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Post by HFTO on Feb 8, 2002 17:33:03 GMT -5
The big talk here is that Patrick Roy should have been part of the elite eight with the consensus goaltending maybe the down fall of the club and by naming Roy it could the controversy could have been avoided.This too could be a poll?
Anyways besides the goaltending issue I'm not sure if we are the best team the numerous injuries is not helping though we have capable guys waiting in the wings.Is anyone confident about Canadas chances lets put it to a vote.
HFTO
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 8, 2002 17:45:49 GMT -5
I say Gold comes back home.We haven't won it since 1952,it's our time.
I look at other teams,and they all have weaknesses.Sweden has not much offence after the Sundin line,the Finns have no Saku and little depth,the Czechs have a serious problem on D and I don't like their depth at center(Lang,Reichel,Hrdina and Dopita...not Lemieux,Sakic,Lindros,etc or Modano,Roenick,Weight or Federov,Zhamnov,Yashin),the Americans have a huge problem in goal(much bigger than ours),their D is questionnable,but their offence is also scary.The Russians are really the team that scares me.All that firepower,solid defence,the Bulin wall and Russian hero's like Larionov and Fetisov around.
The reason I picked Canada is because of the potential for three GREAT lines(Lemieux-Sakic-Karya...Gagné-Lindros-Nolan...Shanahan-Thornton or Yzerman-Iginla),a terrific,mobile,skilled,fast,in their prime defence(with players who play together,so chemistry is there) and goalies who have shown they can rise their game to the next level, when it counts.Everyone keeps talking about how Brodeur and Cujo are having 'mediocre' seasons.True,it's certainly not their best season,but they still have GAA's of around 2,30.Let's not forget Brodeur has been in front of a moribound Devils team all year and Cujo has played in front of a Leafs team that has been mediocre for the past month.
I think Russia will win silver and USA bronze.
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Post by Ryan on Feb 8, 2002 18:04:56 GMT -5
On paper Canada has the best team top to bottom in the tournament.
Reality says that you might as well flip a coin between, Canada, Russia, Sweden, and the Czechs.
One thing I will guarantee is no way in hell does the US come out of this with the gold.
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Post by habernac on Feb 8, 2002 18:22:28 GMT -5
Canada blew it by not naming Roy to the "elite 8". The 2 best Canadian goalies stay home, we have too many knee injuries etc. Cujo can't win internationally and Brodeur is just really shaky this year. Hope I'm wrong but the Big Red Machine rides Khabi's excellent goaltending to the Gold.
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Post by Andrew on Feb 8, 2002 21:06:21 GMT -5
There is a fair bit to be concerned about for Canadian fans, but I think we'll pull it out. Concerns for me are:
Goal - Neither of our goalies are having stellar seasons.
Defense - Only 2 of the 7 defencemen play the left side (one of which is Brewer, who is arguably the 7th man).
Injuries - Yzerman (knee), Nolan (back), Lindros (knee), Fleury (personal problems), Lemieux (hip)
I still think we have a good shot though - mainly because of the Lemieux factor. His presence adds a whole new dimension to the team. He's always had the ability to score the dramatic goal at the right time. I have a feeling we're in for some more of his magic.
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Post by habmeister on Feb 8, 2002 21:22:51 GMT -5
whichever team has the hottest goaltender. that is what we saw at the last olympics, hasek was about 1% hotter than roy on shootouts.
seriously though, with theodore in the nets i'd say canada, but with cujo or brodeur, i don't know honestly. if i had to bet everything but the kitchen sink i'd say canada.
here are my odds:
Canada 5-2
Russia 3-1
Czech 7-2
USA 4-1
Finland and Sweden 6-1
probably the tighest odds of anything i've seen. having just set my odds i'm going to go find a vegas bookmaking odds...be right back to post those...
well, well, well...canada is the favourites, followed closely by the czech's and then russia and the USA. I wasn't far off eh?
United States (Men's Hockey) 3/1
Czech Rep. (Men's Hockey) 2/1
Canada (Men's Hockey) 3/2
Russia (Men's Hockey) 3/1
Finland (Men's Hockey) 8/1
Sweden (Men's Hockey) 7/1
Slovakia (Men's Hockey) 20/1
Switzerland (Men's Hockey) 50/1
Field (Men's Hockey) 15/1
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 9, 2002 10:15:56 GMT -5
Hmm,Andrew...I am pretty sure Jovo plays the left side...he is a left-handed shot,so he should be able to play there.Same thing for Pronger and Niedermayer.
I think a left-handed shot can play the left or the right side.It's the right-handed shot that can't play the left side.
Anyways,I expect the defensive pairings to look like this:
Pronger-MacInnis
Niedermayer-Blake
Brewer or Jovo-Foote
Blake and Foote shouldn't play together since both are right-handed shots.
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Post by Pam on Feb 11, 2002 2:07:09 GMT -5
The big talk here is that Patrick Roy should have been part of the elite eight with the consensus goaltending maybe the down fall of the club and by naming Roy it could the controversy could have been avoided.This too could be a poll? Anyways besides the goaltending issue I'm not sure if we are the best team the numerous injuries is not helping though we have capable guys waiting in the wings.Is anyone confident about Canadas chances lets put it to a vote. HFTO Patrick Roy bowed out of the Olympics all by himself. He said it was more important to work on getting the Avs to the Playoffs. I take my hat off to Patrick for that choice. I think it's the same choice Mario should have made. The Pens in the Playoffs sould be more important to Mario as a player and as the owner than the Olympics are. |
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Post by Pam on Feb 11, 2002 2:13:35 GMT -5
whichever team has the hottest goaltender. that is what we saw at the last olympics, hasek was about 1% hotter than roy on shootouts. seriously though, with theodore in the nets i'd say canada, but with cujo or brodeur, i don't know honestly. if i had to bet everything but the kitchen sink i'd say canada. Canada 5-2 Russia 3-1 Czech 7-2 USA 4-1 Finland and Sweden 6-1 A month or so ago, ESPN forecasted Gold - Canada Silver - USA Bronze - Czech Republic 4th place Russia 5th place was either Sweden or Finland (can't remember this one) I voted for Canada to win the Gold. Things rarely go the way I want them too, but if they could, I really want Canada to win. The way I would like it to end is: Gold - Canada Silver - USA Bronze - Germany |
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 11, 2002 16:14:57 GMT -5
Patrick Roy bowed out of the Olympics all by himself. He said it was more important to work on getting the Avs to the Playoffs. I take my hat off to Patrick for that choice. I think it's the same choice Mario should have made. The Pens in the Playoffs sould be more important to Mario as a player and as the owner than the Olympics are. Sorry Pam,but Mario has saved the Pens about a zillion times already.I think he has done enough for that franchise and not enough for our country(aside from 1987). ;D |
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