Your currently best national team?

[DoubleGold]

Finland:

Rantanen-Barkov-Laine
Teräväinen-Aho-Granlund
Donskoi-Hintz-Kakko
Haula-Koivu-Armia

Lindell-Heiskanen
Ristolainen-Nutivaara
Määttä-Vatanen

Rask
Rinne
Koskinen​

 

[Lepardi]

Canada beats this team 9 times out of 10.

Wrong. 8 times out of 10 is way closer. Hockey is a low-scoring sport where the worse team has a pretty decent chance. This is not basketball.

When Finland won the WHC last May, their roster was more inferior compared to Russia, Sweden and Canada than their roster would be against those countries in a best-on-best.

Rantanen - Barkov - Laine
(Any team would struggle against this line, just look at the size and skill. Top-5 sniper in the NHL and top-5 playmaker combined with top-15 winger)

The real struggle in that line matching up against other countries' top lines would be Patrik Laine trying to defend against the best players in the world.

 

[DoubleGold]

Wrong. 8 times out of 10 is way closer. Hockey is a low-scoring sport where the worse team has a pretty decent chance. This is not basketball.

When Finland won the WHC last May, their roster was more inferior compared to Russia, Sweden and Canada than their roster would be against those countries in a best-on-best.



The real struggle in that line matching up against other countries' top lines would be Patrik Laine trying to defend against the best players in the world.

He's becoming an all-around player. Way more responsible and active than he was last year. That line would be able to demolish anything thrown against it.

I don't know if I'd keep that line together though. Laine, Barkov and Rantanen are all over 190cm whilst the 2nd line would consist of smaller players (Teräväinen, Aho and Granlund).

 

[Lepardi]

He's becoming an all-around player. Way more responsible and active than he was last year. That line would be able to demolish anything thrown against it.

Someone suggested a line of Hall-McDavid-MacKinnon for Canada. Your homerism must be of epic proportions if you think any Finnish line would "demolish" that.

 

[AB13]

That Finnish defense is a joke, it is ridiculously bad. The finns just can't produce defensemen, the Finnish defensive core is a million miles off Sweden, Russia, Canada, USA and possibly worse than the Swiss and Czech defense too. Finland would not stand a chance against Canada, Russia, USA and Sweden and some people on here are ridiculous to think that, their offensive depth isn't close to any of those nations either.

 

[DoubleGold]

Someone suggested a line of Hall-McDavid-MacKinnon for Canada. Your homerism must be of epic proportions if you think any Finnish line would "demolish" that.

Okay, demolish is the wrong word to describe the line but it could challenge any opposition. Lets leave it at that.

 

[DoubleGold]

That Finnish defense is a joke, it is ridiculously bad. The finns just can't produce defensemen, the Finnish defensive core is a million miles off Sweden, Russia, Canada, USA and possibly worse than the Swiss and Czech defense too. Finland would not stand a chance against Canada, Russia, USA and Sweden and some people on here are ridiculous to think that, their offensive depth isn't close to any of those nations either.

I could say the same thing about Sweden's offense.

 

[AB13]

I could say the same thing about Sweden's offense.

Hope this is a joke, Swedens offense is far better than Finlands offense too. Slightly less top end talent but a million times more depth. Only 4-5 Finnish forwards would make it into Sweden.

Compare this
Filip Forsberg - Nicklas Bäckström - Victor Arvidsson
Gabriel Landeskog - Mika Zibanejad - William Nylander
Rickard Rakell- Elias Pettersson - Elias Lindholm
Marcus Johansson - William Karlsson - Gustav Nyqvist
Jacob Silvferberg / Andre Burakovsky Carl Söderberg / Oscar Sundqvist / Victor Olofsson

To this

Rantanen-Barkov-Laine
Teräväinen-Aho-Granlund
Donskoi-Hintz-Kakko
Haula-Koivu-Armia

The Swedish fourth line and third line are full of top class NHLers, while the finns third and fourth lines consist of average NHL players. The Swedish second line is so much better than the Finnish second line. You have a slightly better top line but otherwise Swedens forwards crush you. For example, Burakovsky who can't crack the Swedish lineup is heavily outshining your third liner on the same NHL team. 4 high scoring lines > 2 high scoring lines.

 

[Snowsii]

Hope this is a joke, Swedens offense is far better than Finlands offense too. Slightly less top end talent but a million times more depth. Only 4-5 Finnish forwards would make it into Sweden.

Aho, Barkov, Laine, Rantanen for sure. Then Hintz, Haula and Armia maybe.

