The IIHF World Championships 2019

[Alessandro]

Great display by Canada. Russia has been unlucky, so many injuries, and calling Ovechkin has been a mistake I think. But great display by Canada really, they deserve the win

[djskek]

Congratulation Canada Bravo

[dave1927p]

Great display by Canada. Russia has been unlucky, so many injuries, and calling Ovechkin has been a mistake I think. But great display by Canada really, they deserve the win

This is the best team I have ever seen Canada assemble for this tournament. In past years most of Canada's players would refuse to go. Sadly, most people in Canada probably won't really notice Canada has won. But that 2 million sure will help with our program.

[CeeBee]

Great display by Canada. Russia has been unlucky, so many injuries, and calling Ovechkin has been a mistake I think. But great display by Canada really, they deserve the win

This is the best team I have ever seen Canada assemble for this tournament. In past years most of Canada's players would refuse to go. Sadly, most people in Canada probably won't really notice Canada has won. But that 2 million sure will help with our program.

I would have to agree. The best team I've ever seen Canada send to the world championships.
Edit: Yay!!! had my 1000 post somewhere... good place for 1001 I guess

[nino33]

That was fun to watch

Yay!!! had my 1000 post

Congrats CeeBee!

[philou21]

[Devils88]

Congratulations Team Canada. That was a Demonstration. That's how hockey should be played
It always looked as if they had one man more on the ice...really awesome

At least Russias 1:6 loss, takes austrias 1-10 and germanys 0-10 loss into to "right" perspective.....

[Manimal]

That was fun to watch

I told you they had a great team!

[nino33]

That was fun to watch

I told you they had a great team!

A lot of those guys don't play on an Olympic team if this was an Olympic year




I guess the IIHF is upset many Russian players "left the ice early" after the game http://www.tsn.ca/fasel-angry-after-rus ... m-1.285755

[batdad]

That Canada team was real good, and it was our C level defense and D level goaltending. Forward group was a B or B+. But that d-core that was interesting. Our forwards were amazingly good.

[Alessandro]

That Canada team was real good, and it was our C level defense and D level goaltending. Forward group was a B or B+. But that d-core that was interesting. Our forwards were amazingly good.

I find this kind of speech pretty stupid frankly. No one have their best team at the WC, Canada missed many players, but so did Russia and other countries.
Then, last time I checked, Smith was the OG team's third goalie. This is hardly "D level".

[CJ]

That Canada team was real good, and it was our C level defense and D level goaltending. Forward group was a B or B+. But that d-core that was interesting. Our forwards were amazingly good.

I find this kind of speech pretty stupid frankly. No one have their best team at the WC, Canada missed many players, but so did Russia and other countries.
Then, last time I checked, Smith was the OG team's third goalie. This is hardly "D level".

Well I don't think Smith is in the Top10 Canadian goalies. So D level suits him fine I think..

[nino33]

That Canada team was real good, and it was our C level defense and D level goaltending. Forward group was a B or B+. But that d-core that was interesting. Our forwards were amazingly good.

I find this kind of speech pretty stupid frankly. No one have their best team at the WC, Canada missed many players, but so did Russia and other countries.
Then, last time I checked, Smith was the OG team's third goalie. This is hardly "D level".

I think calling what Batdad wrote "stupid" is uncalled for...and what Russians were missing? I thought they choose to go with their KHLers, supplemented by a few NHLers like Ovechkin/Malkin/Bobrovsky

[batdad]

That Canada team was real good, and it was our C level defense and D level goaltending. Forward group was a B or B+. But that d-core that was interesting. Our forwards were amazingly good.

I find this kind of speech pretty stupid frankly. No one have their best team at the WC, Canada missed many players, but so did Russia and other countries.
Then, last time I checked, Smith was the OG team's third goalie. This is hardly "D level".

Yes but he would be nowhere near that team now. Getting to Olympics as a bench warmer really does not fit in as any reason he is a good goalie. You know he is not.

And yeah maybe a bit of exaggeration in goal, but at best C-...and really not questionable in the other areas, our defense was weak and our forwards were half first team half second team.

And of course noone had their A team there. Never said they did. Post was about the team that won the Championships, it was not a commentary on ANY OF THE OTHER TEAMS Well..Germany did and Slovenia.

as for saying what I wrote was stupid Alessandro...maybe you should check your emotions at the door a bit better. I have alot of respect for what you do around here, and your desire, but yeah...well lost some just now. Sad.

[Alessandro]

as for saying what I wrote was stupid Alessandro...maybe you should check your emotions at the door a bit better. I have alot of respect for what you do around here, and your desire, but yeah...well lost some just now. Sad.

You misunderstood me or either I wrote badly what I wanted to write. I didn't say/mean that what you wrote was stupid. I said that, generally speaking, saying that team a, b, c, d whatever, well, it's a hockey tournament, and you have to win. And every team was missing many players. I hope that I'm clear now. How in the world I would say that you write stupid things.

[batdad]

All clear. No worries anyway. Of course all teams did not have their top guys, was just making the point that sans Weber, Subban, and well....a long list of others the Canadian D was nowhere near as good on paper as they played. And making the point that alot of those guys up front played better than what they normally do. Quite frankly...on the big ice it was astounding to see them do as well as they did.

