WC: 2015 — Divisions I-II-III

[Siamese Dream]

Ridiculous move by O'Connor on that penalty shot

 

[Urbanskog]

What a goal by O'Connor

 

[Siamese Dream]

 

[Bojovnik]

That takes some serious balls to do in the third period of a tied potential gold medal game.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

He has been really good but I'd say no. Don't think he could play in the Allsvenskan which seems like a natural progression from the EIHL.

You've been wrong about everything you've said about GB so far in this thread so I suppose Bowns has a pretty great shot at going abroad next season.

P.S. Denmark is known as the natural progression from EIHL.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Great Britain in very good position now, they control their own destiny. For Croatia they have to win out now (including facing South Korea) and hope GB slip up

 

[Bojovnik]

Err.. so it looks like the Dutch have shown up to the party

 

[SoundAndFury]

You've been wrong about everything you've said about GB so far in this thread so I suppose Bowns has a pretty great shot at going abroad next season.

P.S. Denmark is known as the natural progression from EIHL.

Like, what?

P.S. Yeah, a whopping total of 2 GB players have ever played even more whopping total of 12 regular season games in Denmark but yup, you must be right and I'm wrong. Because reasons.

 

[SoundAndFury]

These KHL guys Croatia has are literally in their own league.

Yup yup yup, once again outclassing that Dutch team.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Like, what?

P.S. Yeah, a whopping total of 2 GB players have ever played even more whopping total of 12 regular season games in Denmark but yup, you must be right and I'm wrong. Because reasons.

Well:

GB plays such boring hockey I want them promoted just so I wouldn't have to watch this every year. Would so much rather watch Ukraine or Poland play it's not even funny.

You said this just before the most exciting game of the tournament in which GB upset the Cronadians.

Yeah GB looks pretty bad 2nd year in a row. Maybe that's just who they are, I means these guys are not really scorers with a few exceptions.

GB looks pretty bad? They're sitting 1st through 3 game upsetting the 2 teams with the most imports that were considered heavy favorites for this tournament.



P.S. I didn't say anything about GB players going to Denmark, did I? I thought I said 'Denmark is known as the natural progression from EIHL.' I didn't limit it to GB players because the amount of GB players that go abroad are far too small to have a reasonable sample size. I assume you're basing your Allvenskan statement off Dowd and maybe Murphy? Even Murphy had to prove himself in Sweden before getting his full time crack at Allvenskan in a league that is close to/worse than the Danish league. EIHL players that go abroad tend to head to Denmark unless they already have a heavy CV before going to EIHL. Could make an argument for France or maybe Italy but Allvenskan usually requires more than EIHL experience (Dowd had a great World Champs)

 

[Bojovnik]

It's true that there is a big interchange between import players between Denmark and Britain. Peacock tried his luck there but came back pretty quickly.

 

[Urbanskog]

Yup yup yup, once again outclassing that Dutch team.

Yeah, just live in the belief that these Eredivisie players are better then.

 

[kovacro]

Ouch, that's a bad loss for Croatia. Oh well, just don't get relegated now.

 

[jcbio11]

That was just silly. Incredible goal.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Well:

You said this just before the most exciting game of the tournament in which GB upset the Cronadians.

GB looks pretty bad? They're sitting 1st through 3 game upsetting the 2 teams with the most imports that were considered heavy favorites for this tournament.

P.S. I didn't say anything about GB players going to Denmark, did I? I thought I said 'Denmark is known as the natural progression from EIHL.' I didn't limit it to GB players because the amount of GB players that go abroad are far too small to have a reasonable sample size. I assume you're basing your Allvenskan statement off Dowd and maybe Murphy? Even Murphy had to prove himself in Sweden before getting his full time crack at Allvenskan in a league that is close to/worse than the Danish league. EIHL players that go abroad tend to head to Denmark unless they already have a heavy CV before going to EIHL. Could make an argument for France or maybe Italy but Allvenskan usually requires more than EIHL experience (Dowd had a great World Champs)

The exciting part of that GB - Croatia games was last 10 minutes. 50 before that were boring as hell. Can't see how would anyone disagree with that.

