International year in review!

[MrazeksVengeance]

Actually this is an underrated comment. It perfectly expresses in two sentences what I believe the vast majority of non-Russian hockey fans have been feeling.

We do not sit in the corner rubbing our hands together, gleefully thinking, “gee, am I happy that Russia is not playing”. We just don’t think about Russia at all. We are only reminded because Russian posters insist on constantly reminding us.

I guess I really meant what Urbanskog posted when I said a while ago that I don’t miss Russia. Then of course the deluge of Russian reactions came about asterisks and tournaments being worthless, etc. But I didn’t mean that Russia’s absence did not result in a decrease in quality to some extent - it did of course (though not nearly as big as Russian fans seem to think). But my feeling is ‘so what’. The hockey world has moved on and is fine.

I am rubbing my hands with glee when reminded.
…
Then I miss Russia for a second because Russia losing to a bunch of scoundrels with Olympic caliber team in 2010 or getting absolutely jackshit at home WOG in 2014

Or getting fu^king wrecked at home in 2000. Losing to Latvia and Belarus at the same time?

…

These events happening to the sorest of losers who often refuse to wear silver medals is just cathartic.

…

That being said… I wouldn’t think about this if people didn’t keep bringing it up. (Mostly 5th column on Czech social networks)

 

[Old Man Jags]

I am rubbing my hands with glee when reminded.
…
Then I miss Russia for a second because Russia losing to a bunch of scoundrels with Olympic caliber team in 2010 or getting absolutely jackshit at home WOG in 2014

Or getting fu^king wrecked at home in 2000. Losing to Latvia and Belarus at the same time?

…

These events happening to the sorest of losers who often refuse to wear silver medals is just cathartic.

…

That being said… I wouldn’t think about this if people didn’t keep bringing it up. (Mostly 5th column on Czech social networks)

2000 in St Petersburg.. Hey, didn’t we win that one? Against Slovakia in the final? Or who was that against?

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

2000 in St Petersburg.. Hey, didn’t we win that one? Against Slovakia in the final? Or who was that against?

Yes. Yes.

 

[Czechboy]

The US and Canada have excellent centers, but most European nations feel like they 1-2 top centers and then there is a massive drop.

Sweden has Pettersson and Zibanejad, but after that? Leo Carlsson has potential but haven't broken through yet. Elias Lindholm? Good, but certainly not elite. W. Karlsson, Eriksson Ek, Backlund? Bottom 6 at best-on-best max

Czechia? Hertl and Zacha are probably the best, then it gets dicey.

Russia you already mentioned.

Finland probably has the best case with Barkov, Aho, Hintz, Lundell and Granlund.

What I am trying to say is that most Euro nations are one injury to a star center from being significantly weakend for the Olympics.

I get flashbacks from Sweden starting the gold medal game with Patrik Berglund and frickin' Jimmie Ericsson as their top centers

On a bogus suspension too! I felt so bad for Sweden in that much.

You make a great point.

I usually leave the Czechs out of the conversations because they aren't a contender but yeah, our C depth is just awful and guys that were drafted to be C's became wingers (Necas, Chytil and Kulich I believe were all drafted as C's, not sure any of them will become one).

We have 2 good C's and then about 4 very good bottom 6 C's who will never get more than 25 points in the NHL. Kamps, Nosek and Faksa come to mind. Players the big nations wouldn't consider.

 

[Czechboy]

Actually this is an underrated comment. It perfectly expresses in two sentences what I believe the vast majority of non-Russian hockey fans have been feeling.

We do not sit in the corner rubbing our hands together, gleefully thinking, “gee, am I happy that Russia is not playing”. We just don’t think about Russia at all. We are only reminded because Russian posters insist on constantly reminding us.

I guess I really meant what Urbanskog posted when I said a while ago that I don’t miss Russia. Then of course the deluge of Russian reactions came about asterisks and tournaments being worthless, etc. But I didn’t mean that Russia’s absence did not result in a decrease in quality to some extent - it did of course (though not nearly as big as Russian fans seem to think). But my feeling is ‘so what’. The hockey world has moved on and is fine.

Pretty much where I'm at.

I didn't think about the Russian team once at the Hlinkas, Youth Olympics, Skoda's, U18 or U20 and I watched them all very closely. Not once did I leave those tournaments thinking it was some tragedy and maybe we should stop playing altogether till the Russian's are back.

eg. I was said Jan Rutta got suspended for the final game, but i pretty much forgot about him when the puck drops. And Rutta is a good player for us.

Basically, russia is the Jan Rutta of the international hockey scene. Totally happy when he's on the team but I'm not devastated when he's not. However, they are not the David Pastrnak of international hockey to the Czech team.

I'll see myself out.

 

[EK47]

The US and Canada have excellent centers, but most European nations feel like they 1-2 top centers and then there is a massive drop.

Sweden has Pettersson and Zibanejad, but after that? Leo Carlsson has potential but haven't broken through yet. Elias Lindholm? Good, but certainly not elite. W. Karlsson, Eriksson Ek, Backlund? Bottom 6 at best-on-best max

Czechia? Hertl and Zacha are probably the best, then it gets dicey.

Russia you already mentioned.

Finland probably has the best case with Barkov, Aho, Hintz, Lundell and Granlund.

What I am trying to say is that most Euro nations are one injury to a star center from being significantly weakend for the Olympics.

I get flashbacks from Sweden starting the gold medal game with Patrik Berglund and frickin' Jimmie Ericsson as their top centers

I mean Pettersson, Zibby, Lindholm/Karlsson, JEE is a pretty solid core considering what kinda roles you want on a team.

