Does Latvia have a chance at avoiding relegation?

[GKJ]

I noticed that the Swiss don't seem to be as strong this year, none of their players have been drafted, frankly I haven't even heard of too many of them. Latvia has a few legtimate NHL prospects (Not to say the Swiss may not). It is possible that we could be seeing Latvia around next year?

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[Fredrik]

I don't think so because I think the Latvians don't have the necessary depth. Their first and second lines will be decent but what about the rest? Their goalies aren't that strong either.

 

[Fan.At]

I noticed that the Swiss don't seem to be as strong this year, none of their players have been drafted, frankly I haven't even heard of too many of them. Latvia has a few legtimate NHL prospects (Not to say the Swiss may not). It is possible that we could be seeing Latvia around next year?

Julien Sprünger is an NHL prospect, drafted by Minnesota.

 

[Jazz]

At the senior level, we have the Elite 7 of hockey, well at this level, it becomes a Super-8 (with Switzerland). So I don't expect the Swiss to fall.

In the three years since they have been relegating 2 from the elite level to Div I, every single new team has fallen back down. This is the basis for my arguement that the World Juniors should be increased to 12 teams, so that 2 of the teams outside the Super-8 have a chance to stay up, and learn from their experiences at the elite level. Rather than to head back down to Div I to mop up there and loose a year of developing players.

 

[insider]

The Swiss are stronger than they seem... they always are...

 

[Rob]

It would be nice to see them avoid relegation be it seems highly unlikely. At the very least they will have a better chance than Norway.