2010 - 2011 World Junior Men's Hockey

[china]

talloola

actually the u.s. was the gold medal favourites at the start of this tournament

Not according to Mr. Cannuck :
If you doubt we are the best perhaps you should tell us what other country is a gold medal favorite every single time they play.

 

[Cannuck]

Outside of the author, I don't know of anybody that has called Canada "far" superior. They are superior, of that there is little doubt. The records speak for themselves. Canada is a gold medal threat in each and every tournament they are in. No other country can say the same.

I used the wrong word. That said, I'll take the word favorite as in this case, I don't believe the US was the favorite. Taloola just likes to parrot TSN and that was their opinion.

The author also harps on the fact that Canadians don't do as well in IIHF events, such as the yearly World Championships, and again derides the players and NHL for the fact theit playoffs conflict with the IIHF's tournament. Sorry but the Stanley Cup IS the more prestigious trophy: its been around longer, and the best of the best compete for it every year. It is the trophy kids grow up dreaming about. Why should the NHL have to alter their schedule format to suit the IIHF (the junior organization in terms of age), who in turn does nothing except try and put up obstacles in the NHL's path on things like player transfer agreements?

I really don't care about the world championships. I'll watch it (usually a replay) if there isn't an NHL game on and I won't get up in the middle of the night to watch a game played in Europe. I will do that for the world juniors though.

 

[JLM]

I used the wrong word. That said, I'll take the word favorite as in this case, I don't believe the US was the favorite. Taloola just likes to parrot TSN and that was their opinion.



.

Yeah right, Talloola can probably teach T.S.N. a thing or two about hockey. :lol:

 

[Cannuck]

Yeah right, Talloola can probably teach T.S.N. a thing or two about hockey. :lol:

I wouldn't argue there but really, it ain't sayin much. I think China could teach TSN a thing or two about hockey.

 

[wulfie68]

I really don't care about the world championships. I'll watch it (usually a replay) if there isn't an NHL game on and I won't get up in the middle of the night to watch a game played in Europe. I will do that for the world juniors though.

I feel the same except I am more apathetic about the worlds than you are. I liked the Olympics. I LOVE the WJHC: its the only thing I think the IIHF does a half decent job at. I love the NHL & playoffs, even though I readily concede there is room for improvement.

 

[talloola]

talloola


Not according to Mr. Cannuck :
If you doubt we are the best perhaps you should tell us what other country is a gold medal favorite every single time they play.

last year the u.s. won the tournament, they had quite a few returning players, and were considered the
strength of the league by all of the chit chat by sports announcers, etc., and the canadians did not have
a strong returning team from last year, lots of new players, hence, u.s. was touted as favourites for
this tournament, but the unknown comes after the puck drops, which is history now.
The winner of any tournament is only that, the winner of that tournament, as tournaments are short little
seasons of play, and anything can happen, as did in this tournament, and if the russians are now thinking
they are the elite of the world in junior hockey, then they will not succeed in the future.
As many times as the canadians win, they continue to strive to be better and better, are always aware
that any team can come up and 'get' you, that is the mind-set also of every NHL team every time they
go into any game. They know how hard it is to 'win', so the canadian mind-set is always in that mode,
be your best, don't take your foot off the pedal for a second or you will let the other team into the
game, as happened with the canadian team in the last period of the turnament, they lost their focus and
took their eye off the ball, and the other team (could have been any of the teams) were right there to
take advantage.

 

[china]

The article has some fact but it is also riddled with half-truths, statements out of context and absurdities.

The author skirts the truth that the Soviet Red Army, were in fact paid by their employer, the Army of the USSR, to play hockey but dodged IOC regulations to send those players to the Olympics. He then goes on to make the ridiculous statement that professionals in North America could have taken lesser paying jobs and played for their respective national teams: that doesn't alter the fact that the best hockey players in the free world WERE ineligible to play in the Olympics at that point. When you look at Canadian results since, we haven't dominated as strongly as we would like (for the men) but we have been at least as strong as any other nation.

The author also harps on the fact that Canadians don't do as well in IIHF events, such as the yearly World Championships, and again derides the players and NHL for the fact theit playoffs conflict with the IIHF's tournament. Sorry but the Stanley Cup IS the more prestigious trophy: its been around longer, and the best of the best compete for it every year. It is the trophy kids grow up dreaming about. Why should the NHL have to alter their schedule format to suit the IIHF (the junior organization in terms of age), who in turn does nothing except try and put up obstacles in the NHL's path on things like player transfer agreements? The author joins those who criticize the NHL ruleset, but I think the IIHF rules are at least as bad: I don't think no-touch icing should be automatic, especially when the a player from the team who would be called is looking like they would be the first one to touch the puck. I hate the helmet rule (which is fine for kids but not adults) where if you lose your helmet you must leave the ice immediately, regardless of the impact on the play (like the one which resulted in a goal in the Bronze medal game in the Olympics). I think the IIHF is overboard on "head shots" when they penalize all upper body contact and don't place any accountability on the players handling the puck with their heads down.

