Ranking the Greatest Rivalries

[Urbanskog]

hmmm ...too lazy to look it up...could u kindly explain the difference for us Neophytes?

Scandinavia has a common ethno-cultural heritage and closely related languages. Finnish isn't even an Indo-European language, so you could say that the Scandinavian languages and Persian are more closely related than the former and Finnish.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

While the RUS/CAN rivalry still burns hot...Canada has only hosted the WC's once in a hundred years. It's still seen as a second rate Euro snoozefest over here, which provides scant competition for SC playoffs. We send the odd A quality vet, a bunch of lesser guys who have no hope in hell of ever making our A team, plus some promising teenagers like Hall, Eberle, Duchene, and Skinner couple of years back, and Mackinnon last year.

Nobody holds HC's feet to the fire ( and won't ) for coming close but no cigar at WC's in recent years. Most understand about all the refuseniks, and the tough position they're in. Plus its nice to see the kids in a TC uni. But otherwise, yawn...

Even head to head matches with RUS lose their luster at WC's. Canucks crave best on best ( or close to it ) showdowns with, what is to me and many others, our most hated foe..

And then there's the last 5 years or so of WJC...

I get the Olympics and the US, and what that contributes to everything (especially more recently), but I still don't think dealing with a next door neighbour with bragging rights strikes as deep of a chord as the thought of a hockey world dominated by the Russians. I'm not as young as most posters on this board, though.

 

[zeropotentate]

I think Canada-Russia is the biggest rivalry. my earliest international memories were two gold medal finals in the WJC in the early 2000s where Canada lost to Russia both times (either 01 & 02, or 02 & 03 can't remember).

Canada-USA has always been a big one

I'd say USA-Russia is big

Finland-Sweden

Czech-Slovakia, and tbh I never knew about the Czech and Russian rivalry until this thread.

These next few I guess are not rivalries, but I always find Canada-Sweden, and Russia-Sweden really intense games.

Would Belarus see Russia as a rival/do they get really pumped for that match up?

 

[Scotty B]

I think Canada-Russia is the biggest rivalry. my earliest international memories were two gold medal finals in the WJC in the early 2000s where Canada lost to Russia both times (either 01 & 02, or 02 & 03 can't remember).

Canada-USA has always been a big one

I'd say USA-Russia is big

Finland-Sweden

Czech-Slovakia, and tbh I never knew about the Czech and Russian rivalry until this thread.

These next few I guess are not rivalries, but I always find Canada-Sweden, and Russia-Sweden really intense games.

Would Belarus see Russia as a rival/do they get really pumped for that match up?

Being a former Soviet satellite, my guess would be yes, definitely...I know Latvia sure does, and they've upset Russia once or twice. If memory serves, they beat Russia 2-1, with Arturs Irbe (sp? ) in goal, might have been at the WC's in St. Petersburg where Russia finished something like eleventh

 

[Falling Snow]

I believe Latvia vs Swiss is really big

there is no rivalry between Latvia and Switzerland.

The bigest rivals are Germany and then Austria.

 

[CanadienShark]

1. Canada-Russia (easy choice for me)
2. Canada-USA (recent history)
3. Sweden-Finland
4. USA-Russia
5. Czech-Russia

Wait... just realized I have the exact same list as the OP. After the first one, the list is subject to change. I could see an argument for Sweden-Finland to be #2.

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks Canada-Russia is still easily #1. I heard a ton of friends of mine talking about Canada-USA, which is a very good rivalry, but can't even compare. It's like saying which is bigger, Habs-Bruins or Habs-Leafs. Pretty easy call.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

there is no rivalry between Latvia and Switzerland.

The bigest rivals are Germany and then Austria.

Guy goes for the coach, pretty intense. So Ger-Swi is also a big one.

 

[Sentinel]

1. Canada-Russia (easy choice for me)
2. Canada-USA (recent history)
3. Sweden-Finland
4. USA-Russia
5. Czech-Russia

This. The old USSR-CSSR rivalry was huge, but has really waned down over the years. Even the 2010 OG match between the Russians and the Czechs did not generate the same intensity and interest.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

This. The old USSR-CSSR rivalry was huge, but has really waned down over the years. Even the 2010 OG match between the Russians and the Czechs did not generate the same intensity and interest.

