EHM The Blue Line

visualdarkness wrote:

IceTimer wrote: How are the NHLers high risk, there is some chemistry because at least the NHL see each other and are playing in the same league, the NHLers on the teams aren't maybe very familiar with the players playing in europe since they haven't seen them in awhile and so aren't familiar with their style of play. The ice surface might not be that big of a deal, but the quality of player could be.

Sedin-Sedin-Weinhandel = Proven
These three players are all in great shape and always perform when put together on a line, don't fix what's not broken.
Magnus Johansson who developed a bit to late and time closed the gap for to go the NHL.
He brings much needed leadership and experience.

Magnus Johanssons record:
World Championships
Bronze 2002 Sweden
Silver 2003 Sweden
Gold 2006 Sweden


I think NA people underestimate the giant step needed for players to take to move to NA with their families. Here in Sweden many players are used to staying at one or two Swedish pro-club for the whole career as trading practically don't exist here in Sweden. NHL also don't get nearly as much attention as national leagues here, so the young players here often dream more about Elitserien and the national team than NHL. Therefore talented players often stay at home (or in Europe).

Actually I agree with you about the Sedins and Weinhandl, I can't wait to see that line, in 04-05 Weinhandl put up more points than the Sedins, this line could be the best in the tourney I have to say, I kind of forgot about that line, thanks for the reminder, for that reason alone, their great chemistry, it's well worth it and a very smart move to put Weinhandl on the team.

Are you sure that Swedish players don't dream about the NHL, because I'm pretty sure that Victor Hedman was dreaming about it.

philou21 wrote:

IceTimer wrote:

philou21 wrote:I can agree with you, i don't think there's any ''favorite'' in any tournament because you don't know how a person will react or play. Yes Canada have alot of superstar, but who know's if a random guy, who have good skills and everything, will just sit down on is butt and do nothing. I like the fact that the European country take some players from their leagues. There's alot of good players out there, it's not because you don't play in the NHL that you suck, there's talent everywhere.

Are you honestly going to tell me that Zaripov, Morozov and Zinovjev are better than Frolov, or Blaťák is better than Spacek, or that Peltonen, Kapanen and Immonen are better than Jussi Jokinen, or that Weinhandl is better than Mikael Samuelsson, or that M. Johansson is better than Alex. Edler.

First of all, stop copying Batdad, you can't be like him.

Second, i'm speaking more about the moral or the willing to play of a player. Every defensemen in Czech are better than Spacek right now, he sucks bad this season i can tell you. There's surprise everywhere, Fernando Pisani was a big part of the Oilers in the playoff when they reach the cup final, but does he have done something since? No.....so you can't tell this, every player can be a surprise even if they don't have as much talent as other players.

Are you sure you wan't to say every D-man in the Czech. Rep. is better than Spacek right now, it's not true.

I didn't say that the kids don't dream about making it to the NHL, but most of them don't follow NHL except for some Swedish players and obvious stars like Ovechkin. Therefore they have grown up with the picture of them playing with guys like Jörgen Jönsson (retired) in Färjestad, not the image of them centering Ponikarovsky. The timezones, "complicated" league rules, consistent trading of players and distance severely lowers the interest in NHL over here.

Sad but true..

That's almost true But I'd rather see Hamrlik or Rozsival there.
It's hard to agree on specific roster, everybody has his own opinion. Only the coach/GM is the responsible guy.

IceTimer wrote:

visualdarkness wrote:

IceTimer wrote: How are the NHLers high risk, there is some chemistry because at least the NHL see each other and are playing in the same league, the NHLers on the teams aren't maybe very familiar with the players playing in europe since they haven't seen them in awhile and so aren't familiar with their style of play. The ice surface might not be that big of a deal, but the quality of player could be.

Sedin-Sedin-Weinhandel = Proven
These three players are all in great shape and always perform when put together on a line, don't fix what's not broken.
Magnus Johansson who developed a bit to late and time closed the gap for to go the NHL.
He brings much needed leadership and experience.

Magnus Johanssons record:
World Championships
Bronze 2002 Sweden
Silver 2003 Sweden
Gold 2006 Sweden


I think NA people underestimate the giant step needed for players to take to move to NA with their families. Here in Sweden many players are used to staying at one or two Swedish pro-club for the whole career as trading practically don't exist here in Sweden. NHL also don't get nearly as much attention as national leagues here, so the young players here often dream more about Elitserien and the national team than NHL. Therefore talented players often stay at home (or in Europe).

