Why WON'T your country win gold?

[Hammer Time]

If we lose it'll just be because of dumb mistakes. Canada will probably own the puck against most teams, but something like a turnover or blocked shot could easily lead to an odd-man rush the other way and a goal. Also, penalties are often called pretty strictly in international play, and taking a penalty at the wrong time (like Getzlaf's at the 2012 WC) could easily cost them. In a one-and-done tournament you could even see a normally reliable guy like Doughty make an uncharacteristic mistake and that ends up being the difference. (Pronger was one of the world's best D-men in 2010 and he really didn't look great for Canada).

 

[Bounces R Way]

Crosby, it's all on goofy grin.

More likely however it'll be another team's hot goalie, coupled with a poorly timed Luongo starfish.

 

[Gaps]

Because our defense has more holes than Swiss cheese and/or because we can't buy a goal (most of our forwards are playmakers and our winger depth reeks).

 

[chauron]

Lack of natural goalscorers. If we had a few Stamkos it would be different. Cannada, can you give Finland one of your leftovers please!

 

[llwyd]

Simple: if the Finnish fans don't gripe and wail enough. The big secret of Finnish hockey success is namely that our team uses the almost unlimited amount of negative energy and pessimism that comes from our pissing and moaning and crying and badmouthing fans...

 

[Puck Dogg]

Finland doesn't win due the rules allow playing only one goalie at a time.

 

[Ogrezilla]

 

[tinyzombies]

Last two times we lost on Olympic ice looked similar...too slow! But not this time. And this is the best defense Canada has ever had on big ice (suited to big ice)....if Subban starts.

I guess that leaves goaltending experience if Price starts, and consistency if Luongo starts as our only weaknesses this time.

Could have left Getzlaf/Perry/Bergeron off and added Giroux, Staal and St. Louis for extra speed/quickness maybe. Bergeron isn't needed with Toews in there. But I guess we are a possession team.


2006:
S. Gagne - J. Sakic - J. Iginla (slow)
R. Smyth (slow) - V. Lecavalier - M. St. Louis
R. Nash - J. Thornton (slow) - T. Bertuzzi (slow)
K. Draper - B. Richards (avg) - D. Heatley (extra slow)
S. Doan

1998:
Shanahan (slow)-Gretzky (avg)-Yzerman (avg at that point)
Corson (slow)-Lindros (C)-Brind'Amour (slow)
Zamuner (avg)-Nieuwendyk (avg)-Fleury (avg)
Primeau-Sakic-Recchi (avg)
spares: Linden (slow)

This time:
Kunitz, Crosby, Stamkos (excellent)
Sharp, Toews, Nash (excellent)
Benn/Marleau?, Getzlaf (avg), Perry (avg)
Duchene/Marleau?, Tavares (avg?), Carter
Bergeron (avg), Marleau (fast, but limited agility/acceleration,maybe not as important on big ice?)

Keith-Doughty
Subban-Pietrangelo
Vlasic-Weber
Hamhouse/Bouwbench

 

[Big Phil]

I still think Canada wins, so I guess I'm not consistent with the intention of this thread. Not that they don't have some suspect picks, but they do have what I think is the fastest team on the large sheet of ice. Stamkos, Crosby, Marleau, Duchene, etc.

However, I think if this team loses, it will be the fact that they left a couple of game breakers at home and took some less than proven game breakers on the team.

 

[Boreal01]

The roster.

 

[Kale Makar]

Because Canada is better than us?

 

[Never]

Inviting Chris Kunitz.

 

[EbencoyE]

Orpik

 

[octopi]

I'll just do every team

Canada:
Goaltending, large ice , cheating ref, we weren't ready, Putin drugged our food, eaten by bears

Sweden: No Lidstrom, Lundqvist has an off night.

Russia: Coaching failure, general disorganization

States: Byalsma(which I just bet I spelled wrong)

Finland Oh come on, no one expects Finland. Plus Selanne magic doesnt work here

Czech: Not enough super goalies

Slovakia: Chara cloning device broke


Other countries: weren't nearly good enough, surprise surprise.

 

[Sokil]

Ukraine didn't qualify.

 

[BigT2002]

Defense is not as good as it could have been

Tried to make a team to play up against Canada, even though they are not even in the same Group and we are in one that isn't exactly a cakewalk to breeze through.

 

[sonnytheman]

And people wonder around here why so many cannot stand Canadian posters. This post and the one before it by ryan34 are exactly why I feel like I should cheer for Canada being our Northern friends and such, but I can't because fools like this will get their way.

Don't judge us all! But yeah, their answers were pretty bad.

Anyway, for Canada, I think it'll be the defensive play of other teams. Some national teams have terrific defensive structure, and I can see that being very frustrating to play against, and that forces mistakes and too much individual play.

 

[behemolari]

I'll just do every team

Canada:
Goaltending, large ice , cheating ref, we weren't ready, Putin drugged our food, eaten by bears

Sweden: No Lidstrom, Lundqvist has an off night.

Russia: Coaching failure, general disorganization

States: Byalsma(which I just bet I spelled wrong)

Finland Oh come on, no one expects Finland. Plus Selanne magic doesnt work here

Czech: Not enough super goalies

Slovakia: Chara cloning device broke


Other countries: weren't nearly good enough, surprise surprise.

So there's no excuse even needed, I like this

 

[saskriders]

goaltending

 

[HC Bienne]

teams out of top 6 have the right to participate in this thread?

 

[pbgoalie]

USA won't win because,
well....the olympics are NOT in the USA

We are a home field advantage team!!!

 

[MMANumminen]

Because we always shoot to the goalies pads

 

[The Right Price]

Finland: Incompetent coach that lives in the past (Ruutu on 1st line LOL and Selänne probably getting 15-20 min a game) and has no system.

 

[TANK200]

Don't judge us all! But yeah, their answers were pretty bad.

Anyway, for Canada, I think it'll be the defensive play of other teams. Some national teams have terrific defensive structure, and I can see that being very frustrating to play against, and that forces mistakes and too much individual play.

Don't judge all Canadians based on what this guy says. We're not all a bunch of pansies and left-wing pinkos; some of us actually have some backbone. Why should we make up some bogus reason as to why another team might have a chance? We're Canada, we know we're the best and we're going to win. It's as simple as that. Hockey is our game!

/thread

 

[LiveeviL]

For Sweden I can see a tame forward behaviour around the crease, making it easy for a goalie with a good day.

I am not particularity concerned with Sweden giving up many goals, but I can easily see the team with few goals of their own (as in fewer than the other team, as in losing).