So who was the SECOND best team?

[avalancher]

I find that incredibly hard to answer cause I feel so many teams underperformed, or wasn't tested properly. Finland brags on how good they were. Well 1-1 against Canada in groupplay says absolutely nothing, Canada is always lazy and sloppy in groupplay. They won against Russia, a very weak Russia I have a feeling many had the chance to win against. They won bronze against USA, a USA who cared none for it. In other words they might not at all be as good as they think.

Sweden- they had such an easy road to the final and was never really tested. They won against Finland, but they always got a mental edge against Finland, it's like a big brother syndrome. In the final they didn't play their best game cause of the Backstrom mess. In other words they might not at all be as good as they think.

USA dominated before semis, but againt weak teams. Once against Canada they weren't very good.In other words they might not at all be as good as they think.

Russia - Kovalchuk-Malkin-Ovechkin-Datsyuk on the same PP, how can you fail?? But they did, miserably, I'm very disappointed, cause it could have been such entertaining games.. the best game to watch was still the Russia-USA game imo. In other words Russia sucked.

Canada- well hands down best team of the tournament. But, they didn't impress before the semis, in the semi they met USA who falsely had impressed and perhaps didn't play their best, and beat a rattled Sweden who wasn't that good. In other words they *also* might not at all be as good as they think.

All in all the whole hockey olympics have been very disappointning. It's easy to see totally Canada was hands down best. As for second- I truly don't know, I don't think we can tell. Honestly it's still likely USA. I so wish we could have seen a better Russia so we could have gotten some more competition.

 

[HuGo Sham]

Sweden - but from Canada's POV both Quick and the Latvian goalie both stood on their heads to keep those games close

 

[Shareefruck]

I would go with:

A fully healthy Sweden
Finland
USA
An injured Sweden

Of the Canada games, Finland rolled over the least. The US really wasn't all that great, surprisingly.

its not becuse of skill. its becuse finland is more gritty.

So? That's a factor of how good a team is.

 

[octopi]

I think Finland would have been a tougher opponent in the gold medal game.

I agree.

Too bad Rask was sick.

Among other things.

 

[Easton Modano Curve]

Sweden - but from Canada's POV both Quick and the Latvian goalie both stood on their heads to keep those games close

Isn't the goalie one of the most important parts of the team? One of the only reasons some people gave USA a chance was goaltending.

 

[MessierII]

Sweden

 

[gretskidoo]

Leaving in the dust? Zetterberg and Sedin I give you but Franzen...not so important. Finland was already without it's 4 top centres, number one defenseman, Rinne who was our number one goalie and a couple other guys. Then we lost Rask too for the semi.

For the record, I haven't been making those claims that you speak of. You're not making things any better with comments like that, though.

Since your 10th best goalie is apparently better than Lundqvist, it's not a very good excuse.

 

[His Beardliness*]

Injuries are no excuse. Canada was missing the third-leading NHL point scorer in John Tavares and a 60 goal-scorer in Steven Stamkos. So to fix your answer for you, Canada is first with Sweden in the second spot.

Yeah sure. Solid logic. Canada replaces Stamkos with Martin St. Louis and Sweden replaces Henrik Sedin with Marcus Johansson.

It's the same thing

Point is, Sweden needs everyone healthy to beat Canada, because we don't have the depth.

 

[JoeyBeans]

USA


also Canada B looked good on paper.

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

Tavares made zero difference to the Canadians when he was playing. Stamkos I can see an argument for since he should be on Crosby's wing.

Sedin, Zetterberg, and Backstrom are arguably Sweden's three best players. Thats a huge difference compared to Stamkos and and underwhelming Tavares.

Thats like taking away Crosby, Getzlaf, and Tavares from Canada.

 

[Bure]

I think Finland. They were a true team. Most chemistry in the tournament. I seriously think they could have won.

 

[hitmen19]

and we were missing backstrom, sedin, franzen and zetterberg.

and mårts with some weird roster chooses. like jimmie over some good nhler and put him on first line in the final.

and tallinder over hedman..

and benching oel..

and Canada was missing Giroux, stamkos, Tavares and thornton.

I love how the injury excuses are coming out. Well Canada didn't have lemiux, sakic, and kariya in nagano, our best 3 players that year. and in Torino, Canada didn't have Crosby, staal and niedermeyer. I guess Canada should use that as an excuse. but we don't, we don't need to

 

[Lataba]

@Henessy

Yes of course! But when the US-Team had won the bronze game than it is suddenly an important result.

 

[Dave is a killer]

Sweden.

Anyone that thinks the US is the 2nd best team in this tournament is deluding themselves, Team USA couldn't score an ES goal against any of the good opponents they faced (Russia, Canada & Finland) & were shutout in the last two games in which they faced Canada & Finland

Case closed

 

[Era of Sanity]

Finland. I am going mostly by the Canadian games but they really impressed me with the way they competed and played as a team. They gave Canada their hardest game and the least offensively, did an excellent job of keeping Canada to the outside.

 

[lawrence]

Team Sweden. Although Finland looked more hungry, the Silver medal team is the 2nd best team.

 

[Prairieboy]

I think Finland. They were a true team. Most chemistry in the tournament. I seriously think they could have won.

Agree. Finland was the second best team. I think if they had a bounce go there way. They even might beat Canada.

 

[Incognito]

Yeah sure. Solid logic. Canada replaces Stamkos with Martin St. Louis and Sweden replaces Henrik Sedin with Marcus Johansson.

It's the same thing

Point is, Sweden needs everyone healthy to beat Canada, because we don't have the depth.

So all of a sudden having depth is a bad thing?

 

[IceManCat]

Finland

 

[TuckerFan1]

Sweden... made it to the gold medal game without Zetterberg, Henrik Sedin, and Franzen. The Americans thought lighting up teams like Slovakia and Slovenia made them automatic contenders. Probably should have prepared for teams that wont let them skate around like they own the place

 

[CherryToke]

Sweden just won silver without their #1 and #2 centers who happen to be two of the best players in the game.. so them.

 

[Lomez]

We're almost champions, my friends.
And we'll keep trying to the end.
We're almost champions, We're almost champions,
plenty of time for losers,
'cause we're almost champions of the world.

We're number two! We're number two!

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

With all the injuries Sweden and the Fins had, they should be sooooo proud of themselves. Imagine how good they could have been. 2nd and 3rd best team.

 

[Make]

Finland-Canada may have been a tighter match but it was in group stage and both teams had already secured a spot in top 4. It was a relatively meaningless game. Can't compare that game to the gold medal game, not even close imo.

Sweden beat Finland in the semifinal and made it to the final, therefore Sweden was the second best team in this tournament.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Finland-Canada may have been a tighter match but it was in group stage and both teams had already secured a spot in top 4. It was a relatively meaningless game. Can't compare that game to the gold medal game, not even close imo.

Sweden beat Finland in the semifinal and made it to the final, therefore Sweden was the second best team in this tournament.

And the Fins were a well deserved 3rd.