Russia may ice weakened team.

[jekoh]

There is a ridiculous gap between Canada and the rest of the competition... on forwards, on defensemen, in goal, and behind the bench. Nobody even comes close.

Just out of curiosity, the opinion that Canada is miles ahead of the competition behind the bench is based on what ?

I mean, if Canada's players are so much better than Czech players and still Canada either loses or barely wins against Czechia, it doesn't exactly suggest that Canada's coaching is better, rather to the contrary.

 

[greatwhite101*]

I said that there's a ridiculous gap for forwards, defense, goaltending and coaching between Canada and everybody else.
This cannot be denied.

I do not see that rediculous gap. Let me get my Canadian glasses. I see that gap now!!!
I also love that coaching remark...

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

Earlier in this thread you said :

Khm...

Right.

Russia wouldn't challenge Canada even with their best roster.

I don't hold Russia in high regard whatsoever, and have 5 teams ahead of them.

 

[Fripp]

Anyone can win it all in this kind of format. But you're deluding yourself if you don't believe theres a huge talent gap between team Canada and the rest.

 

[Kaizer]

Right.

Russia wouldn't challenge Canada even with their best roster.

I don't hold Russia in high regard whatsoever, and have 5 teams ahead of them.

I don't blame your opinion because it's your opinion. You can count Latvia ahead of Russia and it's still your opinion In my opinion our speedy forwards will benefit like it was at WC and this is my opinion. I'm interesting about thing I mentioned above.

 

[Prof]

I just wanted to add my 2 cents.

I don't think it can be denied that Canada has the most talent to draw from when putting together its team. However, I would never say that not other team has a chance against Canada (okay Germany on down have no chance ).

Realistically, all it would take for someone like Finland to win the gold would be for one of their many goalies (Noronen, Kipprusoff, Toivonen etc.) to get hot and stone everyone. You can say the same about the Czechs (Vokoun, Hasek), Russia (Nabokov) etc.

You can never say that the team with the superior talent, which I think Canada does have, will necessarily win.

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

You can never say that the team with the superior talent, which I think Canada does have, will necessarily win.

Nor has anybody either implied or directly stated this here.

What's your point?

 

[RorschachWJK]

Anyone can win it all in this kind of format. But you're deluding yourself if you don't believe theres a huge talent gap between team Canada and the rest.

Sure there is a huge gap...but only in depth, i.e. the number of good players at each position. This means that Canada could probably ice 2-3 pretty competitive teams...However, you can only ice one team and I don't think there is a huge talent gap between those teams that eventually end up playing, at least not between Canada, Russia and the Czechs.

 

[Douggy]

Nor has anybody either implied or directly stated this here.

What's your point?

If you're going to keep making comments like the one above, you need to edit the one below:

They could ice their best possible team and still wouldn't challenge Canada.

Do you understand the concept of a contradiction?

 

[wilka91*]

Excuse me but has everyone already forgotten how many NHLers the Czechs had in 1998???

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

If you're going to keep making comments like the one above, you need to edit the one below:

Do you understand the concept of a contradiction?

Do you understand the concept of comprehension?

I don't have Russia in my top 5.

Canada would run them over.

It still doesn't mean Canada would win the tournament.

 

[greatwhite101*]

Do you understand the concept of comprehension?

I don't have Russia in my top 5.

Canada would run them over.

It still doesn't mean Canada would win the tournament.

Only if Russians will ice weekend team.

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

Only if Russians will ice weekend team.

Interesting.

I prefer the weekends myself, and am not fond of Mondays.

 

[Alfons]

Do you understand the concept of comprehension?

I don't have Russia in my top 5.

Canada would run them over.

It still doesn't mean Canada would win the tournament.

Fedorov, Kovalev, Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Kovalchuk, Samsonov, Mogilny, Malkin, Frolov, Afinogenov etc. would provide much more speed and skill upfront than Canada could ice, sorry. Yes they have bigger players but if those russians would decide to play their best Canada (especially on big ice where guys like Pronger have serious difficulties) would be in trouble.

And if you remeber, Canada was outplayed by the Czechs in last years World Cup and olny saved by luck and Brodeur. So much for Canada beeing head and shoulders above ohter teams. What Canada has got over the others is depth and probably the best defensmen (but not on big ice).

In a few years Russia will have the better forwards compared to Canada with Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Malkin, Frolov, Semin and Zherdev.

 

[Wondercarrot]

Excuse me but has everyone already forgotten how many NHLers the Czechs had in 1998???

oh please. nobody has forgotten their line-up.

Hasek-Hasek-Hasek
Hasek-Hasek-Hasek
Hasek-Hasek-Hasek
Hasek-Hasek-Hasek

they're D was good too:

Hasek-Hasek
Hasek-Hasek
Hasek-Hasek

but IMO they were strongest in nets:

Hasek

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

Fedorov, Kovalev, Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Kovalchuk, Samsonov, Mogilny, Malkin, Frolov, Afinogenov etc. would provide much more speed and skill upfront than Canada could ice, sorry. Yes they have bigger players but if those russians would decide to play their best Canada (especially on big ice where guys like Pronger have serious difficulties) would be in trouble.