[CJ]

Canada had chosen really good skaters!

[Alessandro]

All clear. No worries anyway. Of course all teams did not have their top guys, was just making the point that sans Weber, Subban, and well....a long list of others the Canadian D was nowhere near as good on paper as they played. And making the point that alot of those guys up front played better than what they normally do. Quite frankly...on the big ice it was astounding to see them do as well as they did.

Of course Canada was the best team, I hoped that we could win till the last period, but Canada seemed too much for us. But if I have to be frank with you, the only thing I envy to Canada is coaches. We have plenty of good players, but our coaches generally suck.

[CJ]

Probably a reason why KHL signs all the best Finnish coaches.

[nino33]

But if I have to be frank with you, the only thing I envy to Canada is coaches.

That's all? Not the gold Canada won on Sunday? Or the gold they won in Sochi last year?

[batdad]

Heh Nino. And yes I do agree. Russia has a ton of good players, who would be a whole lot better if they had good coaching. But then again we did send you Mike Keenan and Dave King.

[nino33]

We have plenty of good players, but our coaches generally suck.

Russia has a ton of good players, who would be a whole lot better if they had good coaching.

I never get the impression that many/most of those good players are willing to listen to coaching...

[batdad]

Possibly Nino...but Alex has this year by all accounts with Trotz, so has Pavel Datsyuk with Babcock and a few others out there with Scotty....

I would not generalize that they do not listen to coaching, it is perhaps somewhat true that they do not listen to some coaching, but they do to others. In Russia, there is not alot of strong coaching as Alessandro says at the elite level, and they are competing against top level coaching and players. They may as well be top level players but have grown used to the fact that they have had coaches who do not teach the right things....and then find it difficult to change in some cases. In others, they do change with top level coaching. Just the same as some players from North America do not do well with certain coaches....Cough Kesler Cough. Cough ....how many coaches have some guys apparently killed off?

Lemieux was branded a coach killer, Sid has been seen that way sometimes, as have others. It is not ALL RUSSIANS, it is not ALL CANADIANS...it is just some. And because more of our players are used to the elite level coaching style, I would argue that they have more success with it at times...and pay more attention....whereas Russians are used to being allowed to do whatever they want and coaching has not been strong over their lifetime in the game...which then leads to them not doing so well when asked to adjust to elite NHL coaching. At least in some cases....In others they do adjust, just as Canadian players do to some styles of coaching. And Swedes. Edler under Torts totally different player than other coaches have seen..... Different strokes for different folks,.... and it is not generally linked to nationality. Only because of the coaching at minor level ( and even elite level) is it different for Russians in the NHL (Also a huge lifestyle adjustment)

I would not paint the Russians as lazy and not hard working or not willing to listen. Just more difficult as they have habits engrained from the time they were kids that are not the same as here. I would also argue that I would prefer all coaching go away at the NHL level and elite national level and we just let the PROS play their game. Would be a much more fun brand of hockey.

[nino33]

Possibly Nino...but Alex has this year by all accounts with Trotz, so has Pavel Datsyuk with Babcock and a few others out there with Scotty....

Yes, Ovechkin apparently has this year (at age 29)...and Detroit started with the "old school" Russians (and Scotty) and I think that helped

I wasn't generalizing about the whole nation of hockey players! I was thinking about the elite players...
And I never said anything about "lazy and not hard working"

Doesn't the fact that you have to say "this year" in talking about Ovechkin kinda makes my point! HaHa

I (and you Batdad! HaHa) remember the Russian teams of the 1970s and early 1980s.....and the teamwork/discipline/system playing I saw then is one of the things North American hockey learned from the Russians...and IMO I frequently don't see that now when I watch them, but I do see/hear about what clearly appear to be teamwork/coaching issues

I was thinking about things like players on the top of the boards looking to "encourage" teammates to come off, the many singular rushes (including the many go down off wing fast, cut to middle, take shot), the difficulty when to many players want to be the goalscorer/take the onetimer, taking the puck away from a teammate...I thought Sunday was the worst I've ever seen a Russian team look in the Olympics/Worlds (and I recall "coaching issues" came up in the recent Olympics too)

I would also argue that I would prefer all coaching go away at the NHL level and elite national level and we just let the PROS play their game. Would be a much more fun brand of hockey.

I agree!

[batdad]

No I know that you did not Nino. Just that is the generalization. And it makes my point re Ovi. It takes awhile for those guys to learn...they have never had coaching like we do. Alessandro is right. Those old teams were different...if they did not play the way Tik wanted em to play...off to the gulag and no food. Keenan if he was Soviet.

The one on whole team rush thing---that is coaching that they have never had. Never coached to move puck. Because as Alessandro says they do not have good strong coaches in Russia at the younger levels. We complain here about our minor hockey coaches, but it is a far cry ahead of other countries. Individual play has not been taken away from them by coaching....something the elite hockey level needs more of, more fun to watch the skill guys make it work than the dump and chase Ed Wards and Paul Gaustads of the world.

I wish to some extent (with the addition of using your teammates) that the whole world of hockey would play that more flamboyant style, and the only way to get it back is to fire all the coaches.