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WJC: Is this year's Group B the best group ever?

Daeni10

Daeni10

Kunitz was there
Dec 31, 2013
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I think so. There were plenty of groups that had 4 competitive teams but never has a group been this open imo. I still think CAN-US-RUS will be top 3 and I don't know if the Czech or my Germans will get another point, however the games at least felt way closer than usual. This is certainly the best team Germany has send to this tournament
 
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Statsy

Statsy

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Dec 21, 2009
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No question. Keep in mind the seeding exists to balance the divisions in order to keep this from happening and it almost always works. Things had to fall just right to get us to this and Germany just happens to be one of the best newly promoted teams in memory.
 
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novisor

novisor

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Feb 6, 2012
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Yeah let's not forget how good this German team is either. It's not like it's 4 unbelievably strong teams and a defenseless minnow. This is possibly the best German team sent to the WJC. Seider, Stutzle, Bokk, Reichel - these guys have a good chance of making the quarterfinals.
 
Canada4Gold

Canada4Gold

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Dec 22, 2010
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Czechs should have used their 1 pair of teams switch power to swap themselves and Sweden. Wouldn't that have been fun :sarcasm:

but yes I think it is the best group ever. Germany being so good is what does it, there's no weak spot when even in the off chance you see 4 of the top 6 in 1 pool the 5th is usually bad.
 
Star Ocean

Star Ocean

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Dec 30, 2018
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usa canada russia will finish top 3 as predictable.

Strong group, but no shocking surprises.
 
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WhiskeyYerTheDevils

WhiskeyYerTheDevils

yer leadin me astray
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Apr 27, 2005
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I love how competitive all these games have been. I can't ever recall planning my day around a preliminary round matchup between Canada and Germany...

It would be so great for this tournament if we end up getting more "Germany" like performances from the group of relegation nations like Germany, Denmark, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia etc.

If they even can enter the tier of Switzerland / Slovakia - not favorites by any stretch but teams that could upset and play for a medal - this tournament would be become even greater than it already is.

It makes every game in the group stage that much more intriguing when the top teams have zero "easy" games.
 
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BigBadBoar

Registered User
Dec 20, 2017
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This group is just brutal but it is also a little bit unfair. All 5 teams in this group are clearly way above the level of Kazakhstan, Slovakia, and maybe even Switzerland. There simply are 5 pretty strong teams in one group and just 2 or 3 in the other. One of these 5 strong teams inevitably must play for relegation, which is so crazy.
 
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The Zetterberg Era

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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This is the best group in all of my years of watching the tournament. I feel kind of bad for Germany in all honesty, they have brought a quarterfinal worthy team, I guess we will see shortly if they can somehow make overtime and perhaps escape the relegation battle or shockingly send Russia there with a victory.

Still I think this is good for the sport. Happy to see this many competitive games. It has made this week pretty exciting in terms of following this group. The more competitive this sport gets, the better it will do long term in my opinion. Some in the power 5 might not like that, but honestly I am always excited when a new nation starts pushing forward at any of the age group World Championships. It is why I root pretty hard for Slovakia and Czechs to get back to their previous levels as well.
 
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The Zetterberg Era

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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Ft. Myers, FL
Statsy said:
No question. Keep in mind the seeding exists to balance the divisions in order to keep this from happening and it almost always works. Things had to fall just right to get us to this and Germany just happens to be one of the best newly promoted teams in memory.
Click to expand...

Canada finishing six is also a perfect storm that was pretty hard to predict. Best promoted side I can remember as well.

Keep in mind we could be looking at a world in 3 hours where Russia is your nine seed next year, that could be a brutal group as well if Germany finds a way today.
 
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ponder

ponder

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Jul 11, 2007
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It’s the strongest I can remember, a really raw deal for Germany. I’d say Canada/USA/Russia are all top 4 in the tourney (along with Sweden, all above Finland). The Czechs have been good and are a strong #4 team in the group, and Germany are a VERY strong #5. Can’t think of a group that was this strong all the way through.
 
EXTRAS

EXTRAS

Registered User
Jul 31, 2012
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Sweden has won 53 straight round robin games, so if u replace one of the teams w them it would be much stronger.
 
Pieck

Pieck

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Dec 13, 2017
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2017 had a competitive group with a bunch of average teams in Denmark, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Finland (who ended up in the relegation round lol), but only Sweden as a true contender. I thought that would be one of the most interesting groups ever, but this year’s group also has no bad teams, and 3 legitimate gold medal contenders
 
Canada4Gold

Canada4Gold

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Dec 22, 2010
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Pouliot said:
2017 had a competitive group with a bunch of average teams in Denmark, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Finland (who ended up in the relegation round lol), but only Sweden as a true contender. I thought that would be one of the most interesting groups ever, but this year’s group also has no bad teams, and 3 legitimate gold medal contenders
Click to expand...

2015 Sweden, Czech Republic, Russia, Denmark, Switzerland as well. Sweden went undefeated in the group stage as always, Russia won silver. Denmark and the Czechs were solid which pushed a 4 point Swiss team to relegation. Denmark played 3 OT games that year.

Neither is as strong across the board talent wise as this year though I don't think.
 
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