And if you remeber, Canada was outplayed by the Czechs in last years World Cup and olny saved by luck and Brodeur. So much for Canada beeing head and shoulders above ohter teams. What Canada has got over the others is depth and probably the best defensmen (but not on big ice).

In a few years Russia will have the better forwards compared to Canada with Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Malkin, Frolov, Semin and Zherdev.

Oh, please.

Nobody has ever questioned Russia's skill.

They don't play as a team, don't give consistent 60 minute efforts, and are rarely motivated to dominate. I love watching Russia play when they're giving it their all, but the truth of the matter is that winning for, and representing, your country is not that important to them.

And, how can you say Russia will have the better forwards compared to Canada?

That's strictly guessing.

I can say the same thing, watch...

In a few years, Canada will have much better forwards than Russia with Rick Nash, Joe Thornton, Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier, etc., etc.

 

[DayWalk3r]

Oh, please.

Nobody has ever questioned Russia's skill.

They don't play as a team, don't give consistent 60 minute efforts, and are rarely motivated to dominate. I love watching Russia play when they're giving it their all, but the truth of the matter is that winning for, and representing, your country is not that important to them.

And, how can you say Russia will have the better forwards compared to Canada?

That's strictly guessing.

I can say the same thing, watch...

In a few years, Canada will have much better forwards than Russia with Rick Nash, Joe Thornton, Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier, etc., etc.

word

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Seems to me that the LESS NHLers we see from Team Russia, the better their chances to medal at the Olympics. Let's face it, we all LOVE watching the Russians play at any major tournament, but their collective efforts rarely mesh. More players already playing in the RSL is a good thing because they'd have a much better system in place, IMHO.

As far as Canada goes, if we are to submit 81-man roster of each team, it's no contest. Fortunately for the rest of the world, it's only the best 23-25 that matter. As long as names such as Kiprusoff, Vokoun, Khabibulin/Nabokov, DiPietro and Lundqvist (yes Lundqvist) are between the pipes for some of the top contenders, this tournament will be ultra competitive.

Not to mention the fact that messeurs Forsberg (Swe) and Jagr (Cze) are still among the very best players in the world.

We don't know what will happen when these teams take to the ice in Turin, but we do know it will be one heck of a tournament.

 

[Alfons]

And, how can you say Russia will have the better forwards compared to Canada?

That's strictly guessing.

I can say the same thing, watch...

In a few years, Canada will have much better forwards than Russia with Rick Nash, Joe Thornton, Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier, etc., etc.

Well, it´s my guess but anyhow it probably will be very close and I think those new russians will play with more heart since they don´t have the same background in the soviet system.

And I still think the Czechs of today match Canada very well in every category. And with the Russians one never knows how they will play togehter, they haven´t done it in the recen past but in the future, for example in Turin perhaps they will play with some heart?

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

And I still think the Czechs of today match Canada very well in every category.

Every category?

Look at the defense.

 

[DayWalk3r]

as for now, Sweden has 4 players among Top-9 in pointscoring, 3 among the Top-10 in +/- and 1 goalie that top's the Goalie-stats.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Every category?

Look at the defense.

Look at the rink dimensions too. The Czech D might well be as good as Canadian D on the big ice.

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

Look at the rink dimensions too. The Czech D might well be as good as Canadian D on the big ice.

Yeah, right.

Scott Niedermayer
Rob Blake
Dan Boyle
Ed Jovanovski
Eric Brewer
Wade Redden
Scott Hannan

These guys are all pylons, right?

Niedermayer and Boyle, Canada's top two offensive defensemen overall, are faster than most team's forwards.

 

[arrbez]

Yeah, right.

Scott Niedermayer
Rob Blake
Dan Boyle
Ed Jovanovski
Eric Brewer
Wade Redden
Scott Hannan

These guys are all pylons, right?

Niedermayer and Boyle, Canada's top two offensive defensemen overall, are faster than most team's forwards.

um...are we not inviting Chris Pronger this year?

I wouldn't have Brewer on this team, and Boyle is borderline as well

 

[RorschachWJK]

Yeah, right.

Scott Niedermayer
Rob Blake
Dan Boyle
Ed Jovanovski
Eric Brewer
Wade Redden
Scott Hannan

These guys are all pylons, right?

Niedermayer and Boyle, Canada's top two offensive defensemen overall, are faster than most team's forwards.

They're not exactly pylons, but there is more to it than that. The European guys started playing in the big rinks and did so until crossing the pond for NHL. For most guys that means 10-15 years of experience in big rinks. That must play some kind of role.