IIHF Tournament 2011

[damngrumpy]

Goal tending two years in a row turns out to be the problem, In addition we make too
much out of how great we are and people eat it up only to be disappointed. I don't
think we had the best team at all and at times it showed even when they were playing
out front with a lead.
The Americans were as good as could be expected, and the Russians were really
lucky at times, they dodged more bullets than the fight at OK Corral in my opinion.

 

[gopher]

Sadly there was virtually no talk about IIHF in the states. Too bad cause this was one heck of a tournament.

 

[talloola]

Goal tending two years in a row turns out to be the problem, In addition we make too
much out of how great we are and people eat it up only to be disappointed. I don't
think we had the best team at all and at times it showed even when they were playing
out front with a lead.
The Americans were as good as could be expected, and the Russians were really
lucky at times, they dodged more bullets than the fight at OK Corral in my opinion.

I don't think we make too much out of it at all. Canadians are very passionate about hockey,
and why not, it is our game, it is who we are in sports, we are proud of our hockey.

they have spent a few years putting lots of emphasis on skating, scoring and that side of
hockey, and the goaltending has not kept up, doesn't mean our goalies are poor, just
means they need to also put more emphasis on that area of hockey now, and bring the
goaltending forward, and make it even better.

I don't think they lost because of goaltending at all.

They lost the one game, and that is all it was, one game, thats the way it goes, can happen
to any team., in any game, the game just meant a lot, but it was still just one game,
doesn't define much on the scale of 'who' to blame, no one to blame, just shake
hands, move on, and come back next year and try again.

And don't forget, they won the bronze, and finland is a good team too.

Not the end of the world.

 

[gopher]

I am still thinking about that great tournament - gosh, it was great to see those kids play with such incredible enthusiasm and spirit. Don't you feel bad for those Yanks who missed out because it didn't get publicity in the States? How I wish we had major juniors here!!

 

[talloola]

I am still thinking about that great tournament - gosh, it was great to see those kids play with such incredible enthusiasm and spirit. Don't you feel bad for those Yanks who missed out because it didn't get publicity in the States? How I wish we had major juniors here!!

those kids are allready on to their next journey in their life, so you must do the
same. lol
they will be back next year.

the u.s. is gradually gaining on everyone. with the population in the u.s., it is
only normal that they will eventually be as strong if not stronger than most,
every year.
no one else (in the hockey world) has that many people, and can't forever stay ahead, numbers will prevail
every time.
wow 300 million people, i'm sure glad canada doesn't have that many. we only have
about the same as california, probably not quite.

 

[gopher]

But the problem is, most USA hockey players are suburbanites. They don't know what it's like to play hockey outdoors or to spend 8 hours per day in practice like Canadians or Europeans do. And since they go to college where practice is limited, they will never reach the same levels as Canadians. This is true in hockey, gymnastics, soccer, or any other sport that is played at international levels.

 

[talloola]

But the problem is, most USA hockey players are suburbanites. They don't know what it's like to play hockey outdoors or to spend 8 hours per day in practice like Canadians or Europeans do. And since they go to college where practice is limited, they will never reach the same levels as Canadians. This is true in hockey, gymnastics, soccer, or any other sport that is played at international levels.

there is no outdoor hockey here in b.c., never has been.doesn't matter, just build more rinks, and they
will come.
I have seen the improvement in the u.s. program and numbers of players since many years
ago, and it will continue, its just too bad bettman stuck teams in areas where they
don't know or care about hockey, but he is learning now, how that doesn't work.

I would like to see nhl hockey in seattle, can't understand why it ins't there allready,
a big city right on the west coast route from vancouver/san jose,/l.a./anaheim.
or even portland, if seattle isn't interested, sure makes more sense than some of
those southern cities.

years ago b.c. wasn't even thought much about at all when it came to scouting and
drafting young players, but now that is gone, and b.c. is just as prevalent as any
area in the east.

the u.s. must have more hockey than college, I know in california there is a very good
minor hockey system, and it is growing each year, so that will create junior hockey/
the northwest have lots of jrA, and major junior hockey, u.s. teams playing in a
league along with western canadian teams.
portland winterhawks, everett silver tips, etc etc.

 

[gopher]

I also wonder why Seattle did not have a NHL team. But Seattle-Portland is an area where people spend much time outdoors actually doing sports such as running, cycling, boating, etc. They love basketball, football, and minor league baseball as well as major league soccer. This corridor is also well known as a major hub for college sports and for the Bohemian lifestyle. If NHL is to thrive there, the team must be a big time success. Mediocrity would lead to an early death for any new franchise there.

