Ouch...Germany relegated

[Eisbaerenfan]

They shouldnt expand.

What they should do is simple:

Play the 2nd-tier tournament in october, the 2 best teams goes to the WJC 2 months later.

IT doesnt make any sense that because Germany and Belarus cant return next year because they were in group 1.

It should be this way:

1. WJC.
2. the 2 teams relegated rejoin the 2nd-tiers.
3. Those 2nd-tiers all play in october.
4. WJC with the 2 winners of (3).

That way, a country who is truely trying to join the top-7 would have a change to play again the best each year without having to add lesser teams to do so.

Not gonna happen with Germany because of the league schedules. Teams won't release players twice for big tournaments. It would punish those clubs with lots of youngsters.
Expansion is the best solution.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Expansion is the worst solution. If a team doesn´t have a chance at a medal they shouldn´t be in the tournament. I´d be much happier with a 6 team tournament.

 

[Eisbaerenfan]

If a team doesn´t have a chance at a medal they shouldn´t be in the tournament.

I disagree and luckily pretty much everybody who has something to say in the world of sports does too.

 

[Jazz]

To those I consider shortsighted arguing for contraction - not going to happen.

Like it mentioned above, it would simply replace Belarus & Germany yo-yoing between the elite and Div I with Switzerland and Slovakia (most years). All for of these nations are clearly above the level of most other Div I nations, don't belong there. You have to look at the bigger picture of international hockey (ie all divisions) and where the different level of strengths lie. Looking at the elite level only is not seeing the big picture.

Every other sport works for expansion, and it has helped (basketball anyone???) the other teams get better. Hockey is not special in that it won't help.

Simple.

 

[MXD]

It doesn't have much to do with the relegation.... but where is the tournament held next year?

 

[Jazz]

It doesn't have much to do with the relegation.... but where is the tournament held next year?

Czech Republic

 

[MeHateHe]

Well, you can understand why Hockey Canada, and their partners in the Canadian Hockey League, would be reluctant to support an expanded tournament. A bigger tournament means a longer tournament. CHL teams are already giving up stars (there's five or six guys from the Vancouver Giants in the tournament, and roughly 50 players from CHL teams overall) for four weeks. Team Canada's camp started on the 10th of December and those players will not be back playing for their clubs until at least the 7th of January.

Adding a couple of teams would extend the tournament by a few days at least. (It would mean five round-robin games per team, plus eliminating the QF bye for first-place teams.) That's at least one more game missed for their club teams. To be clear, I'll note that junior hockey in Canada is business. Hockey Canada relies on the co-operation of the junior clubs, but the CHL could theoretically tell Hockey Canada to take a flying leap. That may or may not be enough reason for the IIHF to resist expanding the tournament, but that's why Canada will oppose it.

I'll admit to being torn on this issue. It may be good for the game (although I think the development of the sport is more dependent on what happens in the senior tournament) but the simple fact is there are still only six countries that send teams to the tournament that have reasonable chances to win every year. Adding two teams would only provide fodder for the truly elite level teams.

An expanded tournament is almost certainly an eventuality. But at this point, not enough countries are producing quality cohorts at this age level year after year after year.

 

[Jazz]

....Adding a couple of teams would extend the tournament by a few days at least. (It would mean five round-robin games per team, plus eliminating the QF bye for first-place teams.) That's at least one more game missed for their club teams. To be clear, I'll note that junior hockey in Canada is business. Hockey Canada relies on the co-operation of the junior clubs, but the CHL could theoretically tell Hockey Canada to take a flying leap. That may or may not be enough reason for the IIHF to resist expanding the tournament, but that's why Canada will oppose it.

The current format with 10 teams is a 31 game format, over 11 days. You can see with 2 options below you are only adding anywhere from 1 to 3 days.

2 format scenarios with 12 teams

• Option I
• • 12 team tournament with 2 goups of 6 = 30 round-robin games (15 per pool)
  • Top 4 in each group makes the QF round = 7 elimination games
  • Bronze Medal game = 1 game
  • Placement games for teams ranked 5th - 8th place = 4 games (same format used from 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002)
  • relegation round games = 4 games
  This format gives a total of 46 games, adding an overall 15 games.
  
