2022 Olympic Qualifying News

[kabidjan18]

After this tournament.

And the post-2019 rankings are what will be used to create the 2022 Qualifying Groups?

 

[ZT]

And the post-2019 rankings are what will be used to create the 2022 Qualifying Groups?

It seems so, judging by the Slovenian group.

 

[kabidjan18]

Group D: Slovakia (9), Belarus (14), Austria (15), Qualifier 6

*Not to be taken literally*

 

[ZT]

@kabidjan18

Article on Belarus Ice Hockey Federation website.

You can google translate it.

 

[Outofbodyinhungary]

I hope China gets the automatic birth and Slovakia than doesn’t qualify. Let the structure of Slovak hockey die, please !

 

[ZT]

Now it's offical. Check the link below for info about qualification.

IIHF - Olympic

 

[filip85]

Now it's offical. Check the link below for info about qualification.

IIHF - Olympic

It would be so cool if our group would be played in Sisak. That would be such huge event for the city that used to have better days.

 

[tobu]

Incoming China 2-digit blowouts in 2022.

 

[Urbanskog]

Latvia is getting a free pass to the Olympics here.

 

[jonas2244]

Incoming China 2-digit blowouts in 2022.

I'd bet that China will have the level Korea had last year by then.

 

[kabidjan18]

Latvia is getting a free pass to the Olympics here.

I would say the same of Denmark, but both deserve it.

 

[Urbanskog]

I would say the same of Denmark, but both deserve it.

I wouldn't be surprised at slightest if the ever so boring Norway once again managed to qualify over Denmark.

 

[kabidjan18]

I wouldn't be surprised at slightest if the ever so boring Norway once again managed to qualify over Denmark.

What is this boring you speak of? No one said they're boring, they're just not very good. They only made the last Olympics, and I feel like many of us agreed about this even at the time, because they got placed in group of life with France. And there's a pretty convincing argument now that France is a significantly tougher opponent than Norway. So no...boring is not the problem here, not by a long shot.

 

[Kshahdoo]

What is this boring you speak of? No one said they're boring, they're just not very good. They only made the last Olympics, and I feel like many of us agreed about this even at the time, because they got placed in group of life with France. And there's a pretty convincing argument now that France is a significantly tougher opponent than Norway. So no...boring is not the problem here, not by a long shot.

Imagine, if they get Kazakhstan in their group...

 

[Urbanskog]

What is this boring you speak of? No one said they're boring, they're just not very good. They only made the last Olympics, and I feel like many of us agreed about this even at the time, because they got placed in group of life with France. And there's a pretty convincing argument now that France is a significantly tougher opponent than Norway. So no...boring is not the problem here, not by a long shot.

I called them boring, because that's what I consider them to be. That's not really the point here, though.

Norway has managed to qualify for the Olympics the past three times, once due to their position in the World Ranking and twice through the qualifiers. What we have to take into account when estimating the chances of different teams in the qualifiers is whether the NHLers get to participate in the qualifiers or not. With NHLers Denmark should be stronger than Norway (although they still failed last time despite having all their NHLers), but without them Norway probably has the edge. France desperately needs their NHL players as well and without them I don't think it's even a discussion whether Norway or France is stronger.

 

[Name Nameless]

It looks they're using the same system for qualification as for OG 2018.
Slovenian Hockey Federation announced that they'll host Preliminary round qualification in Jesenice (06.-09. 02. 2020.)
Article in Slovenian

I will try to create all groups using the same system as for OG 2018.

Olympic Winter Games, Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament

Group A: TBD(1), TBD (6), TBD (7), China (12)
Group B: TBD (2), TBD (5), TBD (8), TBD (11)
Group C: TBD (3), TBD (4), TBD (9), TBD (10)

Final Olympic Qualification

Group D: Slovakia (9), Belarus (14), Austria (15), Qualifier 6
Group E: Latvia (10), France (13), Italy (16), Qualifier 5
Group F: Norway (11), Denmark (12), South Korea (17), Qualifier 4

Olympic Qualification Preliminary Round 2

Group G: Slovenia (18), Japan (23), Lithuania (24), Qualifier 8
Group H: Kazakhstan (19), Poland (22), Ukraine (25), Qualifier 7
Group J: Great Britain (20), Hungary (21), Estonia (26), Romania (27) or some Qualifier.

Olympic Qualification Preliminary Round 1

This preliminary round depends on how many nations will apply to participate in qualifications. Netherlands and Croatia (maybe even Romania) will probably be the hosts of these

NOTE: This is not official. We'll probably see the official schedule in the upcoming days.

Thanks! One thing I can't figure out here, is how they determine the last team in D, E , F? Well, obviously the winners from G, H, J. But will, say, qualifier 4 be the winner of G? (Or could it be H, J.)

