For 2010 that set of D is brutal, you have volchenkov on your 2nd pairing? Wow just wow.
Ok Thortnon is the best playmaker in hockey and crosby is right behind him.
Frolov, Zherdev, Radulov, Yashin, Fedorov
Thats what im talking about those players as your 3rd and 4th liners is brutal, the only way russia can win since their D stink and goalie is nowhere near luongos caliber is if the first 2 lines of the russians can lead them throughout, which is happening because remember its smaller ice, i was watcing the caps sens game last week, and ovechkin did nothing why? because some no name guy from the sens stayed on him throughout the game and didnt leave him, maybe a blueprint for some teams lets see how ovechkin plays in the next couple weeks. Dont even start with the chemistry stuff either.
What about bringing Fedorov as a defenseman and letting him play behind the Ovechkin and Semin line?
He played well there this year in DC and him and Ovie/Semin know him well enough to cover for him in his pinch and Datsyuk is certainly smart enough to pick up on it as well.
What about bringing Fedorov as a defenseman and letting him play behind the Ovechkin and Semin line?
He played well there this year in DC and him and Ovie/Semin know him well enough to cover for him in his pinch and Datsyuk is certainly smart enough to pick up on it as well.
Fedorov brings much more value as center. If he is healthy he is 3rd best option after Malkin and Datsyuk. He can be used as D in emergency situations and on PP. Also it gives team Russia flexibility to use both options: 13 forwards and 7 D or 12 forwards and 8 D.
I think their D will be stronger than ever- Gonchar, Markov who has established himself as one of the league's best, if they can ever talk Zubov into playing. Plus the emergence of Grebeshkov and the maturing of Tyutin and Kalinin, there is very solid defence.
By the way you are forgetting Captain Kovalev, Afinogenov who is terrific on Int. ice, samsonov, Kozlov's...
It will for sure be the best D ever for a Russian team in the olympics. But comparing to other countries their D doesn't stand out.
Thought about mentioning Kovalev but skipped that
That kinda shows the skill-set of the team Russian can field in 2010.
For 2010 that set of D is brutal, you have volchenkov on your 2nd pairing? Wow just wow.
Ok Thortnon is the best playmaker in hockey and crosby is right behind him.
Frolov, Zherdev, Radulov, Yashin, Fedorov
Thats what im talking about those players as your 3rd and 4th liners is brutal, the only way russia can win since their D stink and goalie is nowhere near luongos caliber is if the first 2 lines of the russians can lead them throughout, which is happening because remember its smaller ice, i was watcing the caps sens game last week, and ovechkin did nothing why? because some no name guy from the sens stayed on him throughout the game and didnt leave him, maybe a blueprint for some teams lets see how ovechkin plays in the next couple weeks. Dont even start with the chemistry stuff either.
As I said, D is their weakness. But Nabokov could cover up for a sometimes bad D without a doubt, if he's in shape, look at 2008 WC. He was greatness itself in that tourney and that with a D worse than the D prolly fielded in Vancouver.
"50% of the team is the goaltending"2, to use and oold saying.
Malkin still leads assists and will prolly end up 1st in assists if nothing happens. Besides he's on his way getting 100assists, which is a badass achivement.
Last season Thornton had most assists, but Datsyuk had just 1assist less. This with Crosby side-lined the majority of the season.
Crosby and Thornton arn't the best playmakers in the world, but they sure are worldclass playmakers. But this is Malkin's year in the sun if he doesn't get injured or something. What happens next year is quite interesting thou.
Yeah, you can prolly stay on a guy throughtout a game and interrupt him in everything he does. But when there's 3 or 4 guys with the same scoring touch as Ovy it just gonna end up with a opposing team with all no namers.
No olympic team does have the same caliber scorers and playmakers as Russia at the moment.
I am getting kinda tired of this,, Milloy2 you have no interest in a discussion all you do is BASH all answers. you also say we can't use reasons like chemistry,, why not??
Many of these Russian players have played together many times in different international turnoments, they have grown up playing the same style. they understand each other, they are like a family. Most if not all these guys know Russian and the english language and so can understand the canadian players when there calling for each other to do different things on the ice,, how many of your boys do you think are fluent in Russian and can understand when the russian's are calling to each other on the ice??
You make statments that Luongo is the best goalie in the WORLD please tell me what internationall games has he won?? Canada is NOT the world my little friend.
Datsyuk and Malkin are the 2 best playmakers in the World!
how can you judge our 3rd and 4th lines when for one thing we do not even know who is gonna be on the team. Seconly lets say we use Frolov Teresenko and Radulov,, how many of Teresenko's and Radulovs games have you seen this year my little friend?? let me guess 0?? so you belive in your little scared heart that these Russkies are no good because they do not play in your little NHL right?? they must really suck right??
Learn to have a disscusion based on facts and knowlege We do not need to waste time with a Canadian BROWN NOSER.
