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Ranking the Greatest Rivalries

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From my American perspective the USA-Russia rivalry is more important to me than the USA-Canada rivalry.

1. There is still this whole political thing played out in sports from 1972 basketball, 1980 hockey, gymnastics, etc. Who were the bad guys in 90's movies and Tom Clancy books?...not Canadians...:laugh:

2. I honestly like Canada. I'm a bigger NHL fan than international fan. Most of my favorite players are Canadian. Always root for USA but take it easier when seeing my favorite Canadians succeed outside the NHL.

3. Canada is better than USA at hockey. Not so much a rivalry as USA trying to pull off an upset. I think USA and Russia is a pretty even match at most the levels right now.

PS: I know the biggest hockey rivalries probably don't involve USA. Just commenting on my perspective.
 
Scotty B said:
Most storied game vs most storied SERIES/ RIVALRY....That Miracle was Huge, HUGE for sure...But for Hockey insiders, in terms of its lasting impact on the international hockey landscape, and if u were to ask Russians their OP, the 72 Series + the CAN/RUS rivalry is MUCH BIGGER/ MORE IMPACTFUL Historically
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No there isnt really a heated rivalry, its more the two by far biggest hockey countries matching up. All things considered hockey isnt that popular of a sport outside of Canada and to and extent Russia, but everyone knows about USA v Russia in hockey. Here in Norway that was the big happening in Sotchi, even more so then our own games because we suck.

While i agree with you from a impact/size perspective, USA vs Russia is BY FAR more popular outside of north america because that is two countries that dont like each other. That is hate, and that brings passion.
 
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byfuglien said:
No there isnt really a heated rivalry, its more the two by far biggest hockey countries matching up. All things considered hockey isnt that popular of a sport outside of Canada and to and extent Russia, but everyone knows about USA v Russia in hockey. Here in Norway that was the big happening in Sotchi, even more so then our own games because we suck.

While i agree with you from a impact/size perspective, USA vs Russia is BY FAR more popular outside of north america because that is two countries that dont like each other. That is hate, and that brings passion.
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Ask Russians who their biggest hockey rivals are...over 90 percent will say Canada, probably followed by the Czechs
 
Scotty B said:
Ask Russians who their biggest hockey rivals are...over 90 percent will say Canada, probably followed by the Czechs
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I have no way of proving this. But just musing...

If you asked a Russian hockey fan they would say Canada.

If you asked an average Russian they'd say USA.

Or is the average Russian a hockey fan? Don't know...:laugh:

The Cold War might be over but Russia/USA will always be a tense political relationship.
 
If you had to show anyone who isn't aware of Hockey, a Hockey game between two rivals in our sport, if it's not Canada vs. Russia you don't know the sport. It's the one rivalry that transcends over all and no matter what level, the history, the passion, the styles, the emotion can't be matched.

I know the Americans because of the last 2 Olympics might seem like a cool choice to the modern generation, but nothing gets the heart going like a Canada vs. Russia game, it's what Hockey is about.
 
"Tärkeintä ei ole voitto, vaan se, että Ruotsi häviä" (The most important thing is not victory, but that Sweden loses)

Losing a game is hard, but losing to Finland is even more heartbreaking. Your average swedish/finnish hockey fan would say that swe vs fin is the greatest rivalry ever. I don't find swe vs fin games as funny any longer as I used to though...
 
habsrule4eva3089 said:
If you had to show anyone who isn't aware of Hockey, a Hockey game between two rivals in our sport, if it's not Canada vs. Russia you don't know the sport. It's the one rivalry that transcends over all and no matter what level, the history, the passion, the styles, the emotion can't be matched.

I know the Americans because of the last 2 Olympics might seem like a cool choice to the modern generation, but nothing gets the heart going like a Canada vs. Russia game, it's what Hockey is about.
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Totally agree with everything you said above. Russia/Canada > Canada/USA. But comparing Russia/Canada to Russia/USA is comparing apples and oranges to me.

Russia/Canada is about the hockey. You explained that very well.

Russia/USA is about two world superpowers who in recent history had nuclear warheads pointed at each and ready to go. It was more than the hockey.

Not saying one is more important than the other. It honestly probably depends who you ask and how much they actually care about the hockey.
 
ViD said:
I believe Latvia vs Swiss is really big
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We had lots of thrilling games against Latvia in the past.

But the most special games for me are against the Germans. It's always nice to beat our big neighbors (well, in hockey they are our little neighbors :naughty:).
 
Pgust said:
"Tärkeintä ei ole voitto, vaan se, että Ruotsi häviä" (The most important thing is not victory, but that Sweden loses)

Losing a game is hard, but losing to Finland is even more heartbreaking. Your average swedish/finnish hockey fan would say that swe vs fin is the greatest rivalry ever. I don't find swe vs fin games as funny any longer as I used to though...
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This, I want to say Fin-Swe but being one part of that obviously causes bias..

