World Cup of Hockey to Return (Feb 2024)

[Albatros]

Some more fun facts: Draisaitl become an Extraliga coach and his Leon used to (maybe still does) a lot of his offseason training in Prague.

More fun facts.. the German Jr team has won their last 3 matches against us at the World Jrs. They absolutely have our number right now.

Also, that 1996 roster was stacked with very good NHL players and got smoked! Then they went with a different approach in 1998 in Nagano.. I'm very thankful for the 1996 demolition!

Germany had also two other Czech-born guys in Jan Benda and Daniel Kunce, Benda scored twice in that game. Hašek had good instincts refusing to play in the tournament as Turek (and Bříza) went on getting completely annihilated by their own team defense, at the time that hockey game came only weeks after Germany had very narrowly eliminated an excellent Czech team in a soccer final and was kind of adding insult to injury.

 

[ORRFForever]

It bugs me when posters do it during the Worlds. They come on, clearly aren't watching the tourney and then start posting rosters. Here, kind of feels like a great place to do it! It's literally on topic.haha

Fair enough. I didn't mean to put a kibosh on it. It just feels embarrassing when, in 2024, we look weaker than we have... ever.

As a Canadian, my attitude is : Let's see if we win in 2024 before we start claiming Canada B could win.

 

[Gold Standard]

It bugs me when posters do it during the Worlds. They come on, clearly aren't watching the tourney and then start posting rosters. Here, kind of feels like a great place to do it! It's literally on topic.haha

people make too much of a big deal of what bugs them. just ignore it and move on. It bugs me that the prospect forum is continuously spammed with updates of 23-25 year old undrafted Russians. Do I make a big deal of it? No, I put all those "prospect" threads of Russian players on ignore and move on to the important prospects.

 

[Czechboy]

Fair enough. I didn't mean to put a kibosh on it. It just feels embarrassing when, in 2024, we look weaker than we have... ever.

As a Canadian, my attitude is : Let's see if we win in 2024 before we start claiming Canada B could win.

Your absolute WORST case scenario is that you lose and can say you won 3 of the last 4 best on bests. Then start posting B and C rosters.lol

 

[Czechboy]

Germany had also two other Czech-born guys in Jan Benda and Daniel Kunce, Benda scored twice in that game. Hašek had good instincts refusing to play in the tournament as Turek (and Bříza) went on getting completely annihilated by their own team defense, at the time that hockey game came only weeks after Germany had very narrowly eliminated an excellent Czech team in a soccer final and was kind of adding insult to injury.

I'd love to know who the third goalie was for us.. it was probably a guy like Vokoun.lol

Losing to Germany in soccer is perfectly acceptable.. they are awesome at it! But yes, nice run for them. They probably beat us in tennis too.haha

Czech born guys for other nations drives me crazy. Totally fair but I hate it.. Pivonka on US, Hejduks on US, Bonk on Canada... grrr! Let us keep our people, we need them.haha

 

[ORRFForever]

Your absolute WORST case scenario is that you lose and can say you won 3 of the last 4 best on bests. Then start posting B and C rosters.lol

IF we win in 2024, and that is a BIG if, I will be thrilled - of course. Canada just needs to get over the hump that is 2024.

Prospects coming down the pike for Canada should make us World Cup favourites in tournaments going forward - 2028 and beyond. It is truly an impressive / special group.

As for 2024 - the U.S. is due, a terrific team and will win.

I am off to cut the grass and go to Church - see you at Church, CB.

 

[Czechboy]

people make too much of a big deal of what bugs them. just ignore it and move on. It bugs me that the prospect forum is continuously spammed with updates of 23-25 year old undrafted Russians. Do I make a big deal of it? No, I put all those "prospect" threads of Russian players on ignore and move on to the important prospects.