What that article looked like to me, was a swipe at the North American game by someone who doesn't watch much hockey, who looked up some "facts" on Wikipedia or someplace and tried to build their case about why Canada isn't the best hockey nation in the world from there.

I'm not going to say we're a long way in front of everyone else: we're not. But we do still produce the most and best players, at all positions.

wulfie68

The article has some fact but it is also riddled with half-truths, statements out of context and absurdities.

Could you please show me where this article is riddled with half-truth......etc .
And back it up with "truth".Can you do that ?

 

[Tonington]

Could you please show me where this article is riddled with half-truth......etc .

How about the distinction between professional hockey players and the Central Red Army team? One countries best players were exempt from representing their nation.

 

[talloola]

I used the wrong word. That said, I'll take the word favorite as in this case, I don't believe the US was the favorite. Taloola just likes to parrot TSN and that was their opinion.

that was the opinion of many hockey talking heads, and I watch and listen to many of them, but the one's
I respect the most are actual hockey analysts who were also players, as there are some who are very
intelligent and knowledgeable, and I also have my own input, which belongs to me.

You know nothing about me, and the few things you have spouted about me are false, so you are just
another opinion, and one who loves himself too much.

 

[JLM]

I used the wrong word. That said, I'll take the word favorite as in this case, I don't believe the US was the favorite. Taloola just likes to parrot TSN and that was their opinion.

that was the opinion of many hockey talking heads, and I watch and listen to many of them, but the one's
I respect the most are actual hockey analysts who were also players, as there are some who are very
intelligent and knowledgeable, and I also have my own input, which belongs to me.

You know nothing about me, and the few things you have spouted about me are false, so you are just
another opinion, and one who loves himself too much.

No kidding- he even "knows" my driving habits.............:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Cannuck]

You know nothing about me, and the few things you have spouted about me are false, so you are just
another opinion, and one who loves himself too much.

You know nothing about me, and the few things you have spouted about me are false, so you are just
another opinion, and one who loves herself too much.

 

[#juan]

last year the u.s. won the tournament, they had quite a few returning players, and were considered the
strength of the league by all of the chit chat by sports announcers, etc., and the canadians did not have
a strong returning team from last year, lots of new players, hence, u.s. was touted as favourites for
this tournament, but the unknown comes after the puck drops, which is history now.
The winner of any tournament is only that, the winner of that tournament, as tournaments are short little
seasons of play, and anything can happen, as did in this tournament, and if the russians are now thinking
they are the elite of the world in junior hockey, then they will not succeed in the future.
As many times as the canadians win, they continue to strive to be better and better, are always aware
that any team can come up and 'get' you, that is the mind-set also of every NHL team every time they
go into any game. They know how hard it is to 'win', so the canadian mind-set is always in that mode,
be your best, don't take your foot off the pedal for a second or you will let the other team into the
game, as happened with the canadian team in the last period of the turnament, they lost their focus and
took their eye off the ball, and the other team (could have been any of the teams) were right there to
take advantage.

The reining champions are alway touted as the favourites by someone. This theory works better in the NHL because the NHL teams tend to stay together longer than the World junior teams do.

 

[talloola]

You know nothing about me, and the few things you have spouted about me are false, so you are just
another opinion, and one who loves herself too much.

I love myself I think I'm grand -
And in the show I hold my hand -
I put my arm around my waist -
And when I'm fresh I slap my face-

And, by the way, 'speaking of parrots' uhhem, good job there, you did it perfectly, polly, are you an amazon, or a lower slobovian breed.

The reining champions are alway touted as the favourites by someone. This theory works better in the NHL because the NHL teams tend to stay together longer than the World junior teams do.

that's right, but the fact is that the u.s. team were touted as the favourite going into this tournament,
doesn't have anything to do with facts, because no one knows the facts, even after a winner is declared,
still doesn't prove which team was the best, only shows who won.

And in the NHL now, since lockout, because of cap, players are constantly moving around, so even those
teams don't come out each and every year with same team. eg. chicago, won the cup, but have to dismantle
because of cap problems, so I guess the idea is, build, go for the cup, then dismantle and build again.
exception could be Canucks, IF they happened to go the distance and win the cup, they are probably in
the best position of any team at the top, as they have many key players signed, who could remain with
the team.
Schneider probably would have to go, he is not a back-up, trying to build his own career now, and he is
doing a good job, so he would probably be traded, but we have 'Lak' in manitoba who seems to be a great
prospect, who could step up.