But looking at other rivalries as a neutral..
The one I always watch or try to watch on TV, because the rivalry is entertaining, the players seem to get an extra step and because anything can happen is:
Cze-Rus

Otherwise rivalries would be Fin-Swe, Fin-Rus - these are ones in which imo game plan sort of flies out the window and emotion gets a hold of the players and who holds it best wins. Can-Rus, Can-USA - but theres something missing in these these days. They're not as special as they have been. They're in a wait mode, wait for USA to get better, wait for a well coached Russia to turn up to the games motivated. A full strenght Russia with a good coach and motivated players led by Malkin vs Crosby and co? We're still waiting for that.
Closest was probably the world championships final in Canada in, um, 2010? that year Russia was unreal and oh so motivated. Haven't seen them like that since.

So my vote, as #1 ignoring your own country, is Cze-Rus.
 
habsrule4eva3089 said:
If you had to show anyone who isn't aware of Hockey, a Hockey game between two rivals in our sport, if it's not Canada vs. Russia you don't know the sport. It's the one rivalry that transcends over all and no matter what level, the history, the passion, the styles, the emotion can't be matched.

I know the Americans because of the last 2 Olympics might seem like a cool choice to the modern generation, but nothing gets the heart going like a Canada vs. Russia game, it's what Hockey is about.
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We need to define what rivalry is then. If its the two superpowers in hockey, then yes we all agree, if youre talking rivalry (the ONE game no team wants to loose) then its Usa vs Russia. There is more passion in Finland - Sweden as well due to geographical reasons (ie wars) but that prob is not what you wanted to hear. Nobody hates Canada.

Ive grown up (as most european, and all over the world) with american tv with russians as villains. In russia, that dislike is mutual and still is to a degree. The whole world watches USA v Russia, no one outside Canada gives a **** when you and the USSR back in their day play(ed) other teams, that is the truth. Why, because hockey alone isnt enough to be called a rivalry. Thats like saying Brazil and Germany is a rivalry beacuse they are the two most storried nations in soccer. Brazil v Argentina on the other hand... USA vs Russia in a physical sport is like Rocky vs Ivan Drago

Deal with it
 
Would Slovakia consider Russia a rival? Two meetings in WC finals and the Czechoslovak-USSR history would be contributions
 
byfuglien said:
We need to define what rivalry is then. If its the two superpowers in hockey, then yes we all agree, if youre talking rivalry (the ONE game no team wants to loose) then its Usa vs Russia. There is more passion in Finland - Sweden as well due to geographical reasons (ie wars) but that prob is not what you wanted to hear. Nobody hates Canada.
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thanks! :)

We had lots of thrilling games against Latvia in the past.

But the most special games for me are against the Germans. It's always nice to beat our big neighbors (well, in hockey they are our little neighbors ).
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interesting. i have always been curious about how the rivalries worked between latvia/germany/switzerland. what about austria? or are they on the outside looking in?

personally, my top rivalry is canada-russia. the two historical powerhouses of hockey with a lot of shared hockey history and who both claim the game as their own.

although finland-sweden feels like they may be the bitterest rivalry right now. i sense the two teams might actually hate each other.
 
flaneur said:
thanks! :)



interesting. i have always been curious about how the rivalries worked between latvia/germany/switzerland. what about austria? or are they on the outside looking in?

personally, my top rivalry is canada-russia. the two historical powerhouses of hockey with a lot of shared hockey history and who both claim the game as their own.

although finland-sweden feels like they may be the bitterest rivalry right now. i sense the two teams might actually hate each other.
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Meh, it's just brotherly hatred.
 
To me most important rivalry is Fin - Swe, but it ain't so important anymore because I often cheer for Sweden (when they don't play against Finland of course). And I guess it is pretty much sports only rivalry, not that Finns would really hate Swedes (apart from some "rednecks").
 
Benedict Kovalchuk said:
Is Canada-USA really a rivalry? A rivalry involves some back and forth, Canada has only been beaten by the USA once in a senior tournament nearly 20 years ago. I get the USA views beating Canada as some sort of milestone and Canada views the USA as one of the tougher hockey nations out there, but that doesn't exactly scream rivalry to me.
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I always most look forward to Russia. Never really get the US thing. To me they are like Ottawa is to Toronto.....the annoying little brother that wants to put you in your place but 9 times out of 10 gets beaten when push comes to shove.
 
As a Slovak I consider SVK-CZK a rivalry on every level (although a friendly one - the winner has the bragging rights while drinking beer together :cheers: )
 
Porkkan4 said:
Nowadays it's tougher to me to lose to Russia than Sweden.
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Came to say this, nowdays FIN-RUS games has way more bad blood then FIN-SWE, Finland vs Sweden rivarly is mostly between our medias hyping things up. Don't get me wrong, i still hate losing to Sweden very much.
 
Den said:
Yeahh, don't know... last time my Swe friends were in Finland, they faked the Russian accent and claimed they were from the Moscow State University ... they thought it was safer that way...
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:laugh: Don't believe everything that is said to you.
 
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