It’s been five years since we last saw the best Russian hockey players take on other world powers on the international stage. And it’s not at the 4 Nations Showdown in February that that’s going to change.
The last time the best Russian players participated in a tournament of this scale was at the World Hockey Championship in Slovakia in May 2019.
Since then, a combination of factors, from the pandemic to a massive doping scandal which forced the International Hockey Federation to suspend Russia from all international competition, including another rejection linked to the war in Ukraine, has ensured that the Russians are no longer invited to the major world hockey festivities.
If we ignore all external factors and only focus on the sporting aspect, we have to admit that it is a shame for hockey fans. The Russians are one of the greatest powers on the planet and have some of the most spectacular players to play the sport.
This is why we wondered what a Russian team would look like if the NHL had agreed to have a confrontation of the 5 nations, more than the 4 nations as will be the case in February with Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland.
A devastating attack
Imagine counting on Nikita Kucherov, Artemi Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov, Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin within the same team.
No doubt, the Russians would have no problem scoring goals.
An experienced first unit, consisting of Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin and Nikita Kucherov, would wreak havoc. Ovechkin is literally reliving this season and imagine him receiving perfect passes from Kucherov allowing him to unleash his cannonball on reception.
The second unit would not be left out as two of the most electrifying players in the world, Artemi Panarin and Kirill Kaprizov, would give opposing defenses a hard time. It is their center player Ivan Barbashev who would benefit.
Moreover, this is one of the Russian weaknesses, the center position. Barbashev is talented, but does not have the makings of the second center players of the other world powers, whether it is McDavid or MacKinnon with Canada, Jack Hughes with the United States, Sebastian Aho for Finland or Elias Pettersson for the Suede.
Nothing against Vladislav Namestnikov and Yakov Trenin either, but we are not talking about “world caliber” players here. Fortunately for the Russians, they are so strong on the wings that it would be a lesser evil.
An honest defensive brigade
The defender position has never been the Russians’ great strength, it must be admitted. Mikhail Sergachev would undoubtedly be the general on the Russian blue line and he would be supported by good veterans, but not NHL stars.
Young Pavel Mintyukov, who was given a spot in the lineup, could one day become one, but he is still too young.
Too bad, moreover, that this tournament is only reserved for NHL players since the hope of the Carolina Hurricanes, Alexander Nikishin who plays in the KHL, is considered by many as the best guard not to play in the Bettman circuit. He would have had his place in the top four.
A three-headed monster
That this defensive brigade is not the best in the world is not so serious when you look at the three candidates for the goalkeeper position.
Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Ilya Sorokin are elite at their positions and could all very well be the team’s starting goalie.
We opted for Vasilevskiy as a point man because of his track record. He’s won before and knows what it takes to do it.
But, in the end, it doesn’t change anything since the Russians won’t be there anyway.
Alex Ovechkin – Evgeni Malkin – Nikita Kucherov
Artemi Panarin – Ivan Barbashev – Kirill Kaprizov
Andrei Svechnikov – Vladislav Namestnikov – Valery Nichushkin
Pavel Buchnevich – Yakov Trenin – Kirill Marchenko
Maxim Tsyplakov
Mikhail Sergachev – Dmitry Orlov
Ivan Provorov – Nikita Zadorov
Pavel Mintyukov – Vladislav Gavrikov
Alexander Romanov
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Igor Shesterkin
Ilya Sorokin
*They were also considered: Dmitry Voronkov, Yegor Chinakhov, Matvei Michkov, Vladimir Tarasenko, Artem Zub.
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