Top D man for Russia is not Gonchar, its probably Andrey Markov, and yes he would make the Canadian team easily. Forwards wise we have just as much speed, physicality, aggressiveness, and more ability. Datysuk, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, Malkin, Semin, Fedorov, Frolov, Zherdev, those are awesome forwards, and there is no telling who they will bring out of the Kontinental league like Mozyakin and Morozov. Defense wise we have some of the best offensive d-men to lace them up in Gonchar, Markov, and Zubov. And we have some stone cold stoppers in Volchenkov and Nikulin. In net, Nabokov is awesome, he had more games last year than any goal tender and the best save percentage, get real! Its an awesome team with capabilities to win gold easily.
I think its up in the air for goaltenders - If Bryzgalov has himself a season or if bulin-wall is healthy, it could be anyone of those 3.
I really like the D, The top 4 is awesome. I really think next year Grebeshkov can establish himself as a top pairing D-man.
I only hope the right players are picked (Zherdev) and injuries aren't an issue, they should have no problem blowing by Canada like last Olympics.
At the 2006 Olyimpics team Canada had
Goaltenders
Roberto Luongo Martin Brodeur
Defenceman to name a few
Rob Blake Adam Foote
Chris Pronger Bryan McCabe
Forwards to name a few
Dany Heatley Jarome Iginla
Vincent Lecavalier Rick Nash
Joe Thornton Joe Sakic
Russia had Goaltenders
Ilya Bryzgalov Evgeni Nabokov
Defensemen to name a few
Dmitri Bykov Alexei Zhitnik
Darius Kasparaitis Fedor Tyutin < Rookie
Forwards to name a few
Alexei Yashin Viktor Kozlov
Evgeni Malkin still playing in Russia at the time Maxim Afinogenov
Alexander Kharitonov (Who is he right) Maxim Sushinsky Who??
WOW canada should really have destroyed the Russians Right?
what happened?? Russia pulled down there little brezzers and spanked there little bottoms!! Canada went on to finnish 7th!!!
Yes, it would be HUGE if Zubov played (not likely though). That would ensure that a game changing d-man would be anchoring each of the top 3 pairings. Probably something like this:
I don't know what to make of Kalinin. I live in NY and watch a lot of Rangers games.
From what I've seen, he's VERY inconsistent. He plays excellent in one game and terrible in the next.
He has been playing much better lately.
When he's focused, he's a pretty good player.
I have the same thoughts, also adding weak perfomances in key games on WCup 04 and WC 05. He'll get consideration, but considering number of players, who are better choices, both in NHL and KHL, I see Dmitriy as possible injury replacement for now.
For 2010 that set of D is brutal, you have volchenkov on your 2nd pairing? Wow just wow.
As a defensive defenceman, this guy is arguably better than any canadian defenceman. Just check out the top shot blockers of last two seasons.
Quote:
Ok Thortnon is the best playmaker in hockey and crosby is right behind him.
Last time I checked, Malkin had more points and assists than Crosby and Thornton, he's 10 ahead of Crosby and 15 ahead of Thornton. Last season, he was also better than those two. And it is not mentioning Datsyuk who is at the same level.
Quote:
Thats what im talking about those players as your 3rd and 4th liners is brutal, the only way russia can win since their D stink and goalie is nowhere near luongos caliber
I don't think the Russians have anything like that.
And when you get beyond the top six it seems like Russia's forwards fall behind talentwise, at least compared to Canada's they seem to. We've still got Carter, Savard, Marleau, St. Louis, Thornton, Gagne, Roy, E. Staal, Toews, Perry, etc, etc, etc.
Russia has Kovalev, Kozlov, Kozlov, Zherdev, Filatov, Frolov. No idea who they could use from the KHL... Perezhogin, Marek, Radulov Yashin (?).?
Honestly I don't think the Russian defenceman match up well. They've got Zubov, Markov, Korneev, Grebeshkov, Tyutin, Vorobiev (?), Yemelin (?), Volchenkov (?). They can definately put a world class top four, Canada's is still better though IMO, particularly defensively.
I think in goaltending Canada definately has the edge. The Russians have one world class goaltender. We have three, and two of them (Brodeur, Luongo) are generally considered one/two in the world.
I don't think the Russians have anything like that.
And when you get beyond the top six it seems like Russia's forwards fall behind talentwise, at least compared to Canada's they seem to. We've still got Carter, Savard, Marleau, St. Louis, Thornton, Gagne, Roy, E. Staal, Toews, Perry, etc, etc, etc.
Russia has Kovalev, Kozlov, Kozlov, Zherdev, Filatov, Frolov. No idea who they could use from the KHL... Perezhogin, Marek, Radulov Yashin (?).?
Honestly I don't think the Russian defenceman match up well. They've got Zubov, Markov, Korneev, Grebeshkov, Tyutin, Vorobiev (?), Yemelin (?), Volchenkov (?). They can definately put a world class top four, Canada's is still better though IMO, particularly defensively.
I think in goaltending Canada definately has the edge. The Russians have one world class goaltender. We have three, and two of them (Brodeur, Luongo) are generally considered one/two in the world.
Except only one plays at a time, so...one world class goalie is enough.
I think the consensus is that Nikulin, Atyushov, and Korneev wouldn't look out of place on the Olympic team... with the highly experienced guys like Danny Markov being among the more suitable replacements in the event of a dire injury situation. Koltsov would also be worthy of mention if he got along with Bykov.