 

[Cannuck]

But the problem is, most USA hockey players are suburbanites. They don't know what it's like to play hockey outdoors or to spend 8 hours per day in practice like Canadians or Europeans do. And since they go to college where practice is limited, they will never reach the same levels as Canadians. This is true in hockey, gymnastics, soccer, or any other sport that is played at international levels.

there is no outdoor hockey here in b.c., never has been.doesn't matter

Of course it matters

Canadian NHL Player Breakdown by Birth Province - QuantHockey.com

Outdoor rinks are cheaper to build and maintain and are much easier to get onto. The fact that the prairies have so many of them is the biggest reason prairie kids are over represented in the NHL.

 

[gopher]

Excellent link - it illustrates what I should have mentioned above. I remember watching a TV feature several years ago about the Sutter brothers who grew up in a farm in Alberta (sorry, don't recall the name of the farm village). The reporters mentioned how so many of Canada's best players were farm boys who grew up with nothing else to play or do for recreation. Further, that it was those outdoor rinks that made them into the stars they were because they had so many hours to play and practice. This is something suburbanites do not have.

A few years ago legendary Jacques Lemaire who played and coached professionally here in Gopherland said that growing up in Quebec it was outdoor hockey that made him into a star.

Suburbanites such as those here play for only 2 or 3 hours at a time in indoor rinks. And, unfortunately, they are severely restricted by the NCAA as to how many hours of practice they can get. This is why our teams do not do as well as they should. If it were not for those idiotic restrictions the USA would likely dominate North American hockey.

 

[talloola]

I also wonder why Seattle did not have a NHL team. But Seattle-Portland is an area where people spend much time outdoors actually doing sports such as running, cycling, boating, etc. They love basketball, football, and minor league baseball as well as major league soccer. This corridor is also well known as a major hub for college sports and for the Bohemian lifestyle. If NHL is to thrive there, the team must be a big time success. Mediocrity would lead to an early death for any new franchise there.

they have minor hockey and jr hockey, but never seem to go beyond that. there is hockey
all round, north and south, they should be part of the total picture.

Of course it matters

Canadian NHL Player Breakdown by Birth Province - QuantHockey.com

Outdoor rinks are cheaper to build and maintain and are much easier to get onto. The fact that the prairies have so many of them is the biggest reason prairie kids are over represented in the NHL.

no it doesn't, that is old idea, and it use to be like that, but not any more.

even most of the outdoor rinks are not 'natural ice'.

b.c. has long ago stopped lagging behind in the preparation of hockey players, they
have everything now that is needed to be on par with any other organizations across
the country.
That is why there are so many youths now being drafted who grew up in b.c., and they also
have such a great major and junior A hockey, and they can stand up to any other hockey
league across canada.
the rinks built to prepare minor hockey, are many, and increasing, and the interest
has always been here in b.c., but facilities were not, but have been for many years,
now, and will not be left behind anyone.

when I was a kid and young Adult, b.c. was left behind, no more.

 

[Cannuck]

Excellent link - it illustrates what I should have mentioned above. I remember watching a TV feature several years ago about the Sutter brothers who grew up in a farm in Alberta (sorry, don't recall the name of the farm village). The reporters mentioned how so many of Canada's best players were farm boys who grew up with nothing else to play or do for recreation. Further, that it was those outdoor rinks that made them into the stars they were because they had so many hours to play and practice. This is something suburbanites do not have.

Viking Alberta.

Contrary to the myths that talloola is selling, outdoor facilities do make a huge difference That is why despite having close to half the population in western Canada, BC accounts for less than a quarter of the the western Canadian NHLers. By contrast, Saskatistan and Manitoba (each has about 1/4 the population of BC) both account for the same numbers of players as BC. It even makes a difference within provinces. If you look at Alberta, there is a big difference between northern and southern Alberta. Southern Alberta is not conducive to outdoor ice. Consequently, it is under represented in the NHL as well, compared to the northern part of the province. Once you get outside of Calgary, the list of NHL players from southern Alberta is pretty thin compared to the northern part of the province.

NHL Players Born in Alberta, Canada | Hockey-Reference.com

Ice time at indoor rinks is at a premium. Having outdoor facilities allows kids to spend as much time on the ice as they want and there really is no substitute for playing the game when it comes to developing skills.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I also wonder why Seattle did not have a NHL team. But Seattle-Portland is an area where people spend much time outdoors actually doing sports such as running, cycling, boating, etc. They love basketball, football, and minor league baseball as well as major league soccer. This corridor is also well known as a major hub for college sports and for the Bohemian lifestyle. If NHL is to thrive there, the team must be a big time success. Mediocrity would lead to an early death for any new franchise there.

Seattle Metropolitans - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[gopher]

Kool! Never heard of Seattle Metropolitans before.

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Viking, Alberta ~ ah, should have known. What a story the Sutter boys told when they said their older brother was the best hockey player among them but that he chose to remain a farmer while they went to hockey fame and fortune.

I found an article about the number of registered youth hockey players:

Half a Million Registered Hockey Players in the USA

Note how Minnesota ranks highest among the States. Also note how the USA has more players than any other country except for Canada. Yet, despite the high numbers we do not dominate the sport on an international level as we should for the reason previously discussed.