I'm sure that Rinne will still be the best Finnish goalie in 4 years time. Just because someone is younger doesn't mean that they'll automatically reach/pass the players older than them. It's almost dillusional to believe that 21 year old Barkov, 21 year old Ristolainen, 22 year old Maata and 24 year old Armia will be the best Finnish players in their respective positions. Maybe 6-8 years time, but the only players who could realistically be seen as the best in their position in Finland are Granlund, Vatanen and possibly Rask if Rinne declines.
Not saying you're definitely going to be wrong, but it's highly unlikely that a group of 21 and 22 year olds will be the top players in Finland.
Not saying you're definitely going to be wrong, but it's highly unlikely that a group of 21 and 22 year olds will be the top players in Finland.
I think it is much more likely than you would think. We are talking about extremely tallented players such as Barkov who may not be the best finnish center in 4 years but at least a top five center because he is one of the best centers already in FEL right now.
If Barkov isn't playing in the first line of some NHL team in 4 years, I would be very surprised. Besides, after all Finland does not have that good players in NHL. Barkov has much higher upside than M.Koivu.
And the ages in four years:
Armia 23
Granlund 24
Barkov 21
Määttä/Ristolainen 22
Vatanen 25
Pitkänen could possible be top2 dman in Finland at that time.
Looks like now we have a good D with a lack of Forwards.
In the future it could be the opposite...
I would not be that worried about the defense. While there may not be high end talent coming up soon, there should be a solid depth with guys like Bielke, Reul, Bittner, Akdag, Haase. More and more young German players are getting serious ice time in the DEL.
Also there are players like Tim Bender or Janik Möser in the pipeline who seem to have some potential.
I would not be that worried about the defense. While there may not be high end talent coming up soon, there should be a solid depth with guys like Bielke, Reul, Bittner, Akdag, Haase. More and more young German players are getting serious ice time in the DEL.
Also there are players like Tim Bender or Janik Möser in the pipeline who seem to have some potential.
Don't forget about Holzer and Krueger. Both good, young(er) defensemen.
Zack Parise - David Backes - Phil Kessel
Jack Johnson - Ryan Suter
Jonathan Quick
It is interesting to me that Canada's relative weakness is at natural wingers and goalies. Something that USA hockey seems to be strongest in right now, have to believe those two are kind of linked somehow at least in terms of why development seems to have taken on that feel.
Yeah I think that guy's been smoking something because Boedker is far and away better than Hardt. He didn't look like an NHL player at the WC and didn't stand out as anything special.
[QUOTE Yeah I think that guy's been smoking something because Boedker is far and away better than Hardt. He didn't look like an NHL player at the WC and didn't stand out as anything special. [/QUOTE]
I know putting Nichlas Hardt as best danish LF was a bit controversial, but he had a fantastic year for Jokerit and I did base the choice on last years performance. Mikkel Bødker was good at the Stanley Cup playoffs but less so during the whole NHL season.
As Mikkel Bødker is playing now he is probably the best dane to put on the LW, but it's hard to know since Nichlas Hardt is injured. Who knows what he could produce in shape with Filppulas or Erik Karlsson for Jokerit (depending on what line he is put in)?.
But no question that Bødker is by far the bigger talent of the two. He just have to finally step out and become the dominant player his draft number 8 should call for. But granted that Nichlas Hardt had a very disappointing WC after his SM-liiga season.
C - Mikhail Grabovski
LW - Sergei Kostitsyn
RW - Andrei Kostitsyn
D - Vladimir Denisov
G - Vitali Koval (Used to be Mezin until last years season and playoff performance)
Sweden's First line's seem strongest in my opinion, Russia's 1st offence line seem's best but overall i think Sweden is strongest, but then again this is just the 1st. line, i think Canada own's Second with Stamkos & buddies.
Canada's top left wingers right now: Sharp, Hartnell, and then a dropoff to Lucic, Marleau, Marchand, ...
It's likely that none of them will make the Olympic team, and the LW spots will just be filled by natural centres.
(In Vancouver we had centres E. Staal and M. Richards playing at LW).
RW is a little better, with Iginla and St. Louis aging our best right wingers would be Perry, Nash, Eberle, Neal.
It is somewhat weird that almost all of the elite Canadian forwards are centres.
Idk what you exactly mean by the best but we've still got some promising guys. Obviously my choice won't be the best possible but way more interesting for people who don't know these less famous ones.
Czech Republic:
C - Roman Červenka
LW - Martin Růžicka (Holds the record with the most points of the season in Czech Extraliga. He has the most points in the current season again with 24+19 in 26 matches).
RW - Tomáš Rolinek
D - Petr Čáslava
G - Alexander Salák (The new record holder in Swedish Elitserien with the longest continuous shutout).
C - Mikhail Grabovski
LW - Sergei Kostitsyn
RW - Andrei Kostitsyn
D - Vladimir Denisov
G - Vitali Koval (Used to be Mezin until last years season and playoff performance)
Could probably add Korobov as the second defenseman.
C - Mikhail Grabovski
LW - Sergei Kostitsyn
RW - Andrei Kostitsyn
D - Vladimir Denisov
G - Vitali Koval (Used to be Mezin until last years season and playoff performance)
no way! he used to be good defensively (and even offensively!) but this season he plays like crap. along with his current linemate karalahti they're definitely the worst pair of dmen in the whole KHL! check their stats that speak for themselves
the sad fact is that ruslan saley (r.i.p.) was the last top-level dman from belarus and left no decent "successors"
the sad fact is that ruslan saley (r.i.p.) was the last top-level dman from belarus and left no decent "successors"
i think there are some good chances that korobov will be our next #1 d-man and he has tools to develop in a bigger player in near future
+maybe graborenko, though he's bigger defensive liability, but he's younger also and it often takes more time for d-man to develop.
then we have to wait until some our 94-96 guys (lisovets, khenkel, dyukov, klyavzo) will grow up and we'll see
agree about vova, though. he might have played better this season, don't know what happened to him. still hope that he rebounds (maybe even next season but it'll be better if he rebounds soon)
World outside the NHL does not exist...
