Whats wrong with Russia !!!

[ps241]

I'm from Russia. I want to apologize for our team. I, and many Russian people are ashamed of what they have left the ice early.

Honestly if I was guessing what the average Russian fan felt like today this is a post I would reference.

Hockey is a zany sport they can do nasty things to each other but oddly when it is over and the dust settles they line up and shake hands? I have always admired how hockey players of all nationalities seem to be able to suck it up.

I know yesterday might have been an embarrassment for the defending champs because they have pride and they got their ass kicked. The problem is Russia has dealt out much worse beatings so often over the years and the other teams have done the right thing and stood there and listened to the Russian anthem as their flag gets raised. Its the right thing to do and the Russian fans know it and I suspect the Russian players that left the ice would like a do over today.

I know as a Canadian fan I'm not going to get my panties in a knot, they shook hands, turn the page.

 

[TheFinalWord]

Personally, I would give the Russian's the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was a mistake and nothing more. It was great that some of them realized and stayed longer, but they shouldn't be made to wait through all the celebrations and such. Perhaps change the protocol so that the losing team can leave after the handshake if there is going to be so much time between the end of the game and the anthem.

I hope it wasn't intentional and because it hasn't happened before, I'm not judging the Russians too harshly.

 

[psowrc]

Personally, I would give the Russian's the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was a mistake and nothing more. It was great that some of them realized and stayed longer, but they shouldn't be made to wait through all the celebrations and such. Perhaps change the protocol so that the losing team can leave after the handshake if there is going to be so much time between the end of the game and the anthem.

I hope it wasn't intentional and because it hasn't happened before, I'm not judging the Russians too harshly.

When in the history of international hockey or any sport has the losing team left prior to the anthem? Never. There is no excuse. I am judging the Russians harshly for their behavior.

 

[Phil McKraken]

Even at the junior level this stuff would have been hard to stomach, but kids will be kids. Kovalchuk is a grown man who has played professional hockey for 15 years, what the hell was he doing?

 

[Scotty B]

That ceremony went on FOREEEEEVER. As a Canadian, I felt really bad for the Russians. They were basically made to stand there and wait for 20 minutes before even getting to the hand shake line. Literally just standing there watching. Then they finally get their medals, do their handshake, and they're then meant to stand there for ANOTHER 20 minutes while they announce this or that prize? Then Canada gets their trophy and they skate around with it, passing it to each other and skating around and all the while, Russia is meant to just stand there again?

To me that was the problem. I don't recall if it was the same situation in previous years, but that's just insulting to the opposing team. In the NHL, you celebrate, you shake hands, and then the other team is free to go. Boom. Done.

That whole ceremony was horribly organized, and I don't blame Russia at all for just saying, "alright that's enough, let's go be sad in the privacy of our dressing room".

Had it on PVR and watched just to see what people were talking about. I didn't see anything untoward. They shook hands as a sign of good sportsmanship. Ceremony was too long, like u said. Don't think there was any intended sleight. MUCH to do about NOTHING...

 

[Scotty B]

The problem with Russia, is it's all about politics, and no logic. Canada acknowledges their best players, i.e., making Crosby Captain. Russia should've made their best player Ovechkin Captain by now. Instead they give it to guys like Kovalchuk.

Ovi wasn't there till the semis. How could he be captain? Kovalchuk looked grief stricken at the end, pain etched deep in his face. At least he cares. Plus he didn't lose his cool like Malkin; Hog the puck on a 2 on none sans shot; Or steal puck off his own team mate...

Just sayin...

 

[ozzie]

The Russians are extremely talented offensively and individually. For some reason when they assemble as a team, they don't play as a team. They don't seem to buy into what the coach is selling, if they do buy it, they quickly unravel at the first sign of trouble.

The Canadian Olympic Team of 2014, played a defensive style of hockey. With all the talent and offensive ability they had, they played some of the best defence seen in modern hockey. The entire team, Superstars, Elites all bought into the system preached and played the system.

Now in their defence, this years Canadian team was one of the best ever sent to the WHC, with the World Cup around the corner it seemed players were a bit more willing to go. Crosby going didn't hurt either, but a very good team. Well coached team too.

