Jazz
Registered User
Anyone here think that either Belarus or Germany have any chance of avoiding relegation back to Div I??
While I agree that there is a big drop-off after the Top-8 (and yes, Swizterland belongs with the elite at the World-Junior level), I don't think it is right to have a team in Div I fight it's way to the top level only to be virtually guaranteed of a drop back down.
I say the time has come to expand the tournament to 12 teams, that way at least 2 teams in the next tier of nations will get more than a single shot before droping back down. I know most of you will point to lopsided scores, but that is what we see in Womens hockey. Additionally countries need to play against the best to get better.
Another reason to change is that let's say the improbable happens and either Germany or Belarus upsets one of the Top-8, then how good will it look to have one of the these Top-8 countries drop to Div I and make a mockery of that division the next year?
I would have 2 groups of 6, have the top-4 advance to the cross-over QF round, and the bottom 2 of each group play a relegation round and the lowest 2 of these 4 drop to Division I.
Any comments on this?
While I agree that there is a big drop-off after the Top-8 (and yes, Swizterland belongs with the elite at the World-Junior level), I don't think it is right to have a team in Div I fight it's way to the top level only to be virtually guaranteed of a drop back down.
I say the time has come to expand the tournament to 12 teams, that way at least 2 teams in the next tier of nations will get more than a single shot before droping back down. I know most of you will point to lopsided scores, but that is what we see in Womens hockey. Additionally countries need to play against the best to get better.
Another reason to change is that let's say the improbable happens and either Germany or Belarus upsets one of the Top-8, then how good will it look to have one of the these Top-8 countries drop to Div I and make a mockery of that division the next year?
I would have 2 groups of 6, have the top-4 advance to the cross-over QF round, and the bottom 2 of each group play a relegation round and the lowest 2 of these 4 drop to Division I.
Any comments on this?