GDT: Semifinals - May 21 - Finland (3) vs Russia (1)

[Megustaelhockey]

NO politics, please.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

I don't know. Aho is not big at all and Laine didn't really caterpillar his way to anywhere either. I still think there is nothing really wrong with your team. I would certainly take Team Russia personnel on defense over Team Finland.

I think it is just a mental thing and mostly RNG as I said earlier. The tournament format is built for randomness. Also Team Finland gets underrated as per usual and this time two of their top lines are lead by premier two way centers making it kinda hard to win against them.

And to make things even more confusing, I would still take Datsyuk, 37, over either of Koivu or Barkov right now.

In conclusion, it is RNG. Don't worry. World Cup is just a few months away

Hehe, well thank you, though I don't think one can write off everything on bad luck. Look at Team Canada and how solid they've been. Surely, it isn't because of some kind of luck. They just have an extremely solid two-way game - both the offense and defense play highly-skilled and highly organized hockey, and that's what gets you Gold.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

If you rate hockey nations by hockey individuals, then Russia is also ahead of Finland. Easily. But that's not how actual hockey works. It doesn't matter all that much which individuals the countries send to the competition.

It's like taking an NHL all star team and throwing it on a week's notice against prime Chicago Blackhawks. The all star team will get swept. It won't even look competitive.

The Finnish national team has stable coaching and management and a system that works in modern hockey. That's why they keep winning against big countries and racking up the medals. Russians on the other hand haven't had a system in thirty years. Their national team still uses the 'you're skilled guys, do whatever you want, let your talent flow' playbook that hasn't worked in decades. I'm pretty sure that even they have to wake up after yet another embarassment and have a close look at how hockey in their country is coached.

Finland is a top three team by objective standards in international competition.

Well, I think you're exaggerating about the whole 'let your talent flow' idea - have you seen their practices? However, I do agree that more effort needs to be made in order to make Russian teams play better as a solid unit, especially in defense.

 

[IDeyChopNaira*]

He said everyone's amateur teams. Excluding Canada's and US NHL players and the occasional appearance by the few NHL players from Sweden and Finland, up to the mid-to-late 80's they were facing more or less semi-pros. It was not uncommon fro several of Finland's domestic players to have another job basically until the mid and latter part of the decade.

Finland wasn't a powerhouse in the 80s. They could have all the Kurris and Tikkanens but they would still finish behind to the top 4 teams (URS, CAN, TCH, SWE).

Sweden used a lot of NHLers and even managed to win gold in 1987 though they didn't win a game against the Russians.