I haven't put anyone on ignore in a long time now. I do avoid certain areas though.lol

The prospects board is hard core! Some real intense posters on there.lol A lot of the AINEC types who will compare the results of an 18 year old in the AHL and a 19 yera old in the CHL and point out the 19 year old has more points.lol

 

[Gold Standard]

IF we win in 2024, and that is a BIG if, I will be thrilled - of course. Canada just needs to get over the hump that is 2024.

Prospects coming down the pike for Canada should make us World Cup favourites in tournaments going forward - 2028 and beyond. It is truly an impressive / special group.

As for 2024 - the U.S. is due, a terrific team and will win.

I am off to cut the grass and go to Church - see you there, CB.

Your expectation should never be gold medals, it should be for Canada to play in gold medal games. If we do that, we will win our fair share. It takes the sting out of the games we do lose. Try that. You'll cope with the wins and loses far better, especially the loses. I hate not playing in gold medal games more than I do losing a gold medal game.

 

[jj cale]

But you gotta know if Canada loses a game, it's coming!lol

Theres all the usual things coming depending on who wins.

Makes me ill.

 

[jj cale]

It bugs me when posters do it during the Worlds. They come on, clearly aren't watching the tourney and then start posting rosters. Here, kind of feels like a great place to do it! It's literally on topic.haha

They drive me nuts, nowhere to be found until we win or lose then just like the coelacanth there is suddenly all these sightings spitting out rubbish of b teams and other utter nonsense..

The phantom euro fans are just as loathsome, they sit and wait in the bushes like the vietcong and appear if...........and only if....................Canada loses., then it's troll time.


Goddamned cowards all those fans, every single one of them. Not even real hockey fans at all, I despise them.

 

[Albatros]

I'd love to know who the third goalie was for us.. it was probably a guy like Vokoun.lol

Losing to Germany in soccer is perfectly acceptable.. they are awesome at it! But yes, nice run for them. They probably beat us in tennis too.haha

Czech born guys for other nations drives me crazy. Totally fair but I hate it.. Pivonka on US, Hejduks on US, Bonk on Canada... grrr! Let us keep our people, we need them.haha

Čechmánek was the third goalie, not playing undoubtedly saved also his reputation whereas Turek and Bříza were both as good as done with the national team afterwards. Lineup that night:

Petr Nedvěd - Pavel Patera - Jaromír Jágr
Martin Ručinský - Robert Reichel - Robert Lang
Robert Holík - Jiří Kučera - Radek Bonk
Martin Procházka - Josef Beránek - Otakar Vejvoda

František Kaberle - Drahomír Kadlec
Stanislav Neckář - Michal Sýkora
Jiří Šlégr - Roman Hamrlík

Roman Turek
Petr Bříza

Scratched: Roman Čechmánek, Jiří Veber, Jiří Vykoukal, Martin Straka, Jiří Dopita, Petr Sýkora


For comparison the victorious 1998 Nagano Olympic final lineup:

Martin Straka - Vladimír Růžička - Jaromír Jágr
Robert Lang - Robert Reichel - Martin Ručinský
Josef Beránek - Jiří Dopita - David Moravec
Martin Procházka - Pavel Patera - Milan Hejduk

Jiří Šlégr - Richard Šmehlík
Petr Svoboda - Roman Hamrlík
František Kučera - Jaroslav Špaček

Dominik Hašek
Roman Čechmánek

Scratched: Milan Hnilička, Libor Procházka, Jan Čaloun

 

[jj cale]

Čechmánek was the third goalie, not playing undoubtedly saved also his reputation whereas Turek and Bříza were both as good as done with the national team afterwards. Lineup that night:

Petr Nedvěd - Pavel Patera - Jaromír Jágr
Martin Ručinský - Robert Reichel - Robert Lang
Robert Holík - Jiří Kučera - Radek Bonk
Martin Procházka - Josef Beránek - Otakar Vejvoda

František Kaberle - Drahomír Kadlec
Stanislav Neckář - Michal Sýkora
Jiří Šlégr - Roman Hamrlík

Roman Turek
Petr Bříza

Scratched: Roman Čechmánek, Jiří Veber, Jiří Vykoukal, Martin Straka, Jiří Dopita, Petr Sýkora


