Canada beats the Czech's

[Barnie]

Gotta love it. The up and coming talent for Canada showed their skills by whooping the Czechs for the second time in the U18 Tournament. Hopefully this is a sign that Canada will be the dominant country for years to come.

[powerlefty]

Gotta love it. The up and coming talent for Canada showed their skills by whooping the Czechs for the second time in the U18 Tournament. Hopefully this is a sign that Canada will be the dominant country for years to come.

So.....

That means reigning champions in:

Men's Olympics
World Cup
World Juniors
World Under 18
Women's Olympics

And sadly "only" Silver medalists in:
Men's World Championsips
Women's World Championships

I would say that is a pretty strong endorsement of hockey in this country. And to beat the Czech team at home in Prague is a strong statement.

I wonder how this will be featured in the Fourth Period? Broken27 are you writing the feature?

[broken27]

So.....

That means reigning champions in:

Men's Olympics
World Cup
World Juniors
World Under 18 <<<<- USA beat Canada 5-1 to win gold in April...
Women's Olympics

And sadly "only" Silver medalists in:
Men's World Championsips
Women's World Championships

I would say that is a pretty strong endorsement of hockey in this country. And to beat the Czech team at home in Prague is a strong statement.

I wonder how this will be featured in the Fourth Period? Broken27 are you writing the feature?

Alas no... We only cover hockey involving players people have actually heard of... Not tier 3 junior tourneys... This was a NOTHING tournament. I'll bet you can't name me any of the players from any of the teams in it other than the guys who scored for Canada in the last game.

Clean off your sheets and wait for the NHL...

Dan

[Barnie]

Haha Yeah right. I'm sure you would have had something to say about your beloved Czechs if they won.

[broken27]

Haha Yeah right. I'm sure you would have had something to say about your beloved Czechs if they won.

Doubftul, since I had no idea there was a tourney being played until I read this chest-puffing thread this morning... Had the Czechs won, nobody would have posted anything, and thus I'd continue not to know there was a tourney on...

Sorry to disappoint, but I won't get worked up over a tier-3 junior tourney full of players I've never heard of.

Can't wait for Turin!

Dan

[mberube]

Doubftul, since I had no idea there was a tourney being played until I read this chest-puffing thread this morning... Had the Czechs won, nobody would have posted anything, and thus I'd continue not to know there was a tourney on...

Sorry to disappoint, but I won't get worked up over a tier-3 junior tourney full of players I've never heard of.

Can't wait for Turin!

Dan

Sorry Dan but it’s not tier-3 junior hockey. This world event has been going on for years. Most if not all players for the Canadian team are CHL player or excellent AAA players. This is the Worlds under 18 tourney and Canada has won Gold 9 times in the last 10 years.

Most of the players in the World junior under 20 played in the 18 under tourney as did Crosby. This tourney features the best Under 18 players in the world.

Two years ago when USA won the world juniors against Canada, both teams had players that played in the WU-18 a few years before when Canada eliminated USA and won the gold. That’s why USA said it was redemption when they won gold in 2004.

WU-18 is a preview for the WU-20 a year or two ahead.

[Big Johnny69]

I have to agree with mberube on this one. This is not a meaningless tournament. Like mberube said this tourney is the future of the World Juniors. These are some of the best players in the world at their age and in a few years we will more likely than not recognize alot of the names as they are drafted by NHL teams.

[Kilroy]

Competitions are always more meaningful to the fans of the winners, not the losers.

[broken27]

Sorry Dan but it’s not tier-3 junior hockey. This world event has been going on for years. Most if not all players for the Canadian team are CHL player or excellent AAA players. This is the Worlds under 18 tourney and Canada has won Gold 9 times in the last 10 years.

Most of the players in the World junior under 20 played in the 18 under tourney as did Crosby. This tourney features the best Under 18 players in the world.

Two years ago when USA won the world juniors against Canada, both teams had players that played in the WU-18 a few years before when Canada eliminated USA and won the gold. That’s why USA said it was redemption when they won gold in 2004.

WU-18 is a preview for the WU-20 a year or two ahead.

There was a WU-18 in April too, so which one is the one that matters?
http://www.iihf.com/Hydra/Tournament...pId=1000000028
USA won that one... Canada second, Czechs third or fourth...

IIHF.com has nothing but a headline about this tourney (tier-3) you're all so pumped up about... Maybe I should clarify that I am saying the TOURNEY is tier 3, not the players...

Dan

[LobWedge]

There was a WU-18 in April too, so which one is the one that matters?
http://www.iihf.com/Hydra/Tournament...pId=1000000028
USA won that one... Canada second, Czechs third or fourth...

IIHF.com has nothing but a headline about this tourney (tier-3) you're all so pumped up about... Maybe I should clarify that I am saying the TOURNEY is tier 3, not the players...

Dan

Hey Dan, speaking of the IIHF, what's the deal with the Russian and Czech federations not signing the NHL transfer agreement? I can see that the Czechs want to renegiotiate re draft pick money, etc., but the Russians just refusing outright? As far as I can see they're all stupid for not allowing the best players to play in the world's best league.

[broken27]

Hey Dan, speaking of the IIHF, what's the deal with the Russian and Czech federations not signing the NHL transfer agreement? I can see that the Czechs want to renegiotiate re draft pick money, etc., but the Russians just refusing outright? As far as I can see they're all stupid for not allowing the best players to play in the world's best league.