 

[ZT]

Thanks! One thing I can't figure out here, is how they determine the last team in D, E , F? Well, obviously the winners from G, H, J. But will, say, qualifier 4 be the winner of G? (Or could it be H, J.)

It's explained here: IIHF - Road to Olympics set

 

[baronsforever]

Thanks! One thing I can't figure out here, is how they determine the last team in D, E , F? Well, obviously the winners from G, H, J. But will, say, qualifier 4 be the winner of G? (Or could it be H, J.)

In the past they have seeded the winners into their groups based on their rankings before qualifying. So the top seeded team of a round would get the lowest ranked qualifier, that means that in the final round of qualifying Slovakia's group would get the lowest ranked winner from the G,H, and J groups. It makes the Olympic groups themselves kind of strange with China playing because the group with the top seed gets China and the group with the 3rd and 4th seeded teams get two qualifiers.

 

[PanniniClaus]

I'd bet that China will have the level Korea had last year by then.

There is no evidence of this yet. They would need upwards of 8-9 imports which would be higher than Korea's 5....Korea had some decent homegrown players where China have very few. They may need 12 imports. I'm just not sure how they will do it. Obviously they will need to find a "Matt Dalton."

 

[Urbanskog]

There is no evidence of this yet. They would need upwards of 8-9 imports which would be higher than Korea's 5....Korea had some decent homegrown players where China have very few. They may need 12 imports. I'm just not sure how they will do it. Obviously they will need to find a "Matt Dalton."

Almost all of the players on the Chinese team are going to be imports. A decent goalie is what they are still indeed missing though.

Regardless, the team is going to consist of KHL and VHL players, they should be better than Korea.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Almost all of the players on the Chinese team are going to be imports. A decent goalie is what they are still indeed missing though.

Regardless, the team is going to consist of KHL and VHL players, they should be better than Korea.

You may be right.

 

[kabidjan18]

I called them boring, because that's what I consider them to be. That's not really the point here, though.

Norway has managed to qualify for the Olympics the past three times, once due to their position in the World Ranking and twice through the qualifiers. What we have to take into account when estimating the chances of different teams in the qualifiers is whether the NHLers get to participate in the qualifiers or not. With NHLers Denmark should be stronger than Norway (although they still failed last time despite having all their NHLers), but without them Norway probably has the edge. France desperately needs their NHL players as well and without them I don't think it's even a discussion whether Norway or France is stronger.

I think you could give Norway their NHL players and take Denmark's from their roster and they would still be better.

Norway made 3 straight Olympics because they were good. That's changed. Some of their former stars are still around but definitely aging. Many are gone. Denmark has beaten Norway 3-0 both the last two times they played in 2016 and 2018. Especially on defense it's not even close. Anything can happen, but I think it shouldn't be too close.

 

[BalticWarrior]

I think you could give Norway their NHL players and take Denmark's from their roster and they would still be better.

Norway made 3 straight Olympics because they were good. That's changed. Some of their former stars are still around but definitely aging. Many are gone. Denmark has beaten Norway 3-0 both the last two times they played in 2016 and 2018. Especially on defense it's not even close. Anything can happen, but I think it shouldn't be too close.

To illustrate this point all you have do is look at their leading players Patrick Thoresen - 35 years old, Mathis Olimb - 33, Jonas Holos - 31, Alexander Bonsaksen - 32.

There players were the backbone of their succseful runs in the past, once these guys retire, Norway will be in a world of pain, since they almost completley lack any young blood, its not even that they are rebuilding, its that they will be shit with no end in sight in the near future.

Their U-20 team got demoted to DIV IB in 2017 and they got back to DIVIA only this year. Their biggest talent in recent years - Matthias Emilio Pettersen looks like a bust considering the hype he was getting. Im not even sure what plans they have going forward. One things for sure - the upcoming years will be tough for Norway and they will be lucky not to relegate in the near future.

 

[Urbanskog]

To illustrate this point all you have do is look at their leading players Patrick Thoresen - 35 years old, Mathis Olimb - 33, Jonas Holos - 31, Alexander Bonsaksen - 32.

There players were the backbone of their succseful runs in the past, once these guys retire, Norway will be in a world of pain, since they almost completley lack any young blood, its not even that they are rebuilding, its that they will be **** with no end in sight in the near future.

Their U-20 team got demoted to DIV IB in 2017 and they got back to DIVIA only this year. Their biggest talent in recent years - Matthias Emilio Pettersen looks like a bust considering the hype he was getting. Im not even sure what plans they have going forward. One things for sure - the upcoming years will be tough for Norway and they will be lucky not to relegate in the near future.

Right, but the qualifiers are to be held next year. The Old Guard is still going to be around at the time.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Right, but the qualifiers are to be held next year. The Old Guard is still going to be around at the time.

Their old guard is not what it once was. There was i time i dreaded playing Norway, now i dont even break a sweat. The last round robin game we played with them , even though they scored first, i knew we would win handily. They just arent very good.