Why does Russia play so far below their potential?

[Kranix]

Because AO lacks that Toews intange

 

[Kshahdoo]

Well, at 2020 WCH we can get a pretty good defense. Zaitsev already looks like above average top4 NHL level defender. Provorov and Sergachev both have a good potential. Tryamkin is huge, and if he will keep improving, he's going to be a real defensive force. Zadorov can become a solid top4 defenseman. I hope Kulikov won't regress. And we have a really solid defensive crop in the KHL.

Considering Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Panarin, Kucherov will still be young enough, and some nowadays youngsters will mature, and Vasilevsky, Sorokin, Shesterkin, Samsonov in goals...

 

[ViD]

Svechnikov will be a star by 2020

 

[tony d]

Their defense and goaltending are far from what their forwards are.

 

[sdf]

Well, at 2020 WCH we can get a pretty good defense. Zaitsev already looks like above average top4 NHL level defender. Provorov and Sergachev both have a good potential. Tryamkin is huge, and if he will keep improving, he's going to be a real defensive force. Zadorov can become a solid top4 defenseman. I hope Kulikov won't regress. And we have a really solid defensive crop in the KHL.

Considering Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Panarin, Kucherov will still be young enough, and some nowadays youngsters will mature, and Vasilevsky, Sorokin, Shesterkin, Samsonov in goals...

Sounds good

 

[EliteGoaltending]

Their defense and goaltending are far from what their forwards are.

Precisely. Plus coaching staff is among the weakest in competition, if not the weakest.

 

[Lataba76]

Russia hasn t enough fighting spirit. They lose too many fights on Board for example.
But this is the key to possess the puck in the right moments.
Successful duels! You must learn this since the youth.

This abilities you can t find in any statistics.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Is it coaching? Is it their Defense? Are they mismanaging their assets? Unable to accept reduced roles? Etc...

I know it's a best on best tournament but they've been thoroughly ouplayed so far. Despite the results.

If I was the coach, I would give the most ice time to Panarin. Guys like Ovi would have to accept lesser roles. Gotta give more ice time to the best guys and the hottest players.

What do you think is the problem?

It's because they are dirty Russians and have no "heart" at all.







- Don C.

 

[Yakushev72]

Is it coaching? Is it their Defense? Are they mismanaging their assets? Unable to accept reduced roles? Etc...

I know it's a best on best tournament but they've been thoroughly ouplayed so far. Despite the results.

If I was the coach, I would give the most ice time to Panarin. Guys like Ovi would have to accept lesser roles. Gotta give more ice time to the best guys and the hottest players.

What do you think is the problem?

Russian hockey is largely undeveloped, and most good players are produced in only 4 or 5 select hockey schools from around the country. In terms of the extensive, comprehensively funded system that you have in Canada, hockey is almost nonexistent by comparison. The creation of the KHL and a junior league, the MHL, will help down the road, but for now the program is stagnant by comparison.

 

[Stubu]

Only clubs can won it

The point was that his NHL sampling doesn't really indicate anything about WHC. Different beasts.

 

[Kshahdoo]

There were like 8 years, when Russians had a way more important thing to do, than to play hockey, - to survive. There wasn't a lot of hockey in Russia in 90s, that's the correct answer.

 

[Talisman]

Russian hockey is largely undeveloped, and most good players are produced in only 4 or 5 select hockey schools from around the country. In terms of the extensive, comprehensively funded system that you have in Canada, hockey is almost nonexistent by comparison. The creation of the KHL and a junior league, the MHL, will help down the road, but for now the program is stagnant by comparison.

i was thingking that Maybe the reason is that every little kid in russia wants to be goal scoring hero instead a brilliant d-man. all the todays hero in russia are offensive clutch players like ovechkin, panarin,kuznetsov,Malkin ..etc etc. back in day the were zubov/konstantinov/malakhov/Gontsar,kasparaitis/mironov brothers etc etc . off course this generation were idolizing Fetisovs and kasatonovs

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

There were like 8 years, when Russians had a way more important thing to do, than to play hockey, - to survive. There wasn't a lot of hockey in Russia in 90s, that's the correct answer.

To add to that, the Russian stars had almost all left for the NHL. The Russian 5, Bure, Mogilny, Kovalev, Zubov, Yashin etc.

The level had dropped significantly in the RHL/RSL.

 

[Atas2000]

Yes but if you can't kill it in an exhibition game, you can't kill it when it matters

It is like predicting the Stanley Cup winner from preseason.

 

[Atas2000]

Russia hasn t enough fighting spirit. They lose too many fights on Board for example.
But this is the key to possess the puck in the right moments.
Successful duels! You must learn this since the youth.

This abilities you can t find in any statistics.

Yeah heart, fighting spirit and hurrdurr

 

[Big Phil]

Not playing as a team and a unit as opposed to past teams. In the 1970s and 1980s that was their strength combined with their individual speed and skill. It scared us. The KLM scared me to death. But there hasn't been anything like that since. Canada lost Game 1 of the 1987 Canada Cup final to the Soviets and it took them 19 years to lose to them again and haven't since. Canada would have beaten the Soviets in 2002 had they played them in the Gold medal game. Ditto for 2014. There just isn't that fear of them, too many enigmas.

In 1984 when Paul Coffey broke up that 2-on-1 he noted that he was anticipating the pass because the Soviets do that 99% of the time on that type of play. They were unselfish back then. That was the key. I wish they'd get back to that level because I would love another Canada vs. Russia final.

 

[EK47]

Because defense..

 

[xxxx]

Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell them.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

I'd say defense and coaching. Defense: just lack of high quality defensemen. In terms of coaching, I think Znarok isn't that good at organizing team play - Russian forwards often end up trying to rely too much on indivual skill if met with an organized defense, which causes them to make errors. Maybe they'll succeed in this World Cup though, who knows, it's sport . I hope so for sure.

 

[illpucks]

Defense and coaching. Canada is loaded with talent. But it's their defense that wins them games. Best defense by a mile.

 

[BlitzSnipe]

​

It's because they are dirty Russians and have no "heart" at all.







- Don C.

Ah yes, classic xenophobia from good ol' Don .

 

[Murky]

I do not buy the bad defense argument. It is still better than Finland pretty much every time. Coaching is hard to really know for certain.

I am still in the corner of small sample size and maybe just a little bit primadonna attitude but mostly just small sample size. Russia right now is hugely underrated and they will go on a tear in international play soon enough to make things even.

 

[Rob]

Goaltending certainly isn't a problem in this tournament. Probably don't want to give up so many shots though.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

Forwards - excellent.
Goalies - good.
Defense - damn bad.
Coaching - god awful.

Its a 50/50 team.

 

[Crease]

They've done really well in the World Championships this past decade. A couple of clunkers but otherwise a pile of medals. The Olympics is a different story, though, and I wonder why.