The Russian team just doesn't look like it has an identity anymore, it used to be the beautiful Soviet style, now its no style at all, its a bunch of individuals maybe poorly coached compared to teams like Sweden and Finland.

 

[Kurisu]

Russians have sold their souls/heart for their offensive skills

 

[Atas2000]

My russian friend said, that when he played junior hockey the position came with how good you were in general. Best players were always put as forwards, then defensemen and last and least- goalie. I reckon this kind of system naturally supports offensive minded game over balanced tactics.

Second thing is the problem with personalities. Kovalchuck, Radulov and Malkin act like artists and I can imagine their faces if a coach would bring up a new strategy called team game. If there were more characters like Datsyuk who is an amazing individual but also a member of a team at the same time it would be an improvement. I think that especially this lack of coachability?? considering their core is a major reason for Russia being helpless in tournaments such as olympics and WC.

You just don't know Znarok. He could coach anybody. That's not the problem. As for your russian friend's story it is a good picture of what happened to the russian development system. We will need time to straighten that out.

 

[Atas2000]

The Russians are extremely talented offensively and individually. For some reason when they assemble as a team, they don't play as a team. They don't seem to buy into what the coach is selling, if they do buy it, they quickly unravel at the first sign of trouble.

A common narrative, but there is simply nothing t it. If ppl outside Russia like to think that we can't do anything about it. The real problems are alsewhere.

 

[tmlms13]

in all fairness Finland was behind them.

 

[BLNY]

I'll start my comment by saying thank you to Ovi, Gino, and the other guys who stayed out. After watching their team mates leave it would have been easy to shrug and leave as well. They didn't. They looked on, seemingly in disbelief, and stayed through the anthems.

This isn't the first time the team has shown poor sportsmanship. Is there a divide amongst the group? Ovi/Malkin vs. Kovalchuk? Cliques that might follow both? Hard to say it's strictly KHL vs. NHL as a few of the guys that remained were KHL players. Tikhonov and Dadonov don't have any ties to North America that I'm aware of.

In the end, it's a shame. It's a black mark for the Russian Hockey Federation, and there should be sanctions against the club and/or those that left the ice.

 

[Macman]

I'll start my comment by saying thank you to Ovi, Gino, and the other guys who stayed out. After watching their team mates leave it would have been easy to shrug and leave as well. They didn't. They looked on, seemingly in disbelief, and stayed through the anthems.

 

[roboninja]

I do not understand your facepalm. I agree with what he said, good on Ovi, Malkin and the couple of others who stayed. It seems Kovy was the guy that waved people off, and that did not do much to my already-low opinion of that guy.

EDIT: I figured it out in another thread: those 4 guys did not actually stay for the anthems, just hung around longer than the rest of their team and saw the trophy awarded. I missed the ceremony live so did not realize.

 

[Macman]

I do not understand your facepalm. I agree with what he said, good on Ovi, Malkin and the couple of others who stayed. It seems Kovy was the guy that waved people off, and that did not do much to my already-low opinion of that guy.

I didn't mean to be harsh but it's been pointed out numerous times that no Russians were on the ice for the anthem. Good on Ovi and a few others for staying for the trophy presentation but even they were gone before the anthem. There's a link in one of these threads that shows the ceremony.

 

[Yakushev72]

The Russians are extremely talented offensively and individually. For some reason when they assemble as a team, they don't play as a team. They don't seem to buy into what the coach is selling, if they do buy it, they quickly unravel at the first sign of trouble.

The Canadian Olympic Team of 2014, played a defensive style of hockey. With all the talent and offensive ability they had, they played some of the best defence seen in modern hockey. The entire team, Superstars, Elites all bought into the system preached and played the system.

Now in their defence, this years Canadian team was one of the best ever sent to the WHC, with the World Cup around the corner it seemed players were a bit more willing to go. Crosby going didn't hurt either, but a very good team. Well coached team too.

The Russian team just doesn't look like it has an identity anymore, it used to be the beautiful Soviet style, now its no style at all, its a bunch of individuals maybe poorly coached compared to teams like Sweden and Finland.

