Olympics: 2016 Men's Olympic Qualification (Feb. 11-14)

[habsrule4eva3089]

Terrific interview with Rene Fasel.

 

[tony d]

Interesting, should be a few good battles on the road to the Olympic hockey tournament.

 

[Kschey]

Time to lobby the IIHF for a new rule: if two teams play to a scoreless tie in a game that determines a tournament winner, both teams are disqualified and banned from tournaments forever.

Just saw this post. Both teams had several scoring chances, including some breakaways and other high scoring chances.

Neither team was sitting back, hoping to get into the shootout.

Curious to see how Poland is going to look against those teams which all certainly are a level above us. Hope it doesn't get too painful.

 

[MeHateHe]

Just saw this post. Both teams had several scoring chances, including some breakaways and other high scoring chances.

Neither team was sitting back, hoping to get into the shootout.

Curious to see how Poland is going to look against those teams which all certainly are a level above us. Hope it doesn't get too painful.

Yeah, I was just being sarcastic. It's also a nod back to the days when the Czechs and Soviets passed the puck back and forth for 60 minutes laughing while no one took any chances because neither team benefited from a win and both sides were at risk with a loss.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Of the 3 teams that won their groups i give Italy the best odds to get through. It will be tough but not impossible - depends on what Norway and France have available.

 

[Kschey]

Of the 3 teams that won their groups i give Italy the best odds to get through. It will be tough but not impossible - depends on what Norway and France have available.

Don't see them keeping up with those teams. I've seen Poland play Italy several times, and for example Kazakhstan also at the latest 1A WC and Kazakhstan is really at another level than Italy. I'd absolutely expect them to crush the Italians. Same with Norway and France.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Don't see them keeping up with those teams. I've seen Poland play Italy several times, and for example Kazakhstan also at the latest 1A WC and Kazakhstan is really at another level than Italy. I'd absolutely expect them to crush the Italians. Same with Norway and France.

Fair enough - i don't disagree, but that i took Italy will tell you what i think of Japan's and Poland's chances.

 

[Kschey]

Fair enough - i don't disagree, but that i took Italy will tell you what i think of Japan's and Poland's chances.

Yeah, there's no way any of those teams can win the next round.
In my opinion, for a team like Poland it's about gaining experience and looking as good as possible. Lots of stuff to be learned from playing teams like Belarus.

 

[legionista]

A little late to the party, but I watched all the Poland games and the POL-HUN game was very exciting by most standards despite the 0-0 regulation finish. Hockey in Hungary has been growing immensely the last few years which is proven by their promotion to the elite WC level last year.

As some have said in here, for Poland in the final qualif. tournament it's not about advancing because that's not very realistic at this point especially if the other teams in the group can call up players from the NHL (IMO Denmark would benefit from this the most). Some NHL based players may be playing in the hockey World Cup which falls I believe soon after the Olympic. qualif. tournament, so participation of some NHL based players might be in question, too early to tell.

For Poland their focus now is on the WC in April, where they have a very realistic chance of promotion to the elite level which would be a very big success considering the state of Polish hockey (some might consider it an anomaly). One issue which is of interest to many is the potential call-up of Alan Lyszczarczyk, the Sudbury Wolves star who will most likely be drafted into the NHL this year.

 

[Keram]

A little late to the party, but I watched all the Poland games and the POL-HUN game was very exciting by most standards despite the 0-0 regulation finish. Hockey in Hungary has been growing immensely the last few years which is proven by their promotion to the elite WC level last year.

As some have said in here, for Poland in the final qualif. tournament it's not about advancing because that's not very realistic at this point especially if the other teams in the group can call up players from the NHL (IMO Denmark would benefit from this the most). Some NHL based players may be playing in the hockey World Cup which falls I believe soon after the Olympic. qualif. tournament, so participation of some NHL based players might be in question, too early to tell.

For Poland their focus now is on the WC in April, where they have a very realistic chance of promotion to the elite level which would be a very big success considering the state of Polish hockey (some might consider it an anomaly). One issue which is of interest to many is the potential call-up of Alan Lyszczarczyk, the Sudbury Wolves star who will most likely be drafted into the NHL this year.

Well if they can not participate in qualification due to World cup training camps in meaningles Team Europe it will be huge middle finger to international hockey. I believe they will can participate and join Team Europe after tournaments.