For comparison the victorious 1998 Nagano Olympic final lineup:

Martin Straka - Vladimír Růžička - Jaromír Jágr
Robert Lang - Robert Reichel - Martin Ručinský
Josef Beránek - Jiří Dopita - David Moravec
Martin Procházka - Pavel Patera - Milan Hejduk

Jiří Šlégr - Richard Šmehlík
Petr Svoboda - Roman Hamrlík
František Kučera - Jaroslav Špaček

Dominik Hašek
Roman Čechmánek

Scratched: Milan Hnilička, Libor Procházka, Jan Čaloun

That 98 team on paper is still pretty darn good though, and the goaltending is is such a step up to say the least, I mean, it's the dominator for gods sake.

 

[Czechboy]

That 98 team on paper is still pretty darn good though, and the goaltending is is such a step up to say the least, I mean, it's the dominator for gods sake.

It was and he was amazing!

However, Canada didn't get to 12 shots till the third period. Czechs never trailed in that game. It was a fluke goal to tie in the final minute. That was an amazing team game from them.

The Czechs used a smilar playbook to eliminate the US at the U20 a month ago... underdog but they led the whole game and the US simply didn't get many shots on our goalie (who was no Hasek.lol).

Our back to back jr's were like this too! Gord Miller HATED those 2 golds for us.lol I think fans were booing us for playing such a passive game.haha

Not how I prefer to win tournaments/games but it's so much better than the typical 6-0 anhilation from Canada.haha

 

[Albatros]

Then again Canada and Patrick Roy went on to be humiliated by the great Ari Sulander in the bronze medal game.

 

[Czechboy]

Čechmánek was the third goalie, not playing undoubtedly saved also his reputation whereas Turek and Bříza were both as good as done with the national team afterwards. Lineup that night:

Petr Nedvěd - Pavel Patera - Jaromír Jágr
Martin Ručinský - Robert Reichel - Robert Lang
Robert Holík - Jiří Kučera - Radek Bonk
Martin Procházka - Josef Beránek - Otakar Vejvoda

František Kaberle - Drahomír Kadlec
Stanislav Neckář - Michal Sýkora
Jiří Šlégr - Roman Hamrlík

Roman Turek
Petr Bříza

Scratched: Roman Čechmánek, Jiří Veber, Jiří Vykoukal, Martin Straka, Jiří Dopita, Petr Sýkora


For comparison the victorious 1998 Nagano Olympic final lineup:

Martin Straka - Vladimír Růžička - Jaromír Jágr
Robert Lang - Robert Reichel - Martin Ručinský
Josef Beránek - Jiří Dopita - David Moravec
Martin Procházka - Pavel Patera - Milan Hejduk

Jiří Šlégr - Richard Šmehlík
Petr Svoboda - Roman Hamrlík
František Kučera - Jaroslav Špaček

Dominik Hašek
Roman Čechmánek

Scratched: Milan Hnilička, Libor Procházka, Jan Čaloun

Fun to see Hamrlik and Slegr go from third pair to Top 4. I loved Slegr. The man is a national hero (not an NHL one). We had several guys that punched above their weight class internationally at the time.. Beranek, Rucinsky, Dopita and Reichel come to mind. David Vyborny was another one. Meanwhile, at this point, jagr wasn't that great for us points wise. He didn't break out for us till the US quarterfinal game in Nagano.

Also, a few of our Euro guys (and Czech league was good then) went on to nice careers.. Hejduk on line 4 for instance. He won the Rocket Richard Trophy after this. Spacek had a lovely NHL career after that too!

They story is too that they picked Litinov kids for Nagano... I can't remember who but 4 of them were public school friends and went to the Olympics.. nice chemisty.. I want to say Reichel, Slegr, Rucinsky and Lang but am positive I got it wrong.

 

[HanSolo]

Until big changes are made to the format, this will always be an expanded all star game tournament with Nation oriented teams instead of conference teams.

