The Czechoslovak split and what it meant for their national teams

[attis76]

Compared to Canada's best possible lineup? I dunno about thaat.

Bertuzzi. Lemieux. Heatley
St. Louis. Sakic. Iginla
Smyth. Thornton. Yzerman
Walker. Primeau. Doan

Pronger. Niedermeiyer
Stevens. Blake
Foote. Redden ( MacInnis? )

Brodeur. Belfour. Luongo

Spares: Peca, Gagne/Morrow, Jovanovski/Bouwmeester

=====================================================
They're about the same

 

[Wondercarrot]

as much as i like both Stevens and Yzerman, i think its about time people stop pencilling them for national teams.
you can barely pencil them in for NHL teams at this point.

there are other better players now.

 

[Misha.cz]

Neser But you do agree with me, or not? I mean a Czechoslovak team would have been a disaster. I am not thrilled with this fact (Im half Slovak) but that is just how things are and there is nothing anyone can do about it...

I dont think so. You never know, how things may develop. It always depends on players personalities. It was really valuable for me to read Peter Stastny's book "Hockey on two contients" - he as a real Slovak patriot had a special sense for these tensions. And he stated, that it was always a matter of each one's personality - e.g. he had no problems with guys like Cernik, Ebermann or Martinec, but sometimes these national problems was caused by players below top level, who wanted to make a spot in a team only because of the nationality and so they tried to make their Slovak counterparts a bit nervous before nomination games.

So you never know, how would they feel in one team, but I assume, that if they have no problems playing with each other in club teams, they would be able to play in national team together.

 

[Rogalo]

I dont think so. You never know, how things may develop. It always depends on players personalities. It was really valuable for me to read Peter Stastny's book "Hockey on two contients" - he as a real Slovak patriot had a special sense for these tensions. And he stated, that it was always a matter of each one's personality - e.g. he had no problems with guys like Cernik, Ebermann or Martinec, but sometimes these national problems was caused by players below top level, who wanted to make a spot in a team only because of the nationality and so they tried to make their Slovak counterparts a bit nervous before nomination games.

So you never know, how would they feel in one team, but I assume, that if they have no problems playing with each other in club teams, they would be able to play in national team together.

Yes, I will never know and so wont anybody else. But it is my guess and as you can see on this thread I am not alone...

 

[Ego]

I dont think so. You never know, how things may develop. It always depends on players personalities. It was really valuable for me to read Peter Stastny's book "Hockey on two contients" - he as a real Slovak patriot had a special sense for these tensions. And he stated, that it was always a matter of each one's personality - e.g. he had no problems with guys like Cernik, Ebermann or Martinec, but sometimes these national problems was caused by players below top level, who wanted to make a spot in a team only because of the nationality and so they tried to make their Slovak counterparts a bit nervous before nomination games.

So you never know, how would they feel in one team, but I assume, that if they have no problems playing with each other in club teams, they would be able to play in national team together.

I do not like Peter Stastny when it comes to personality.
Since the two states are separeted the relationship is much better.

 

[Rogalo]

I do not like Peter Stastny when it comes to personality.
Since the two states are separeted the relationship is much better.

Very true

 

[thrill_me_mogilny]

I also enjoy seeing two teams, for very selfish reason. My parents are from Slovakia and no one had a clue about the place, it was always "Oh, you mean Czechoslovakia" Ojojoi, bozhe, bozhe! Finally people know it's that little schnitzel shaped place somewhere within tank driving distance of Russia that makes great hockey players!

 

[Shareefruck]

as much as i like both Stevens and Yzerman, i think its about time people stop pencilling them for national teams.
you can barely pencil them in for NHL teams at this point.

there are other better players now.

Stevens is still one of the best defensemen in the league. Yzerman's production might be dropping, but he can still play a defensive role to a T, is still one of the best 2-way forwards in the league, and can probably even make team Canada on presence alone..

I'd agree with you if you were talking about maybe Cujo or most other over-the-hill guys, though..

 

[GKJ]

Hmm... so do people seem to think that the Slovaks are in a 'golden age' and will eventually fall to the level of Switzerland/Latvia/Belarus??

They're kind of in the middle somewhere. Slovakia don't have a lot of players in their prime. They have a lot of young player and a lot of older players. They may fall a little for a short time but should rebound.



Don't count Switzerland has a team they would 'fall' to. Switzerland (not Germany) is probably the 8th best nation in the world, and their junior program over the past few years has shown vast improvements.