21 Countries to Compete for 3 spots in Olympics

[HF_Rangers]

http://ihwc.net/english/article/recaps/index.ihwc?artId=1847

The top 8 teams + host nation Italy have already qualified. They are:

1) Canada
2) Sweden
3) Czech Repbulic
4) Russia
5) Finland
6) Slovakia
7) USA
8) Germany
+ 19) Italy
-----------------------------------

21 other nations have applied to qualify in the Olympics, and the lower 12 teams in the ranking will compete in a round-robin tournament in September, highest seeds are hosting:

Group D: France (19), Estonia (24), Romania (25), Bulgaria (30)

Group E: Poland (20), Netherlands (23), Lithuania (26), Croatia (29)

Group F: Norway (21), Hungary (22), China (27), Serbia & Montenegro (28)

------------------------------------

Winners of those groups compete with the other higher-ranked 9 teams in December, once again with the highest seed hosting they are:

Group A: Switzerland (9), Denmark (14), Japan (15), Qualifier 3

Group B: Latvia (10), Belarus (13), Slovenia (16), Qualifier 2

Group C: Austria (11), Ukraine (12), Kazakhstan (17), Qualifier 1

------------------------------------

Pretty interesting format, don't know if this free-for-all has ever happened for Olympic qualifying. One Division I country opted out (Great Britain), and there are three Division II countries (Croatia, Serbia, and Bulgaria).

Click to read more...

 

[The Austrian]

a hard group for austria. but i think we can make it. the tournament will be hopefully hostet in Villach/Austria..

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

Britain opted out while teams like Romania and Bulgaria are having a go? Sheesh.

 

[Owen]

I think it's kind of a shame that only 12 teams make it in 2006 when it was 16 in 2004. I personally found the qualifying games at the the Olympics to be more entertaining than the medal rounds.

 

[GKJ]

I think it's kind of a shame that only 12 teams make it in 2006 when it was 16 in 2004. I personally found the qualifying games at the the Olympics to be more entertaining than the medal rounds.

I think it was 14 teams in 2002


I wouldn't bet against Latvia and Switzerland but yes Austria has a hard draw with Ukrane AND Kazakhstan

 

[Kronblom]

It was 14 teams.

1 Canada
2 USA
3 Russia
4 Belarus
5 Sweden
6 Finland
7 Czech Republic
8 Germany
9 Latvia
10 Ukraine
11 Switzerland
12 Austria
13 Slovakia
14 France

http://www.iihf.com/hockey/x/0102/OGM/gs/pg000010.htm

 

[danista]

These are the groups:

Group A
1. Canada
4. Czech Republic
5. Finland
8. Germany
9. Qualifier
12. Italy

Group B
2. Sweden
3. Slovakia
6. USA
7. Russia
10. Qualifier
11. Qualifier

Numbers are the positions in the world rankings.

 

[GKJ]

No prelims this time around. I think that's a good thing. I think every country in the olympics should get the opportunity to play against some of the best teams in the world. I also think the gap is closing between the 'Super Seven' and countries like Switzerland and Austria. This is why there is only 12


btw, Kronblom, link doesn't work

 

[canucks666]

the gap is definetly closing.

in every respect.


canada and russia used to be untouchable. Now russia is very human. And canada, while constantly winning still has moments of weakness and occasional slow starts, etc.

slovakia used to be an above average team at best. Now it's one of the best in the world, and the elite 6 of Canada, Russia, USA, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic should really be the elite 7 with Slovakia.

switzerland has TWO great nhl goalies - aebisher a starter, and gerber - who should be a starter. And we all know in high-pressure situations like tournaments it's ALL about the goaltending.

austria had a 1st rounder drafted - thomas vanek and he was excellent this year.


latvia/kazakhstan/germany etc are all no slouches, have NHL players and can always upset somebody.


Personally i LOVE all this "parity"

 

[hunter orange]

Anyone know why Korea is not on that list? A new inter-Japan/Korea league (albeit small and unsophisticated) has been reborn this past season. What's slowing them from giving it a shot?

 

[Swedish Bolt Fan]

Anyone know why Korea is not on that list? A new inter-Japan/Korea league (albeit small and unsophisticated) has been reborn this past season. What's slowing them from giving it a shot?

They play too much StarCraft/WarCraft i thnk

 

[hunter orange]

Good one!

But really! I spend a lot of time in Korea, Japan and China. Japan has the winter leagues in the northern regions and has for a long time. Korea, on the other hand, is going through a "rollerblade craz" right now. University students are playing rollerblade hockey all over the place much like Canadians play ball hockey...If things continue to catch, I predict Korea will become stronger than Japan and China. The boys are a lot bigger and more physical.

(NOTE) compare populations of these three countries and look to soccer as a first referral.

 

[Graham]

Britain opted out while teams like Romania and Bulgaria are having a go? Sheesh.

Officially because we don't have the money. But the Great Britain Supporters Club offered to fund and organise the trip, but the offer wasn't even acknowledged, so doesn't sound like the real reason.

General feeling is that the leagues refused to shut down for the weekends. Ice Hockey UK, the federation "running" the sport in the UK, are effectively controlled by the leagues.

The Supporters Club are outraged. Go to www.gbsc.co.uk and go to the forum to read their arguments. By all means post your own thoughts there. Although we can't change Ice Hockey UK's decision for 2006, hopefully we can't make them aware of the international outrage to stop them making the same decision twice. After all, there is a real fear that this is phase 1 of Great Britain pulling out of their national team set-up.

Graham.

 

[Strizzi]

They play too much StarCraft/WarCraft i thnk

this gets my vote for "joke of the day"!