They aren't even making it interesting!
2007-09-05 04:34:07 · 11 answers · asked by michinoku2001 7 in Sports ➔ Hockey
Lack of preparation by their coaching staff.
2007-09-05 04:57:04 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bob MacKenzie (TSN's analyst) pull out some statistics in the 1st intermission today. Since 1999 the Russians had win a medal in each of the U18 tournament except 2005 and 2006 and then won gold in 2007. And those who are playing in this super series are in the group of the Russians' 05 and 06 U18 squad. It just so happens that they have bad players at this age level right now.
2007-09-05 18:52:07 · answer #2 · answered by baypae 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes longer for Russians to develop into great players. Other than Ovechkin and Malkin, how many Russians do you know that were superstars before 20?
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Mark F, I am Russian, but I do not claim to have great knowledge of Russian hockey, I'm only 17, I wouldn't know all that much about Mikhailov and Kharlamov and such. I moved to America in 1998, I only started following hockey in 2000. I admittedly do not know much about the history of Russian hockey. That's because I really didn't like Russia's hockey teams. I always cheered for Canada because of Sakic and Lemieux. I am cheering for Russia here because there are no players I like on the Canadian team. I just made an observation saying that Russians take longer to develop because over the last 10 years I honestly don't know many great Russian players that were great under 20, except for Malkin and Ovechkin. I know that in Russian there is an "h" in Malkin, but this is an English website, I will spell the names in English. Let's face it man, in the last 10 years the development of great young Russian hockey players has steadily dropped. How am I doing a disservice to Russian hockey here anyway?
2007-09-05 05:39:00 · answer #3 · answered by N/A 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
These things go in cycles. A few years from now the Russian crop of kids could be flush with talent while the Canadian ranks could be thin. There has been an intensity level among the Canadian teams lately that would suggest the Canadian coaching staff has its team a little better prepared.
2007-09-05 13:05:05 · answer #4 · answered by Paul O 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mike (Av's Fan)
I know you claim to be Russian.........but you do a huge disservice to Russian hockey. (I've worked for the Russian Superleague and previous incarnations since 1968.......with the exception of 6 years working for the Montreal Canadiens in the late 80s) and your lack of knowledge makes us cringe. You seem a lot older than some of the 13 yr olds you post with, but you seem no wiser with some of your comments.
Russian players have been praised for their early development. Our best players like Mikhailov, Kharlamov, Tretiak, Makarov, Larionov, Fetisov, and P. Bure were all All-Stars at the Senior World Championships while age 20, or 19.
There is a huge deal of disappointment in this junior team, we all expected to win this tournament...now we are just hoping we can win a game and save face.
North Americans rave about how good Ovechkin and Malkhin are.....but they never saw Sergei Makarov in his prime, or Valery Kharlamov, both of whom could skate circles around Malkhin and Ovechkin. Mogilny and Bure were the best Russians to play in the NHL (both were far better than Fedorov) and while they weren't in the class of the Tikhonov greats...they were better and smarter players than Ovechkin and Malkhin (yes, in Russian, there is an 'h' in his last name!)
2007-09-05 09:00:22 · answer #5 · answered by Mark F 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Part of the problem the Russians are having is simply due to the fact they've run into a highly skilled, hard worked, well prepared and well coached Canadian team. Not sure what's happening on the Russian side of things, but one thigs for sure, it isn't getting any better.
Someone earlier answered that Russians take longer to develop. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I couldn't disagree with him more.
2007-09-05 06:00:27 · answer #6 · answered by Babber420 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe its not that the Russian Juniors are soo bad, but that the Canadian Juniors are soo good...?
2007-09-05 04:40:47 · answer #7 · answered by Habs Fan30 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Good question.............maybe Stephen Harper can spend taxpayers money and launch an investigation to find out what's wrong..................kinda like the billions he is spending to try and affirm his belief that Global Warming is a myth!
2007-09-05 09:58:35 · answer #8 · answered by Canadian Biology Man 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Its because they are facing CANADIANS.
Makes them look worse than they are.
No match for us.
2007-09-05 12:05:27 · answer #9 · answered by Veleno 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because they're not Canadian.
2007-09-05 10:31:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