Might as well start the thread, as i will be the only one posting in it.:p
International hockey is awesome.:)
So...here are the prelim groups.
Group A
Norway
Canada
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Russia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Latvia
Group C
Finland
Sweden
Belarus
Germany.
you guys already know who is going to win anyways.
that out of the way, let the discussions begin. I think the most interesting prelim group is group b. I am willing to bet that slovakia surprises everyone and qualifies.
bamski
Miikka Kiprusoff Calgary Flames
Niklas Bäckström Minnesota Wild
Sami Salo Vancouver Canucks
Toni Lydman Buffalo Sabres
Teemu Selänne Anaheim Ducks
Saku Koivu Anaheim Ducks
Jere Lehtinen Dallas Stars
Ville Peltonen
might very well be the last tournament for these guys. it would be awesome if we could revive the peltonen - koivu - lehtinen line that won us the world championship in 1995.
timonen and m.koivu are the only ones i'm actually counting on atm. so no hopes for a medal.
ps. theres actually some truth to those words in the beginning of this video.. :p
Schadenfreude
on closer inspection both pekka rinne and kiprusof have better stats than backstrom.
backstrom plays on a team though...hmmmm interesting.
rinne is one of the main reasons nashville is playing so well, but i think this means kipper will get the start.
there is a goaltending controversy of sorts on team canada because many people think luongo should start. (lots of head canuck fans:p)
i say maybe next time, brodeur is proving that his age has not slowed him down at all because he is an intelligent goalie who plays squared to the puck like no other.
bamski
rinne is not an option. kipper, backs and nitti are our three. kipper numero uno.
check out the stats for rinne, niemi, backs, niitty, rask, kipper etc.. all of them should be pretty.. compareable.
Schadenfreude
you are right.
i just hate kipper because he disappears in the playoffs, the flames had canada's best shot to bring the cup back home. I know edmonton made the finals, but we all knew that had no chance in hell of happening now didnt we:p
stren
Kipper was awesome in the playoffs when Calgary reached the final
Schadenfreude
and then he choked.
bamski
are you really that desperate?
Schadenfreude
relax man i was kidding, other than that playoff series he has disappeared every year. He got outplayed by the bhulin wall is all.
Go on any flames site and you will see that the fans think this.
that was probably the most exciting final in the last 10 years.
bamski
i know :)
someone wrote in the media that parise is the only US player that might be good enough to make it into the canadian team. i don't think even he could, damn you have a strong team. on that note, they asked a lot of people over here who they think could make it to CAN, and the only one that was even worth considering, was timonen. i think he could have made it ten years ago, but certainly not today.
Schadenfreude
i wouldn't go that far...patrick kane and ryan miller would have a shot.
bamski
brodeur & luongo are no brainers.. hmm.. i guess that would make it fleury vs miller so i think i'd have to go with miller too. dunno that much about kane tbh.
