Olympics: Korea hockey teams granted place in OG2018

[ellja3]

IIHF statement here

The playing format is still to be confirmed, but Korea will be the last seeded team.

Click to read more...

 

[JJTT]

Oh boy, they are going to get their ***** kicked.

 

[Siamese Dream]

Quick! Naturalise some more AHL/ECHL tweener scrubs!

 

[Urbanskog]

They couldn't win a single match in the Division IA Championship this year and they lost 2:8 against Ukraine.

It'll be ugly to watch.

 

[Canuckistani]

A cruel move by the IIHF. If ever there was a time when the host squad shouldn't be anywhere near the ice it's 2018. Let's hope to god that there's a qualifying round like in 1998 and 2002 before the top-seven show up.

At Nagano 1998 Japan played in the opening round and actually gave a half-decent account of themselves. But then Japan has played in the A-pool several times at the WHC so they're not that bad.

South Korea has no business being anywhere near the top teams.

BTW, the last time a senior-level tournament was hosted by a nation that didn't play in the event was Switzerland at 1990 WHC (also Austria in 1977, 1987). I suppose the IIHF is always looking to grow the game but I don't see much being achieved by having South Korea get lit up on home ice 10-0 several times.

 

[cutchemist42]

Weren't there guidelines as to what the Korean team had to prove before being allowed? Or was it always a "your choice"?

 

[Xokkeu]

Unless they let Korea naturalize a bunch of Canadians with Korean heritage I worry for the safety of these players. This isn't going to be like the US in cricket where they just lose by an embarrassingly large margin. Guys are going to get hurt being run over by players like Ovechkin Backes or Perry

 

[Ub the Bub]

To be honest, South Korea of today is better than Japan was when they were playing in the WHC. Only reason Japan got that far back then was that they had a free "Asia" spot. Also, from a hockey standpoint Korea is an interesting country if it develops since it has the potential to be the fastest national team in the world quite easily since I would assume that a large number of the domestic players are speedskaters that switched sports. I'm optimistic about this, gonna be fun.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

I think you all need to worry less, the IOC will obviously find a way to communicate a message to the players participating and competing when they play Korea to not embarrass their team and turn it into a 30-0 slaughter. This is what makes the Olympics special, it's about the Olympic spirit and offering everyone an opportunity. This happens in many other sports, so why not Hockey.

Wildcards are offered to athletes in countries that do not have an athlete or few athlete to help promote sport and to help further development of it in their countries. If this could help one kid in Korea eventually make the NHL in the future it'll have been worth it.

Kudos to the IOC, Union Hockey Center will be rocking come February 2018, and each goal, shot and save will be celebrated with passion. These guys will be heroes back home. This will also help increase the support for the Hockey tournament and once they live it, I'm sure it will help the game grow in Korea.

Another reason why I love the Olympics so much, there's a purity to the game professional sports leagues like the NHL can not and will never offer.

Remember what the principle of the Olympics is. ''The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.''

They will not win a game, but it will be entertaining to see them fight for each goal they can muster.

 

[Frank the Tank]

I think you all need to worry less, the IOC will obviously find a way to communicate a message to the players participating and competing when they play Korea to not embarrass their team and turn it into a 30-0 slaughter. This is what makes the Olympics special, it's about the Olympic spirit and offering everyone an opportunity. This happens in many other sports, so why not Hockey.

Wildcards are offered to athletes in countries that do not have an athlete or few athlete to help promote sport and to help further development of it in their countries. If this could help one kid in Korea eventually make the NHL in the future it'll have been worth it.

Kudos to the IOC, Union Hockey Center will be rocking come February 2018, and each goal, shot and save will be celebrated with passion. These guys will be heroes back home. This will also help increase the support for the Hockey tournament and once they live it, I'm sure it will help the game grow in Korea.

Another reason why I love the Olympics so much, there's a purity to the game professional sports leagues like the NHL can not and will never offer.

Remember what the principle of the Olympics is. ''The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.''

They will not win a game, but it will be entertaining to see them fight for each goal they can muster.

If the 2010 & 2014 Olympic Mens' Ice Hockey tournament format is used, which accounts for goal differential in establishing playoff rankings, I would expect teams to go for the biggest blowout possible against an inferior opponent like South Korea.

 

[cutchemist42]

If the 2010 & 2014 Olympic Mens' Ice Hockey tournament format is used, which accounts for goal differential in establishing playoff rankings, I would expect teams to go for the biggest blowout possible against an inferior opponent like South Korea.