Compare this
Filip Forsberg - Nicklas Bäckström - Victor Arvidsson
Gabriel Landeskog - Elias Pettersson - William Nylander
Rickard Rakell- Mika Zibanejad - Elias Lindholm
Marcus Johansson - William Karlsson - Gustav Nyqvist
Jacob Silvferberg / Andre Burakovsky Carl Söderberg / Oscar Sundqvist / Victor Olofsson

To this

Rantanen-Barkov-Laine
Teräväinen-Aho-Granlund
Donskoi-Hintz-Kakko
Haula-Koivu-Armia

The Swedish fourth line and third line are full of top class NHLers, while the finns third and fourth lines consist of average NHL players. The Swedish second line is so much better than the Finnish second line. You have a better top line but otherwise Swedens forwards crush you. For example, Burakovsky who can't crack the Swedish lineup is heavily outshining your third liner on the same NHL team. 4 high scoring lines > 2 high scoring lines.[/B]

In what world are those players "top class" players, when Hintz, Armia, Haula and Koivu are just average players

You overvalue swedish players by a mile, and undervalue finnish players

 

[DoubleGold]

Hope this is a joke, Swedens offense is far better than Finlands offense too. Slightly less top end talent but a million times more depth. Only 4-5 Finnish forwards would make it into Sweden.

Compare this
Filip Forsberg - Nicklas Bäckström - Victor Arvidsson
Gabriel Landeskog - Elias Pettersson - William Nylander
Rickard Rakell- Mika Zibanejad - Elias Lindholm
Marcus Johansson - William Karlsson - Gustav Nyqvist
Carl Söderberg / Oscar Sundqvist / Victor Olofsson

To this

Rantanen-Barkov-Laine
Teräväinen-Aho-Granlund
Donskoi-Hintz-Kakko
Haula-Koivu-Armia

The Swedish fourth line and third line are full of top class NHLers, while the finns third and fourth lines consist of average NHL players. The Swedish second line is so much better than the Finnish second line. You have a better top line but otherwise Swedens forwards crush you.

Yeah, your country is twice the size of Finland yet you haven't been able to produce the top-end talent that Finland has in the recent years. Sure our depth is worse and there are more Swedes in the NHL, which is only natural, but we are catching up. We have players like Lundell, Räty and Lambert coming up and Kakko was drafted 2nd this year.

 

[AB13]

I could say the same thing about Sweden's offense.

If we combine the offense of both teams, how many finns would make it?

It could maybe look like this

Rantanen - Barkov - Landeskog
Forsberg - Zibanejad - Arvidsson
Pettersson - Aho - Laine
Rakell - Bäckstrom - Teravainen
Lindholm / Karlsson

And the defense would be


Hedman - Karlsson
Ekman Larsson - Lindholm
Dahlin- Klingberg
Ekholm / Gustavsson

 

[AB13]

Yeah, your country is twice the size of Finland yet you haven't been able to produce the top-end talent that Finland has in the recent years. Sure our depth is worse and there are more Swedes in the NHL, which is only natural, but we are catching up. We have players like Lundell, Räty and Lambert coming up and Kakko was drafted 2nd this year.

The " Smaller country" argument is horrendous since you have more registered players, hockey isn't the biggest sport in Sweden yet you still produce a lot less. We have players like Holtz, Raymond, Gunler and Wallstedt coming up so that argument goes both ways. Dahlin was drafted first overall last year and had one of the best seasons by an 18 year old defenseman ever, and we have a lot more top 10 picks than you recently, a lot more first rounders and a lot more drafted players.

 

[AB13]

Aho, Barkov, Laine, Rantanen for sure. Then Hintz, Haula and Armia maybe.

In what world are those players "top class" players, when Hintz, Armia, Haula and Koivu are just average players

You overvalue swedish players by a mile, and undervalue finnish players

Looking at production, Hintz, Armia, Haula and Koivu are nowhere near being even comparable in the slightest to the players I put on the Swedish fourth line.

 

[Snowsii]

Looking at production, Hintz, Armia, Haula and Koivu are nowhere near being even comparable in the slightest to the players I put on the Swedish fourth line.

Rolf... Koivu is known for other stuff than production And Armia is also a two way center..

Hintz with 7 points and Haula @ 8 this season.. and most fans can comfirm, that they are more than "average" players.. but you can believe what ever you want...
Edited;
- Burakovsky: career high 38p in 79gp
- Söderberg: 51p in 82gp
- Silfverberg: 49p in 79gp
- Sundqvist 31p in 74gp
- Olfsson 8p in 8gp

- Haula: 55p in 76gp
- Armia: 29p in 79gp
- Hintz: 22p in 58gp
- Koivu: 71p in 80gp

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Wrong. 8 times out of 10 is way closer. Hockey is a low-scoring sport where the worse team has a pretty decent chance. This is not basketball.

When Finland won the WHC last May, their roster was more inferior compared to Russia, Sweden and Canada than their roster would be against those countries in a best-on-best.

I would feel confident against USA and Russia even with that roster. Sweden's offense also doesn't scare me.

 

[Snowsii]

The " Smaller country" argument is horrendous since you have more registered players, hockey isn't the biggest sport in Sweden yet you still produce a lot less. We have players like Holtz, Raymond, Gunler and Wallstedt coming up so that argument goes both ways. Dahlin was drafted first overall last year and had one of the best seasons by an 18 year old defenseman ever, and we have a lot more top 10 picks than you recently, a lot more first rounders and a lot more drafted players.

