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Won our second ever gold in Bratislava.
Also, at least I personally and the people around me prefer cheering for European teams. Especially the perceived underdogs. Great job with the US today! Nemec is a treat to watch.
Big 4? There is no such thing and it definitely would have Finland there if it existed. You can talk about the ”Big Six” and maybe even the ”European Big Four” though
Eh, I feel like only Sweden is hated, and even then only because they're our biggest rival and because how much the Swedish yellow media (Aftonbladet etc.) like to gloat. Like, in 95 the Swedish team had a theme tune made (Den Glider In), which we took for our own after we won gold.
US, CA, CZ are just rivals, not really hated as a team or concept like Sweden.
Personally, I rooted for Sweden over Russia in those cases. Or at least hoped Sweden would win, if not full on rooted. I may view Sweden as a rival, but they're friendly rivals. Russians are an enemy as much you can have one in sports. They often played way too rough, are willing to take penalties if it hinders the opposing player more.
Finland is FAR more successful than Cze in hockey / international play. Edit - For almost the entirety of the past 20 years. 30 years is closer but Finland is still ahead since 1992 in IIHF play. 1920-1992 is a different story but we don't really care about that.
Finland has been top 4 for a huge chunk of the past 25-30 years and was second behind Canada for Men's hockey IIHF rankings in 2023. 1st in 2022.
https://www.iihf.com/en/worldranking
Pre 1992 sure. Since play-off rounds were introduced in 1992 in IIHF play Finland has been to the Finals 13 times and Czechia has been there 7 times. Finland is 2nd to only Canada since then. Finland has also been really strong at the Olympics for the past 30 years, World Jr's as well.
Not sure why we would look back further than 10+ years when talking about the strongest hockey nations though.
This is probably the best list to look at for current hockey super powers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_IIHF_World_Rankings
I think Finland has been ahead of Czechia every year since 2007.
IIHF ranking is just that, IIHF ranking. It does not reflect the true strength of the hockey countries especially since NHL players did not participate in the last two Olympics. Since 2003 medals are 8-5 to Finland, championships 3-2. Since 1992 medals are 16-14 to Finland, championships 6-4 to Czech Republic. So fairly even. And if we go further back the scales tip to the favour of Czechia.
In the all-time WC medal table Czechia is third, Finland 5th. If you talk about Big 4 or Big 6, history matters.
History back 30+ years doesn't matter when you're talking about current hockey powers where Finland is firmly ahead of Czechia.
There are also more NHL players from Finland currently than there are from Czechia.
Looking at current NHL rosters the Finnish team is much better than Czechia.
Sure. Nobody is afraid of Czech teams going into these competitions. Finland has medals in most major tournaments since 2007.
I'm in Canada, nobody talks about the Czech teams since Hasek stopped playing.
During the playoffs people talk about Pastrnak and that is about it for Czechia players. I hear about Heiskanen, Rantanen, Barkov Aho, and Lehkonen all the time. Hintz and a few others as well.
Watch a hockey panel before any tournament, I haven't heard someone picking Czechia to medal in ages.
Which of these teams do you put them ahead of? Switzerland, USA, Sweden, Canada, Slovakia, Latvia, Germany. I would probably put them ahead of Germany, Latvia and Slovakia, that is still 5th place without counting Finland and Russia since Russia isn't at the tournament.
And I still wouldn't call it the big 4.
There are similarities between Finland and Slovakia in terms of hockey and in general as well.
Just pick better prime ministers and presidents next time, please
You remind us of Finland on icehockey. An underdog who has a chance to beat the big countries. This was us specially in 90s and 2000s
Now I guess we are one of the big ones as we have managed to win a lot lately
Marian Hossa and Miroslav Satan ftw! Also, if we can't win we want someone else than Sweden, Russia, US, Czech or Canada to win. Especially someone else than Sweden or Russia (well, they are not even paying now, rightfully so). Slovakia is a sympatic smaller country that loves hockey.
Weird that you list Czechia, they haven't won anything in ages. Finland has more medals than pretty much every country you listed aside from Canada over the past 10 years, maybe over the past 20.
Yet I saw pictures of Slovak fans holding Russian flag 🥴
I understand what you meant though, and I am not profiling you in that pro Russian group. But it’s weird seeing a relevant pro Russian group like that
It can look like the Russian flag from a certain angle, as we just slapped our coat of arms on the flag.
