WC: 2018 Division I, II, III

[Shrimper]

I'm ****ing ecstatic right now

There is a junior tournament going on in my hometown Swindon this weekend and GB legend Tony Hand MBE was sitting behind me in the local pub next to the rink where the game is being shown live

This is the highest moment I've experienced in 10+ years following GB

Where people going mad when it came through?

Must have been scenes.

 

[Kiev the Great]

Where people going mad when it came through?

Must have been scenes.

There was definitely scenes in my living room! Already checking out flights and hotels.

 

[Siamese Dream]

Where people going mad when it came through?

Must have been scenes.

It wasn't as packed as I expected but I suppose there are still games going on and people probably gone back to the hotel at this time. I don't think I've ever seen Tony Hand smile like he did today though, definitely not when I've lined his games there was just me, a few of my rec teammates and a group of players/parents from the Midlands u17 team who went mental when the equalising goal went in

 

[Shrimper]

There was definitely scenes in my living room! Already checking out flights and hotels.

When would they know what group GB is in? I guess we'd have to wait until this years is done first.

 

[kabidjan18]

I'm ****ing ecstatic right now

There is a junior tournament going on in my hometown Swindon this weekend and GB legend Tony Hand MBE was sitting behind me in the local pub next to the rink where the game is being shown live

This is the highest moment I've experienced in 10+ years following GB

Happy for you man.

 

[Kiev the Great]

When would they know what group GB is in? I guess we'd have to wait until this years is done first.

I think so, especially as Kosice and Bratislava are opposite ends of the country (although a small country). Also having difficulties ordering flights more than a year in advance.

However I can see the basic logistics.

 

[Giskard]

Thanks GB from Italy

 

[kudla]

Oh god.

 

[Shrimper]

I think so, especially as Kosice and Bratislava are opposite ends of the country (although a small country). Also having difficulties ordering flights more than a year in advance.

However I can see the basic logistics.

Yeah, wouldn't expect too much change in teams fixtures though. Going back and forth doesn't help

 

[QuietContrarian]

Congratz GB, I love it when new teams get promoted!

How do you expect to fare? Blowout losses or a real chance against some lower seeds?

 

[jonas2244]

Congrats to Great Britain and also Lithuania. Great to see some fresh nations and maybe both nations can get a boost from this.

 

[ukyote]

On another note it was great to have all the GB games on free-to-air TV this year. Never know, maybe some new fans will head down to support their local teams!

 

[1865]

Hello again from a jubilant Budapest. Absolutely incredible. A team that is never beaten and you never tell them the odds!

 

[Jon Riley]

I'm happy that Italy got promoted, but the winner of this tournament is 100% Great Britain. Unbelievable what they did.
Normally a group with Kazakhstan and Slovenia would be considered to be a very difficult one.
One that also has Italy, Hungary and Poland, is a bloodbath.
Astonishing.

 

[Siamese Dream]

I honestly never expected this to actually happen in my lifetime

It is still so surreal, the stars aligned at the right time

 

[PanniniClaus]

It's incredible. The Brits also don't rely on dual nationals...appear to be mainly homegrown.

Has Daniel Taylor ever been in the picture for the national team? Will anyone come out of the wordwork for the Brits that othwerwise would not have if they had not been promoted?

I would imagine they will want to go with the guys that got them there but would probably open their doors to an AHL level player if one opted in.

Bravo...bravo....Such a great result...I remember 94..think I saw the Brits play once.

 

[DeflatedFootball7]

Yeah that's what's most impressive about GB. They only have three actual Canadian imports and one is the backup goalie. Three other dudes have dual citizenship, but played all their youth hockey in England.

 

[alce]

That's bizarre. I actually remember seeing GB on worlds in 90s. It was one of the worst teams that ever played in elite division. They were losing their games with double digit score and ended with something like 5-50 goal difference. I frankly never expected to see them in elite ever again.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

When would they know what group GB is in? I guess we'd have to wait until this years is done first.

As they'll be ranked #16 of the teams there, with the #1 seed.

 

[Namejs]

It looks like Italy had 6 players on when they scored the goal.

And they never actually pulled the goalie.

He was just trying to get a better look at the GWG there in the background.

 

[andy500]

It's incredible. The Brits also don't rely on dual nationals...appear to be mainly homegrown.

Has Daniel Taylor ever been in the picture for the national team? Will anyone come out of the wordwork for the Brits that othwerwise would not have if they had not been promoted?

I would imagine they will want to go with the guys that got them there but would probably open their doors to an AHL level player if one opted in.

Bravo...bravo....Such a great result...I remember 94..think I saw the Brits play once.

We are pretty strict on our dual nats. Even the guys who never played junior in the UK, they have British parents or were born in the UK - or have some family connection.

We have a lot of good players who could be eligible via our top league - but I hope we stick to our policy for the top division. We're probably going down either way - so let's give these guys the chance of a lifetime to play for their country against the best in the world.

 

[SoundAndFury]

So, good things:

1. Lithuania and GB promoted. It will definitely send a bit of a shockwave throughout the community and hockey can benefit from it, especially in GB. In Lithuania's case, it's probably the players who will get more recognition and an easier time getting jobs.
2. Croatia and The Netherlands will switch places restoring the natural order of things - that's where both these countries belong.
3. Don't know about the ants and all but that Budapest arena looks super pretty.

