As if the Canadian Olympic team needed any more motivation, last night's World Junior disappointment should only further fuel Canada's desires to get back atop the medal podium.
But like the World Juniors, the Olympics will be no slam dunk. In fact, the Olympics will be even more difficult with as many as 7 countries having a legitimate chance at winning it all.
Like any tournament there will be favourites but amazingly, just about every team in the tournament has at least one game breaker that's capable of putting a team on their shoulders. That's what makes this tournament potentially one of the best of all time.
Here are my pre-tournament rankings...
1) CANADA- There are other teams that can match their talent but the drive to win on home ice makes Canada the favourites in my book.
2) RUSSIA- The Russians have unbelievable skill up front. Skill that will win them games single handedly. With Nabakov and Bryzgalov as a one-two punch in goal this Russian team is going to be hard to beat.
3) SWEDEN- Another team with all kinds of skill up front and money goaltening in Lundqvist. Not to mention they are the defending champs.
4) USA- They have a young roster but a very competitive one. With Parise and Kessel they have their game breakers and if Miller gets hot they could be a real dark horse.
5) FINLAND- Great goaltending in Kiprusoff and always seem to have a great "team" concept in international events. They lack the goal scoring that some other teams have but they will be no push over.
6) SLOVAKIA- With Halak playing as well as he has lately the Slovaks could really surprise some people. They have the most dominant defenceman in Chara and the NHL's leading goal scorer in Gaborik. Another team that could surprise some people.
7) CZECH REP.- All kinds of skill up front and the return of Jaromir Jagr to the spotlight. Hard to know what to expect from this team but with Vokun likely starting they have the weakest goaltender of the contending teams.
8) SWITZERLAND
9) GERMANY
10) LATVIA
11) BELARUS
12) NORWAY
How would you rank the teams with the tournament a little over a month away?
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with the team Canada picked I give them 4th at best! they should drop the chokers for proven winners!
ReplyDeleteBrodeur
Fleury
Ward
Niedermayer - Pronger
Phaneuf - Doughty
Boyle - Seabrook
Blake
Nash - Crosby - Iginla
St. Louis - Lecavalier - Doan
Smyth - Getzlaf - Perry
Tavares - Toews - Staal
Stamkos
anon 12:11
ReplyDeleteas much as i want to laugh at you for that I almost prefer your team. Clearly no Blake, Tavares or Lecavalier but otherwise not bad...
My Ranking:
ReplyDelete1) Russia - [going into it they are back to back world champs and they have Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk and Semin who can all break a game no problem... not to mention guys like Radulov and Zherdev]
2) Canada - [I agree with those guys that we do have a truly weaker team than we could have had and I don't see the chemisty... if Crosby plays with Nash and Iginla that line will be key to our success]
3) Slovakia - [ I think that they will surprise a few people. Hossa and Gaborik will really tear shit up]
4) Sweden - [ they've gotten old but still have a little kick, a little life left in them]
5) Czech Republic - [ never can count them out... thought not the squad to win]
6) USA - [good goaltending but just not a good team... won't be able to play alongside Russia or Canada and will likely faulter]
7)Finland - [ another team that's gotten old... Kipper won't be able to win it for them... clearly the worst of the elite group]
8)Germany - [ no question better than the remaining teams... guys like Marco Sturm and Jochen Hecht can really bring it at a good level]
9)Belarus - [even without Grabovski I see them playing pretty well... maybe Mezin can steal them another one against Sweden]
10)Switzerland - [Gerber...]
11)Latvija - [90% of the team from Dinamo Riga, not good enough]
12)Norway - [best of luck to you Ole Tollefsson]
Gold - Canada
ReplyDeleteSilver - Russia
Bronze - Sweden
4th - Finland
5th - USA
6th - Slovakia
7th - Germany
8th - Czech Republic
9th - Switzerland
10th - Belarus
11th - Norway
12th - Latvia
A shame that there aren't more people getting in to the festive spirit that is the lead up to olympic hockey. Very well written blog from what I can see. Also nice to see that you aren't jumping all over the speculation of replacing Bergeron like on some sites (if you ask me it could only be Ryan Smyth if anyone). My opinion is similar to anonymous at 2:12. If any team is going to surpass expectations it will be the Slovaks and they will have to do it with their scoring. If I had to rank.
ReplyDeleteGold - Canada, Silver - Sweden, Bronze - Russia
4th - Slovakia, 5th - USA, 6th - Finland
and I agree with anonymous at 2:58 that the Germans will upset the Czechs, so:
7th - Germany, 8th - Czechs and 9th - Switzerland
after that it's really a toss of the coin. But I think that it will be:
10th - Latvia, 11th - Norway, 12th - Belarus (too many Ds on the team)
All the best to you and keep up the good work!
who cares?
ReplyDeleteAbout the Olympics? Probably a few people.
ReplyDeleteI care! :)
ReplyDeleteCanada will win Gold. The Americans and Swedes will win Silver and Bronze (I just haven't decidied which one will win which medal yet). Russia will finish in 4th after losing the bronze medal game to either the Yanks or Swedes.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand all of the hate for Team Canada. :S
ReplyDeleteThis is clearly the best team of the tournament. It may not have quite the gamebreaking offense of the Russians, or the clutch goaltending of the Americans or Swedes, but no team can match it's over-all depth in terms of skill, grit and dependability.
The only glaring omission as I see it is Ryan Smyth. And the only truly debatable inclusion was Brendan Morrow.
I guess you could argue about Bergeron, but really, if you look at the role he's expected to fill (versatile, jack-of-all trades swing-man), can you really say that there's a better man for the job? Stamkos and Carter can score like it's nobody's business, but so can Nash, Crosby, Iginla, Marleau, Heatley, Staal and Perry. Brad Richards is an elite passer, but so are Crosby, Thornton and Getzlaf. Mike Fisher is fast and gritty and is having a career year, but cannot switch to either wing as easily as Bergeron). Patrick Sharp probably can, and has more goal-scoring potential. Alright, I can't really say that Bergeron is better at his role than Sharp, but it was a judegemtn call, and I guess Stevie Y thought Bergeron was more clutch and integral to his team than Sharp.