The final like the entire tournament never really took off... sure was a tactically well played game but still never really felt intense, except for last 5min...
Looking at just that game Sweden deserved the win but over the entire tournament... definatly not... just the fact that they folded against slovakia to get switzerland sucked arse and made it hard for me to really enjoy this win...
Finland was the best team of the tournament but it doesnt help when you dont win the final...
Imho this tournament was the farwell tour of the old stars... and it was a farwell performance in the spirit of "we take up place for the younger generation just because of our name and paychecks".
Look at Canada, satisfied with past performance and no hunger at all.
Look at the US, so pathetically slow that the famous american heart and grit didnt help em.
Look at Russia, the young generation carrying the old generation to what looked like a team effort... Im thinkin of players like Yashin, waste of space.
Look at Sweden, no speed old but so tactically smart that they managed to save a bit of energy for the final and hence win it.
Look at the Czech Rep, built around the old stars who didnt show any hunger at all.
The tournament would have been much more intense and enjoyable if Canada, US and Czechs would have been more hungry.
The only teams I really enojyed watching hockey wise was Finland, Slovakia and Russia (half of the team).
Next time in Vancouver Im quite sure we will see a totally different style of hockey. What Finland, Russia and Slovakia showed was a pretaste of the futre hockey. Fast and high paced. The new rules in the NHL will promote the development of fast players both forwards AND defenders. Speed will be much more of a factor over the comming years and it will show in what teams will dominate over the next few years.
Sweden, Canada and the US will have some big catching up to do over the next few years. I just cant see Sweden and US beeing powerhouses in Vancouver if the game turns towards speed. Slovakia and Russia have a big advantage in speed atm. Russia will have a marvelous team over the next decade and if slovakia can develope a goaltender of class they will be breathing down the russian neck. Finland is a bit hard to tell for me as most speed comes from older players atm and the younger finish players arnt making an impact yet (NHL wise). Czechs have a tradition of speed as well but I do feel the next generation beeing a bit thin.
Anyways still feels like this tournament was a "end".
Tex
