GB Ice Hockey

drewster

drewster

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Any hockey fans out there ?? If so, how amazing was GB's performance in the Worlds over the last week or so. With a team of mainly home grown , home trained players they've been promoted to dine at the very top table of World Hockey with the likes of Canada, Russia, USA et al. This is the first time since 1994 and even then it was a "rent a Canadian" team with hardly any British home grown and trained players. It was brilliant watching and seeing those blokes literally lay their bodies on the line for the cause was exceptional..,, made me a proud British man!!!
 
Yep brilliant, seen the last game goals against Hungary, Farmer with the tying goal with 15 secs left to the buzzer. Not sure who is all in the team nowadays but do they still play a lot of dual nats from Canada ?? That never seemed right to me.

Different ball game next time round though, mind you no sure players from "The Show" play in the worlds, wasn't there some issue with it or was that the Olympics ??
 
GB had a few dual nationals but the majority were home grown players which was good to see. I'm going to pick you up on the Worlds point though as there's lots of NHL participation in the Worlds as it hits at the exact time the NHL playoffs are on so the players from the teams that don't make the NHL playoffs often go off to play for their countries. I follow Calgary and this year Johnny Gaudreau is in the USA squad, Mikael Backlund - Sweden and David Rittich - Czech Republic. Likewise - Connor Mcdavid , the NHL poster boy , is playing for Canada. You're right about the Olympics though as the NHL aren't letting their players play in it which is a shame.
 
Saw McDavid play for the Oilers in Tampa in March - he was the best player on a bad team that missed the playoffs. I don't think he will win the MVP but he is the best player in the league right now.

As for the playoffs, GO LIGHTNING! BE THE THUNDER!! The story of the season are the Las Vegas Knights - since when does an expansion team do well in any sport? They beat the San Jose Sharks last night to take a 2-1 series lead. I think either Nashville or Winnipeg will turn them over to take the West Conference. In the East, whoever wins out of the Tampa Bay - Boston bloodletting will beat the winner of the Pittsburgh-Washington series.
 
You're right about Vegas, it's unbelievable what they've achieved with their roster. Pure speed across all the lines and a poster boy netminder. Guys like Derek Engelland have really stepped up too. It's an amazing story that we're watching !!! It's a brave man to just to write off the Pittsburgh "threepeat" like that although Boston do look very,very good. Right now, i'll take Nashville to win the SC though but in reality any of them can.
 
Phenomenal effort from the GB boys, with only a few Duel Nats too, Pool A will be a struggle next year, but I said the same about this year, so you never know!

I was a huge hockey fan growing up, and I’m lucky enough to know a few of the boys on the team, and I’m not sure if even now they can express their feelings on this, they were just hoping to stay up!

I’m a lapsed Leafs fan when it comes to the NHL, McDavid is an unreal talent, but he needs to win like Sid has, before any comparisons can be made.
 
Wilson said:
Phenomenal effort from the GB boys, with only a few Duel Nats too, Pool A will be a struggle next year, but I said the same about this year, so you never know!

I was a huge hockey fan growing up, and I’m lucky enough to know a few of the boys on the team, and I’m not sure if even now they can express their feelings on this, they were just hoping to stay up!

I’m a lapsed Leafs fan when it comes to the NHL, McDavid is an unreal talent, but he needs to win like Sid has, before any comparisons can be made.
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Likewise I was a huge fan of hockey in my youth and am now an armchair follower but I have some good friends still involved in various ways. In fact one of my mate's "little" brother actually scored in the last Hungary match. Agree with you on Mcdavid but I can't see him carrying Edmonton anywhere at least not in the next few years of his megadeal. Have you seen how much they're paying Lucic, it's probably the worst contract in the NHL !!!!
 
Got a pal who is as interesting as wall paper paste. He went to Budapest and did a bit of a blog on Facebook. Seems all the GB fans were gobsmacked with the success seeing as they were ranked 6th outta the six teams there. They reckon the coach deserves massive credit for how he has brought on the team.
 
My young lad played Elite league for a few seasons with the Stars and has played against pretty much all these guys, though he never reached the heights of them.
 
Cabby said:
My young lad played Elite league for a few seasons with the Stars and has played against pretty much all these guys, though he never reached the heights of them.
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Mate, that's a decent standard, is he still playing ??? I've been on a few hockey road trips to Scotland but never to Dundee or Kirkcaldy. Been to Paisley, Dumfries, Livingston and Edinburgh. Great times.
 
Ye he's back playing SNL level now. He was pretty decent as a junior and played his first pro game at 15 also got his first pro goal at 15 against the Newcastle Vipers but was always a third liner.
 
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