• Option II
  • 12 team tournament with 2 goups of 6 = 30 round-robin games (15 per pool)
  • Top 3 in each group makes the QF round = 5 elimination games
  • Bronze Medal game = 1 game
  • 5th place game between QF losers = 1 game
  • 7th place game between 2 4th place teams in each group = 1 game
  • relegation round games for 5th & 6th place in each pool = 4 games
  This format gives a total of 42 games, adding an overall 11 games.

Currently the tournament takes place over 11 days (6 for the round-robin, a day off, and then 4 playoff & relegation days). A 12 teams tournament can be done over 12/14 days (7/8 days for a round-robin (5 games per team over 7/8 days), a day off, Playoffs and Relegaion will take 4 days for Option II and 5 days for Option I).

Anyways they should spread this out over 2 weekends and try to make it more of an event, especially with every 3rd tournament in Canada. Remember that Hockey Canada get's its share of the profits for this tournament, and they use these funds to help develop the players that the CHL uses.....

You will also note that since the IIHF started the 1st place bye into the SF round, the finals in these tournaments has been mostly Canada-Russia (with one CAN-USA final). With the other format with no QF-bye, there are more varied results.

 

[MXD]

Okay. I'm curious about what could have happened if the Czech (i know, it's very unrealistic...) would have been relegated.

Or, if the tournament was to be held in Germany.

 

[Jazz]

Okay. I'm curious about what could have happened if the Czech (i know, it's very unrealistic...) would have been relegated.

Or, if the tournament was to be held in Germany.

The hosting team is automatically in.

If Germany was to host next year, then the bottom 2 outside of Germany (ie, Belarus and Slovakia) would have been relegated.

 

[JVR]

I don't know how they didn't deserve it?
They lost to Sitzerland and Belarus.

This was a pretty good group of German players, still not good enough.
They will fight to get promoted again next year.

 

[emb24*]

bring on denmark next year i say! they have hot women, and they'll keep canada to only a 2-0 score 'cause they'll line up 5 guys at the blue line and wait...................................

 

[BCCHL inactive]

The hosting team is automatically in.

If Germany was to host next year, then the bottom 2 outside of Germany (ie, Belarus and Slovakia) would have been relegated.

They wouldn't make such a decision at the U20 tournament.

In the late 90s when Switzerland finished 9th (back when only one team was relegated) and they were due to host the next year, the IIHF made it clear that Switzerland would not play host had they been relegated.

 

[Jazz]

They wouldn't make such a decision at the U20 tournament.

In the late 90s when Switzerland finished 9th (back when only one team was relegated) and they were due to host the next year, the IIHF made it clear that Switzerland would not play host had they been relegated.

They have at the Senior level (we discussed the situation about Germany for 2001 in an earlier thread).

For this tournament, before the Czechs confirmed their QF spot in their last preliminary game vs the Swiss, Gord Miller on TSN was mentioning about the US and the Czechs in danger of falling to the relegation round, but that the Czechs would be safe since they are hosting next year.

 

[John Agar]

I think the Germans aren't far off...

and have nothing to be ashamed about.

They impressed me. They continue to expand their base of skilled players, have grit and always seem to play well against Canada.

The Swiss and the Germans are nations on the rise in hockey...that is good.

Kazakstahn you say....very naaaiiice. My brother number 4 hockey player in all of...

 

[emb24*]

and have nothing to be ashamed about.

They impressed me. They continue to expand their base of skilled players, have grit and always seem to play well against Canada.

The Swiss and the Germans are nations on the rise in hockey...that is good.

Kazakstahn you say....very naaaiiice. My brother number 4 hockey player in all of...

...when he play good all of our cheerleading men have liquid explosion. high five

 

[Douggy]

Why not do what they did with the Salt Lake Olympics where the 'lesser' teams have a quick tournament before the big tournament to decide who plays in the big tournament?

 

[PanniniClaus]

Why not do what they did with the Salt Lake Olympics where the 'lesser' teams have a quick tournament before the big tournament to decide who plays in the big tournament?

You do realize how bad that turned out?

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Why not do what they did with the Salt Lake Olympics where the 'lesser' teams have a quick tournament before the big tournament to decide who plays in the big tournament?

Good luck getting teams to agree to have their players gone for such long time.