I said "GB looks pretty bad" after they played poor game against Croatia and won against Estonia 2-1. But that is actually good and I was wrong I guess, it's not like even Lithuanians managed to score 6 goals to Estonians or anything, don't know how I got that silly impression they are not all that superb.

And since we were talking about Bowns I had him in mind. I don't think it would make sense for a local GB player to move to a marginally better small league like Denmark or France. I'm not sure these clubs could even afford them. It would be a move with little upside for Bowns and wouldn't make sense from financial perspective for those clubs. EBEL/DEL/Allsvenskan clubs are ones who could legitimately lure him away from EIHL. Anyway, probably more importantly, the question was could Bowns have success abroad and I assumed at the higher level. Surely he could play in Denmark but that's not really saying much.

Yeah, just live in the belief that these Eredivisie players are better then.

Nobody ever said that. What was said is that Cronadians are not as useful for that team as their resumes would suggest which was proven twice already in this championship. You said they were "in the league of their own" which is obviously just not the case. At least not on the ice.

Ouch, that's a bad loss for Croatia. Oh well, just don't get relegated now.

I don't think it's mathematically possible so you can feel at ease

 

[boris4c]

I don't think it's mathematically possible so you can feel at ease

How is it not mathematically possible with two rounds still remaining?

 

[3 Minute Minor]

The exciting part of that GB - Croatia games was last 10 minutes. 50 before that were boring as hell. Can't see how would anyone disagree with that.

I said "GB looks pretty bad" after they played poor game against Croatia and won against Estonia 2-1. But that is actually good and I was wrong I guess, it's not like even Lithuanians managed to score 6 goals to Estonians or anything, don't know how I got that silly impression they are not all that superb.

And since we were talking about Bowns I had him in mind. I don't think it would make sense for a local GB player to move to a marginally better small league like Denmark or France. I'm not sure these clubs could even afford them. It would be a move with little upside for Bowns and wouldn't make sense from financial perspective for those clubs. EBEL/DEL/Allsvenskan clubs are ones who could legitimately lure him away from EIHL. Anyway, probably more importantly, the question was could Bowns have success abroad and I assumed at the higher level. Surely he could play in Denmark but that's not really saying much.

Can't say I understand the logic.

Ben Bowns can't make a huge jump from EIHL to Allsvenskan therefore he shouldn't make a smaller jump from EIHL to Denmark with the goal of making another small jump from Denmark to Allsvenskan in the future?

 

[SoundAndFury]

How is it not mathematically possible with two rounds still remaining?

In rush I assumed that since Estonia and the Netherlands are yet to play each other. But it was obviously wrong, Croatia would get relegated if they lost to Estonia and Korea, Estonians would win every game remaining and the Netherlands would win points against GB but would lose to Estonia which is absolutely mathematically possible. Mathematically.

Can't say I understand the logic.

Ben Bowns can't make a huge jump from EIHL to Allsvenskan therefore he shouldn't make a smaller jump from EIHL to Denmark with the goal of making another small jump from Denmark to Allsvenskan in the future?

Would you go from playing 60 matches per season in your home country to playing 35 in some small Danish city for, at best, same amount of money just because there is a small chance you will get noticed by some Swedish club? Especially since Dowd proved it is possible to jump straight from EIHL to Allsvenskan? And Muštukovs proved jump from Denmark to Allsvenskan is still a big one.

 

[Bojovnik]

In rush I assumed that since Estonia and the Netherlands are yet to play each other. But it was obviously wrong, Croatia would get relegated if they lost to Estonia and Korea, Estonians would win every game remaining and the Netherlands would win points against GB but would lose to Estonia which is absolutely mathematically possible. Mathematically.