Rather than focusing on generalized, perceived traits and characteristics, Sunday's game was really more a convergence of a variety of factors, the most important being the lack of availability of competent defensemen capable of preventing the puck from being trapped in the defensive zone. Because of a calamity of injuries, relatively competent KHL defensemen who would normally be there were not available, so they had to rely on some guys that were inexperienced and untried. It wasn't just a problem against Canada - remember, Russia lost 2 games before the final - but Canada had the talent on hand to better take advantage of it.

People somehow expect Russia to match the performances of past Soviet teams, but in fact, Russia is only now in recovery from the near-destruction of hockey in the country in the 1990's. Economic disaster forced the abandonment of what had been built, which was allowed to decay and wither away. Only in the last 6 or 7 years has there been a concerted effort to rebuild a hockey system and structure, but it still has a long way to go. Obviously, one real weakness is that the system is not producing defensemen who can skate well enough to influence the game defensively or offensively. Until that is fixed, even Russian teams with talented attackers will be somewhat vulnerable.

 

[tony d]

Kudos to Ovie and Malkin and a few others for staying out there. No excuse for the behavior or Kovalchuk and others. Yeah you lost but suck it up at least you made the final.

 

[Yakushev72]

I didn't mean to be harsh but it's been pointed out numerous times that no Russians were on the ice for the anthem. Good on Ovi and a few others for staying for the trophy presentation but even they were gone before the anthem. There's a link in one of these threads that shows the ceremony.

I think it might have actually been worse if only 4 Russian players stood on their blue line for the national anthem. That would have just drawn attention to what had happened. They paid their respects and left.

 

[Macman]

I think it might have actually been worse if only 4 Russian players stood on their blue line for the national anthem. That would have just drawn attention to what had happened. They paid their respects and left.

Maybe so. I'd like to think Ovie went into the dressing room and chewed everyone out for leaving but maybe that's wishful thinking. Any idea how he and Kovalchuk get along?

 

[Riddum]

Russia needs to stop thinking they can blow by everyone with sheer skill anymore. Those days are over. They need better defence and strategy. The coach needs to brings these guys together.

When Geno stole the puck from his teammate, I laughed but that particular play was extremely telling.

 

[Yakushev72]

My russian friend said, that when he played junior hockey the position came with how good you were in general. Best players were always put as forwards, then defensemen and last and least- goalie. I reckon this kind of system naturally supports offensive minded game over balanced tactics.

Second thing is the problem with personalities. Kovalchuck, Radulov and Malkin act like artists and I can imagine their faces if a coach would bring up a new strategy called team game. If there were more characters like Datsyuk who is an amazing individual but also a member of a team at the same time it would be an improvement. I think that especially this lack of coachability?? considering their core is a major reason for Russia being helpless in tournaments such as olympics and WC.

Its hard to imagine its different anywhere else. How do coaches decide who will be a forward and who will be a defenseman? I'll bet most countries put the best and quickest skaters at forward, and the bigger and slower skaters at defenseman. Can anyone shed light on that?

 

[Scotty B]

Ozzie:

The Russians are extremely talented offensively and individually. For some reason when they assemble as a team, they don't play as a team. They don't seem to buy into what the coach is selling, if they do buy it, they quickly unravel at the first sign of trouble.

Atlas2000

A common narrative, but there is simply nothing t it. If ppl outside Russia like to think that we can't do anything about it. The real problems are alsewhere.[

Aside from the fact they were thin on defense, due to injuries (a problem we already know about )...If ' the real problems' lie elsewhere & no one has come close to identifying them...don't keep us in suspense...do tell...

 

[Kurt Cobain]

What happened after the game? What did the Russians do that was so bad? I obviously did not see the game so I have no idea what happened and this is the first I'm hearing about it.

 

[zzoo]

May I have a quick question: did Tarasenko stay on ice of the Canadian anthem ?

 

[Jablkon]

Its hard to imagine its different anywhere else. How do coaches decide who will be a forward and who will be a defenseman? I'll bet most countries put the best and quickest skaters at forward, and the bigger and slower skaters at defenseman. Can anyone shed light on that?

I read interview with Frantisek Kucera today. he basically said the kid should switch their positions (except goalie for sure) in youth categories to get alll habits and be ready for all round game....