 

[weklof]

Well if they can not participate in qualification due to World cup training camps in meaningles Team Europe it will be huge middle finger to international hockey. I believe they will can participate and join Team Europe after tournaments.

I think it should be possible for the players to do both, the Olympic qualification is 1-4 September and Team Europe plays their first exhibition game the 8th of September (in Quebec). Should be possible for them to play their last game on the 4th, travel to North America on the 5-6th, rest/practice on the 7th and then play the exhibition game. Will probably be at bit exhausting, but if the coaches are smart they will play the players from the qualifiying teams sparsely and relay on the Slovaks and Swiss the first game

 

[kaiser matias]

Don't see them keeping up with those teams. I've seen Poland play Italy several times, and for example Kazakhstan also at the latest 1A WC and Kazakhstan is really at another level than Italy. I'd absolutely expect them to crush the Italians. Same with Norway and France.

Italy also has a lesser chance when one considers that they have begun to favour using Italian-born and trained players, rather than nationalised players (often from Canada). The immediate result of this is that the team will tread down for a few years (as seen when they failed to earn promotion to the top division last year), but it will only serve to make Italy better overall, as local players will be given the chance to develop and play for the national team.

And Poland is really just in this now to see how they fair and gain experience against some decent teams. Hopefully with the final tournament being played in neighbouring Belarus a good contingent of Poles go out and support them in September.

 

[GotTheMovesLikeJagr]

Don't see them keeping up with those teams. I've seen Poland play Italy several times, and for example Kazakhstan also at the latest 1A WC and Kazakhstan is really at another level than Italy. I'd absolutely expect them to crush the Italians. Same with Norway and France.

Italy could on a good day irritate the other countries, but will likely lose all matches.

Norway defeated both Kazakhstan and France in the qualification for the 2010 tournament, and I see them doing it again this year

 

[kabidjan18]

Italy could on a good day irritate the other countries, but will likely lose all matches.

Norway defeated both Kazakhstan and France in the qualification for the 2010 tournament, and I see them doing it again this year

Woah woah woah that was 6 years ago, since then Kazakhstan has added a bunch of guys like Bochenski (top 5 KHL scorer), Dawes, Boyd, Dallman, and they could add Mike Lundin. I hate the mercenaries they make Kazakhstan look cheap but the tables are turned I think Kazakhstan takes that division. My lasting memory of Norway will be against Austria that was a great game.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Woah woah woah that was 6 years ago, since then Kazakhstan has added a bunch of guys like Bochenski (top 5 KHL scorer), Dawes, Boyd, Dallman, and they could add Mike Lundin. I hate the mercenaries they make Kazakhstan look cheap but the tables are turned I think Kazakhstan takes that division.

Are any of the players other than Dallman actually eligible?

 

[kaiser matias]

Are any of the players other than Dallman actually eligible?

They are. Both Bochenski and Dawes I know for sure were in the process of getting Kazakhstani citizenship a few months ago, and should both be on the national team for the World Championship.

 

[ozo]

They are. Both Bochenski and Dawes I know for sure were in the process of getting Kazakhstani citizenship a few months ago, and should both be on the national team for the World Championship.

Bochenski was scheduled to play already last year, but got hurt in KHL playoffs and couldn't play.

 

[hage]

Will NHL players be able to play in the qualification games in september? Should be just before the training camps start

 

[kabidjan18]

Will NHL players be able to play in the qualification games in september? Should be just before the training camps start

...the million dollar question.

I'm curious if there are any new faces to the national teams of the teams in the qualifying tournament, especially Slovenia. New faces are obviously what keep hockey nations thriving, I simply don't see the next Ziga Jeglic or Rok Ticar with a simple search and while they're still a relatively younger team, a team that only ages and doesn't infuse talent is bound to suffer. I assume Pesut and Koblar are overdue for call-ups even though they're not on track to be Jeglic or Sabolic either.

A few new faces (or many) likely won't matter if Denmark is allowed to unleash the beast and play current north American players (Boedker, Eller, Ehlers, Hansen, Nielsen, Bjorkstrand, Jensen, Andersen) as well as former north American players now in Europe (Regin, Larsen, O.Lauridsen, M.Lauridsen, Sorenson) but I'm curious because it affects both current and future potential matchups. Not limited to Slovenia though if your country is going to debut someone, I think we're all curious as to how the lineups will look come fall.

 

[westc2]

I dream of the day when hockey can have a world tournament on the scale of the soccer/football World Cup.