Not really. Russia and Canada have a history of battling finals among them. Russia was a better team today, Team Canada throughout the Olympics didn't play as a team and took a lot of dumb penalties. The young guys that were supposed to show their stuff didn't: Lecavalier, Richards, Nash.
The only upset is that they met this early in the tournament instead of the finals or semis for that matter. Blame that on Canada though, for their earlier losses.
Pavel Bure assembled an impressive team for the Russians, Ovechkin is a true star ,and I knew they were dead scary when they scored 9 goals vs Slovakia and still claim that they haven't reached their potential.
10spro wrote: I knew they were dead scary when they scored 9 goals vs Slovakia and still claim that they haven't reached their potential.
That was against Latvia. They lost to the Slovaks 5-3. However, that was in the first game of the tournament. Since then, the Russians have been a completely different team.
wco81 wrote:Didn't the Russian or Soviet team play some NHL All Stars sometime during the '90s, before the Russians started really playing in the NHL in big numbers?
Who won those games?
Canada and the Soviets played in a series in the early 70s. I think it was called the super series. With Canada winning.
They also met in the Canada Cup throughout the 70s and 80s with mixed results.
Since the Disbandment of the Soviet Union and the mass migration of Russian players to the NHL the Russian team hasnt been as good. Probably because they dont play together all year long. They are apparently back.
I didnt see it as an upset at all. The Russians were the better team. These teams are all very close now.
The only thing I see Canada having in advantage in is the number of NHLers to choose from. That is also shrinking.
If I was Canadian, I think my biggest second-guess right now wouldn't be about player selection. It would be about why Pat Quinn was head coach and Ken Hitchcock was his No. 1 assistant.
Quinn is a neanderthal, plain and simple. He's a coach from yesterday's NHL. Just look at his 2005-06 Leafs -- big, slow and plodding, for the most part.
And Kent Hitchcock? Another proponent of clutching, grabbing, big, slow hockey.
And who have been the biggest moaners among NHL coaches this season about the "new NHL?" Pat Quinn and Ken Hitchcock.
Even Quinn admitted after the game today that Team Canada was trying to play a stretch game while actually standing still. That's a pretty damning self-indictment, if you ask me.
Look at what Brent Sutter has done in two seasons with the Canadian juniors: He's 12-0 as a head coach in the last two World Junior Championships. Hockey Canada should promote him to the senior men's team job if an NHL team doesn't snap him up quickly, as is rumored.
Or what about Tom Renney? He has done wonders with a swift team of nobodies -- outside of Jagr, Straka and Nylander -- in New York. Why doesn't Lindy Ruff get any consideration? Mike Babcock? Craig MacTavish, who has an Edmonton team that is fast as hell, hustles every night, is solid on special teams and blocks shots like a mofo?
There must be more progressive hockey minds out there to lead Team Canada than Quinn and Hitchcock.
I think the U.S. is in good hands with Laviolette, who is a fine young coach doing great things with Carolina. He just needs a younger, faster, more disciplined team in 2010. Discipline also comes easier with speed, as you're doing less holding, hooking and tripping when you're not constantly in some opponent's vapor trail.
Take care,
PK
"You know why I love boxers? I love them because they face fear. And they face it alone." - Nick Charles
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
I think Renney would have been an excellent choice. He was the head coach of the Canadian team that won silver at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. He was also on the coaching staff of the 2004 Canadian team that won the gold at the World Championships, and the team that won silver at the 2005 World Championships. His resume is quite impressive.
PK, it's interesting that you bring P. Quinn's name along with Hitchcok's. While I disagree that they weren't the corect choices as coaches, I do believe that as a whole , a new management team should be looked at. After all how can you argue with their record of an Olympic golden win four years ago along with the World Cup?
Does Quinn b*tch? Oh sure, he does a marvellous job at that, but at the same time he's a players coach, he believes in a fast wide open Hockey style and I think that's why he was chosen.
