WJC: 2020 IIHF WM U20 D1A in Minsk, BELARUS (9.12 - 15.12 2019)

[Pan]

Little more than a month left to the start of the WJC Division 1A.

Dates: December 9 - 15, 2019
Place: Minsk, Belarus

Teams:
Denmark
Belarus
Norway
Latvia
Austria
Slovenia

(There is a 4 nations tournament this week in Bobruisk, Belarus with 4 of 6 teams participating: Belarus, Austria, Denmark and Latvia. Not sure if it's gonna be a showcase since lot of players will join their teams later which for Belarus Latvia and Austria seems to be a key factor. For instance Latvia's MHL club players who seem to be Latvia U20 core are not gonna participte.
I'll uptade with links to the 4 nations tournament games later.)
Upd DEN - AUT

Click to read more...

 

[Pan]

BELARUS

For Bobruisk tournament team Belarus U20 will be based on the U20 NTDP team which has been playing this season in Belarusian Extraleague-B (tier 2 mens league), strenghtened with some KHL and Extraleague-A (tier 1 mens league) players.
I guess if most players from NA are able come over for the WJC D1A there is no much room for the NTDP players so the Bobruisk tournament is the last chance for them to make the team.

This year Belarus has quite deep and variable roster. Of those who would definitely make the team I'd mention
Alexei Protas, WHL Prince Albert Raiders. The 2001-born kid is leading the WHL at the moment in points and plus/minus. Back in 2018 at U18 WJC he made a great line with Vladimir Alistrov (2001), WHL Edmonton Oil Kings, and Ilya Kazyanin (2000), KHL Dinamo Minsk. Would be nice to see them playing together again.

Yevgeni Oksentyuk (2001) of OHL Flint Firebirds, Ilya Usau (2001) of WHL Prince Albert Raiders and 2003-born Danila Klimovich, U20 NTDP, could be the second line but I personally expect Nasser Sobhi, a 2001-born from Extraleague-A Gomel to claim for a center position in top-6. He's really stood out for me lately.

So Usau could be the third line center with KHL Dinamo Minsk's Pavlenko (2000) and Pavel Azhgirey (2000) of Extraleague-A Neman as wingers.

Daniil Stepanov (2001) of WHL Prince Albert Raiders to center Nikita Pyshkaylo (2000), Extraleague-A. and, say, Victor Masilevich (2000), USHL in the forth line.

Alexander Palchik (2002) of U20 NTDP is to be the 13th forward.

As for defence, the head coach said that he is going to separate Vlad Kolyachonok (2001) of OHL Flint Firebirds, Ilya Solovyov (2000) of OHL Saginaw Spirit and Pavel Denisov (2001) of KHL Dinamo Minsk adding stay-at-home D's to them in each pair but my thoughts is that Kolyachonok and Solovyov reunion combined with the Protas line could be an offencive fest. At least worth trying.

 

[ozo]

Hard to see anything but Belarus getting promoted on home ice, that said Denmark is always seemingly punching above their weight and Latvia is also a mixed bag, so who knows really, need to see final rosters to make a stronger statement about team chances in couple of weeks tiem.

Random question - does Nasser Sobhi has some sort of North African ancestry?

 

[jvr32]

BELARUS

For Bobruisk tournament team Belarus U20 will be based on the U20 NTDP team which has been playing this season in Belarusian Extraleague-B (tier 2 mens league), strenghtened with some KHL and Extraleague-A (tier 1 mens league) players.
I guess if most players from NA are able come over for the WJC D1A there is no much room for the NTDP players so the Bobruisk tournament is the last chance for them to make the team.

This year Belarus has quite deep and variable roster. Of those who would definitely make the team I'd mention
Alexei Protas, WHL Prince Albert Raiders. The 2001-born kid is leading the WHL at the moment in points and plus/minus. Back in 2018 at U18 WJC he made a great line with Vladimir Alistrov (2001), WHL Edmonton Oil Kings, and Ilya Kazyanin (2000), KHL Dinamo Minsk. Would be nice to see them playing together again.