Actually I agree with you about the Sedins and Weinhandl, I can't wait to see that line, in 04-05 Weinhandl put up more points than the Sedins, this line could be the best in the tourney I have to say, I kind of forgot about that line, thanks for the reminder, for that reason alone, their great chemistry, it's well worth it and a very smart move to put Weinhandl on the team.

Are you sure that Swedish players don't dream about the NHL, because I'm pretty sure that Victor Hedman was dreaming about it.

Of course they dream about NHL, but it's a big honour to play in a team in Elitserien and players might have more loyalty for their Elitserien team than they have for any NHL team. Just look at Forsberg and Näslund for example, who decides to play for no salary just to help their home team MODO, who's been struggling this season.

I will not be surprised if the Sedins decide to return to MODO as well when the day come when their NHL careers are over.

And to clarify what I think Philou21 meant was that all the defensemen in the Czech olympic hockey team is better than Spacek and I'm ready to agree with him.
As said before, just because you play in NHL it's not a guarantee that you are better than some of the players from European leagues.
With that said I think that the Swedish coach did some weird choices, one of them is Magnus Johansson before Alexander Edler, but I think that was because Johansson is always good in the national team.

Great post joe!
Edler haven't exactly been rock-solid this season and I guess BÅG wants to play safe rather than risk Edler being a turnover machine of some sort.

joehelmer wrote:

IceTimer wrote:

visualdarkness wrote: Sedin-Sedin-Weinhandel = Proven
These three players are all in great shape and always perform when put together on a line, don't fix what's not broken.
Magnus Johansson who developed a bit to late and time closed the gap for to go the NHL.
He brings much needed leadership and experience.

Magnus Johanssons record:
World Championships
Bronze 2002 Sweden
Silver 2003 Sweden
Gold 2006 Sweden


I think NA people underestimate the giant step needed for players to take to move to NA with their families. Here in Sweden many players are used to staying at one or two Swedish pro-club for the whole career as trading practically don't exist here in Sweden. NHL also don't get nearly as much attention as national leagues here, so the young players here often dream more about Elitserien and the national team than NHL. Therefore talented players often stay at home (or in Europe).

Actually I agree with you about the Sedins and Weinhandl, I can't wait to see that line, in 04-05 Weinhandl put up more points than the Sedins, this line could be the best in the tourney I have to say, I kind of forgot about that line, thanks for the reminder, for that reason alone, their great chemistry, it's well worth it and a very smart move to put Weinhandl on the team.

Are you sure that Swedish players don't dream about the NHL, because I'm pretty sure that Victor Hedman was dreaming about it.

Of course they dream about NHL, but it's a big honour to play in a team in Elitserien and players might have more loyalty for their Elitserien team than they have for any NHL team. Just look at Forsberg and Näslund for example, who decides to play for no salary just to help their home team MODO, who's been struggling this season.

I will not be surprised if the Sedins decide to return to MODO as well when the day come when their NHL careers are over.

And to clarify what I think Philou21 meant was that all the defensemen in the Czech olympic hockey team is better than Spacek and I'm ready to agree with him.
As said before, just because you play in NHL it's not a guarantee that you are better than some of the players from European leagues.
With that said I think that the Swedish coach did some weird choices, one of them is Magnus Johansson before Alexander Edler, but I think that was because Johansson is always good in the national team.

I'm sure Johansson is a fine player, and has more experience than Edler in international play probably, (some people though think that experience doesn't mean much, but that's another argument) but I don't think he has ever played on the smaller ice in his life, unless he has played in the world championships in 08', at least some of the players coming from Europe have some experience in the NHL, which is a good thing.

Can anyone tell me why the Sedins and Weinhandl are so good together, because Weinhandl isn't really near the same player when he plays without them.

IceTimer wrote:

philou21 wrote:

IceTimer wrote: Are you honestly going to tell me that Zaripov, Morozov and Zinovjev are better than Frolov, or Blaťák is better than Spacek, or that Peltonen, Kapanen and Immonen are better than Jussi Jokinen, or that Weinhandl is better than Mikael Samuelsson, or that M. Johansson is better than Alex. Edler.

First of all, stop copying Batdad, you can't be like him.

Second, i'm speaking more about the moral or the willing to play of a player. Every defensemen in Czech are better than Spacek right now, he sucks bad this season i can tell you. There's surprise everywhere, Fernando Pisani was a big part of the Oilers in the playoff when they reach the cup final, but does he have done something since? No.....so you can't tell this, every player can be a surprise even if they don't have as much talent as other players.

