The dumbest thing you've seen a national team coach do

[jcs0218]

Viktor Tikhonov for not having Fetisov and Kasatonov on the ice against Gretzky, Lemieux and Hawerchuk for the final minute of the 1987 Canada Cup.

What's worse is Tikhonov put 20-year-old Igor Kravchuk on the ice. His failed pinch led to the decisive goal.

And if I remember correctly Tikhonov then proceeded to chew out Kravchuk when he was back on the bench as if it were his fault.

Fetisov and Kasatonov had finished a long shift about 30 seconds before that goal was scored. And the goal was scored with about 1:30 left in the 3rd period, So Tikhonov may have been planning on using them for the final minute.

But, I agree it was dumb on his part in consideration of the overall context.

The puck had just been iced by Canada with the faceoff in Canada's end.

When Tikhonov saw that Gretzky, Lemieux, and Hawerchuk were out there at that moment, he should have called a timeout and got his best 5 players rested and ready to go out there.

Not only would have that ensured Fetisov and Kasatonov would have been out there to defend, but you also give yourself a chance to win the game with the KLM line out there if you win the faceoff in Canada's end.

 

[Jahara]

Bengt-Åke Gustafsson picking Modin over Samuelsson in 2010. And the fact that Weinhandl and Magnus Johansson made the team. Also Hannula making the team over Holmstrom in 2006... But luckily Holmstrom finally got a spot as a replacement.

Modin was actually quite good in that tournament and filled his role as a big physical guy. But it was one issue...

BÅG sending out modin-påhlsson last minute to get a goal against Slovakia in olympics 2010.

That is not correct and Modin did not play that game due to injury. B-Å Gustafsson only picked 12 forwards knowing that old guys like Modin and Forsberg were injury prone. Sweden only had 11 forwards to that game and it might be the decisive thing. Next tournament the rosters was expanded with two more players.

You could watch the game online and Påhlsson was thrown in to be the garbage man with L Eriksson-Bäckström-Alfredsson. Do not think it would have made much difference with someone else there (like Franzén, Modin, young Hörnqvist or sidestepped/injured Holmström) for that shift. It was more strange that BÅG threw in Franzén-Zetterberg-Hörnqvist with 1.30 to go. It should have been the Sedin or Bäckström line.

 

[Jahara]

Most dumb thing I can recall must be when poor and annoying coach Hardy Nilsson picked Jonas Finn Olsson to the national team. Pure nepotism with his old Djurgården player who really did not belong on international level.

 

[JoVel]

Not to do with coaching directly but Jukka Jalonen leaving Jussi Jokinen off the 2010 Olympic team was pretty brutal. Jokinen was first in goals and second in points among Finns that year.

 

[DeysArena]

Maybe an even bigger mistake than not choosing Gretzky was choosing Bourque.

Unless we are all unaware of some kind of secret breakaway talent that Bourque had, then choosing him over several forwards wasn't too smart.

Even if you ignore Gretzky, then why not have Yzerman or Recchi take a shootout attempt rather than Bourque?

If I remember right, Crawford said he chose Bourque because he'd won the target shooting event at the all-star game.

 

[jcs0218]

If I remember right, Crawford said he chose Bourque because he'd won the target shooting event at the all-star game.

Yes, that is correct.

And I can't believe a professional hockey coach, one that also played in the NHL as a player, would make the move he did for such a silly reason.

Hitting a target that isn't moving from a stand-still is much different than beating a goaltender while skating. It is a completely different type of skill.

A former professional hockey player should have known that.

 

[PanniniClaus]

If I remember right, Crawford said he chose Bourque because he'd won the target shooting event at the all-star game.

Crawford hears about this mistake to this day... Whatever arena he is in... he gets razzed....NHLers in the Olympics for the first time and that's how it ends.

 

[alko]

Fero Hossa and Slovakia OG 2006 Quarterfinals vs Czech republic. Defense, defense, defense. And when he realized, they should score some goals to win the game, it was too late.

 

[mattihp]

Fero Hossa and Slovakia OG 2006 Quarterfinals vs Czech republic. Defense, defense, defense. And when he realized, they should score some goals to win the game, it was too late.

I wonder if the game between Sweden and Slovakia was one of the dumbest things BÅG ever did.

Only player on the ice for Sweden who wanted to win was Mikael Tellqvist in net.

 

[alko]

I wonder if the game between Sweden and Slovakia was one of the dumbest things BÅG ever did.

Only player on the ice for Sweden who wanted to win was Mikael Tellqvist in net.

Is there any full video of this match?

 

[mattihp]

Is there any full video of this match?

For Sweden's sake, I hope not.

 

[Lartsaman]

Is there any full video of this match?

Here you go. With finnish commentators though. Not a full match but you get the idea.

 

[Rusty7550]

For Sweden's sake, I hope not.

I remember, there was a little controversy after that game. Some people said that Swedish players decided to lose that game on purpose to avoid Czech Republic in quarterfinals. Switzerland was obviously easier team to play in QF. But I don't know whether this rumor is true or not.

 

[mattihp]

I remember, there was a little controversy after that game. Some people said that Swedish players decided to lose that game on purpose to avoid Czech Republic in quarterfinals. Switzerland was obviously easier team to play in QF. But I don't know whether this rumor is true or not.

A little?! Even swedish commentators got sad. I think Håkan Södergren was one of the guys in the studio and even he was critical. He has never admitted that a swede has done anything wrong ever before or after that..

The swedish coach even kinda said they would tank the game.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Is there any full video of this match?

yep

 

[Eye of Ra]

For Sweden's sake, I hope not.

there is no shame losing 3-2 to a very good slovakian team.

 

[mattihp]

there is no shame losing 3-2 to a very good slovakian team.

The shame is not that, the shame is how they played. Especially Sundin, Alfredsson and Forsberg..

 

[Rusty7550]

there is no shame losing 3-2 to a very good slovakian team.

He's talking about 06 Olympics where Sweden lost 0-3 to Slovakia.

 

[Eye of Ra]

The shame is not that, the shame is how they played. Especially Sundin, Alfredsson and Forsberg..

im talking about 2010

 

[Eye of Ra]

He's talking about 06 Olympics where Sweden lost 0-3 to Slovakia.

oh ok. yeah bad game from sweden but not lost on purpose. people who say sweden lost on purpose is the same people who think lizards are ruling the world behind the scenes.

 

[Rusty7550]

A little?! Even swedish commentators got sad. I think Håkan Södergren was one of the guys in the studio and even he was critical. He has never admitted that a swede has done anything wrong ever before or after that..

The swedish coach even kinda said they would tank the game.

I don't speak Swedish but it seems like here Forsberg is talking about that game.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I don't speak Swedish but it seems like here Forsberg is talking about that game.

does it matter? we beat czech, finns and swiss. all these teams beat canada.

 

[Rusty7550]

does it matter? we beat czech, finns and swiss. all these teams beat canada.

Nope, I don't blame them for doing that. I wish we (Slovakia) did the same. We won every game in the group but choked in the most important game. I blame coaches for that loss. That team should win a medal that year.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Not coaching per se, but the U.S. brain trust behind the 2016 U.S. World Cup of Hockey team. I guess to be fair the addition of the young guns team really gutted us for that event.

 

[alko]

yep

This is 2010. We are talking about 2006.