And I'll give credit where it's due, the quality of hockey was higher than any given All Star Game but it was lower than NHL regular season play and much lower than the Stanley Cup playoffs and the Olympic tournament.

The latter two guarantee battles on the ice. WCOH in 2016 felt like best of best exhibitions and the ASG might as well be NHL players playing beer league while hungover.

 

[jj cale]

It was and he was amazing!

However, Canada didn't get to 12 shots till the third period. Czechs never trailed in that game. It was a fluke goal to tie in the final minute. That was an amazing team game from them.

The Czechs used a smilar playbook to eliminate the US at the U20 a month ago... underdog but they led the whole game and the US simply didn't get many shots on our goalie (who was no Hasek.lol).

Our back to back jr's were like this too! Gord Miller HATED those 2 golds for us.lol I think fans were booing us for playing such a passive game.haha

Not how I prefer to win tournaments/games but it's so much better than the typical 6-0 anhilation from Canada.haha

You don't have to defend that win against fairly common explanations from lunkhead Canadian fans as it all being on Haseks back with me, I know better, it was a team win. I remember before the tournament me and my cousin discussing the Czech team and talking about them in wary terms.

first, we said just because not all of them were stars in the NHL didn't mean they weren't good players and the players they did have from the NHL ALL played even better with the National jersey as we had so frequently learned at the WHC over the years (and that is not to say they were bad NHL players at all) they were skilled guys and we both knew it.

Second.......................they had Jagr, one of the best singular offensive talents the game has ever seen, we knew he could darn well almost win it by himself in a tight game. Then there was of course Hasek, what more needs to be said? he was the best player on the planet at the time at such an important position. That Czech team had the best forward and goaltender in the tournament, had good talent augmenting it and played one hell of a disciplined and effective team game.

They earned it.

 

[Czechboy]

You don't have to defend that win against fairly common explanations from lunkhead Canadian fans as it all being on Haseks back with me, I know better, it was a team win. I remember before the tournament me and my cousin discussing the Czech team and talking about them in wary terms.

first, we said just because not all of them were stars in the NHL didn't mean they weren't good players and the players they did have from the NHL ALL played even better with the National jersey as we had so frequently learned at the WHC over the years (and that is not to say they were bad NHL players at all) they were skilled guys and we both knew it.

Second.......................they had Jagr, one of the best singular offensive talents the game has ever seen, we knew he could darn well almost win it by himself in a tight game. Then there was of course Hasek, what more needs to be said? he was the best player on the planet at the time at such an important position. That Czech team had the best forward and goaltender in the tournament, had good talent augmenting it and played one hell of a disciplined and effective team game.

They earned it.

Apologies

It was also struck me as odd as Jagr and Hasek were both on their way to Hart contenders and no one thought we could win a game. that's a nice start! we have NOTHING like that today.lol

Jagr, at that point, did tilt the ice. EVERY shift was fun to watch. No points for it but when he hit ice ice the puck was in the other end.

I will say, when the TSN fellas refer to our 2 world juniors, 4 world championships and Nagano as the 'Hasek years' I lose my mind!!! Hasek played in 1 of those 7 golds.lol

Those were the Vyborny, Cechmanik, Hnilicka, F. Kaberla, Reichel years!

All a distant memory though, we got a lot of work to do.

 

[Czechboy]

Then again Canada and Patrick Roy went on to be humiliated by the great Ari Sulander in the bronze medal game.

Since we're on neat facts!

Czechs got into an AWFUL habit of benching their NHL goalie for a Euro one (Kovar over Pavelec for instance, Stepanek, Salak). It yielded no medals for a long time. 2010 was Vokoun.

Anyways, i looked back at the best on best Olympics years ago... 5 olympics... 15 medals... 14 had an NHL goalie in net. The only exception? Finland in 1998! Sisu and team game!

 

[jj cale]

Then again Canada and Patrick Roy went on to be humiliated by the great Ari Sulander in the bronze medal game.