Are you sure you wan't to say every D-man in the Czech. Rep. is better than Spacek right now, it's not true.

Someone here doesn't know what sarcasm is it's seems.

IceTimer wrote:Can anyone tell me why the Sedins and Weinhandl are so good together, because Weinhandl isn't really near the same player when he plays without them.

Pure chemistry, chemistry that has been there since their junior years together. But Weinhandl is a good player without them, at least when he played in Elitserien. Then he had another good player in Elitserien, Tony Mårtensson.

Magnus Johansson was in NHL a couple of years ago, but he was there when he was more than 30 years old and got home sick as I think his family didn't enjoyed their stay in North America. Magnus played for Chicago and Florida.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_Joh ... statistics

IceTimer wrote:I'm sure Johansson is a fine player, and has more experience than Edler in international play probably, (some people though think that experience doesn't mean much, but that's another argument) but I don't think he has ever played on the smaller ice in his life, unless he has played in the last 2 world championships, at least some of the players coming from Europe have some experience in the NHL, which is a good thing.

Can anyone tell me why the Sedins and Weinhandl are so good together, because Weinhandl isn't really near the same player when he plays without them.

Johansson played one pretty decent season split between Florida and Chicago, so the only problem on the small ice will be his size. He was already in his 30's so he went back to Europe after the season.

Weinhandel thinks the game the same way as the Sedins so he always knows where to go, that with his quick shot makes him the ideal triggerman for them. Weinhandel is a good player whos development and chance in the NHL was ruined by an eye-injury.

philou21 wrote:

IceTimer wrote:

philou21 wrote: First of all, stop copying Batdad, you can't be like him.

Second, i'm speaking more about the moral or the willing to play of a player. Every defensemen in Czech are better than Spacek right now, he sucks bad this season i can tell you. There's surprise everywhere, Fernando Pisani was a big part of the Oilers in the playoff when they reach the cup final, but does he have done something since? No.....so you can't tell this, every player can be a surprise even if they don't have as much talent as other players.

Are you sure you wan't to say every D-man in the Czech. Rep. is better than Spacek right now, it's not true.

Someone here doesn't know what sarcasm is it's seems.

Yes I do know what sarcasm is, but when it's done through the computer it's not always picked up on.

visualdarkness wrote:

IceTimer wrote:I'm sure Johansson is a fine player, and has more experience than Edler in international play probably, (some people though think that experience doesn't mean much, but that's another argument) but I don't think he has ever played on the smaller ice in his life, unless he has played in the last 2 world championships, at least some of the players coming from Europe have some experience in the NHL, which is a good thing.

Can anyone tell me why the Sedins and Weinhandl are so good together, because Weinhandl isn't really near the same player when he plays without them.

Johansson played one pretty decent season split between Florida and Chicago, so the only problem on the small ice will be his size. He was already in his 30's so he went back to Europe after the season.

Weinhandel thinks the game the same way as the Sedins so he always knows where to go, that with his quick shot makes him the ideal triggerman for them. Weinhandel is a good player whos development and chance in the NHL was ruined by an eye-injury.

Yeah, I think he just can see with like 10% with one of his eyes, thanks to a stick to it in a junior world championship in 1999.

visualdarkness wrote:

IceTimer wrote:I'm sure Johansson is a fine player, and has more experience than Edler in international play probably, (some people though think that experience doesn't mean much, but that's another argument) but I don't think he has ever played on the smaller ice in his life, unless he has played in the last 2 world championships, at least some of the players coming from Europe have some experience in the NHL, which is a good thing.

Can anyone tell me why the Sedins and Weinhandl are so good together, because Weinhandl isn't really near the same player when he plays without them.

Johansson played one pretty decent season split between Florida and Chicago, so the only problem on the small ice will be his size. He was already in his 30's so he went back to Europe after the season.

Weinhandel thinks the game the same way as the Sedins so he always knows where to go, that with his quick shot makes him the ideal triggerman for them. Weinhandel is a good player whos development and chance in the NHL was ruined by an eye-injury.

Yeah, I made a mistake with Johansson, I really should do better research.

Weinhandl I see is playing well in the KHL, is he playing with Hudler there, because they are both playing well?

Weinhandl has very high hockey sense?

Weinhandl would have been a much better player and could have even maybe been a star in the NHL if it wasn't for his bad eye?

IceTimer wrote:Weinhandl has very high hockey sense?

Yes, I think he has. Maybe not as high as Forsberg, but not too far behind, but his eye injury has stopped him reaching the potential he had.