Czechs signed the compromised deal (nominal increase in the per-pick base amount, one-year term rather than 6). Their point made sense. They can't really afford to lose players for nothing, but realize that there is more to be gained from exposure to the NHL.

The Russians also have a valid point. They produce really high end talent, and their league is fairly competitive and commercially fueled. To keep Ovechkin or Kovalchuk really adds value to a team over there in terms of their bottom line. Russia wants to be able to negotiate independently for each player's transfer rights. I can totally appreciate their position on the matter, even though I wish they'd sign.

Dan

[powerlefty]

There was a WU-18 in April too, so which one is the one that matters?
http://www.iihf.com/Hydra/Tournament...pId=1000000028
USA won that one... Canada second, Czechs third or fourth...

IIHF.com has nothing but a headline about this tourney (tier-3) you're all so pumped up about... Maybe I should clarify that I am saying the TOURNEY is tier 3, not the players...

Dan

It appears I erred in my earlier post. I thjought this was the IIHF tournament but it is not. The IIHF tournament happens in April when almost all of Canada's best players are unavialble due to CHL playoff commitments. This year we only won silver.

So.....

That means reigning champions in:

Men's Olympics
World Cup
World Juniors
Women's Olympics

And sadly "only" Silver medalists in:
Men's World Championsips
Women's World Championships
U-18 Worlds

Still quite an enviable record.

I also notice I made a mistake in location "And to beat the Czech team at home in Prague is a strong statement." The game was actually in Slovakia not Czech Republic. Sorry Broken27, I know Bratislava is different than Prague - Prague is much nicer . Nevertheless, the game was essentially a "home" game for the Czechs located only a few hours away in PIESTANY, Slovakia *(much the same as Wien and Praha in April).

[broken27]

It appears I erred in my earlier post. I thjought this was the IIHF tournament but it is not. The IIHF tournament happens in April when almost all of Canada's best players are unavialble due to CHL playoff commitments. This year we only won silver.

So.....

That means reigning champions in:

Men's Olympics
World Cup
World Juniors
Women's Olympics

And sadly "only" Silver medalists in:
Men's World Championsips
Women's World Championships
U-18 Worlds

Still quite an enviable record.

I also notice I made a mistake in location "And to beat the Czech team at home in Prague is a strong statement." The game was actually in Slovakia not Czech Republic. Sorry Broken27, I know Bratislava is different than Prague - Prague is much nicer . Nevertheless, the game was essentially a "home" game for the Czechs located only a few hours away in PIESTANY, Slovakia *(much the same as Wien and Praha in April).

Oh no, not the "we didn't have our best players excuse" again... Do you think Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden and the rest have their best players in April? Hell no! Most of the European leagues have playoffs then too, and while your best juniors are playing in CHL, ours are playing for their pro league title, or playing in the farm system for the Extraliga.

Canada has over 500K registered male hockey players, Czechs are second with 78K, Russia third with 77K. To me, "we didn't have our best players" is actually the OPPOSITE of an excuse for not winning. You have over 5 times the depth to pick from.

It's really quite funny. Nobody would argue that the Czechs are among the top 3 hockey nations in the world (at least nobody with a brain). But we're also #2 in the world in FIFA soccer rankings. Remember that this country has all of 10M people!!!

Imagine for a moment if the Czechs and Slovaks hadn't seperated. There wouldn't be enough gold to make all our medals...

Dan

[mberube]

Imagine for a moment if the Czechs and Slovaks hadn't seperated. There wouldn't be enough gold to make all our medals...

Dan

What is the gold medal count when they were united?

[broken27]

What is the gold medal count when they were united?

Oh, you mean when we were occupied by the Soviet? What kind of silly question is that? Clearly even the stupidest hockey fan will notice and acknowledge that there are more and more elite-level hockey players coming from CZE/SVK...

And besides which, before you go making statements about gold medal counts, aren't Canada and the Czechs tied in that department over the last 50 years??? What's your excuse? Anyone occupy your country under a military regime?

Dan

[mberube]

Oh, you mean when we were occupied by the Soviet? What kind of silly question is that?

If I recall, the split was in the early 90’s. Before then, Czechoslovakia had there own hockey teams. There were not mixed with team Russia. If they were, It’s new to me.

And besides which, before you go making statements about gold medal counts, aren't Canada and the Czechs tied in that department over the last 50 years???

I don’t think so Tim!!

World Championships up until 1990:
· Canada 19 gold medals
· Cze 6 gold medals

Olympic ice hockey tournament up to 1990 :
· Canada 6 gold medals
· Cze 0

World U20 up to 1990 :
· Canada 4 gold medals
· Cze 0

World U18 up to 1990 :
· No sats prior 1999

World Cup / Canada cup pior 1990:
· Canada 4 cups
· Cze 0

Clearly even the stupidest hockey fan will notice and acknowledge that there are more and more elite-level hockey players coming from CZE/SVK...

Are the Czechs elite players? Deuh!!! Are they the best NOT!!! Top 3 maybe top 4 depending on the year.

What's your excuse? Anyone occupy your country under a military regime?
Dan

I would not use that excuse. Would you?