Yevgeni Oksentyuk (2001) of OHL Flint Firebirds, Ilya Usau (2001) of WHL Prince Albert Raiders and 2003-born Danila Klimovich, U20 NTDP, could be the second line but I personally expect Nasser Sobhi, a 2001-born from Extraleague-A Gomel to claim for a center position in top-6. He's really stood out for me lately.

So Usau could be the third line center with KHL Dinamo Minsk's Pavlenko (2000) and Pavel Azhgirey (2000) of Extraleague-A Neman as wingers.

Daniil Stepanov (2001) of WHL Prince Albert Raiders to center Nikita Pyshkaylo (2000), Extraleague-A. and, say, Victor Masilevich (2000), USHL in the forth line.

Alexander Palchik (2002) of U20 NTDP is to be the 13th forward.

As for defence, the head coach said that he is going to separate Vlad Kolyachonok (2001) of OHL Flint Firebirds, Ilya Solovyov (2000) of OHL Saginaw Spirit and Pavel Denisov (2001) of KHL Dinamo Minsk adding stay-at-home D's to them in each pair but my thoughts is that Kolyachonok and Solovyov reunion combined with the Protas line could be an offencive fest. At least worth trying.

How's Vitali Pinchuk rated in Belarus? Played in U18 World Championship last year and I thought he looked good there in games I watched. Moved to Kingston of the OHL this year and has 9 points in 16 games in a team whose best point producer has 12 points in 16 games. Is there a chance or is he still considered more of as an U18 guy this season?

 

[montreal]

anyone know where to find the roster for Team Denmark? Just wondering about the goalies.

 

[Pan]

Hard to see anything but Belarus getting promoted on home ice, that said Denmark is always seemingly punching above their weight and Latvia is also a mixed bag, so who knows really, need to see final rosters to make a stronger statement about team chances in couple of weeks tiem.

Random question - does Nasser Sobhi has some sort of North African ancestry?

I don't have much info on him, he's just come out of nowhere this season. He was born in Belarus but for sure based on his name he does.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Considering the roster it would be shocking to not see Belarus go up. Last year Germany was a worthy opposition, they had star power and all. This year, nothing seems particularly close.

anyone know where to find the roster for Team Denmark? Just wondering about the goalies.

Well Frederik and Mads Sogaards will definitely take those spots if they both can go.

 

[kabidjan18]

I doubt any of the draft eligible players will come, and even if they all did, the team would be pretty mediocre at best.

Lanzinger - Rossi - Baumgartner
Huber - Harnisch - Hochegger
Wallner - Peeters - Thaler
Schmid - Preiser - Rebernig
Pallierer

Payr - Maier
Nickl - Zundel
Pfeffer - Steffler
Lindner

Schmidt

That'd be the best case scenario, but you know a few people who should make it will be dropped and you know someone who doesn't really have the fitness to make it invariably will, due to who runs the teams and where they originate from. And good players won't be able to make it. It's alright, the long game is more important, but I'm not putting much stock in this nonetheless.

 

[Pan]

How's Vitali Pinchuk rated in Belarus? Played in U18 World Championship last year and I thought he looked good there in games I watched. Moved to Kingston of the OHL this year and has 9 points in 16 games in a team whose best point producer has 12 points in 16 games. Is there a chance or is he still considered more of as an U18 guy this season?

He'll definitely get a chance since as far as I know the head coach wants all players from the CHL for the pre-tournament camp. But I'll be surprised if he makes the team cause for me he seems to be more of a top-6 player and there are quite enough more experienced 2001-class players for that.

 

[kabidjan18]

Belarus U20 - Austria U20 - 2:1. 08.11.2019. Four nations cup - YouTube

Fun little game.

 

[kabidjan18]

@Maverick41 any way to access entry lists in the old format?

ÖEHV - Österreichischer Eishockeyverband - Home

Our Entry list. No Rossi. No Devin Steffler as well, which I think is either strange or arrogant, but what do I know. However, great to see Senna Peeters up there.

 

[Maverick41]

@Maverick41 any way to access entry lists in the old format?

ÖEHV - Österreichischer Eishockeyverband - Home

Our Entry list. No Rossi. No Devin Steffler as well, which I think is either strange or arrogant, but what do I know. However, great to see Senna Peeters up there.

