Top 4 countries?

[Draiskull]

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).

goaltending says hi.

Canada wont stay up top for much longer since there is no one good coming up in net for them.

 

[vivalavili]

goaltending says hi.

Canada wont stay up top for much longer since there is no one good coming up in net for them.

Oh. For some reason I thought Demko and Ottinger were canadiens. But in the end even mediocre goaltending will keep them at the top with their attack and defense being of such a high quality

 

[Boonk]

goaltending says hi.

Canada wont stay up top for much longer since there is no one good coming up in net for them.

Matt Murray says hello

 

[Merya]

Finland is a strong number 5-6 with Czech, but often overperforms in a way that they can have a yearly rank above their natural position.

 

[Ducks76]

Finland is a strong number 5-6 with Czech, but often overperforms in a way that they can have a yearly rank above their natural position.

But on paper Finland are stronger than ever before. And in future a lot more.

 

[Merya]

But on paper Finland are stronger than ever before. And in future a lot more.

In future yes, but not yet. Give it couple more years.

 

[Ducks76]

In future yes, but not yet. Give it couple more years.

But yet too! Very good players.

 

[connormcmuffin]

Canada and.... well a good series would be Canada vs the World, given the best on best tournaments over the last decade Canada has earned that challenge.

 

[Mestaruus]

Canada
Sweden
Russia
Finland
------------------
USA/CZE - tie

USA only beats Finland in player material, but there's no denying that Finland has achieved more with lesser players in the last 10 years or so. I feel like the margin will only get greater in Finland's favor now that the disaster coach of Finland, Lauri Marjamäki is gone, replaced by the most succesful Finnish NT coach in the history of Finland, Jukka Jalonen.

For some reason I think that his underachieving by USA will continue, so I'd rate them that low.

Best on best roster strength wise it's probably:
1. Canada
2. USA
3 & 4. RUS & SWE tie - RUS better forwards, SWE better defenders.
5. Finland - but CZE isn't that far

 

[Mestaruus]

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.

I don't see the goalie thing becoming an issue. We've seen lately that we produce a lot of late bloomer goalies as well.

 

[Tomas W]

USA is hard to rank, since they probably is #2 player by player, but the also need to prove themselves better in international games (I am not counting jrs). Therefore:

1 Canada
2 Russia
3 Sweden/USA/Finland
4 Czech Rep./Switzerland

 

[nucks88]

Matt Murray says hello

Braden Holtby isn't playing too poorly right now I would say as well.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

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.

You are using SSS tournaments as your proof. Weak.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Matt Murray says hello

Will there be two generational players to carry him with Canada as well?

*Ponders*

Maybe you are actually right.

 

[Urbanskog]

You are using SSS tournaments as your proof. Weak.

What does that mean?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

What does that mean?

Small sample size.

 

[DrJustice]

I think there are a pretty clear Top-5

Canada
Sweden
USA
Finland
Russia

 

[Connor McConnor]

1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Russia
4. USA
5. Finland

 

[Urbanskog]

Small sample size.

Well, besides the IIHF World Championship tournaments that's all we have. I don't see how else are we supposed to compare these teams.

 

[Brock Radunske]

USA? Last time when USA made the IIHF final game was 1960.

Canada-Russia-Sweden-Finland--USA/Swiss/Czech

A mickey-mouse tournament like IIHF World Championships isn't an indicator of anything...

 

[DDRhockey]

A mickey-mouse tournament like IIHF World Championships isn't an indicator of anything...

A mickey mouse tournament with that frequently has had players like mcdavid, ovechkin, crosby, kane, matthews etc

 

[Brock Radunske]

A mickey mouse tournament with that frequently has had players like mcdavid, ovechkin, crosby, kane, matthews etc

Everyone knows its a B-level tournament so I'm not going argue with you on it, I'll just leave this fact;

Canada's goalie was McBack-up.

Hell, calling it a B-level tournament might be generous on my part.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Well, besides the IIHF World Championship tournaments that's all we have. I don't see how else are we supposed to compare these teams.

The quality of the players on the teams.

 

[Urbanskog]

The quality of the players on the teams.

This thread was about ranking the best teams in international hockey, not about which team potentially looks the flashiest on paper.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I think on paper the U.S. is #2 but I can see the justification for a lower ranking if you take into consideration performance in best on best tournaments at the senior level.