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Russia preliminary WJC roster was announced

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Macman said:
Sorry, but the level of play and intensity he'd face against the world's best 18 and 19 year olds is more than he'll ever face in a run of the mill RSL game against guys the majority of whom can't make the NHL.
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:biglaugh: Tell me more about thing you don't know :biglaugh:
 
Macman said:
No.
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Either way your opinion is acceptible. As for Kaizer, he's a very reliable source on these boards for anything related to Russia. And he seems to agree with me, so i'm right ;)
 
Macman said:
He played against men last year as well and had more than he could handle at last year's world juniors. Sorry, but the level of play and intensity he'd face against the world's best 18 and 19 year olds is more than he'll ever face in a run of the mill RSL game against guys the majority of whom can't make the NHL.
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As a hockey fan, do you honestly believe what you're saying. :dunno:
The WJC is a high level tourney - but its still a 'junior' tournament and not even close to the level of competition of any of the top mens leagues.
Look at the Russian preliminary roster; apart from a handful of players, everybody is a 3rd/4th liner on their RSL team - if that. A lot aren't even regulars.
An the Russians are one of the favorites to win the WJC.
 
Zine said:
As a hockey fan, do you honestly believe what you're saying. :dunno:
The WJC is a high level tourney - but its still a 'junior' tournament and not even close to the level of competition of any of the top mens leagues.
Look at the Russian preliminary roster; apart from a handful of players, everybody is a 3rd/4th liner on their RSL team - if that. A lot aren't even regulars.
An the Russians are one of the favorites to win the WJC.
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Let me get this straight. The Russian federation doesn't want Malkin to play at the world juniors because they want to save him for the Olympics, yet they're going to let him continuing to play against men when he could be playing boys in Vancouver. If you guys are to be believed, shouldn't they send him instead to Vancouver where he could a bit of rest against all that inferior competition and maybe pick up a gold medal to boot? It seems the federation doesn't agree with you.

The world juniors is the third most important tournament on the hockey calendar and the only one held every year. There's a reason scouts and GMs from all 30 NHL teams will be sitting in the stands those two weeks and not in Moscow or Omsk or wherever.

I'm not trying to denigrate the RSL, but if Malkin goes to Vancouver he'll play in a tournament filled with guys who will be NHL stars and even superstars in the near future. He will play in front of 20,000 screaming fans under the intense heat, pressure and scrutiny of one of the most important events in hockey. He'll get none of that by staying home and to suggest he'll be better off for it is insane.
 
Macman said:
Let me get this straight. The Russian federation doesn't want Malkin to play at the world juniors because they want to save him for the Olympics, yet they're going to let him continuing to play against men when he could be playing boys in Vancouver. If you guys are to be believed, shouldn't they send him instead to Vancouver where he could a bit of rest against all that inferior competition and maybe pick up a gold medal to boot? It seems the federation doesn't agree with you.
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Well, as it turns out...he's going to Vancouver. And it wasn't so much the Federation that didn't want him to play in the WJC -- it was the GM of Metallurg who (for obvious rasons) doesn't want him playing in anymore extra games than need be.

Macman said:
The world juniors is the third most important tournament on the hockey calendar and the only one held every year. There's a reason scouts and GMs from all 30 NHL teams will be sitting in the stands those two weeks and not in Moscow or Omsk or wherever.
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I agree. But scouts and GMs are there to look at PROSPECTS. These prospects are the best in the world but they're still only 18-19 year old kids that have a lot of developing to do. They're great for their age level but not when comparing them to elite level mens leagues.

Macman said:
I'm not trying to denigrate the RSL, but if Malkin goes to Vancouver he'll play in a tournament filled with guys who will be NHL stars and even superstars in the near future. He will play in front of 20,000 screaming fans under the intense heat, pressure and scrutiny of one of the most important events in hockey. He'll get none of that by staying home and to suggest he'll be better off for it is insane.
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You're sort of changing you point. I agree that the WJC would be a greater experience but that doesn't mean the level of hockey is better than the RSL.
Because he'd be playing against lesser competition in the WJC, he'd gain nothing skill wise. But because the WJC is such a pressure filled tourney, it's a great way for Malkin to develop those 'intangibles' every great player needs.
The same could probably be said about Crosby. As a developing player, I think it would be a better experience for him to lead Canada than play a few extra games for Pittsburgh. But similar to Malkin, doesn't mean the level of hockey will be anything close to what they're used to.
 
Macman said:
Let me get this straight. The Russian federation doesn't want Malkin to play at the world juniors because they want to save him for the Olympics, yet they're going to let him continuing to play against men when he could be playing boys in Vancouver. If you guys are to be believed, shouldn't they send him instead to Vancouver where he could a bit of rest against all that inferior competition and maybe pick up a gold medal to boot? It seems the federation doesn't agree with you.

The world juniors is the third most important tournament on the hockey calendar and the only one held every year. There's a reason scouts and GMs from all 30 NHL teams will be sitting in the stands those two weeks and not in Moscow or Omsk or wherever.

I'm not trying to denigrate the RSL, but if Malkin goes to Vancouver he'll play in a tournament filled with guys who will be NHL stars and even superstars in the near future. He will play in front of 20,000 screaming fans under the intense heat, pressure and scrutiny of one of the most important events in hockey. He'll get none of that by staying home and to suggest he'll be better off for it is insane.
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The point is you initially said "the level of play" in terms of the RSL v WJC, and the reality is any prospect is going to have a heck of harder time scoring in the RSL, than they would in the WJC (any year). Just check out how Lecavalier, Heatley and a few other NHL stars did in Russia last year...

In terms of the spot-light, pressure and getting used to North American hockey, you're right, it will be a good test in that regard.
 
Hmmmmm not good for Evgeni :teach: That rassian team is just not good enough ....
 
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