"KHLers vs College kids" yeah the US had three NCAA players, and all of them already played in the NHL this season. Come on, don't make it sound like the team was made up completely by amateurs.
Top 4 countries?
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DoubleGold
X2
Russia is a notorious choker when it comes to best-on-best tournaments. Finland has a way better track record in the recent years with a way weaker roster, but Finland is catching up fast in that department too. Thus Finland is in Top 4 and not Russia.
And to answer the question:
1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. USA
4. Finland
1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. USA
4. Finland
Kyndig
Registered User
- Jan 3, 2012
- 5,147
- 2,862
Yeah and the college kids were the best players! Look at all those other players on that list, I'm sure people will be lining up to get them onto an NHL contract ASAP! My point stands, it was a farce.
Bear12Good
Registered User
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
tony d
New poll series coming from me in June
Peiskos
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2018
- 3,670
- 3,623
Personally I don't see the US inside the top 4, top 5 yes. They haven't even reached the IIHF final in nearly 60 years.
It might be a wildly unpopular opinion around these parts but we must take into account that the US is the only major hockey playing country that has yet to win a gold medal at the mens level in this current century...its a fact that for some reason isn't talked about very often.
1996 was a long time ago. Every major country has won at least one mens level tournament in the 21st century, US has not. Even Slovakia has won a mens tournament more recently than the US has.
For me this is a major roadblock in awarding the US the right to call themselves a "top 4" country, I mean top 4 has to have some prestige doesn't it?
You can have all the success in the world at the junior levels but until USA Hockey produces a gold medal at the mens level they don't rise above #5 in my books.
1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Russia
4. Finland
5. USA
Russia and Finland are interchangeable IMO. Canada is the indisputable #1 by a large margin, nobody yet has the ability to legitimately push Canada at a best vs best tournament and Canada's 4th line at such tournaments are still either on par or better than everyone else's 1st line. 1998 and 2006 being outliers of course, but medal table clearly showing Canada unstoppable at best vs best level.
It might be a wildly unpopular opinion around these parts but we must take into account that the US is the only major hockey playing country that has yet to win a gold medal at the mens level in this current century...its a fact that for some reason isn't talked about very often.
1996 was a long time ago. Every major country has won at least one mens level tournament in the 21st century, US has not. Even Slovakia has won a mens tournament more recently than the US has.
For me this is a major roadblock in awarding the US the right to call themselves a "top 4" country, I mean top 4 has to have some prestige doesn't it?
You can have all the success in the world at the junior levels but until USA Hockey produces a gold medal at the mens level they don't rise above #5 in my books.
1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Russia
4. Finland
5. USA
Russia and Finland are interchangeable IMO. Canada is the indisputable #1 by a large margin, nobody yet has the ability to legitimately push Canada at a best vs best tournament and Canada's 4th line at such tournaments are still either on par or better than everyone else's 1st line. 1998 and 2006 being outliers of course, but medal table clearly showing Canada unstoppable at best vs best level.
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If you look at Finland and the US best-on-best rosters and have the Finns above the americans...I don’t think you are being objective.
Realistically Finland has 5 or 6 players who would make the US roster. It is the weakest country of the big 5. You can think what you want about tolvanen or Heiskanen but they haven’t proved anything in the NHL.
Now, if you think they play better team hockey alright I can hear that argument - mainly because USAH can’t build a roster. Doesn’t make them the better hockey nation though.
IMO:
Canada
Sweden
Russia/USA
Realistically Finland has 5 or 6 players who would make the US roster. It is the weakest country of the big 5. You can think what you want about tolvanen or Heiskanen but they haven’t proved anything in the NHL.
Now, if you think they play better team hockey alright I can hear that argument - mainly because USAH can’t build a roster. Doesn’t make them the better hockey nation though.
IMO:
Canada
Sweden
Russia/USA
Conspiracy Theorist
Registered User
- Jan 30, 2016
- 5,840
- 2,071
Yet Finland has medaled in all best-on-best Olympics except for Salt Lake City. The US has little to show for on ice, they are only strong on paper. I think it's fair to rank them at #5.
ManofSteel55
Registered User
What is the criteria for which we calibrate "strength on paper"? International performance vs NHL performance? None of this is set in stone. A guy like Ville Peltonen was a mediocre NHLer, but was routinely better than many NHL superstars on the international stage.
Well, since the question presented in the first post was "Which are the top 4 teams in men's hockey today?", international performance is all that matters, really.
JETZZZ
Registered User
FinPanda
Barkov Stanley cup champ!
Canada
Sweden
USA/Finland/Russia - interchangeable depending on the year. If i'm going strictly based on overall skill and talent, I'll say USA only because they are well known for developing every position. Finland produces amazing goalies and forwards, but they don't have that great of defensemen. Russia always produces great forwards and goalies, but again like Finland, don't produce the best Dmen.
Sweden
USA/Finland/Russia - interchangeable depending on the year. If i'm going strictly based on overall skill and talent, I'll say USA only because they are well known for developing every position. Finland produces amazing goalies and forwards, but they don't have that great of defensemen. Russia always produces great forwards and goalies, but again like Finland, don't produce the best Dmen.
vivalavili
Registered User
I disagree with the bolded. The last few years we have produced a lot of good NHL defensemen and also some really high profile prospects are coming to the NHL. The quality of the goalies has gone downhill though when our youngest of the good starters is Raanta at 29 and Saros is pretty much the only "great" prospect we have in the league rn. Rask, Raanta and Rinne can carry us for a few years still but in the next few years after that we'll have a big problem if Saros (or Husso and Kähkönen) don't turn out to be that good. Defense-wise we'll be solid for the next 15 years.
vivalavili
Registered User
I say:
1st Canada
2nd Sweden
3rd USA
4th Finland
5th Russia
Canada is the best. Best players in the league in each and every position play for Canada. Sweden comes near at second mostly because of their D which is superior to basically any. USA gets third because top talent wise in both D and F they have more depth than Finland and Russia. Finland and Russia come close both at 4th but I'd give a slight advantage to Finland due to us being a younger team (and homerism ofc).
1st Canada
2nd Sweden
3rd USA
4th Finland
5th Russia
Canada is the best. Best players in the league in each and every position play for Canada. Sweden comes near at second mostly because of their D which is superior to basically any. USA gets third because top talent wise in both D and F they have more depth than Finland and Russia. Finland and Russia come close both at 4th but I'd give a slight advantage to Finland due to us being a younger team (and homerism ofc).
Paris in Flames
Registered User
- Feb 4, 2009
- 15,903
- 7,935
If the NHL had gone to the Olympics i have zero doubt the Americans finish ahead of Finland (though it could come down to groups and seeding I guess...)
It's Canada, Sweden, USA and Russia.
The only country there I know is in "order" is Canada.
It's Canada, Sweden, USA and Russia.
The only country there I know is in "order" is Canada.