IceTimer wrote:Weinhandl would have been a much better player and could have even maybe been a star in the NHL if it wasn't for his bad eye?

Yes, at least I think so. Just look at the Sedins and how they've developed. Weinhandl maybe wasn't as potential as them but he would certainly make better in NHL than he did if he hadn't got that injury. It was a miracle that he wasn't blinded on that eye.

joehelmer wrote:

IceTimer wrote:Weinhandl has very high hockey sense?

Yes, I think he has. Maybe not as high as Forsberg, but not too far behind, but his eye injury has stopped him reaching the potential he had.

IceTimer wrote:Weinhandl would have been a much better player and could have even maybe been a star in the NHL if it wasn't for his bad eye?

Yes, at least I think so. Just look at the Sedins and how they've developed. Weinhandl maybe wasn't as potential as them but he would certainly make better in NHL than he did if he hadn't got that injury. It was a miracle that he wasn't blinded on that eye.

Well hockey sense I don't think has alot to do with seeing with your eyes, it's more sensing inside where the play is going, and where the players are on the ice, but yes having better eye sight certainly helps.

IceTimer wrote: Yeah, I made a mistake with Johansson, I really should do better research.

Weinhandl I see is playing well in the KHL, is he playing with Hudler there, because they are both playing well?

Weinhandl has very high hockey sense?

Weinhandl would have been a much better player and could have even maybe been a star in the NHL if it wasn't for his bad eye?

1. I honestly don't know but I suspect that too.

2. Yes, he got hockey sense, skating and real drive, a good combination. Not so good on defense though but he's no coaster. He has to compensate his bad eye with sense.

"Weinhandl is a very gifted player offensively. He has a pretty good nose for the net and is at the same time a capable playmaker. His technical skills are impressive and he is very agile and mobile. He still could use some more pounds to his frame." - Elitprospects

3. It's impossible to know but he probably would have been at least a good regular if his development wouldn't have been stunted due to the injury and he beefed up a little.

IceTimer wrote:

joehelmer wrote:

IceTimer wrote:Weinhandl has very high hockey sense?

Yes, I think he has. Maybe not as high as Forsberg, but not too far behind, but his eye injury has stopped him reaching the potential he had.

IceTimer wrote:Weinhandl would have been a much better player and could have even maybe been a star in the NHL if it wasn't for his bad eye?

Yes, at least I think so. Just look at the Sedins and how they've developed. Weinhandl maybe wasn't as potential as them but he would certainly make better in NHL than he did if he hadn't got that injury. It was a miracle that he wasn't blinded on that eye.

Well hockey sense I don't think has alot to do with seeing with your eyes, it's more sensing inside where the play is going, and where the players are on the ice, but yes having better eye site certainly helps.

He got the "sense" but lacking some radius and having a hard time to judge distances would lower every players ability.

visualdarkness wrote:

IceTimer wrote: Yeah, I made a mistake with Johansson, I really should do better research.

Weinhandl I see is playing well in the KHL, is he playing with Hudler there, because they are both playing well?

Weinhandl has very high hockey sense?

Weinhandl would have been a much better player and could have even maybe been a star in the NHL if it wasn't for his bad eye?

1. I honestly don't know but I suspect that too.

2. Yes, he got hockey sense, skating and real drive, a good combination. Not so good on defense though but he's no coaster. He has to compensate his bad eye with sense.

"Weinhandl is a very gifted player offensively. He has a pretty good nose for the net and is at the same time a capable playmaker. His technical skills are impressive and he is very agile and mobile. He still could use some more pounds to his frame." - Elitprospects

3. It's impossible to know but he probably would have been at least a good regular if his development wouldn't have
been stunted due to the injury and he beefed up a little.

Are you sure that he isn't very responsible defensively, cause don't most Swedes know how to play D, and didn't he spend much of his NHL career on the 3rd/4th lines, where you pretty much have to be at least a decent defensive player?

IceTimer wrote:

visualdarkness wrote:

IceTimer wrote: Yeah, I made a mistake with Johansson, I really should do better research.

Weinhandl I see is playing well in the KHL, is he playing with Hudler there, because they are both playing well?

Weinhandl has very high hockey sense?

Weinhandl would have been a much better player and could have even maybe been a star in the NHL if it wasn't for his bad eye?

1. I honestly don't know but I suspect that too.

2. Yes, he got hockey sense, skating and real drive, a good combination. Not so good on defense though but he's no coaster. He has to compensate his bad eye with sense.

