting to move the goal posts around is tough work.

 

[Czechboy]

Russia took Ovechkin and Kovalchuk and others even to World Champs vs non-NHL players multiple times and busted out more often than not. It's not a top4 country in international competition. Hasn't been for a long time. The stigma is that their coaching is poor, team spirit is poor, and everyone plays either just for themselves or comes only to show up. They're pragmatic people. There's no money in it for them.

My fav is 2010.. they sent their Olympic team to an absolutely stripped worlds (because there was a best on best Olympics a few months earlier). They were pissed they lost (anhiled 7-3 in a quarter final I believe) and sent the dream team to Germany. Played the Czechs in the finals. Czechs had 4 NHL players on the ice.. Jagr, Voracek, Rosizval and Vokoun. They lost to our B team in a Gold medal game. I rewatch that one occasionally and it'll be hillarious stuff like Klepis vs Kovalchuk or Datsyuk vs Marek. It was so uneven. If this was on HF today and everyone looked at the paper rosters.. 5-0 AINEC would be the predictions.

I also looked back at the best on bests.. I'd like to thank Russia. Both our medals came after defeating them. Gold in nagano (thank you Svoboda) and a nice tidy Bronze win in 2006.

Then you see they lost that 2014 Olympics in the quarters too (to Finland). 2016 World Cup wasn't a success either. So unless I'm doing this wrong.. 2006 best on best Olympics - nothing, lost Bronze to Czechs. 2010... nothing, demolished in quarters. 2014 .. a close Quarters loss. 2016 .. nothing, 5-3 loss to be eliminated by Canada. Seems to me they can't really defend when it matters most because they allowed at least 3 goals in every one of the above losses.

Apparantly not having best on bests and being banned has improved the Russian's ability in winning these things. Glad the Olympic Athletes from Russia were perenial contenders on non NHL Olympics but they really should've won both those 2. They barely beat Germany for one and lost to the Finns for the other. Not one NHL player but KHL guys allowed. Paper roster should have them with back to back golds there too!

 

[TheOrangeDesk]

Russia has garbage centres and Dmen compared with Canada, USA, and Sweden. They'd hey crushed. Russia hasn't had a competitive national team for over a decade

 

[Czechboy]

Finland is not a better defensive team; not at the highest levels with their notable lack of talent on the back end.
This isnt the world championships or u20s here.

They are 1-5 in the last 2 best on bests (with relevant players to today’s rosters) giving up 23 goals.
Russia even shut them out at the 2016 world cup with a worse D-core than they have now.

And how did the Russia D do in that elimination game? 5 allowed, right?

Russian posters keep bragging about round robin victories.

Coincidentally, it was the Finn's that eliminated you from the 2014 Olympics in the quarters.. again.

Can you give any examples of Russia in elimination games at best on bests? I'm seeing very little success in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2016 in games that matter.

1998 had some very nice wins to finals...

2002 was a win over Belarus for Bronze and you sent the Czech packing in the Quarters.

2006 saw Russia eliminate Canada in quarters only to be lose 4-0 to Finland and then lose Bronze to Czechs.

So my list of Russian best on best Achievements in games that matters is:

1998 - eliminated Belarus in quarters, defeated Finn's in semis
2002 - eliminated Czechs in quarters, beat Belarus for Bronze
2006 - eliminated Canada in quarters (!!!!)

That's all I can find for Russia in best on bests in quarter, semi and medal games... 1 gigantic win over Canada, 2 wins over Belarus and 1 win over the Czechs. What am I missing in games that matter from Russia in best on bests?

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Hard to say for sure, because in this alternate universe, the puck is actually a deep dish pizza.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Ehh not really, if you look at each country’s top 3 goalies Russia is #1 with Vasi, Sorokin, Shestyorkin and it’s not particularly close. Looking only at the best goalie from each country creates more of an argument sure, but Russia is the standard for goaltending in the world right now.

You only get to play one and are any of them as good as Helly right now?

I would say no but could hear arguments on them.

In these short tournaments, who cares if you have 16 of the best goalies? If another team has a guy that's near the top and trot him out there each game, goalies would be a wash.