Over "here", or over "there"? I can understand having trouble following something that's happening in Vancouver's time zone, but my question would be, how was interest over there when the two teams faced off again just months later in Germany for the World Championship gold medal? I've seen that "rated" as one of the best Russia-Czech games of all time.

 

[Kharkov]

Finland isn't Scandinavia, try "Nordic" the next time.

I agree with this, but that error is so common that I don't even want to try to correct it. And then when good/big portion of Finns (not fins, sharks have fins,... Niemi has fins I guess ) support Sweden (if they don't play against Finland ofc) it ain't so bad mistake.

 

[VMBM]

This. The old USSR-CSSR rivalry was huge, but has really waned down over the years. Even the 2010 OG match between the Russians and the Czechs did not generate the same intensity and interest.

I think that post-1978 even that began to lose its luster, since USSR was so clearly the superior team, the only exception being the 1985 World Championships in Prague (and the odd lesser tournament, like the 1985 Izvestia and 1984 Sweden Cup).

Canada vs. USSR was obviously the best rivalry of all-time (talent, politics, styles/systems of play), but Canada vs. Russia has been quite a pale 'substituent' for that; of course, there have been some classic WJC or WHC games, but how about in (senior) best-on-best tournaments? I guess the 2010 Olympic QF is a some kind of a classic*, but not a very pleasent one for Team Russia fans.

* I mean, in the same sense as the Germany vs. Brazil game at the 2014 Soccer World Cup (a sheer shock result)

 

[Canuckistani]

1) Canada vs Russia - at every level

2) Canada vs USA - at WJC and Olympics, not so much at WHC

3) Sweden vs Finland - every level

4) Russia vs Czechs - senior level; I don't get the sense that there's much at the WJC

 

[Canuckistani]

Since 2005 Canada and Russia have met in 14 elimination games (7 wins each):

2005 JR - Canada 6-1 (final)
2005 WHC - Canada 4-3 (Semifinal)
2006 JR - Canada 5-0 (final)
2006 Olympics - Russia 2-0 (quarterfinal)
2007 JR - Canada 4-2 (final)
2008 WHC - Russia 5-4 OT (final)
2009 JR - Canada 6-5 SO (semifinal)
2009 WHC - Russia 2-1 (final)
2010 Olymics - Canada 7-3 (quarterfinal)
2010 WHC - Russia 5-2 (quarterfinal)
2011 JR - Russia 5-3 (final)
2011 WHC - Russia 2-1 (quarterfinal) The last senior-level meeting!
2012 JR - Russia 6-5 (semifinal)
2015 JR - Canada 5-4 (final)

By comparison, Sweden-Finland have played eight elimination games, and Canada-USA seven.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Since 2005 Canada and Russia have met in 14 elimination games (7 wins each):

2005 JR - Canada 6-1 (final)
2005 WHC - Canada 4-3 (Semifinal)
2006 JR - Canada 5-0 (final)
2006 Olympics - Russia 2-0 (quarterfinal)
2007 JR - Canada 4-2 (final)
2008 WHC - Russia 5-4 OT (final)
2009 JR - Canada 6-5 SO (semifinal)
2009 WHC - Russia 2-1 (final)
2010 Olymics - Canada 7-3 (quarterfinal)
2010 WHC - Russia 5-2 (quarterfinal)
2011 JR - Russia 5-3 (final)
2011 WHC - Russia 2-1 (quarterfinal) The last senior-level meeting!
2012 JR - Russia 6-5 (semifinal)
2015 JR - Canada 5-4 (final)

By comparison, Sweden-Finland have played eight elimination games, and Canada-USA seven.

'Nuff said right there.

 

[JFG]

Of course Finland is the rivalry but lately Canada and Russia has been big ones.

I went to Finland to participate in the Nordic Student Championship and played against teams from Tampere and Espoo and they were all great guys. Didn't meet any hate at all.