2024 Youth Olympics - Gangwon, Korea

[Namejs]

It's just a second go at a variant that can be interesting from a developmental perspective to some minor countries/communities that don't necessarily have the needed infrastructure/people to play regular hockey. At least this time they are using national teams instead of international ones like in Lausanne.

Plenty of sports have variants using different line-up or playing area sizes. I remember when rugby sevens started I was not convinced at all by it (okay, the French were sh*te at it ) but it's not like many non traditional nations were and are coming up to the level of the top ones in rugby union. Hockey is in the same (actually worse) position in terms of popularising the sport and being accessible. So if that format can help a tiny bit, then why not?

How is this making things better for them?

 

[FrHockeyFan]

How is this making things better for them?

It's an attempt at making the sport look more accessible.

And NAs of minor hockey nations rely heavily on their national team programs to attract new adepts. Having a team playing an event like the YOG, even if they are getting rolled over, help them create a presence among the myriad of other sports they compete with.

Is it a perfect way? Probably not. Will it reach the same status as 3x3 basketball? Definitely not.

But it is another tool in the box to help popularise the sport. Otherwise we may as well tell everyone to hang their skates the moment it's clear they are not NHL caliber and keep it down to a single competition in the entire world.

 

[Maverick41]

I'm really peeved. I wanted to watch some of those 3x3 games. But there isn't a single stream anywhere. They could do like curling and show some select games but not even the finals will be broadcasted according to the Olympics app. This is just plain ridiculous.

Otherwise the biggest surprise of Day 1 was probably Türkiye holding off Italy in the girls' tournament. And Korea doing well vs China so I think they may have a good shot for that medal the boys' team was sacrificed for

It is weird, I am pretty sure last time the games were streamed on Olympics.com, although finding them was a nightmare.
I haven't checked this year, but if there is really nothing that's just sad.

 

[Namejs]

It's an attempt at making the sport look more accessible.

And NAs of minor hockey nations rely heavily on their national team programs to attract new adepts. Having a team playing an event like the YOG, even if they are getting rolled over, help them create a presence among the myriad of other sports they compete with.

Is it a perfect way? Probably not. Will it reach the same status as 3x3 basketball? Definitely not.

But it is another tool in the box to help popularise the sport. Otherwise we may as well tell everyone to hang their skates the moment it's clear they are not NHL caliber and keep it down to a single competition in the entire world.

I would go as far as to say that 3 on 3 hockey is more entertaining than 5 on 5, but it sort of loses the entire point when you reduce the playing area of the rink so much. There's more players per m2 there than in regular hockey.

I guess you're trying to minimize the differences in skating and reduce the number of players so that the difference of depth doesn't play that big of a role, so you could call it an attempt. But does it actually work? Looking at the scoresheets, I don't think it makes any difference.

And if it doesn't, why not make a proper tournament at this age bracket?

And how is this popularising anything if none of the games are even streamed?

 

[ZDH]

North Korea in it too?

 

[FrHockeyFan]

I would go as far as to say that 3 on 3 hockey is more entertaining than 5 on 5, but it sort of loses the entire point when you reduce the playing area of the rink so much. There's more players per m2 there than in regular hockey.

I guess you're trying to minimize the differences in skating and reduce the number of players so that the difference of depth doesn't play that big of a role, so you could call it an attempt. But does it actually work? Looking at the scoresheets, I don't think it makes any difference.

And if it doesn't, why not make a proper tournament at this age bracket?

And how is this popularising anything if none of the games are even streamed?

The problem with the difference in level comes from the qualification and allocation format using a combined men's and women's U18 ranking. While some countries decided to go with their strength and picked their team accordingly like Italy and Hungary, others didn't. Spain and Chinese Taipei have stronger women's programs at youth levels which explains their high ranking but decided to go with their men's team. If Latvia had picked the women's tournament, I doubt they would fare well.

Another example. No matter which format, Korea men's team wouldn't have a shot at a medal. However their women's team may have a go in the 3x3's. That's why the men's team is being sent to the slaughter.

There is also an issue with this format being new to almost everyone. Unlike 3x3 basketball which has history, that form of mini hockey didn't develop organically. The GBR coach admitted having no clue when beginning their first camp last summer, being even reluctant at first. So in that case, I guess most teams didn't prepare accordingly and rely on existing individual talent more than anything else.

A tiered event would make sense to avoid those scores but is not in the "Olympic spirit". The idea here is to bring in as many nations as possible. I don't think watching Nigeria getting trounced in curling makes any sense, yet here they are. And thus despite ranking rock bottom in the qualification process. It would need to be an IIHF tourney or a regional event like the AWGs. Now the question is whether or not MNAs are willing to go full on with 2 programs every year when financially most of them barely get by at the moment and the IIHF seems to be looking more towards women's U20s as their next step (U22 would make more sense to me but that's another topic).

