Grouping for 2012

dmacgreg37

Registered User
Dec 11, 2007
1,173
0
British Columbia
It'd be good for Germans, but then another team going up and down would appear sooner or later and it's fans would be calling for another changes. And 12 teams? Too many IMO. Round robin would become complete joke, because majority of the games would be blowouts.

Exactly. People were already complaining about Canada vs Norway etc. but now throw in 4 teams at equal/lower level to Norway. It would get really ugly.
 

v-man

Registered User
Apr 19, 2006
3,088
54
Toronto
www.ivories.ca
Exactly. People were already complaining about Canada vs Norway etc. but now throw in 4 teams at equal/lower level to Norway. It would get really ugly.

Not quite. While it may add a few more blowouts, it would for the most part add more competitive games. Of the five teams that regularly shift between the #8-13 spots, Norway is probably the weakest, and after the top three, any of these teams could upset the middle of the pack. It's always a toss-up as to how competitive the teams are, but if fans want a tournament for what is essentially one birth year, then that's something they'll have to live with.
 

dmacgreg37

Registered User
Dec 11, 2007
1,173
0
British Columbia
Not quite. While it may add a few more blowouts, it would for the most part add more competitive games. Of the five teams that regularly shift between the #8-13 spots, Norway is probably the weakest, and after the top three, any of these teams could upset the middle of the pack. It's always a toss-up as to how competitive the teams are, but if fans want a tournament for what is essentially one birth year, then that's something they'll have to live with.

I forgot how competative all of these games were..

2010

Canada 16- Latvia 0
Slovakia 8 - Latvia 3
USA 12 - Latvia 1
Finland 10 - Austria 1
Czech 7 - Austria 1
Russia 6 - Austria 2 (was 4-1 Russia after 1)

Closest games in prelim round were

Switz 7 - Latvia 5
Sweden 7 - Austria 3


2009

Slovakia 7 - Latvia 2
Sweden 10 - Latvia 1
Finland 5 - Latvia 1
Germany 9 - Kazakhstan 0
Canada 15 - Kazakhstan 0
USA 12 - Kazakhstan 0
Czech 10 - Kazakhstan 2

Closest game was

Russia 4 - Latvia 1


So to be clear, we want more of these teams up because they will provide more close games?
 

Pyke*

Guest
What I'd really like to see is 12 teams at the elite level, but I doubt that's going to happen in the near future. In the past 9 years since 2 teams have been relegated, only 2 countries outside of the big 8 have managed to stay up. Kazakhstan in 2008 and Latvia in 2009 (when Switzerland was in Div I). Relegating one team (or expanding to 12) would allow other nations the chance to establish themselves a bit more. Look at Germany: every single year in the last 9 years they've been promoted and then relegated right back down.

I actually would like to see 12 countries too. Primarily because, I think getting bounced affects their development of talent. It would also make the playoffs more interesting if instead of a bye, 1st plays 4th in a crossover game.
 

zorz

Registered User
Mar 8, 2010
4,029
4
Btw. anybody knows which notable prospects are supposed to be on Latvian and Danish 2012 teams?
 

fan75

Registered User
Mar 22, 2002
386
0
Montreal
Latvia - Zemgus Girgensons will be a 2012 first round NHL draft pick playing in the USHL.
Denmark - Nicklas Jensen, potential 2011 first round draft pick playing in the OHL.
 

danishh

Registered User
Dec 9, 2006
33,018
53
YOW
so...

1. Canada/Russia
2. Canada/Russia
3. Sweden/USA
4. Sweden/USA
5. Switzerland
6. Finland
7. Czech Republic
8. Slovakia
RLG. Norway
RLG. Germany
PromotedA: Latvia
PromotedB: Denmark

next year:
Group A: Gold, 4th, Switzerland, Slovakia, Latvia
Group B: Silver, Bronze, Finland, Czech Republic, Denmark.

groups should be a lot more balanced next year, as the expected top 4 countries will be evenly distributed. Switzerland should be a bit weaker next year too with no nino and conz.
 