They might abuse the tiebreaker situation, but I think even the hardest hockey player would know when a team is overmatched and lay off the hits eventually.

 

[Canuckistani]

I think you all need to worry less, the IOC will obviously find a way to communicate a message to the players participating and competing when they play Korea to not embarrass their team and turn it into a 30-0 slaughter.

If everyone else would have to be told to go easy on them then Korea clearly would have no business being in such a tournament.

This is supposed to be the highest-level event in the game, not a children's league where parents tell their kids to take it easy and not embarrass a crappy team.

By allowing Korea to participate the IIHF/IOC are preventing the participation of a hockey-playing nation with a genuine chance at improvement (Austria, Belarus, Latvia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan etc).

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Oh Boy, from the title of this thread, I thought North was also involved. Someone change it.

Though if that were the case, the tournament would be a sideshow compared to South vs. North Korea Ice Hockey game...heck they should have a best of 7, winner gets special Olympic medals.

 

[zamo86*]

The final round of the qualifiers will be played in late August. Hypothetically this means that all the NHL Danes could help their country, or Kopitar could play for Slovenia..

 

[ForumNamePending]

By allowing Korea to participate the IIHF/IOC are preventing the participation of a hockey-playing nation with a genuine chance at improvement (Austria, Belarus, Latvia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan etc).

I'm not sure how I feel about Korea getting a spot either but I don't see how their chances of improvement is less than any of the other countries you listed, especially when you consider that over the past decade Korea has improved significantly (admittedly from a much lower starting point) while most of the countries in brackets have stagnated.

The final round of the qualifiers will be played in late August. Hypothetically this means that all the NHL Danes could help their country, or Kopitar could play for Slovenia..

I thought I saw that somewhere but wasn't sure where. Having all players available for qualifying is long overdue. IMO if you want to call something 'best vs best' even the '2nd tier' nations should have access to their best players throughout the entire qualifying process. A country like Denmark, if their young talent pans out reasonably well, is going to have a really interesting team by the time 2018 rolls around. If things go well 2018 could be a huge year for Danish hockey.

 

[ellja3]

By allowing Korea to participate the IIHF/IOC are preventing the participation of a hockey-playing nation with a genuine chance at improvement (Austria, Belarus, Latvia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan etc).

True. 8 automatic spots as per IIHF rankings [instead of 9] + Korea + 3 qualifiers.

 

[jekoh]

To be honest, South Korea of today is better than Japan was when they were playing in the WHC. Only reason Japan got that far back then was that they had a free "Asia" spot.

Indeed Japan played in Pool A because the IIHF gave East Asia an automatic entry after the Olympics. The previous year Japan was 4th in Pool C (24th in the world).

 

[capebretoncanadien]

South Korea will get whupped for sure but it's not going to be a someone please god think of the children type of stuff.

There are some pretty good hockey players over there plus if you know Korea like I do they will have as many ringers and underhanded officials as money can buy.

I might get tapped for the national team when I go over next year and play gentleman league lol.

 

[canuck4life16]

We still have no idea if the NHL will sent players in 2018 so the slaughter may not happen.....

 

[FiLe]

We still have no idea if the NHL will sent players in 2018 so the slaughter may not happen.....

Even if the usual suspects have only their best pros from the European side, that one-sided skill difference will still be so great that it ain't even funny.

 

[Hubie]

They're likely to lose all their games handily, but I think it's a good decision by the IIHF to reward the Koreans for all the effort they've put into improving their national team. Would be a shame if all that was for nothing and maybe it'll stimulate some continued interest in the sport beyond 2018. Anyway I don't think they're much further behind the top nations than Japan was in 1998.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

This is going to be fun

 

[Siamese Dream]

They're likely to lose all their games handily, but I think it's a good decision by the IIHF to reward the Koreans for all the effort they've put into improving their national team. Would be a shame if all that was for nothing and maybe it'll stimulate some continued interest in the sport beyond 2018. Anyway I don't think they're much further behind the top nations than Japan was in 1998.

Naturalising a bunch of Canadians who have played in the Asia League for 5 seasons isn't really putting in "effort"

 

[Xokkeu]

I doubt the Olympics are going to lead to any kind of real Korean program. If it didn't work in japan why would it work in Korea.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

South Korea will get whupped for sure but it's not going to be a someone please god think of the children type of stuff.

It will for the women's team.