Then again we have rebounded very nicely and 98 doesn't have that much sting left to it for Canadian fans anymore, we've mostly been handing out the humiliations since then, I wouldn't trade that loss in Nagano for all we have accomplished since then.

Now for the czechs, that was the high water mark, it's been mostly downhill, very downhill may I add since then. Not Canada.

I wouldn't trade places with you, lol, regardless of how "humiliating" you think that loss was. We historically get angry with those losses and come back determined to right the ship and we always do, we aren't flash in the pans in hockey. We never have to cling to "time periods"

That's what winning programs do, and we are a winning program across all generations.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Then again we have rebounded very nicely and 98 doesn't have that much sting left to it for Canadian fans anymore, we've mostly been handing out the humiliations since then, I wouldn't trade that loss in Nagano for all we have accomplished since then.

Now for the czechs, that was the high water mark, it's been mostly downhill, very downhill may I add since then. Not Canada.

I wouldn't trade places with you, lol, regardless of how "humiliating" you think that loss was. We historically get angry with those losses and come back determined to right the ship and we always do, we aren't flash in the pans in hockey. We never have to cling to "time periods"

That's what winning programs do, and we are a winning program across all generations.

Sweden and Russia probably miss the good old days the most. I guess the Czechs to an extend as well. For Finland the history is filled with a lot of disappointments.

 

[Albatros]

Then again we have rebounded very nicely and 98 doesn't have that much sting left to it for Canadian fans anymore, we've mostly been handing out the humiliations since then, I wouldn't trade that loss in Nagano for all we have accomplished since then.

Now for the czechs, that was the high water mark, it's been mostly downhill, very downhill may I add since then. Not Canada.

I wouldn't trade places with you, lol, regardless of how "humiliating" you think that loss was. We historically get angry with those losses and come back determined to right the ship and we always do, we aren't flash in the pans in hockey. We never have to cling to "time periods"

That's what winning programs do, and we are a winning program across all generations.

In Canada the peculiarity seems to be the role of the national team serving as a compensation to a painful lack of Canadian team success in the NHL which makes fans and the hockey culture as a whole permanently more insecure than in other countries. The Leafs are never going to win but at least Hockey Canada still is kind of thing. The Americans despite nowadays abundant talent haven't had any great victories since 1996 and before that only in 1980, but to be honest their hockey fans seemingly feel much more at ease with it whereas in Canada everything hockey always comes with great nervosity.

 

[Big Stick Rick 99]

I'm just happy they got rid of the gimmick teams.

 

[JackSlater]

In Canada the peculiarity seems to be the role of the national team serving as a compensation to a painful lack of Canadian team success in the NHL which makes fans and the hockey culture as a whole permanently more insecure than in other countries. The Leafs are never going to win but at least Hockey Canada still is kind of thing. The Americans despite nowadays abundant talent haven't had any great victories since 1996 and before that only in 1980, but to be honest their hockey fans seemingly feel much more at ease with it whereas in Canada everything hockey always comes with great nervosity.

What a bizarre theory. Canadians in general care significantly more about hockey than Americans do, regardless of who wins the Stanley Cup. Canada was desperate to win tournaments at the top level even when the Canadian teams regularly won the Stanley Cup. There is no connection between the two since no one in Canada measures Canadian hockey by the success of NHL teams that can be filled with players from anywhere.

 

[Albatros]

What a bizarre theory. Canadians in general care significantly more about hockey than Americans do, regardless of who wins the Stanley Cup. Canada was desperate to win tournaments at the top level even when the Canadian teams regularly won the Stanley Cup. There is no connection between the two since no one in Canada measures Canadian hockey by the success of NHL teams that can be filled with players from anywhere.

Sure they do, but there are hardcore hockey fans south of the border as well. Measured in registered players it's almost even between the two countries. It's not like Canadian success is a bad thing or the American lack of it something to cherish, but the Canadians definitely are not at much ease with their particular situation regardless of what way it's trending. It's a bipolar world between arrogance and denial.