If you mean the entry lists for the Div.1a U20 World Championships, they don't seem to be out yet, but when they are you should be able to find them here:

2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 World Championship Div I Group A

From experience with German players playing in the CHL, they were also sometimes missing from the entry list/training camp roster initially, but would join the team for the tournament.

 

[kabidjan18]

If you mean the entry lists for the Div.1a U20 World Championships, they don't seem to be out yet, but when they are you should be able to find them here:

2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 World Championship Div I Group A

Thanks so much!

From experience with German players playing in the CHL, they were also sometimes missing from the entry list/training camp roster initially, but would join the team for the tournament.

I am fully convinced that they would omit Steffler because they think Piff or Urbanek or Pallierer is better. Whether that is actually why the did, I am not sure.

 

[ozo]

However, great to see Senna Peeters up there.

Wanted to see him play for Belgium...

 

[kabidjan18]

Wanted to see him play for Belgium...

I understand. I would feel the same way if he didn't choose Austria.

This has been in the works for years though, and I'm happy it happened. He got his passport just like a week ago.

 

[Pan]

I understand. I would feel the same way if he didn't choose Austria.

This has been in the works for years though, and I'm happy it happened. He got his passport just like a week ago.

Forgive my ignorance, just checked him on eliteprospects, seems to be a kid who was born in Belgium, have played in 4 different countries over past 4 seasons and is going to represent Austria.
Is baltic warrior going to express his concern or that's some special case as usually when it doesn't come to Belarus?

 

[SoundAndFury]

Forgive my ignorance, just checked him on eliteprospects, seems to be a kid who was born in Belgium, have played in 4 different countries over past 4 seasons and is going to represent Austria.
Is baltic warrior going to express his concern or that's some special case as usually when it doesn't come to Belarus?

It only matters if the guy does something meaningful But yeah, just like in Kombe's or Mykhulka's (wrong spelling) cases, this is just the guy screwing his home country, at least as far as I can tell. Which is kinda funny since his father his pretty big name in Belgian hockey too.

On that note, I checked on Kombe and seems like he is on Estonian entry list, maybe not all is lost.

 

[kabidjan18]

Forgive my ignorance, just checked him on eliteprospects, seems to be a kid who was born in Belgium, have played in 4 different countries over past 4 seasons and is going to represent Austria.
Is baltic warrior going to express his concern or that's some special case as usually when it doesn't come to Belarus?

You see how 16-17 is omitted? He played in Salzburg then too, so 3 countries in 4 years.

I think most people would look at it differently if it's a 17 year old rather than a 27 year old. He began considering this a couple years back, and thankfully has stayed the course despite our team's constant faltering.

 

[Pan]

You see how 16-17 is omitted? He played in Salzburg then too, so 3 countries in 4 years.

I think most people would look at it differently if it's a 17 year old rather than a 27 year old. He began considering this a couple years back, and thankfully has stayed the course despite our team's constant faltering.

Oh really? I mean for sure there is difference between 17 and 27, it's 10.
Of course it couldn't be spontaneous because of that IIHF rule that you have to play 2 seasons in the country you want to represent. And despite Austria's constant faltering, what other choice he had? Belgium? What a sacrifice.

Anyway it looks like the kid spent just two years in Austrian academies to get some development he couldn't get in Belgium and then went ahead for the next step in North America. So what's the difference, except "10", between him and, say, Platt who had been playing for 6 seasons in Minsk before getting a chance to represent Belarus, then moved to Russia for a better job offer but still reports to the national team?

It took you just like 2 years from "you should distinguish when a canadian moves to Switzerland and decides to stay there for the rest of life" to "we worked hard on his naturalization and that's our excuse".

 

[ozo]

On that note, I checked on Kombe and seems like he is on Estonian entry list, maybe not all is lost.

Not to be Debby Downer or anything, but last year Kombe declined participation on the eve of the tournament, so his name being on the list means precious little.

 

[kabidjan18]

Oh really? I mean for sure there is difference between 17 and 27, it's 10.
Of course it couldn't be spontaneous because of that IIHF rule that you have to play 2 seasons in the country you want to represent. And despite Austria's constant faltering, what other choice he had? Belgium? What a sacrifice.