As for the lack of coverage, I already said it's ridiculous. I don't think installing a single camera at one end of the ice to show some of the games would have been a huge effort per say.

I'm not saying this is the solution to every problem hockey is facing. But such events allows experimenting with new things without anyone having to make any long term commitment. If it works, great! If not, we move on! Sports have been evolving constantly.

 

[FrHockeyFan]

North Korea in it too?

Nope, North Korea has never taken part in any of the Winter YOG. And they would need to participate at U18 level to qualify in hockey.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Team Canada U16 with crazy good names... Liam Ruck, Mathis Preston, Tynan Lawrence,
Bradyn Wassilyn, Beckham Edwards, Daxon Rudolph, Keaton Verhoeff, Ryan Lin, Callum Croskery,

 

[Namejs]

Latvia 24-1 Great Britain
Murnieks with 4 goals, Klaucans, Obuks and Paurs with 4 each as well.

And we just beat Kazakhstan 15-11, closer than I expected.
Murnieks with 5 goals, Klaucans with 3.

Murnieks now has scored 12 goals in 3 games.

 

[Namejs]

Latvia 28-2 Taiwan
Latvia 9-3 Austria

We have now scored [checks notes] 100 goals in 5 games

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Latvia 28-2 Taiwan
Latvia 9-3 Austria

We have now scored [checks notes] 100 goals in 5 games

where to follow these games?, just.. at least box score

 

[Namejs]

where to follow these games?, just.. at least box score

https://olympics.com/gangwon-2024/en/results/ice-hockey/event-schedule-men-s-3-on-3-tournament.htm

They only post goals/penalties. No stats are officially recorded, no names mentioned. Someone on the Latvian bench at least counts the goalscorers. Which is probably more challenging than their primary duties.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Latvia 28-2 Taiwan
Latvia 9-3 Austria

We have now scored [checks notes] 100 goals in 5 games

those games are preliminary round games for the actual YOG tournament
or am i mistaken, edit : 3 on 3 tournament? what is that?

Like in the summer Olympics , in Athletics.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

So Latvia plays in their own tournament. with 7 other countries
Then Finland, Sweden, Canada, Czech, Slovakia and Korea play in the 6 team tournament

both part of the YOG?

 

[Namejs]

So Latvia plays in their own tournament. with 7 other countries
Then Finland, Sweden, Canada, Czech, Slovakia and Korea play in the 6 team tournament

both part of the YOG?

Correct, there are 2 types of tournaments.

The top 5 ranked teams are playing 5 on 5 for some reason.

 

[Namejs]

Oh my days.

Murnieks scored a whopping 8 goals against Taiwan and even more impressively 7 out of 9 against Austria.

Murnieks has scored 27 goals in 5 games.

 

[Czechboy]

I saw the Czech names but have no idea who they are... So go Czech strangers go.

 

[MikeyS]

Oh my days.

Murnieks scored a whopping 8 goals against Taiwan and even more impressively 7 out of 9 against Austria.

Murnieks has scored 27 goals in 5 games.

How many assists? Lol

 

[Namejs]

How many assists? Lol

Assists were not counted, but Murnieks ended up scoring 34 goals.
Klaucans with 25.

GMG: Latvia 9-3 Denmark
Semi-final: Latvia 19-5 Kazakhstan

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I was able to watch parts of a couple Latvia games and Murineks scored like every shift in one game, and was just all over the ice. If they tracked points, I have zero doubts he had like 60 in the 9 games.

Martins Klaucans looked very good also, could be something there.

​

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

This starts tonight. How and where to watch?

 

[kyle44]

This starts tonight. How and where to watch?

You should be able to watch USA-SVK here:

https://olympics.com/en/gangwon-202...ockey-winter-youth-olympic-games-gangwon-2024

 

[Filppula]

I’m watching USA/Slovakia right now. I know it’s super early but any guys here NHL candidates down the line?

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I’m watching USA/Slovakia right now. I know it’s super early but any guys here NHL candidates down the line?

Like half of the USA team will probably be drafted.

Go look at last YOG roster - Gauthier, MCGroarty, Hutson, Nazar, Howard etc

I believe Hurlburt and Bumgarner are considered to be among the best 08s in USA if not the world currently

 

[William H Bonney]

Fun game between the US and Slovakia. US carried the play and badly outshot Slovakia but Hrenek was excellent in net and Wendt gave up multiple he'll have nightmares about tonight. Slovakia is going to feel like they let one slip away that they were on the verge of stealing.

It's just one game so I want to see more but I was intrigued by the following American players: Bumgarner, Torre, Lutner, Hurlbert, Stuart, Berchild, and Garcia.