World Cup: Team Russia

[Caser]

For 2028 it could be maybe something like this:

Kaprizov-Buchnevich-Kucherov
Marchenko-Voronkov-Panarin
Tarasenko-Barbashev-Michkov
Artamonov-Svechkov-Nichushkin
Demidov

Sergachev-Nikishin
Mintyukov-Gavrikov
Provorov-Zub
Lyubushkin

Vasilevskiy
Shestyorkin
Sorokin

 

[Fatass]

Liiga is much worse than the KHL, and Finland's player development is in a crisis. They have produced only 5 first round picks the past 5 years.

Russia is, at worst, #4 of the top hockey nations.

I could agree with Russia is at best #4.

 

[Kshahdoo]

For 2028 it could be maybe something like this:

Kaprizov-Buchnevich-Kucherov
Marchenko-Voronkov-Panarin
Tarasenko-Barbashev-Michkov
Artamonov-Svechkov-Nichushkin
Demidov

Sergachev-Nikishin
Mintyukov-Gavrikov
Provorov-Zub
Lyubushkin

Vasilevskiy
Shestyorkin
Sorokin

Panarin will be 36. He's already not that great in playoffs like hockey. And I'd say Buchelnikov is already better than Tarasenko. And Lyubushkin before Romanov? Are you serious?

 

[Kshahdoo]

Please tell me you are not trying to compare the 3 in 2025?

That is a very are and appropriate use of my least fav HF expression - AINEC

Also, everyone has kicked the shit out of the Oilers in the last 2 games.lol

Of course right now it's AINEC. But if Michkov can already play like this, I assure you, in three years he'll be able to play much better, like really much.

 

[Zine]

Based on what? Because it certainly isn't head to head, medals or international results.

Also. They were just in the finals of the U20. That isn't crisis. The Czechs from 2005 to 2020.. now that is crisis!

Based on:
1. What Finnish posters are saying about the state of their program,
2. The lack of talent being produced recently
3. Recent performances at the highest level of hockey.....tournaments with applicable players to Finland's current roster.

Finland's team play and 'Sisu' are amazing and can compensate for a discrepancy in skill at lower levels (WJC/WC). But vs the best in the world? They've won 1 game in the past 2 best-v-best, outscored 9 to 23.
That correlates directly to how thin they are on defense the past several years. And with no elite prospects on the radar, I envision it only getting worse.

 

[Czechboy]

Based on:
1. What Finnish posters are saying about the state of their program,
2. The lack of talent being produced recently
3. Recent performances at the highest level of hockey.....tournaments with applicable players to Finland's current roster.

Finland's team play and 'Sisu' are amazing and can compensate for a discrepancy in skill at lower levels (WJC/WC). But vs the best in the world? They've won 1 game in the past 2 best-v-best, outscored 9 to 23.
That correlates directly to how thin they are on defense the past several years. And with no elite prospects on the radar, I envision it only getting worse.

I'll disagree and I'm not Finnish.

3 or 4 year lull for sure. But not a massive decline.

Two best examples of massive declines are Czechs and Slovaks.

Two examples of nations I think are in for those declines are Germany and Switzerland.

Finn's are above all of that IMO.

I know you don't like using historical data.. but Finn's got the most medals at best on best Olympics. I don't see that trend declining.

 

[Czechboy]

Of course right now it's AINEC. But if Michkov can already play like this, I assure you, in three years he'll be able to play much better, like really much.

I do think he will be elite.. I prefer him over Bedard. However.. I think Michkov is a step below bure, Fedorov, mogillny, Kuch, Kap for example. Your 1998 Nagano forward core was obscene. It doesn't look like that anymore.

 

[Kshahdoo]

I do think he will be elite.. I prefer him over Bedard. However.. I think Michkov is a step below bure, Fedorov, mogillny, Kuch, Kap for example. Your 1998 Nagano forward core was obscene. It doesn't look like that anymore.

We shall see. And don't forget about Demidov...

 

[ViD]

Panarin will be 36. He's already not that great in playoffs like hockey. And I'd say Buchelnikov is already better than Tarasenko. And Lyubushkin before Romanov? Are you serious?

Pretty sure Silayev, Shakir and Simashev will be better than Lyubushkin by 2028