Bad things:

1. Italy being promoted the way they were.
2. Ukraine coming so close to elimination has to be a scary moment for a country which imagines their hockey is growing. In a way, it is but their men's hockey state is really sad at the moment.
3. Croatia getting eliminated will definitely another naturalization wave. Guys like Aviani and Puskarich will be there in the D2A next year already but there has to be more to come.
4. Lithuania and our 4 pro defensemen against D1A competition.. When one team we could at least somewhat realistically challenged was relegated and the other promoted.. Might be tough to watch. Hopefully, Armalis will be healthy.

 

[Exarz]

Has Daniel Taylor ever been in the picture for the national team? Will anyone come out of the wordwork for the Brits that othwerwise would not have if they had not been promoted?

He would need to play a minimum of two seasons the UK before being available for the national team. Closest thing to make it happen is if England gets the rumoured KHL franchise and he decides to sign with it, because I don't see Taylor playing in the EIHL.

 

[BMann]

It would be great if the EIHL was to be covered by the BBC. A lot still needs to be done to get the team to stay near the top of the sport.

I am surprised that we did get through Slovenia, Kazakhstan and Poland and Hungary are no pushovers either. Ben Bowns was superb. And underlines my conviction he should have gone to Sweden when younger. I am sure he would have been fine in the Allsvenskan and Elitserien. Although we do have a nucleus of gifted youngsters like Kirk, Kieran Brown and the like (who also need to jump ship to Sweden or North America to push themselves) the issues in the sport need resolution.

Namely a lack of rinks. They don't need to be huge just enough to accommodate 1-2000 people. Get more kids skating there and see who has talent for the sport. Bring in the right coaches as currently the coaching standards in GB are low and juniors will suffer as a result. That requires money and somehow IHUK needs to get that funding going with the help of GB Sport and the private sector. And a return of rinks in areas where there was a traditional hockey presence like Durham, Streatham and Wembley. At a certain age 13-14 get the best kids scholarships to go abroad to play and study or set up more schemes like the Okanagan Academy within the UK. And a restoration of the second tier of British hockey which currently is in a worryingly poor state. Not to mention a limit on imports which unfortunately has been increased. It is all well and good having skilled imports from which juniors can learn but as in football please don't import journeymen for the sake of it instead of giving the spot to a young British player who has talent and ability.

One swallow does not make a summer but this success must be built on. If everyone in the sport can focus on a common vision of slowly growing the sport from the base, increasing spectator numbers, awareness in the public by more media coverage and increasing the quality of juniors hopefully transitioning into prospects for the top leagues in the world then that will be deemed a triumph over time. It can be done as we have seen with Denmark our erstwhile competitors some two decades ago.

Once more an amazing game last night. 2-0 down the second a freak goal, a penalty shot saved by Bowns before the dramatic fightback topped off by a shootout win. Amazing resilience and fight.

​

Once again the game was mentioned on BBC Breakfast but mentioned after tennis, horse racing not exactly top billing. It happens to minority sports here unfortunately. Netball had a moment in the sun, curling etc etc and then are never heard of again. Which underlines the need for some form of terrestrial presence on the box. Cricket for example has also vanished into the ether for many since it disappeared to Sky and the like.

 

[Nosswor]

It would be great if the EIHL was to be covered by the BBC. A lot still needs to be done to get the team to stay near the top of the sport.

I am surprised that we did get through Slovenia, Kazakhstan and Poland and Hungary are no pushovers either. Ben Bowns was superb. And underlines my conviction he should have gone to Sweden when younger. I am sure he would have been fine in the Allsvenskan and Elitserien. Although we do have a nucleus of gifted youngsters like Kirk, Kieran Brown and the like (who also need to jump ship to Sweden or North America to push themselves) the issues in the sport need resolution.

Namely a lack of rinks. They don't need to be huge just enough to accommodate 1-2000 people. Get more kids skating there and see who has talent for the sport. Bring in the right coaches as currently the coaching standards in GB are low and juniors will suffer as a result. That requires money and somehow IHUK needs to get that funding going with the help of GB Sport and the private sector. And a return of rinks in areas where there was a traditional hockey presence like Durham, Streatham and Wembley. At a certain age 13-14 get the best kids scholarships to go abroad to play and study or set up more schemes like the Okanagan Academy within the UK. And a restoration of the second tier of British hockey which currently is in a worryingly poor state. Not to mention a limit on imports which unfortunately has been increased. It is all well and good having skilled imports from which juniors can learn but as in football please don't import journeymen for the sake of it instead of giving the spot to a young British player who has talent and ability.

One swallow does not make a summer but this success must be built on. If everyone in the sport can focus on a common vision of slowly growing the sport from the base, increasing spectator numbers, awareness in the public by more media coverage and increasing the quality of juniors hopefully transitioning into prospects for the top leagues in the world then that will be deemed a triumph over time. It can be done as we have seen with Denmark our erstwhile competitors some two decades ago.

Once more an amazing game last night. 2-0 down the second a freak goal, a penalty shot saved by Bowns before the dramatic fightback topped off by a shootout win. Amazing resilience and fight.

​

Once again the game was mentioned on BBC Breakfast but mentioned after tennis, horse racing not exactly top billing. It happens to minority sports here unfortunately. Netball had a moment in the sun, curling etc etc and then are never heard of again. Which underlines the need for some form of terrestrial presence on the box. Cricket for example has also vanished into the ether for many since it disappeared to Sky and the like.

Rinks aren't a problem. Look at a country like Slovenia with their tiny amount of rinks and ability to play in the Olympics. The problem is the EIHA and its commitment to things like rec and uni hockey, and the rinks desire to take them because they can make more money from it. Basically junior hockey needs subsidising to let the kids have more hours on the ice, and not at stupid times of the day. Basically we need a federation to do its job (e.g. getting a national team sponsor even when the team is on free-to-air tv).