You dont even care to do homeworks? Sweden doesnt register every player, Finland otherhand does.. It's been discussed several times allready

 

[AB13]

Rolf... Koivu is known for other stuff than production And Armia is also a two way center..

Hintz with 7 points and Haula @ 8 this season.. and most fans can comfirm, that they are more than "average" players.. but you can believe what ever you want...

If we only base it on this season Zibanejad is the f*cking goat and much better than Barkov, you have to look at more than this season. Well, they might be above average, but they are a million miles off all of the swedish players I mentioned and it isn't close at all.

The same thing you said about Koivu and Armia can also be said about the swedish players we where comparing them too. Johansson, Karlsson, Lindholm, Söderberg are much better both offensively and defensively.

Armia is not a center by the way.

 

[BennsGonnaGetYou]

If we only base it on this season Zibanejad is the f*cking goat and much better than Barkov, you have to look at more than this season. Well, they might be above average, but they are a million miles off all of the swedish players I mentioned and it isn't close at all.

The same thing you said about Koivu and Armia can also be said about the swedish players we where comparing them too. Johansson, Karlsson, Lindholm, Söderberg are much better both offensively and defensively.

Armia is not a center by the way.

You haven't watched Hintz play this season, that's all I wanted to say.

 

[DoubleGold]

The " Smaller country" argument is horrendous since you have more registered players, hockey isn't the biggest sport in Sweden yet you still produce a lot less. We have players like Holtz, Raymond, Gunler and Wallstedt coming up so that argument goes both ways. Dahlin was drafted first overall last year and had one of the best seasons by an 18 year old defenseman ever, and we have a lot more top 10 picks than you recently, a lot more first rounders and a lot more drafted players.

Like already stated, Sweden doesn't register every player like Finland does. You should know that.

 

[AB13]

Like already stated, Sweden doesn't register every player like Finland does. You should know that.

Regardless of that, it is irrelevant who produces the most in terms of population ( which we still do since we have more than double the amount of NHL players), it is relevant who produces the most players in general. That has always been and will probably always be Sweden.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

The " Smaller country" argument is horrendous since you have more registered players, hockey isn't the biggest sport in Sweden yet you still produce a lot less. We have players like Holtz, Raymond, Gunler and Wallstedt coming up so that argument goes both ways. Dahlin was drafted first overall last year and had one of the best seasons by an 18 year old defenseman ever, and we have a lot more top 10 picks than you recently, a lot more first rounders and a lot more drafted players.

Jesus you're insecure. Players don't get registered here in Sweden to the same extent every player in Finland gets registered. There's also more to development than registered players for example Sweden has a lot more arenas and better funding.

If Finland wasn't doing well you wouldn't feel the need to try so hard to convince everybody otherwise. I don't see you get riled up over Denmark because they dont bring out the insecurity in you.

Wouldn't surprise me to see you flaunt #SD2022 any moment now.

 

[DoubleGold]

Regardless of that, it is irrelevant who produces the most in terms of population ( which we still do since we have more than double the amount of NHL players), it is relevant who produces the most players in general. That has always been and will probably always be Sweden.

Okay, all the luck to you I guess? Although hockey seems to be dropping in popularity in Sweden due to your increasing multiculturization.

I'm just happy that my country is doing well.

 

[Skin Tape Session]

Kane-Eichel-Debrincat
Gaudreau-Matthews-M. Tkachuk
Connor-Larkin-Wheeler
Kreider-Trocheck-B. Tkachuk
Keller

Suter-McDonagh
Werenski-Jones
Slavin-McAvoy
Carlson

Gibson
Bishop
Quick

Matthews is the num 1 center ainec

 

[AB13]

Jesus you're insecure. Players don't get registered here in Sweden to the same extent every player in Finland gets registered. There's also more to development than registered players for example Sweden has a lot more arenas and better funding.

If Finland wasn't doing well you wouldn't feel the need to try so hard to convince everybody otherwise. I don't see you get riled up over Denmark because they dont bring out the insecurity in you.

Wouldn't surprise me to see you flaunt #SD2022 any moment now.

I am not insecure at all, I am just pointing out that finns need to stop trying to compete with far superior National teams. Finland do not bring out any insecurity at all, me simply trying to say Sweden are better is not in any way insecure, the reason I don’t compare us to Denmark is because danish fans aren’t stupid enough to try to compete in a competition where they have no chance. How on earth saying we have a better hockey team makes you draw all of these conclusions is beyond me. Compare yourselves to Czech Republic instead, they are around your level.

 

[AB13]

Okay, all the luck to you I guess? Although hockey seems to be dropping in popularity in Sweden due to your increasing multiculturization.

I'm just happy that my country is doing well.

Yeah keep being happy about doing well in relative to what you used to, but don’t try to compare yourselves to much bigger hockey nations. I won’t be starting to compare the Swedish football team to Germany just because we had one better World Cup, I will keep comparing us to the likes of Denmark, Russia and Poland. In the same way, compare your hockey team to the Czechs, not to Sweden, USA and Russia.