Is 4 Nations a “Best on Best”?

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Nope. NHL needs to stop doing these roody poo candy ass half measures and just let the players play in the f***ing Olympics.

 

[RooBicks]

No.

4 teams. No Russia. No dark horses like Czechia or the Swiss or Slovakia. There has to be a bare minimum to be considered Best On Best and this doesn't get close.

This is a warm up (between 4 strong nations) for the Olympics.

The absence of some strong nations doesn't mean it's not best on best - the tournament will involve the best teams that each of the four nations involved could put together, with full availability from all relevant leagues.

Saying it's not best on best is like saying the 72 summit series wasn't best on best because Sweden wasn't invited. It doesn't make sense.

 

[Fatass]

The absence of some strong nations doesn't mean it's not best on best - the tournament will involve the best teams that each of the four nations involved could put together, with full availability from all relevant leagues.

Saying it's not best on best is like saying the 72 summit series wasn't best on best because Sweden wasn't invited. It doesn't make sense.

Didn’t guys in the WHA not get to play in ‘72? I don’t think that was actually Canada’s best. It was the best of the eligible Canadians.
This tournament is actually more the best on best for the four countries.

 

[BusQuets]

Can’t have a best on best without Russia who would likely beat Finland and Sweden and challenge Canada and the US for the top spot

Russia has been non factor in best-on-best tournament for ages. not sure why it would change now. Finland and Sweden are by far better.
Russia and USA are battling for 4th place here. Names mean nothing if you can't deliver like those two nations.

 

[ORRFForever]

The absence of some strong nations doesn't mean it's not best on best - the tournament will involve the best teams that each of the four nations involved could put together, with full availability from all relevant leagues.

Saying it's not best on best is like saying the 72 summit series wasn't best on best because Sweden wasn't invited. It doesn't make sense.

There is a big difference between now and 1972.

 

[jigglysquishy]

The absence of some strong nations doesn't mean it's not best on best - the tournament will involve the best teams that each of the four nations involved could put together, with full availability from all relevant leagues.

Saying it's not best on best is like saying the 72 summit series wasn't best on best because Sweden wasn't invited. It doesn't make sense.

1972 wasn't best on best and was never considered best on best.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Russia has been non factor in best-on-best tournament for ages. not sure why it would change now. Finland and Sweden are by far better.
Russia and USA are battling for 4th place here. Names mean nothing if you can't deliver like those two nations.

I love guys like this that act like there's been best on best competition in the current generation of players. Did the world just freeze a decade ago? In sports terms, that's an eternity.

 

[Voight]

Finland really dont have their best team... defense especially would have ~3 guys from Europe on it over the guys at the bottom of the roster if this were an Olympics. They would probably also take ~2 Euro based forwards too.

The World Cup of soccer would not be a "best on best" if you were only allowed to pick players from the English, Spanish, German and Italian leagues... despite those 4 leagues having 80% of the worlds best players.

Yea this is the vibe I got when injuries started piling up. Once they had to pick a guy like Matinpalo who's played less than half the games this year, I figured there'd be some guys in Europe that management would've rather picked but couldn't because of the rules.

Russia has been non factor in best-on-best tournament for ages. not sure why it would change now. Finland and Sweden are by far better.
Russia and USA are battling for 4th place here. Names mean nothing if you can't deliver like those two nations.

Last time Russia played in a major tournament (2014 or 2016, take your pick) they didn't have Kucherov (top 5 player), Vasi (top goalie), Kaprizov (top player) etc. I actually think Russia would've done well in this tournament.

 

[Ducati Boy]

Finland really dont have their best team... defense especially would have ~3 guys from Europe on it over the guys at the bottom of the roster if this were an Olympics. They would probably also take ~2 Euro based forwards too.

The World Cup of soccer would not be a "best on best" if you were only allowed to pick players from the English, Spanish, German and Italian leagues... despite those 4 leagues having 80% of the worlds best players.

But it’s really a stretch to argue that since Finland has a few Euro-based players who might be marginally better than the 4th liners or bottom pairing DF on the current team, the entire tournament is not a best-on-best.

 

[frontsfan67]

Last time Russia played in a major tournament (2014 or 2016, take your pick) they didn't have Kucherov (top 5 player), Vasi (top goalie), Kaprizov (top player) etc. I actually think Russia would've done well in this tournament.

100% and would’ve been carried by stellar goaltending in Vasi, Shesterkin, Sorokin who are all worlds better than the 3 goalies selected to represent Canada who most have winning it.

Personally I have the US because they have great forward and d groups and the best goalie there- Hellebuyck

I think it goes

1st USA
2nd CAN/SWE
3rd CAN/SWE
4th FIN

If Russia was in the tournament I absolutely put them above Finland, and maybe above Canada with their goaltending.

I am Canadian by the way but I like to tell it how it is. I hope Canada gets first overall but it’ll be a real tough task with the worst goaltending by far in the tournament

 

[Xerloris]

no Russia = no best on best.

 

[benfranklin]

No without Russia, Czech, and Germany. The Russia thing is dumb in sports. Change their names to the Idiots from Stupidland, but let them play.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Yea best againts best games between these nations thats what it means i suppose. Same as if Denmark and Latvia played best of 7 series it would be best againts best.

No it very, VERY wouldn't

 

[the valiant effort]

Yea this is the vibe I got when injuries started piling up. Once they had to pick a guy like Matinpalo who's played less than half the games this year, I figured there'd be some guys in Europe that management would've rather picked but couldn't because of the rules.



Last time Russia played in a major tournament (2014 or 2016, take your pick) they didn't have Kucherov (top 5 player), Vasi (top goalie), Kaprizov (top player) etc. I actually think Russia would've done well in this tournament.

Kucherov did play in 2016*, he had an absolute snipe in the semis to tie the game 1-1

*the caveat of course being that was not a real tournament. (And Kucherov was not present in 2014, the last best-on-best)

 

[Grifter3511]

Last time Russia played in a major tournament (2014 or 2016, take your pick) they didn't have Kucherov (top 5 player), Vasi (top goalie), Kaprizov (top player) etc. I actually think Russia would've done well in this tournament.

Yeah, they had to make do with Ovechkin, Malkin and Datsyuk.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Zach Hyman isn't there so it can't be best on best.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I'm annoyed by the lack of teams at this tournament, but I'm flumoxed by the amount of cries for Russia to be there. If Russia is there then Finland sure as f*** isn't and Sweden probably isn't, nor are any of the other countries you desire. Even if this tournament is made-up gobbledegook, the emotions of the participating nations/players isn't.

It feels cheap, but not because Russia won't be there. No tournament with only 4 teams in it is worth half a damn, that's the damn reason.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

There are posters here claiming that it’s not best-on-best because teams like the Swiss or the Slovaks are not playing. They’re conflating best-on-best with ‘world championships’.

There are posters claiming it’s not best on best because they don’t agree with roster choices.

There are posters claiming it’s not best on best because the Finns might be able to upgrade their 4th line and #5/6 DF by picking from Euro leagues.

There are posters claiming it’s not best in best because some excellent players from weaker countries are not playing. Newsflash: hockey is a team sport.

The only legit argument is the absence of Russia. The rest is grasping at straws.

Best on best without Czechia and Slovakia....riiight.

 

[Jaska]

I would welcome a number of teams (GER, HEL, CZE, SLO), but Russians can continue to play with themselves.