Would you go from playing 60 matches per season in your home country to playing 35 in some small Danish city for, at best, same amount of money just because there is a small chance you will get noticed by some Swedish club? Especially since Dowd proved it is possible to jump straight from EIHL to Allsvenskan? And Muštukovs proved jump from Denmark to Allsvenskan is still a big one.

The one difference I think it would make, especially for a young player, would be moving to a much more 'professional' set-up. I know for a fact that when a couple of players that used to play for my EIHL team moved to Denmark, they were really caught out by how much more practice these teams to, and the intensity of it as well.

The EIHL is too much like an old boys club, and there is definite stagnation there. I think that it would be better if more British players were going abroad, but they are also notoriously homesick. I think out of the group at the moment, only Ben O'Connor would embrace a move to a similar hockey playing country, and that would be only if the money was good, which it was for a time in Kazakhstan.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Would you go from playing 60 matches per season in your home country to playing 35 in some small Danish city for, at best, same amount of money just because there is a small chance you will get noticed by some Swedish club? Especially since Dowd proved it is possible to jump straight from EIHL to Allsvenskan? And Muštukovs proved jump from Denmark to Allsvenskan is still a big one.

I'm genuinely asking, do you know Ben Bowns is a goalie and Robert Dowd is a forward? He had a 37 goal season in the EIHL followed with a 9 point performance at D1A, worst case scenario he was going to be a 3rd liner. You wouldn't bring Bowns in to backup.

If you wanted to make a comparison for a goalie, you'd go with Stephen Murphy but it contradicts your argument. He went over to Sweden but had to prove himself in Division 1 before moving up to Allsvenskan.

If your goal is to get to a higher level, you go to a team where you feel you'll develop & showcase your talent in a positive light. Getting coached by Andrew Lord in Cardiff isn't exactly the best place to develop & get noticed.

 

[Bojovnik]

I'm genuinely asking, do you know Ben Bowns is a goalie and Robert Dowd is a forward? He had a 37 goal season in the EIHL followed with a 9 point performance at D1A, worst case scenario he was going to be a 3rd liner. You wouldn't bring Bowns in to backup.

If you wanted to make a comparison for a goalie, you'd go with Stephen Murphy but it contradicts your argument. He went over to Sweden but had to prove himself in Division 1 before moving up to Allsvenskan.

If your goal is to get to a higher level, you go to a team where you feel you'll develop & showcase your talent in a positive light. Getting coached by Andrew Lord in Cardiff isn't exactly the best place to develop & get noticed.

I agree. IMO there isn't the ambition in British hockey players that other countries seem to have, to go out of their comfort zone to improve.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

I agree. IMO there isn't the ambition in British hockey players that other countries seem to have, to go out of their comfort zone to improve.

The way that reads, it seems like you're agreeing with me for saying Brits lack ambition I have to point out that I don't agree with that at all.

 

[Bojovnik]

The way that reads, it seems like you're agreeing with me for saying Brits lack ambition I have to point out that I don't agree with that at all.

Yeah, I meant I agree with your final paragraph especially, but I still do contend that more Brits should try their luck abroad.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Yeah, I meant I agree with your final paragraph especially, but I still do contend that more Brits should try their luck abroad.

13 of the 20 skaters have gone abroad.

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see it more often & for longer periods of time, but the EIHL just drives home the inferiority complex that exists in GB Ice Hockey.

Look at the EIHL scoring ladder, Ben O'Connor is the only Brit in the top 30. What would make these guys believe they're anything more than EIHL quality when they're not even the top players in their own domestic league? It gives off the false impression that they're in a competitive environment because they're not dominating the league like they did as juniors.

 

[kaiser matias]

What a start in the Bulgaria-Israel game. Bulgaria, who has a large contingent of players who were just at the U18 championships last month, is leading 4-0 some 7 minutes into the game. Israel should be a far better team than this, even with them missing some of their key players at this tournament.