Olympics: Russia Roster Discussion (Roster in post 1)
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LeafChief
Matthew Knies Enthusiast
He is not necessarily. But he is definitely better than at the very least 2 or 3 D-men on this roster.
Despite the names on the roster, I sense very little confidence that this team will deliver. Probably, it has to do with the total lack of confidence in Znarok. Clearly, Znarok and whoever else may have been involved in planning for the OG are betting all of their money on the notion that familiarity among players who mostly come from 2 teams will create cohesion that will win games. I hope that is true, but the level of expectation is much higher this year. The hope is, I think, that a Gold in hockey will compensate for the disaster of competing as "Olympic athletes." If this stellar teams manages to come up with a crap game that gets them eliminated in the playoff round, it leads one to wonder how high above Znarok the "axe" will extend.
Fantomas
Registered User
- Aug 7, 2012
- 13,807
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Anything but a gold would be an epic disaster. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.
I know that if the Russians lose, they will shrug this off as no big deal. They are used to doing this by now, with top-notch excuses like a) "it's a short tournament and anything can happen", b) "bad bounces" and c) "bad referees." With every single Olympics, expectations fall by a notch.
But heads will truly have to roll if they fail to take a candy from this baby.
I know that if the Russians lose, they will shrug this off as no big deal. They are used to doing this by now, with top-notch excuses like a) "it's a short tournament and anything can happen", b) "bad bounces" and c) "bad referees." With every single Olympics, expectations fall by a notch.
But heads will truly have to roll if they fail to take a candy from this baby.
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
I don't agree. I think that we will win, not even Sweden has such a good roster as we have and Znarok, well, who likes him, but in the end I frankly think he's not a bad coach. Not the best, of course, and he is a very strange fellow in any case.. But the situation is worrysome anyways because it will mean that we'll keep on having no KHL for another 4 years as this C/SKA travesty will continue.
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
The best in the KHL? He's too old and slow for that, albeit he's still very good of course. I'd say that at this point Nesterov, Gavrikov, Voynov are ahead of him.
Of course, any other normal coach within a normal system would have called him and Tryamkin over players like Zub and Khafizulin/Yakovlev. Doesn't mean those guys are bad players, though, quite the opposite.
Night_Vole
Registered User
Voynov is the only guy on the same level as him. No one else can run a power play like Markov. True he is slow but he compensates for it by having a very high hockey sense, and veteran savy. Gavrikov is a promising young player, but his offense is still lacking. While Nesterov is prone to defensive lapses.
Nesterov is literally an accident waiting to happen. He is a talented guy, but I'm terrified when he is on the ice of what he might do.
Zine
Registered User
- Feb 28, 2002
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Markov/Tryamkin is ideal pairing. Then we could have Nesterov/Gavrikov, and Voynov with whoever (probably Kiselevich) and we're good to go. Best D in the Olympics bar none.
Instead we have to deal with Znarok's crap like Zub, Zubarev, Khafizullin, Yakovlev and Marchenko.
Instead we have to deal with Znarok's crap like Zub, Zubarev, Khafizullin, Yakovlev and Marchenko.
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The biggest problrm is to noone's surprise Znarok. There is another situation he won't be comfortable with. He doesn't know what it's like to be a star, to be under pressure constantly. He is just a bully who is not afraid of anything, but mostly because he is too dumb to understand.
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
Nesterov is a good player. I think he has really improved. Saying that Gavrikov etc, well, Markov is an offensive defenseman, Gavrikov is not. At this point I can see coaches getting Gavrikov over Markov, of course at the peak of his career Markov would be worth 10 Gavrikovs (no offense), but he's old. That said, I would have of course called him. I think 99% of the earth inhabitants would.
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
Well, wasn't Voynov to have done like the biggest self-embarrassment ever in Sochi?
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
Again, in my opinion, you're putting too much stress on the players. They are all good players and worked hard to get there. It's not their fault if we don't like Znarok or his methods. It's not their fault if Znarok makes no effort to try and be more pleasant.
Also, I'm shocked how a knowledgeable user like you is calling Marchenko "crap". I'm following him since he was VERY young. If he wasn't destroyed by injuries he would be one of the best defensemen in the world. I have no doubt about it. He can backcheck without penalties, control the puck on the blue line, shoot, shadow the opposition.
Alessandro Seren Rosso
Registered User
Nothing. We are supposed to win a Gold Medalwithout even trying hard.What will we do if we win the Gold Medal?
Eat a hat?
And what do you think about possibly line ups?
I think 1st PP:
Kovalchuk-Datsyuk-Shipachyov
Mozyakin-Voynov
- Aug 21, 2016
- 10,344
- 13,802
As a Habs fan, I dont get why Andrei Markov isnt there while some guys like Nesterov are? I know he isnt getting younger, but 1 year ago, he was a quality second pairing defenseman in the NHL.. so what happened exactly??
As a Habs fan, I dont get why Andrei Markov isnt there while some guys like Nesterov are? I know he isnt getting younger, but 1 year ago, he was a quality second pairing defenseman in the NHL.. so what happened exactly??
It's a two-teams Team Russia. And Markov doesn't play on any of these teams. It's as simple as this.
Night_Vole
Registered User
Sigh, that's what happens when you have players taken from only two teams. You could have had way more skill in the lineup, but you took a bunch of "role" players. I think they can still win gold, but they made it way harder on themselves. Because now they'll be playing way more of these close grinding games where anything can happen.
Oh and Markov would definitely have helped this dysfunctional power play.
Oh and Markov would definitely have helped this dysfunctional power play.