"Weinhandl is a very gifted player offensively. He has a pretty good nose for the net and is at the same time a capable playmaker. His technical skills are impressive and he is very agile and mobile. He still could use some more pounds to his frame." - Elitprospects

3. It's impossible to know but he probably would have been at least a good regular if his development wouldn't have
been stunted due to the injury and he beefed up a little.

Are you sure that he isn't very responsible defensively, cause don't most Swedes know how to play D, and didn't he spend much of his NHL career on the 3rd/4th lines, where you pretty much have to be at least a decent defensive player?

He doesn't shy away from playing defense and coaches sometimes use his speed, mobility and sense on the PK, but it's his biggest flaw in the game, especially since he lacks the size. As I said, he won't coast around on the ice and he knows how do a decent job in his own zone, but it's his weakness.

Can someone please tell me why Tony Martensson did not stay long in North America, because he looks like a pretty good player?

Was Martensson even considered for the Olympic team, because I know he has played for Sweden before?


Does anyone like Martensson more than any of the players on the Swedish Olympic team?

Ice Timer--Swedes don't know how to play D? Better go back and look at the Norris Trophy Winners list and at the Selke trophy runner up last season. Dude--you are way off base.

As for the rest of this ... I set off world war three about hockey! I love it.

This thread has exploded. Anyway...sorry folks but just because Weinhandl played well with the Sedins 4 years ago, and 9 years ago does not mean he will now. He is nowhere near the player he once was. Jacques Lemaire saw to that. The Sedins never even ask to have him come to Vancouver. Why? Because they know the guys here are better and smarter than he is.

MagJo--Played for the Blackhawks, so yes whoever it was upthread who said he had never played on the small ice...you are wrong. he has. He is just not good. Edler does make mistakes but often they are caused by his d-partners not knowing where to be and the fact that right now he gets 25 minutes of ice time.

What you all have to remember...in the Olympics there are going to be guys (Seabrook, Keith, Niedermeyer, could have been Edler) who have to play 25-30 minutes per game for their teams. IN the Olympics...they will only have to play 20 or so minutes. This will do a few things:

1. Allow them to play at a higher pace, instead of saving themselves for later (niedermeyer, Pronger--older guys)
2. Allow them to play in roles they are more suited to (support guy--IE Edler would have been) instead of as top pair guys.
3. Allow them to be rested a bit and feel better at end of games--Seabrook, Keith who have looked exhausted lately (reason they made the deal for Johnsson)

Oh yeah, MagJo is on that team because Kim JOhnsson said no.

Chemistry from Euro based guys as a helper to team--Sorry not buying this guys. Noone has even half their team from Europe, and they will all be mixed in with the NHLers on their lines. they are not going to play as pairs, or lines...they will get mixed. So that is a load of BS. The reason these guys are here is political..pure and simple. Especially the KHL guys...the Russians are trying to make that league sound like a competitor to NHL, which at this point it is not, save for the old (Jagr), infirm (Emery last season), stupid (Emery last season), and greedy (Radulov). Pure and simple that league is a combindation of old timers and prospects. Just political..that is all.

Same could be said for Sweden. And do you believe for a second honestly that if Forsberg or Naslund had felt healthy, young and capable of doing what they did in the past they would be playing for free in Sweden? No. They go back when they are not able to do what they used to be able to...which makes them inferior players.

Politics rules in hockey everywhere. Especially in Canadian hockey. that is why PRonger is on our team, Weinhandl on Sweden, Magjo on Sweden, and Morozov and others on Russia. C'est rubbish to suggest that these guys will make their teams better than the NHL players. It just is.

Now does that mean they won't win...no. But they will win because of Sedins, or Lidstroms, or Lundqvists Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk....Gaborik, M Koivu, Kiprusoff, Backstrom, Chara, Halak, dasyuk, Zetterberg....Not the guys who play with them from Europe.

batdad wrote:Ice Timer--Swedes don't know how to play D? Better go back and look at the Norris Trophy Winners list and at the Selke trophy runner up last season. Dude--you are way off base.

As for the rest of this ... I set off world war three about hockey! I love it.

This thread has exploded. Anyway...sorry folks but just because Weinhandl played well with the Sedins 4 years ago, and 9 years ago does not mean he will now. He is nowhere near the player he once was. Jacques Lemaire saw to that. The Sedins never even ask to have him come to Vancouver. Why? Because they know the guys here are better and smarter than he is.

MagJo--Played for the Blackhawks, so yes whoever it was upthread who said he had never played on the small ice...you are wrong. he has. He is just not good. Edler does make mistakes but often they are caused by his d-partners not knowing where to be and the fact that right now he gets 25 minutes of ice time.