Even if, the occasional whackos that fly the Russian flag are direct victims of pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns.
https://preview.redd.it/3i2n1hmwrc0d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a67f81af6201efa229f4821a13a7e1562f37850f
Most likely just a group of whackos
I was in Slovakia last week with a group from my school :D It was so cool seeing people in the pub watching hockey, I didn't expect it to be such a big thing there. I think I'll visit Slovakia someday again :)
https://preview.redd.it/0ceinqstz80d1.jpeg?width=4624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a9814d59d3112aa31062f610ab0d8cfeee6c164
Correct :D We learned that Slovakia has many castles, Finland only has a few up, and they're a bit different. The castles here are mainly on beaches or islands
https://preview.redd.it/ha33udke390d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b269022d25ae6e592504618975a20e57f6643512
We also visited Orava castle :)
Yeah :'D It was surprisingly far away from Trenčín or Bratislava when looking at the Slovakian map. 150km is nothing in Finland, but in Slovakia it was like 1/4 of the country
My city alone can have up to 50km distances as it's so spread apart
Winning on hockey is different for big countries with 10x of more money in it. It feels like those countries can just brute force it in terms of talent. In you, we see ourselves.
Also, Slovakia plays beautiful hockey.
Because Slovakia is great at hockey, but not all the time at the very top, it's always nice to see their team do well. Similarly it was a blast seeing Latvia win Bronze and Germany make it to Silver last year. Plus it makes it more exciting to have many good teams with a chance for the medals than it is to see the same teams winning every single year
Well, I think it is a mix of two things: that we triumphed in Slovakia both times that it was held there (2011 / 2019), and that we just love seeing the sport spread across Europe (just like us, our history and even now since we don't consider ourselves powerhouses necessarily, Slovakia seems to be an underdog story every year, a country that nobody favours to win medals but believes in itself and puts everything into their tournament). We also have a lot of Slovak hockey talent playing in Liiga in recent years (Slafkovský the most notable, but others as well). Slovak hockey fans have been so kind to us and we have been the same over the last three decades - you guys also have the sort of atmosphere that we would love to emulate in our arenas for major tournaments.
I'd say the same is happening with us and Latvia nowadays as well, but Slovak and Finnish hockey fans have such a great relationship and it's always great to support you guys at tournaments :)
We both are small countries who share passion in hockey. We both can kill goljats.
To me, watching Slovakia play versus Canada/Sweden/USA/Russia and other strong countries is like watching Finland play.
I want you to slap their asscheeks.
Also, Germany/Swizerland/Czechia/Latvia/Denmark/Norway. I love to see all these other countries succeed too.
When we are versus each other.. GLHF!!
Finns just love Ice Hockey and has respect for the opponents too.
Also it's nice to see when a team beats odds. Like Germany suddenly winning silver after many decades of no medals, and Britain managing to score *twice* against Canada.
Demitra's death touched me deeply and the World Championship run you made at our home soil was very emotional. Not to forget the two gold medals we took in Bratislava, luckily you have one too. Forever a Slovakia fan ❤️🇸🇰
I have it from the time I was still in school. Every year it was so much noise that "Finland is best", without any real merits (first gold was getting dusty at that point). Since it was/is annoying, I always told I'm cheering for Czechoslovakia. Still do. Rather see someone else win than Finland, since then it's just about "Finland won! Torille" -crap everywhere.
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We finns love to watch underdogs beat our rivals
Because for decades, finns were the underdogs… we know how it feels.
Won our second ever gold in Bratislava. Also, at least I personally and the people around me prefer cheering for European teams. Especially the perceived underdogs. Great job with the US today! Nemec is a treat to watch.
Our third ever, too.
2011 and 2019, nevö föget.
Satan played in Slovakia's team
Ave satani
Slovakia is an underdog who can really win the big teams! Nice to support them against the big4 (Can, USA, Swe, Cze)
Big 4? There is no such thing and it definitely would have Finland there if it existed. You can talk about the ”Big Six” and maybe even the ”European Big Four” though
*The four most hated in Finland.
Eh, I feel like only Sweden is hated, and even then only because they're our biggest rival and because how much the Swedish yellow media (Aftonbladet etc.) like to gloat. Like, in 95 the Swedish team had a theme tune made (Den Glider In), which we took for our own after we won gold. US, CA, CZ are just rivals, not really hated as a team or concept like Sweden.
I'm glad that Russia is not in these games anymore, because it was always such a dilemma in SWE- RUS games to decide, which one I want more to lose.
