How dominant would an NHL-star be in the WJC?

1: Let´s say that each nation could use three overaged players in the WJC, how dominant would they be?

Sweden.

Zetterberg, Lidström & Alfredsson.

Canada.

Crosby, Pronger, Levavalier.

Russia.

Kovalchuk, Zubov, Ovechkin.


Oh well, you get it. How much of an impact would these players have?


2: How much of a difference would it be if one of the lesser nations (Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland etc) got to use three overaged players in the WJC? Would they be cupcontenders?

3: Could Crosby, Zetterberg & Kovalchuk singlehandedly lead, let´s say Denmark, to a cup?

I think Crosby would make an impact on any team. Crosby could put up 2 goals a game. Even players who are elligible, but are playing NHL hockey, like Kane+Toews, would make a difference.

I think Crosby would make an impact on any team. Crosby could put up 2 goals a game. Even players who are elligible, but are playing NHL hockey, like Kane+Toews, would make a difference.

it'd be more than a difference, these players would make the game

[B]Could Crosby, Zetterberg & Kovalchuk singlehandedly lead, let´s say Denmark, to a cup?

Yes. Any NHL star could lead the worst WJC team to a championship. Crosby was pretty dominant at the tournament in 2005, and that was 3 years ago. Noone could even come close to keeping up with him now.

Even guys like Frolov or Ponikarovsky would dominate the WJC. And I mean DOMINATE.

"And now the opening faceoff of the Final of the World Junior Championship opposing Team Canada and Team Denmark + Sidney Crosby, who has completely dominated the tournament with an outstanding performance of 54 points in 6 games so far"

It would be like A-Rod playing in the College World Series.


























He's go 0-4, with 2 strikeouts, a pop out, and a ground out.

It would be like A-Rod playing in the College World Series.



He's go 0-4, with 2 strikeouts, a pop out, and a ground out.

And, somehow, he'd still have two home runs.

Even guys like Frolov or Ponikarovsky would dominate the WJC. And I mean DOMINATE.Hardly. Let's slow it down a minute with this 8-points-a-game talk. Just one player wouldn't auto-win the tournament. It depends a lot on the NHL star.

A player like Ovechkin or Jagr -- someone who was strong, fast, selfish and could stickhandle through a crowd -- would have the most overt impact. He'd get double-teamed constantly but he'd still score 3 points a game.

A playmaker -- Spezza or Savard -- without the benefit of NHL linemates would do far less.

A checking forward -- Madden or Lehtinen -- would absolutely make his counterpart disappear, but he wouldn't be scoring much.

A marathon defenseman -- Lidstrom or Zubov -- could probably skate 40 minutes because of the slower pace of play.

A hitter -- Phaneuf or Witt -- would have little impact, pardon the pun, although I would have loved to see Cherepanov get hit by Scott Stevens instead of Brandon Sutter.

A relfexes goaltender -- Hasek -- would be huge. A technique goaltender -- Giguere -- would be solid.

1. Pavel Bure
2. Dominik Hasek
3. Nicklas Lidstrom
4. Jean-Sebastian Giguere
5. Guy Carbonneau
6. Adam Oates
7. Scott Stevens

Hardly. Let's slow it down a minute with this 8-points-a-game talk. Just one player wouldn't auto-win the tournament. It depends a lot on the NHL star.

A player like Ovechkin or Jagr -- someone who was strong, fast, selfish and could stickhandle through a crowd -- would have the most overt impact. He'd get double-teamed constantly but he'd still score 3 points a game.

A playmaker -- Spezza or Savard -- without the benefit of NHL linemates would do far less.

A checking forward -- Madden or Lehtinen -- would absolutely make his counterpart disappear, but he wouldn't be scoring much.

A marathon defenseman -- Lidstrom or Zubov -- could probably skate 40 minutes because of the slower pace of play.

A hitter -- Phaneuf or Witt -- would have little impact, pardon the pun, although I would have loved to see Cherepanov get hit by Scott Stevens instead of Brandon Sutter.

A relfexes goaltender -- Hasek -- would be huge. A technique goaltender -- Giguere -- would be solid.

1. Pavel Bure
2. Dominik Hasek
3. Nicklas Lidstrom
4. Jean-Sebastian Giguere
5. Guy Carbonneau
6. Adam Oates
7. Scott Stevens


Phaneuf would have little impact? Lehtinen wouldn't score much?

:handclap:

1: Let´s say that each nation could use three overaged players in the WJC, how dominant would they be?

Sweden.

Zetterberg, Lidström & Alfredsson.



No Lundqvist?

what's crazy is crosby could have played last year.

Phaneuf would have little impact? Lehtinen wouldn't score much?

:handclap:

Don't let him in on the fact that Dion won the tournament "best defenceman" award in 2005, and that he was on the tourney's all star team in 2004.
Also, the closest thing you'll ever get to the concept of having pros at the WJC was during the strikes in 1995 & 2005 (both of which Canada won). I think it would help the team with the strongest additions, but unless you stuck in an overage goaltender in I can't see one or two players making up for every shortcoming in a 20 player roster.

2 NHL-star defensemen would be enough to win for any country, IMO. Imagine someone like Bouwmeester or Niedermayer who could outskate and outmuscle everyone out there for 40 minutes each. Add someone like Lecavalier and they'd destroy their opponents.

What is the WJC like 8 games in 12 days. No d man could play over 30 min each game like that. One NHL all star would not be enough for any team to win. I have never seen it done in hockey. But you could run a box in one and shut anyone down. Or keep them in pretty good check. In team sports nothing is guranteed. At any level a hot goalie can steal any one game.

At any level a hot goalie can steal any one game.At any one level, yes. NHL-stars however, don't play on a WJC-level.

If you talk about the pace of the game, and the level of skill of the players. Which do you think is better, WJC right now obviously, (top nations) or the nhl back in 1970?

I´m trying to figure out how much of an impact a starplayer would have.

The games are pacier than in the SEL (some of the swedes admitted that fact), but when compared to the nhl, WJC looks pretty slow for most parts.

What is the WJC like 8 games in 12 days. No d man could play over 30 min each game like that. One NHL all star would not be enough for any team to win. I have never seen it done in hockey. But you could run a box in one and shut anyone down. Or keep them in pretty good check. In team sports nothing is guranteed. At any level a hot goalie can steal any one game.


One player would not make much difference. Way over blown here by some.

Example : at this point Canada have many players who are on the cusp of the show.
Bernier and Mason will be up next year and Mason might go AHL for a bit but they are both going up.

Stamkos will be picked and play NHL next year, Canada have many others who are very close like Doughty, Marchand, Sutter.

These guys are not that far right now from playing NHL so bringing one star down for each team would make little difference. Teams would just throw the lock on them or box them out.

Crosby was expected to unload at the Memorial Cup in London but Dale Hunters team stuck a shadow on him and really contained him. ( Calgary pic Brandon Prust )

Add 2 pro's it's a different story but one would make little difference.

What is the WJC like 8 games in 12 days. No d man could play over 30 min each game like that.


pretty sure phaneuf came damn close to playing that much last time he was there, sutter rode that horse hard in that tournament

A checking forward -- Madden or Lehtinen -- would absolutely make his counterpart disappear, but he wouldn't be scoring much.


Lehtinen's awesome hockey sense would earn him a more offensive role on such a team.