What you all have to remember...in the Olympics there are going to be guys (Seabrook, Keith, Niedermeyer, could have been Edler) who have to play 25-30 minutes per game for their teams. IN the Olympics...they will only have to play 20 or so minutes. This will do a few things:

1. Allow them to play at a higher pace, instead of saving themselves for later (niedermeyer, Pronger--older guys)
2. Allow them to play in roles they are more suited to (support guy--IE Edler would have been) instead of as top pair guys.
3. Allow them to be rested a bit and feel better at end of games--Seabrook, Keith who have looked exhausted lately (reason they made the deal for Johnsson)

Oh yeah, MagJo is on that team because Kim JOhnsson said no.

Chemistry from Euro based guys as a helper to team--Sorry not buying this guys. Noone has even half their team from Europe, and they will all be mixed in with the NHLers on their lines. they are not going to play as pairs, or lines...they will get mixed. So that is a load of BS. The reason these guys are here is political..pure and simple. Especially the KHL guys...the Russians are trying to make that league sound like a competitor to NHL, which at this point it is not, save for the old (Jagr), infirm (Emery last season), stupid (Emery last season), and greedy (Radulov). Pure and simple that league is a combindation of old timers and prospects. Just political..that is all.

Same could be said for Sweden. And do you believe for a second honestly that if Forsberg or Naslund had felt healthy, young and capable of doing what they did in the past they would be playing for free in Sweden? No. They go back when they are not able to do what they used to be able to...which makes them inferior players.

Politics rules in hockey everywhere. Especially in Canadian hockey. that is why PRonger is on our team, Weinhandl on Sweden, Magjo on Sweden, and Morozov and others on Russia. C'est rubbish to suggest that these guys will make their teams better than the NHL players. It just is.

Now does that mean they won't win...no. But they will win because of Sedins, or Lidstroms, or Lundqvists Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk....Gaborik, M Koivu, Kiprusoff, Backstrom, Chara, Halak, dasyuk, Zetterberg....Not the guys who play with them from Europe.

No, you are way off base, because I said the opposite of that, I said that they do know how to play defense.

It was I who said that about Magjo, but if you would actually read the thread you would notice that it has already been covered.

How do you know that players will play just 20 minutes in the Olympics, the top D pairings could still get 25-30 minutes.

Where do you get this politics argument from, I agree that Russia might fall into this category, but most likely the others don't, the players from Europe on those teams have all performed well in international competition, that's why they are on the team. Why do you think that Progner was a "political" decision, you honestly don't think that he is good enough to play for Canada?

Gaborik injured and is to miss at least first two games. What a surprise...
I wanted him to play against us Without him Slovaks will be even older.

Nope. Most likely (And it has been said by Babcock) as it has been in the past...the pairs will get balanced ice time. I mean how do you give 1 of those 7 (especially in Canada) more ice than another. You just can't. They are all equally good at virtually all aspects of the game. Plus...you want em healthy. 25-30 minutes over an extended period of time...injury.

As for your first two points--from what you wrote it sure sounded like you criticizing Swede D play, but I will take you that you were not.

After I wrote--I went back reread and saw you apologized for your MagJo errors. Still was going to point out what I saw anyway. No big deal, unless you want it to be.

Sweden and Finland definitely fall into politics arguement. They always have. They try and boost up their leagues as well. Pronger--Basically a political decision at the top in the idea of vet vs younger kid. (Bouwmeester). And yeah, I do not think Pronger should be on the team. Mike Green is better, Bouwmeester is better....Pronger is a mistake, even more so than the little kid in Doughty. Do not get me wrong Doughty is outstanding--but at 19 should not be there. We have made that mistake as a country before too.


Gabby injured? darn.

Oh and any time you have a person in charge of running a team like a national team, who uses words like "knows the system" or "Loyal" or "chemistry" ..you have a person justifying taking a weaker player over a stronger one. This can only be for one reason: POLITICS. BEcause no coach in his right mind would take a weaker player over a stronger one. Not one. So in the case of Sweden, Russia, Finland, etc...this has happened and continues to. It has happened in Canada too (Zamuner, and to some extent Linden in Nagano)

batdad wrote:It has happened in Canada too (Zamuner, and to some extent Linden in Nagano)

Linden scored GTG in last minute in semifinals against Czechs, remember? And he was the only canadian scorer in semis. But Hasek dominated in overtime and shoot-out