Two productive flashy and two not flashy hard working but still productive centers. I honestly don’t think there is a more perfect fit on a best on best fourth line for any team than JEE for Sweden.

 

[weklof]

I mean Pettersson, Zibby, Lindholm/Karlsson, JEE is a pretty solid core considering what kinda roles you want on a team.

Two productive flashy and two not flashy hard working but still productive centers. I honestly don’t think there is a more perfect fit on a best on best fourth line for any team than JEE for Sweden.

Yeah, but if Pettersson or Zibby would miss the tournament with an injury, it suddenly looks much worse. I don't think W. Karlsson/Lindholm/JEE are top 6 caliber in a best-on-best. Like in the Worlds a lot of people were mentioning the lack of creative centers in Team Sweden. But we were only really missing Pettersson and Zibanejad. Which shows how wounerable we are at that position

Well let's hope Leo has a breakthrough, then there'd be at least 3 candidates.

Im hoping for something like EP40-Zibby-Leo-JEE. Then W. Karlsson and Lindholm on the wings.

 

[NyQuil]

Olympic Gold 2018
Olympic Silver 2022

The teams at this tournament were worse than your average World Hockey Championship.

 

[EK47]

Yeah, but if Pettersson or Zibby would miss the tournament with an injury, it suddenly looks much worse. I don't think W. Karlsson/Lindholm/JEE are top 6 caliber in a best-on-best. Like in the Worlds a lot of people were mentioning the lack of creative centers in Team Sweden. But we were only really missing Pettersson and Zibanejad. Which shows how wounerable we are at that position

Well let's hope Leo has a breakthrough, then there'd be at least 3 candidates.

Im hoping for something like EP40-Zibby-Leo-JEE. Then W. Karlsson and Lindholm on the wings.

You could, even though they haven’t done it in the NHL play Nylander as a center. I think the only reason he hasn’t is because of torontos center depth.

Also either Lindholm plays center or he doesn’t play IMO. He’s a LOT more effective at center that’s the main reason he broke out on arrival in Calgary.

 

[theslatcher]

Yeah, but if Pettersson or Zibby would miss the tournament with an injury, it suddenly looks much worse. I don't think W. Karlsson/Lindholm/JEE are top 6 caliber in a best-on-best. Like in the Worlds a lot of people were mentioning the lack of creative centers in Team Sweden. But we were only really missing Pettersson and Zibanejad. Which shows how wounerable we are at that position

Well let's hope Leo has a breakthrough, then there'd be at least 3 candidates.

Im hoping for something like EP40-Zibby-Leo-JEE. Then W. Karlsson and Lindholm on the wings.

W.Karlsson truly is the most underrated Swedish player out there, if going by these boards.

 

[Czechboy]

The teams at this tournament were worse than your average World Hockey Championship.

Yup, even the Russian team was weaker than a Russian Team at the Skoda's.

I will say though, if Czechs had won either of those Gold's.. I would've celebrated hard.

 

[NyQuil]

Yup, even the Russian team was weaker than a Russian Team at the Skoda's.

I will say though, if Czechs had won either of those Gold's.. I would've celebrated hard.

I never claim the World Cup in 2016 because it was a travesty of an international tournament with the gimmick teams.

 

[Old Man Jags]

I never claim the World Cup in 2016 because it was a travesty of an international tournament with the gimmick teams.

The gimmick teams that actually performed quite well. But the whole thing was really weird, like some kind of Frankenstein creation.

 

[mattihp]

As much as I miss seing skilled Russian hockey players trying to go through entire teams (often succeeding), what I don't miss seeing is those late game slashes when they lose

 

[NyQuil]

As much as I miss seing skilled Russian hockey players trying to go through entire teams (often succeeding), what I don't miss seeing is those late game slashes when they lose

And poor losers.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3201669

 

[MeHateHe]

And poor losers.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3201669

Weird, given how much recent experience they'd had.

 

[ViD]

And poor losers.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3201669

Ok

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5410012

 

[NyQuil]

Ok

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5410012

LOL, because that's comparable.

It wasn't just Kovalchuk leaving the ice.

 

[ViD]

LOL, because that's comparable.

It wasn't just Kovalchuk leaving the ice.

Yes, it is comparable, goes to show they are sore losers regardless of nationality

 

[NyQuil]

Yes, it is comparable, goes to show they are sore losers regardless of nationality

Yes, an entire team vs one guy.

At least Hayton stayed for the whole ceremony.

If Canada had pulled what Kovalchuk and his teammates did, we’d never hear the end of it.

 

[MeHateHe]

Yes, an entire team vs one guy.

At least Hayton stayed the for the whole ceremony.

If Canada had pulled what Kovalchuk and his teammates did, we’d never hear the end of it.

One 19-year-old vs a guy at his 10th world championship, and the seventh time he'd worn a letter at a major international event.

 

[ViD]

One 19-year-old vs a guy at his 10th world championship, and the seventh time he'd worn a letter at a major international event.

Loving the cope.

However, your avatar confirms the irreversible brain damage, so I perfectly understand and don’t blame you.

 

[MeHateHe]

Loving the cope.

However, your avatar confirms the irreversible brain damage, so I perfectly understand and don’t blame you.

Have fun in all those grudge matches against Belarus.

 

[NyQuil]

Loving the cope.

However, your avatar confirms the irreversible brain damage, so I perfectly understand and don’t blame you.

Whataboutism is the Russian national pastime.

If only there was a championship for that, they'd win every year.

 

[MeHateHe]

Whataboutism is the Russian national pastime.

It's the only team sport they haven't been banned from.