oh, please tell me you're being sarcastic and that you don't really have the IQ of a hockey puck?
first off, hockey is hockey but not all hockey is created equal. when you watch the minor leagues, i hope you're not sitting in the bleachers disparaging them because they're not as good as the majors? or is that different?
i'd like to see YOU up against any of the olympic women's players - how about that 15 yr old swedish goalie?
there are more than two olympic calibre teams. canada and states, sure - we usually let the states in because they have the biggest market share on viewership. no american team = not enough viewers = not enough dinero. it's the same reason you'll never see two canadian teams battle it out for the stanley cup unless there are some EXTREMELY extenuating circumstances.
sweden is nothing to dismiss lightly.
finland is better than sweden.
russia will do much better once they start getting some funding from their government (when they were over here for some game or other, the russian women players were literally trading vodka for hockey tape).
italy, well, okay - they only have a pool of 372 players from which to draw, but national pride will bring out more.
czech republich - this is a country KNOWN For fierce national pride and iron guts. if not the next olympics, then definitely the one after, this team will be a serious contender.
germany and switzerland - nothing to disregard lightly.
right now, canada is a juggernaut, fine - but this is the leading edge of the sport. once it becomes more firmly established, the playing will level out.
fyi: most of the *serious* hockey afficionados i know enjoy women's hockey more than men's because women play with skill and strategy, not just brute force and knuckles.