KopitarFAN

Reno Sucks!
Oct 14, 2008
13,572
1,994
San Pedro, CA
so...

1. Canada/Russia
2. Canada/Russia
3. Sweden/USA
4. Sweden/USA
5. Switzerland
6. Finland
7. Czech Republic
8. Slovakia
RLG. Norway
RLG. Germany
PromotedA: Latvia
PromotedB: Denmark

next year:
Group A: Gold, 4th, Switzerland, Slovakia, Latvia
Group B: Silver, Bronze, Finland, Czech Republic, Denmark.

groups should be a lot more balanced next year, as the expected top 4 countries will be evenly distributed. Switzerland should be a bit weaker next year too with no nino and conz.

Sure looks that way. but purely based on returning players, I think Russia could be down a little. Considering that they return but 1 player, while Canada, Sweden and USA can return as many as 7, 8 and 9 respectively.
 
Last edited:

HamiltonOHL

BulldogsFan00
Jun 30, 2005
4,375
27
Hamilton, Ontario
FYI, Latvia will be seeded #9 (group A) and Denmark will be seeded #10 (group B)

#1
#4
#5 (Winner of Finland - Switzerland)
#8 (Loser of Czech - Slovakia)
#9 Latvia

#2
#3
#6 (Loser of Finland - Switzerland)
#7 (Winner of Czech - Slovakia)
#10 Denmark

and if you're interested Division I would be...
Group A (Winner of GER-NOR, Belarus, Austria, Kazakhstan, Croatia, France)
Group B (Loser of GER-NOR, Slovenia, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Poland)

5 - Swiss
6 - Finland
7 - Czech Rep
8 - Slovakia
 

Jussi

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
91,019
10,991
Mojo Dojo Casa House
so...

1. Canada/Russia
2. Canada/Russia
3. Sweden/USA
4. Sweden/USA
5. Switzerland
6. Finland
7. Czech Republic
8. Slovakia
RLG. Norway
RLG. Germany
PromotedA: Latvia
PromotedB: Denmark

next year:
Group A: Gold, 4th, Switzerland, Slovakia, Latvia
Group B: Silver, Bronze, Finland, Czech Republic, Denmark.

groups should be a lot more balanced next year, as the expected top 4 countries will be evenly distributed. Switzerland should be a bit weaker next year too with no nino and conz.

My guess is Finland's group will consist of Russia, Sweden, Czechs and Denmark. Which should mean an easier quarterfinal, if we finish second.
 

alko

Registered User
Oct 20, 2004
9,348
3,064
Slovakia
www.slovakhockey.sk
groups should be a lot more balanced next year, as the expected top 4 countries will be evenly distributed. Switzerland should be a bit weaker next year too with no nino and conz.

Detto SLovakia. Next year will be there i think weaker team, that this year... But who know? maybe there will be some pleasant surprises.
 

Shrimper

Trick or ruddy treat
Feb 20, 2010
104,167
5,248
Essex
Great Britain and Germany in the same group next year would be interesting to say the least. It'd be great if we got promotion into the top tier as not only would it show a marked improvement in the players we've got and the sport as a whole in this country but it would also give the players a chance to play against the best. We might get blown-out in a couple of games but that's life.
 

Street Hawk

Registered User
Feb 18, 2003
5,348
19
Visit site
F it! Canada, USA, Czechs and Denmark. So much for the easy quarterfinal. :cry::(

Canada, USA, Finland, Czech Republic, and seems like Denmark/Latvia.

Wow, pretty stacked group.

Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark/Latvia.

For those who get tickets to team Canada's games in the prelims, you're going to get 3 quality games for sure. Latvia/Denmark, not so much.

Expect Russia/Sweden to be the top 2 in the other pool. Slovakia/Switzerland should battle it out for the #3.
 

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