Players? Now I don't think he picked Team Canada, although I am sure he had some opinions. Ditto for his Maple laughs. This loss is making headlines news across Canada. There's so much pressure to win everything here when it comes to Hockey, that anything other than GOLD or any kind of Championship is considered as a failure.
As we speak there's a petition online that's making the news that all top management should be replaced in time for the next Olympics, here in Vancouver, 2010. Does that include the great one? I am sure.
Poor Wayne, first it's the fiasco ofthe gambling scandal with his friend Tocchet and now he'll have to answer his selection of players, what not.
Then, comes the civil suit for T. Bertuzzi in the middle of the tournament.
Did people want to distract Team Canada. Sure. Are they enough excuses to justify this latest failure. I think not.
Not when you're dealing with NHL Proffesional that are making a great living and they are used to or should at least confront any diversion, media throws at them, what not.
Team Canada couldn't score. Period. They didn't gel as a team, the younger players didn't show up. One thing, I think the Euros had an advantage over the NA players is the size of the rink. NA players are used to the bang and crush style and it's almost impossible to do with the bigger rinks.
It definitely favours the more suave, Euros skilled guys that can show off their stuff. M, Crawford who's way younger than P. Quinn was critized during the Nagano Olympics for not picking #99 at a shootout and then replaced.
Is Quinn's job safe? No. But I don't think the coaches were the culprit this time. Team Canada just didn't play to their potential.
he was po'd because he was benched in the 3rd period of the final game while the American team was trying to get the game tying goal.. of course then came all the excuses out of his mouth.. apparently John Grahme also made comments but i havent read what he said...
Team Canada arrived home, and as if the result wasn't a dissappointment for all, coaches and players are already trying to explain the rash of questions the whole nation has for them. But thinking in perspective and what I saw in Turin ,the Americans actually exceeded my expectations, and Canada should have NEVER been HEAVILY favored in this tournament.
Our players playing on the bigger ice were just overmatched. Not necessarily talent wise but I think the NA players weren't picked properly on how they played the new NHL. This tournament was the New NHL on Speed: The New Rules with the Big Ice. When you throw guys together for a quick tournament you need to lean on the instincts of the players.
That didn't gel for Team Canada. Players from Russia, Sweden, Czechs and Fins, have been coming to our NHL and doing their best in our game for years. Now suddenly we have made our game into their game, and guess what? The Rangers, Star, and Wings are top teams? Coincidence?
I think not. From what I saw in the Americans, that old fellow C. Chelios played his heart out while C. Pronger struggled mightily for Canada and looked like a turtle.
The pressure on Canadian players to perform is huge, and that is a great thing, because that level makes Canada what it is when it comes to hockey.
Time to move on. Back to the NHL. And I am soooo concerned as to how the Canucks will continue to fight in their division with the latest injuries to M. Ohlund and T. Salo during the O's. Jovo is already out and you have left a very thin blueline.
Any other doubts that the Finns are for real? They are blanking Russia 4-0 in the third with great goaltending and good teamwork. Something the Russians are not as they are all trying to do it individually.
This tournament may have been costyly to a few teams in the NHL. I know the Canucks are in trouble now with the latest injuries to M. Ohlund and S. Salo, Hasek seems to have a groin injury and they think he could be out for long, as well as J. Jagr.
10spro wrote:This tournament may have been costyly to a few teams in the NHL. I know the Canucks are in trouble now with the latest injuries to M. Ohlund and S. Salo, Hasek seems to have a groin injury and they think he could be out for long, as well as J. Jagr.
Congrats Sweden, well deserved!
Never knew you guys in Vancouver have such a thug team with Ruttu and Bertuzzi!!!
Zlax45 wrote:
Never knew you guys in Vancouver have such a thug team with Ruttu and Bertuzzi!!!
And which team doesn't?
My Bruins!!!
Never really have a chance to see Ruttu (One time a year if we are lucky Bruins play Vancouver) so He really stood out as being a tough player and getting under people's skin.
