So, Price had a great tournament. Case closed.
..................
Berglund
Steen
Kruger
Eriksson (winger)
is something that would never get you to a Gold Medal game in the first place.
thats why people bring it up.
Backstrom isnt better than 90s Gretzky. But, when thats what you are left with as a center core, and if 90s Team Canada has Mario, Sakic, Yzerman and Messier... then, actually, Backstrom becomes more essential than Gretzky.
I would have bet on that Team Canada to win 4/5 against Sweden if Sweden had Backstrom and Zetterberg, plus Steen and Berglund. But without those two - there is no way they could ever win.
Its like, to my on topic post in this thread - if Niitymaki was injured in 2006, along with his backup, and they had to put Koivu in net - people would say that the tournament was over, too bad, wish he hadnt got injured, that game was a waste of time, etc. They wouldnt be saying that Niitymaki is Roy or Brodeur, but his value to that team is the difference between having some chance to having no chance.... so, like, infinitely different.