Is the national team ready for the Olympics? Main results of the First Channel Cup :: Hockey :: RBC Sport

The Channel One Cup – the Russian stage of the Eurotour of hockey – ended on Sunday. This tournament was the last competition between national teams before the Olympics. And what the Russian team showed in Moscow is in the RBC material

The Channel One Cup gained special significance due to the likely refusal of NHL players to compete in the Olympics. The Russian stage of the Eurotour was considered by the coaches of the national teams as the last test before the Olympic tournament. It is no coincidence that the teams arrived in Moscow with almost optimal compositions.

The host of the Channel One Cup, the Russian national team, was in a privileged position. The team played four games, and the rest – three. This was due to the participation of the Canadiens and the inability to host an equal number of games for each team in the number of days allotted for the tournament.

Before each game, the Russians changed almost half of the roster. There were seven new players for the game with Sweden, ten for the game with the Czech Republic and nine for the game with Finland. A total of 30 hockey players appeared on the ice.

After the final match of the tournament, Russian national team head coach Alexei Zhamnov said the main task of the Channel One Cup was to “reach out to the players”, to explain the nuances and tactical requirements to them.

Former head coach of the Russian national and junior teams, Vladimir Plyushchev, told RBC Sport that in his opinion, “in general, the Russian team did not look better than other national teams”.

Plushev recalled that the victories in the matches with Canada (4: 3) and Sweden (1: 0) “came with a bit of luck”. “In no case do I want to minimize the results, but objectively speaking, the nature of the games was such that the scales could tip in favor of the opponent,” noted the expert. – Canada could have tied the game in the dying minutes, as Russia led 4-1 in the third period. You cannot let go of such matches ”.

The former head coach of the Russian national team has drawn attention to the fact that the strong team of the team – the attack – do not look the best in matches against Sweden and Finland (2: 3 in extra time). “This is an indicator, – said Plushev. – Because not Canada, but Sweden and Finland play under a system that the attacking team has difficulty resisting. Here we need unexpected movements, including coaching. But we haven’t seen them in the First Channel Cup matches ”.

The game against the Czech Republic (5: 2), according to Plyushchev, “should not be taken seriously”. “Let’s talk frankly – today’s Czechs are not systemic Swedes and Finns. The Czech team have lost all six Eurotour matches this season and are facing very serious squad difficulties. Now, it is not the rival, based on the meeting with which it is worth drawing conclusions, ”he said.

Plyushchev also has questions about the team’s level of preparation for the Olympics. “The preparation of this training for the Olympics raises big questions,” he said.

Plushev suggested comparing the current situation with the one leading up to the Pyeongchang Games, where the Russian team won first place.

“The team prepared for the last Olympic Games systematically and in a calm atmosphere. It was already clear from the Channel One Cup that the team approached the Games with the status of favorite; she confidently beat the same Finns 3-0. In 2017, since the fall, ties and ties have been played out, both within the framework of the Eurotour and in the clubs. The gold medals fell on the team not from the sky. It is the result of systematic work, ”said Plyushchev.

According to the expert, the current team is far from this situation. “I don’t know who and why organized all these changes, why it turned out that a first coach was appointed, then another. Strange things are happening with the assistants, with the post of Ilya Kovalchuk, ”said the former national team coach.

“In fact, a head office hastily designed for the New Year has come out that has little experience and virtually no time – the Olympics will start a little over a month later. And the preparation for it, at least, is crumpled, which, of course, can not benefit the result, ”said the expert.

At the same time, double Olympic champion Alexander Kozhevnikov noted the mistake of the coaching team in the decisive match of the tournament. “The decision to withdraw the goalkeeper in Sunday’s extra time against Finland is a mistake on the part of the coaching staff. We have tried it, but we don’t have players who are good at throwing. The goalkeeper has been taken out, but what about next? You can praise this idea or swear, but the coaching staff had to see if they needed it or not. I don’t think it would help today, “- noted Kojevnikov “Championship”.

Plushev recalled the consistency of the last three Olympic seasons: if the national team loses the Channel One Cup, it does not win the Olympics, and vice versa. “In 2017, we won in Moscow and Pyeongchang. In 2009 they lost to the Finns and in 2013 – to the Czechs and the same Finns and at the Olympics they were knocked out in the quarterfinals. Yes, of course, at the Vancouver and Sochi Games, the rosters were mostly made up of NHL players. But the defeat a month and a half before the Olympics still speaks of lack of preparation. And first of all, the lack of preparation of the coaches, ”said the honored coach of Russia.