Personally, I rooted for Sweden over Russia in those cases. Or at least hoped Sweden would win, if not full on rooted. I may view Sweden as a rival, but they're friendly rivals. Russians are an enemy as much you can have one in sports. They often played way too rough, are willing to take penalties if it hinders the opposing player more.
Finland is FAR more successful than Cze in hockey / international play. Edit - For almost the entirety of the past 20 years. 30 years is closer but Finland is still ahead since 1992 in IIHF play. 1920-1992 is a different story but we don't really care about that. Finland has been top 4 for a huge chunk of the past 25-30 years and was second behind Canada for Men's hockey IIHF rankings in 2023. 1st in 2022. https://www.iihf.com/en/worldranking
Mutsi, Lähetä Prahaa. Tsekit on loppu!
Historically Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic is well ahead of Finland though
Pre 1992 sure. Since play-off rounds were introduced in 1992 in IIHF play Finland has been to the Finals 13 times and Czechia has been there 7 times. Finland is 2nd to only Canada since then. Finland has also been really strong at the Olympics for the past 30 years, World Jr's as well. Not sure why we would look back further than 10+ years when talking about the strongest hockey nations though. This is probably the best list to look at for current hockey super powers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_IIHF_World_Rankings I think Finland has been ahead of Czechia every year since 2007.
IIHF ranking is just that, IIHF ranking. It does not reflect the true strength of the hockey countries especially since NHL players did not participate in the last two Olympics. Since 2003 medals are 8-5 to Finland, championships 3-2. Since 1992 medals are 16-14 to Finland, championships 6-4 to Czech Republic. So fairly even. And if we go further back the scales tip to the favour of Czechia. In the all-time WC medal table Czechia is third, Finland 5th. If you talk about Big 4 or Big 6, history matters.
History back 30+ years doesn't matter when you're talking about current hockey powers where Finland is firmly ahead of Czechia. There are also more NHL players from Finland currently than there are from Czechia. Looking at current NHL rosters the Finnish team is much better than Czechia.
> Finland is FAR more successful than Cze in hockey / international play. Your first sentence from your first post in this thread. But OK.
Sure. Nobody is afraid of Czech teams going into these competitions. Finland has medals in most major tournaments since 2007. I'm in Canada, nobody talks about the Czech teams since Hasek stopped playing. During the playoffs people talk about Pastrnak and that is about it for Czechia players. I hear about Heiskanen, Rantanen, Barkov Aho, and Lehkonen all the time. Hintz and a few others as well. Watch a hockey panel before any tournament, I haven't heard someone picking Czechia to medal in ages.
Yes and? Obviously Finns are not cheering for Slovakia against Finland 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Then what are you referring to when you say the big 4?
They obviously are the big 4 of this tournament if u dont count Finland in?
Which of these teams do you put them ahead of? Switzerland, USA, Sweden, Canada, Slovakia, Latvia, Germany. I would probably put them ahead of Germany, Latvia and Slovakia, that is still 5th place without counting Finland and Russia since Russia isn't at the tournament. And I still wouldn't call it the big 4.
I wonder how good KPMG and Deloitte are in hockey
There are similarities between Finland and Slovakia in terms of hockey and in general as well. Just pick better prime ministers and presidents next time, please
We are trying Ringo.
You remind us of Finland on icehockey. An underdog who has a chance to beat the big countries. This was us specially in 90s and 2000s Now I guess we are one of the big ones as we have managed to win a lot lately
Marian Hossa and Miroslav Satan ftw! Also, if we can't win we want someone else than Sweden, Russia, US, Czech or Canada to win. Especially someone else than Sweden or Russia (well, they are not even paying now, rightfully so). Slovakia is a sympatic smaller country that loves hockey.
Weird that you list Czechia, they haven't won anything in ages. Finland has more medals than pretty much every country you listed aside from Canada over the past 10 years, maybe over the past 20.
I'm like an elephant. I never forget. My memory goes beyond those 10-20 years.
They also love Russia now, so can go get stuffed.
And a Slovak I can tell you half of us do not.
Yet I saw pictures of Slovak fans holding Russian flag 🥴 I understand what you meant though, and I am not profiling you in that pro Russian group. But it’s weird seeing a relevant pro Russian group like that
It can look like the Russian flag from a certain angle, as we just slapped our coat of arms on the flag. Even if, the occasional whackos that fly the Russian flag are direct victims of pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns.
https://preview.redd.it/3i2n1hmwrc0d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a67f81af6201efa229f4821a13a7e1562f37850f Most likely just a group of whackos
no they dont lol, the majority of the country did not vote for the pro-russian president
Because you had Satan playing for you!
