WC: Surprises this world champs

[bucks_oil]

Imagine if someone had predicted in 2009 that of the two Swedes the Oilers had drafted, Lander would break out while Paajarvi-Svensson wouldn't even be in the NHL anymore.

In 2009, at least at training camp, many (oiler fans) would have been on board with that if we were talking longer term, career success.

After that, many lost so much patience in 2010, 2011, 2012, etc with Lander because we needed him to be a defensively solid #2 immediately (forget that that phenotype so very rarely come along that quickly)

Let's hope that he runs with this momentum and becomes our modern-day, prime-Horcoff.

 

[illpucks]

Canada always has strong round robins. If they actually win a medal, then I'll be surprised.

With this roster though? This year's roster is miles ahead of any other team.

 

[LiveeviL]

Can't believe the US won more than1 game. Really thought they were going to get rocked with their forwards. Hard work the great equalizer.

That is a small surprise. The US always manage to get much out of a weak roster [insert] "Bc4use Murica!"[/Insert].

 

[Jablkon]

No. Belarus-Norway game:


1 krone ticket

Empty seats at the game that officially was sold-out:

quotes from the game thread:

It´s a official project - hockey to schools.Around 30000 tickets were offered to schools for less attractive matches. They definetely didnt do it to beat a record. In fact they decide to attack the record when they realized its possible.I remember half year ago they said that Belarus was extraordinary and the need to think economically first. Btw a lot of people justa take care of Bob and Bobek.There are lineups of poeple blocking the view on the pitch in O2 and waiting for photo with them during the game....

 

[Pilky01]

I wasn't surprised by anything - Mike Wilbon

 

[maclean]

No. Belarus-Norway game:


1 krone ticket

I'm having a hard time processing what this picture is supposed to prove. Sponsors also get "1 crown" tickets. Tickets always have to have at least 1 Kc printed on them. If you calculate how much the sponsors contribute then the tickets can hardly be considered free.

 

[VictorLustig]

With this roster though? This year's roster is miles ahead of any other team.

Better for sure. Not by any miles though. A couple of years ago I remember Stamkos, Subban, Duchene, Hall, Eberle, Eric & Jordan Staal and Giroux were on the team that lost to Sweden in the quarterfinal.

 

[Drury_Sakic]

Team USA has been a big surprise, the young kids have done good. Lets just see if they can do it in the medal round.

 

[Exarz]

I'm surprised they had games 12:15 CET on a weekday while they could just put them the weekend before

 

[Faterson]

It's so that the maximum number of games is played on the last game-day preceding the play-offs. That's understandable, and the NHL does this, too. (All 30 NHL teams were in action on the final day of this year's regular season, but it was a Saturday.) It's unfortunate that at the Worlds, this last preliminary groups game-day was a weekday.

If it were up to me, I'd prolong the Worlds so that it lasts 3 weeks plus the foregoing weekend (as it does now). The schedule is too packed right now. Slovakia played its first 4 games in 5 days – that's insane. This isn't the AHL; it should be the climax of the hockey season.

So, I would use the first weekend + 2 full weeks for the group round-robins. The last Sunday would be that big final game-day with 6 games in total played.

Then, the final week would be for the play-offs only. Only the 8 best teams would be in action in the final week. Monday would be a rest day. Tuesday and Wednesday would be for the 4 quaterfinal games, Thursday and/or Friday could be for the 2 semifinal games, Saturday for the Bronze Medal Game, and Sunday for the Gold Medal Game. Just take it easy. This is how the football World Cup does it to build up tention in the play-offs stage, and it's great. There's no use hurrying. I hate it that tomorrow, there are 4 quarterfinal games at the Worlds, but you can't even properly watch them because two pairs of games partially overlap.

 

[ulvvf]

With this roster though? This year's roster is miles ahead of any other team.

I only have to go back to 2013 to find a just as hype if not more hype canadian team

http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?year0=2013&team=1616

 

[Faterson]

Oh, the 2012 team kicked out of the quarterfinals by Slovakia was even better (on paper) than 2013, I believe:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=1616&year0=2012&status=

 

[TheTechNoir]

Yeah, probably, but it just sounds so wrong when a 19 year old claims fatigue as the reason for not going to a tourney where 43 year old Jágr still looks pretty fresh.

If you watch the past 15 games those two have played and the dates of those games, even considering the age gap it shouldn't surprise you. Plus it doesn't hurt that Jagr is probably the most physically disciplined player in the world, maybe of all time in terms of conditioning.

 

[TheTechNoir]

Esides the responses about belarus being a surprise, France has surprjsed me too. Even when they didn't win they put up very impressive fights against tough competition.

 

[andersej]

I'm pleasantly surprised with the play of some of the Czech forwards with no NHL experience: Kovar has been solid and even some of the depth forwards like Zatovic, Dominik Simon and Vondrka have been more than useful.

And Kemppainen too...

 

[Felix Unger]

Nikolaj Ehlers declining the invitation due to fatigue had me pretty surprised.

Terrible luck for the Danish this year. Their best players were either still in the playoffs (Ellers, Andersen) or hurt (Boedker, F. Nielsen).

 

[AstrophysicalJet]

Terrible luck for the Danish this year. Their best players were either still in the playoffs (Ellers, Andersen) or hurt (Boedker, F. Nielsen).

Denmark were missing 11 sure fire players

 

[jcbio11]

For me, the no show and the subsequent 9th place and missing the QFs by team Slovakia. Yes, I was a believer.

 

[FinRuutu]

Canada

Goals for: 58
Goals against: 15

Sidney Crosby +/-

-1

 

[Paxon]

Definitely my Team USA. I thought they'd be fun to watch due to the youngsters but I didn't expect them to get to the semis. Russia will probably get its revenge Saturday, even still this would have been a strong tournament for that team.

 

[Faterson]

For me, the no show and the subsequent 9th place and missing the QFs by team Slovakia. Yes, I was a believer.

So was I, but it would be more surprising if they did not fail the way they did.

 

[Eagle Eye Cherry]

Esides the responses about belarus being a surprise, France has surprjsed me too. Even when they didn't win they put up very impressive fights against tough competition.

Is it me or did france play pretty well in this tournament considering their talent level?

 

[Rexor]

I was expecting a lot more games where smaller hockey nations would upset the big nations. It was a recurring theme of the recent four or five tournaments but this year was as if things came back to normal. Also, the Americans have been much better than I thought they would.

 

[Faterson]

this year was as if things came back to normal. Also, the Americans have been much better than I thought they would.

Erm, are you referring to Belarus defeating the US 5-2? That was definitely an upset, and pretty much guaranteed a play-off spot for the world's no. 9-ranked team, at the expense of no. 8 (Slovakia). Also, after 1 week of play, Belarus was sitting at the top of Group B, and in the final standings of Group B, ridiculous 3 points separated the no. 1 team from no. 4 team. (In Group A, the difference was 11 points.) Also, 8 points (!) would have been enough to qualify for the play-offs in Group A, while 14 (!) points (or 4 regulation wins + 2 extra points) might not have been enough to get into the play-offs from Group B, which must be a new Worlds record. All very surprising to me – unless you don't want to count Belarus among "smaller hockey nations" and consider them to be a "bubble team" (neither big nor small).

 

[Rexor]

The U.S. struggling against Belarus didn't surprise me that much, as the former have got a team that is better suited to play against stronger opponents imo. Still, it's only one game. In recent tournaments, you had Czech losing points with Norway, Denmark or France, Slovakia getting swept by Denmark, Russia losing to France etc. Nothing like that this time around.