Anyway it looks like the kid spent just two years in Austrian academies to get some development he couldn't get in Belgium and then went ahead for the next step in North America. So what's the difference, except "10", between him and, say, Platt who had been playing for 6 seasons in Minsk before getting a chance to represent Belarus, then moved to Russia for a better job offer but still reports to the national team?

It took you just like 2 years from "you should distinguish when a canadian moves to Switzerland and decides to stay there for the rest of life" to "we worked hard on his naturalization and that's our excuse".

The difference is that a 17 year old is an unknown commodity, and a 27 year old is an established good. A 17 year old may turn out to be ok, he may turn out to be good, he may turn out to be not good at all. He may become a national team regular, he may never play for the national team.

You can project some opinions onto him of why he made this decision, but that's your projection. You do not know him.

What we do know for certain he isn't guaranteed to ever make the senior team. He may not even be a pro caliber player. And he could be a great player. We don't know, but he made the decision to change nationalities regardless of this uncertainty. He made his choice to be an Austrian with the full knowledge that he may never represent Austria. A 27 year old with years of an established professional record is not an unknown commodity. National team programs know exactly what they are getting when they acquire a 27 year old. That 27 year old will step in and play right away, and he certainly will play.

Switzerland does not naturalize professional players. They do naturalize other players. A 15 year old Austrian kid, for example, recently decided to represent Switzerland, after playing there for two seasons. It is unfortunate. However, it is not Switzerland decided to give Tommy Wingels a passport. Most people can tell the difference between the kid deciding to choose Switzerland, and the federation allowing him to, and a player like Wingels or Arcobello deciding to, and the federation welcoming or even court it. It is not a difficult difference to recognize.

 

[Pan]

The difference is that a 17 year old is an unknown commodity, and a 27 year old is an established good. A 17 year old may turn out to be ok, he may turn out to be good, he may turn out to be not good at all. He may become a national team regular, he may never play for the national team.

You can project some opinions onto him of why he made this decision, but that's your projection. You do not know him.

What we do know for certain he isn't guaranteed to ever make the senior team. He may not even be a pro caliber player. And he could be a great player. We don't know, but he made the decision to change nationalities regardless of this uncertainty. He made his choice to be an Austrian with the full knowledge that he may never represent Austria. A 27 year old with years of an established professional record is not an unknown commodity. National team programs know exactly what they are getting when they acquire a 27 year old. That 27 year old will step in and play right away, and he certainly will play.

Switzerland does not naturalize professional players. They do naturalize other players. A 15 year old Austrian kid, for example, recently decided to represent Switzerland, after playing there for two seasons. It is unfortunate. However, it is not Switzerland decided to give Tommy Wingels a passport. Most people can tell the difference between the kid deciding to choose Switzerland, and the federation allowing him to, and a player like Wingels or Arcobello deciding to, and the federation welcoming or even court it. It is not a difficult difference to recognize.

Thank you for the lecture. As expected, special "rules" applied for every single situation but still excuses for any of it. At least thank god no attempts to proclaim that Belgium is not a nation at all (we haven't heard Baltic warrior yet though).
It's funny to see how you delicately breakdown the Peeters' case mostly from the player's POW (it's his decision and you never know what made him to) and Platt's case only from the federation POW (takes a ready-made player, no lose situation). Well I hope you are not being in worry too much if Peeters will manage to make the U20 team. I'm now assured that playing for Austria in December is not what you guys expect him to do right away.

 

[ozo]

I'm now assured that playing for Austria in December is not what you guys expect him to do right away.

Chuckled at this

 

[Pan]

By the way, is it really that easy for a foreigner to acquire Austrian citizenship having lived just for 2 years there and after that not being its resident for 1.5 years?

 

[Pan]

By the way, is it really that easy for a foreigner to acquire Austrian citizenship having lived just for 2 years there and after that not being its resident for 1.5 years?

Anyway I hope there was no much trouble, based on the case of Durango, CO product Devin Steffler for whom it also took only 2 seasons of "experiencing different culture" in Austria.