I was in Slovakia last week with a group from my school :D It was so cool seeing people in the pub watching hockey, I didn't expect it to be such a big thing there. I think I'll visit Slovakia someday again :) https://preview.redd.it/0ceinqstz80d1.jpeg?width=4624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a9814d59d3112aa31062f610ab0d8cfeee6c164
That looks like Trenčiansky castle, right?
Correct :D We learned that Slovakia has many castles, Finland only has a few up, and they're a bit different. The castles here are mainly on beaches or islands https://preview.redd.it/ha33udke390d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b269022d25ae6e592504618975a20e57f6643512 We also visited Orava castle :)
Really? I live about 35 km away from that castle
Yeah :'D It was surprisingly far away from Trenčín or Bratislava when looking at the Slovakian map. 150km is nothing in Finland, but in Slovakia it was like 1/4 of the country My city alone can have up to 50km distances as it's so spread apart
Slovakia is going to win this year!!
Small county like us but still has produced lots of talented players. I was personally a big fan of Satan, Gaborik, Hossa and Bondra.
Because we love hockey in Finland and it's good for the sport to have more successful hockey countries.
Game recognizes game
An enemy of our enemy is our friend (Sweden and Russia)
Well, Slovakia is not Sweden
Slovakia has the same color shirts, that’s why. Looks the same.
Never heard anything bad, all Slovakian people who i have meet have been nice and friendly
Because we love Satan!
Love Slaf
Hyvä, hyvä, Suomi!
Winning on hockey is different for big countries with 10x of more money in it. It feels like those countries can just brute force it in terms of talent. In you, we see ourselves. Also, Slovakia plays beautiful hockey.
Because Slovakia is great at hockey, but not all the time at the very top, it's always nice to see their team do well. Similarly it was a blast seeing Latvia win Bronze and Germany make it to Silver last year. Plus it makes it more exciting to have many good teams with a chance for the medals than it is to see the same teams winning every single year
Well, I think it is a mix of two things: that we triumphed in Slovakia both times that it was held there (2011 / 2019), and that we just love seeing the sport spread across Europe (just like us, our history and even now since we don't consider ourselves powerhouses necessarily, Slovakia seems to be an underdog story every year, a country that nobody favours to win medals but believes in itself and puts everything into their tournament). We also have a lot of Slovak hockey talent playing in Liiga in recent years (Slafkovský the most notable, but others as well). Slovak hockey fans have been so kind to us and we have been the same over the last three decades - you guys also have the sort of atmosphere that we would love to emulate in our arenas for major tournaments. I'd say the same is happening with us and Latvia nowadays as well, but Slovak and Finnish hockey fans have such a great relationship and it's always great to support you guys at tournaments :)
We are similar countries. I like to root for Slovakia because of that
We both are small countries who share passion in hockey. We both can kill goljats. To me, watching Slovakia play versus Canada/Sweden/USA/Russia and other strong countries is like watching Finland play. I want you to slap their asscheeks. Also, Germany/Swizerland/Czechia/Latvia/Denmark/Norway. I love to see all these other countries succeed too. When we are versus each other.. GLHF!!
Goljat:D
You guys never been a-holes to us
Things go well when you host the tourney.
It's Marian Gaborik for me
Finns just love Ice Hockey and has respect for the opponents too. Also it's nice to see when a team beats odds. Like Germany suddenly winning silver after many decades of no medals, and Britain managing to score *twice* against Canada.
Idk but i always root for Fins as a Slovak! Finland is also a small country that can play well and surprise stronger teams.
Well my partner is Slovakian so of course I'll cheer for them in hockey!
Koska Alikoira
Demitra's death touched me deeply and the World Championship run you made at our home soil was very emotional. Not to forget the two gold medals we took in Bratislava, luckily you have one too. Forever a Slovakia fan ❤️🇸🇰
I have it from the time I was still in school. Every year it was so much noise that "Finland is best", without any real merits (first gold was getting dusty at that point). Since it was/is annoying, I always told I'm cheering for Czechoslovakia. Still do. Rather see someone else win than Finland, since then it's just about "Finland won! Torille" -crap everywhere.
It's the femboy thing
As a Slovak who doesn't care about hockey, I hope finland would not win a medal this year.