WJC: 2016 WJC Division I Group A (Dec. 13-19)

[Namejs]

I hate the fact that that old soviet fart Beresņevs is our juinior coach. He should be fired and replaced with someone else(prefferably North American coach) i mean for christ sake we have one of the better junior teams in recent years with 3 NHL drafted proapects and 2 potential 2016 draft picks and yet we still struggle against teams like kazakhstan who havent produced any noteworthy prospects in decades.

Have you actually watched any Kazakh games? Hockey in Kazakhstan is improving and their team is decent. There's no reason why we should steamroll past them.

And there's a reason why we aren't hiring North American coaches for our junior team. They don't know the first thing about hockey in Latvia, and a better coach would be a lot more expensive than hiring a domestic coach. Or do you think they're all inherently better because they're from North America?

Also, while Beresnevs really is an old Soviet fart, he's not that bad at all. He's a clear and definite improvement over Ankipans, especially considering that they're working in tandem with Stals. Now, Ankipans was a complete and an absolute trainwreck, and I hope he never comes closer than a kilometer to any of our junior players.

 

[GX]

No interference call? That's marvellous.

 

[Namejs]

Good job and nicely done. Latvia 4:1 Germany.

Now all we have to do is try not to lose to Italy, and we're back to the Elite tier irrespective of all the other results. Although I sure wouldn't mind if Italy could manage to snatch a point against Austria already tonight.

 

[GX]

Our team looks really good for 2017 as well, perhaps we do have a shot at Top 8? All of our defensive core (except Balinskis) are returnees, there's Balcers(!), Dzierkals(!), Buncis. Grigals, Romanovskis between the pipes. Might there be a lack of offensive depth, though? There were only eight 97/98-borns at the U20 camp this year.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's still Italy we must get past.

 

[Falling Snow]

Congrats to Latvia for Promotion!

 

[swissexpert]

Italy beats Austria tonight so we have a very exciting last gameday ahead of us.
It's not impossible, would need a solid goaltender performance though.

 

[Namejs]

Our team looks really good for 2017 as well, perhaps we do have a shot at Top 8? All of our defensive core (except Balinskis) are returnees, there's Balcers(!), Dzierkals(!), Buncis. Grigals, Romanovskis between the pipes. Might there be a lack of offensive depth, though? There were only eight 97/98-borns at the U20 camp this year.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's still Italy we must get past.

I'm not sure, it's a bit too early to tell. I don't really think there's a lack of offensive *depth* when compared to this year. There might not be as many top-end prospects in attack, though. Right now we have 3-4 major junior players + Balcers. Next year we're going to have Dzierkals/Balcers/Buncis/Puide and a bunch of decent 97/98-born replacements (Blugers, Misjus, Zohovs, Priede, Tralmaks, etc.), but they're probably not going to be near-PPG guys at the major junior level like Abols or Egle.

Although, who knows. They're saying Blugers younger brother is actually better than Teodors was at his age. And there's an entire year of improving and progress ahead. There's probably going to be a couple of players moving to CHL again next year.

In the worst case scenario we'll get a couple of 99-born players (Smirnovs is a really talented forward playing in Switzerland, then there's goalie Rauza playing in Finland, etc.) and they will get a chance to play, which might not be a bad thing.

But, yeah, it's pretty amazing that our entire D core will be eligible to play next year. And let's hope Dzierkals will be released by the Leafs. So overall hopefully we shouldn't be worse than this year at the very least.

 

[Namejs]

Congrats to Latvia for Promotion!

Thanks, but it's still a bit premature. If we lose to Italy and Austria wins both of their remaining games, they get promoted.

 

[EON]

How's Mayenschein been for Germany?

 

[BalticWarrior]

Have you actually watched any Kazakh games? Hockey in Kazakhstan is improving and their team is decent. There's no reason why we should steamroll past them.

And there's a reason why we aren't hiring North American coaches for our junior team. They don't know the first thing about hockey in Latvia, and a better coach would be a lot more expensive than hiring a domestic coach. Or do you think they're all inherently better because they're from North America?

Also, while Beresnevs really is an old Soviet fart, he's not that bad at all. He's a clear and definite improvement over Ankipans, especially considering that they're working in tandem with Stals. Now, Ankipans was a complete and an absolute trainwreck, and I hope he never comes closer than a kilometer to any of our junior players.

Im sorry but yes,yes i think we should steamroll them,just look at the rosters they dont have a single NHL drafted prospect,on paper almost all of our players are way better than players on Kazakh team. Our problem is lack of leadership not lack of skill.

 

[kabidjan18]

I'll settle this dispute. It took Austria 5 minutes to score on Italy and those were a painful 5 minutes because it should've taken less than 3. If Latvia takes care of business at is should, and wins by 5 goals or more, then Beresnevs is a good coach as the Kazakhstan game was an outlier, and I think he's a good coach. If Italy keeps it within 3 he's not doing a great job. If Latvia loses he needs to be fired.

 

[Namejs]

Im sorry but yes,yes i think we should steamroll them,just look at the rosters they dont have a single NHL drafted prospect,on paper almost all of our players are way better than players on Kazakh team. Our problem is lack of leadership not lack of skill.

Almost everything that you've said is simply not true. I honestly don't think you've ever compared the rosters of Latvia and Kazakhstan.

 

[kabidjan18]

Almost everything that you've said is simply not true. I honestly don't think you've ever compared the rosters of Latvia and Kazakhstan.

He's right to say no one's been drafted, since 2004 at that. And I wasn't looking for Kazakhs in the scouting watch list but I don't believe there were any. A few play for solid clubs in the KHL system but they're not stars there either.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Almost everything that you've said is simply not true. I honestly don't think you've ever compared the rosters of Latvia and Kazakhstan.

Really? Feel free to point out my mistakes. Kazakhstan is NOT EVEN close to being able to get into Elite group,not single one of their players play in NA junior leagues,not single one has been drafted,ffs they have guys MHL B playing in their roster.

 

[Namejs]

Really? Feel free to point out my mistakes. Kazakhstan is NOT EVEN close to being able to get into Elite group,not single one of their players play in NA junior leagues,not single one has been drafted,ffs they have guys MHL B playing in their roster.

Kazakhstan has 9 MHL and 2 current KHL players, one more has KHL experience and 2 more have pro experience in VHL and Kazakhstan.

Latvia has 8 MHL players, 2 players from the Latvian league (which is amateur/semi-pro compared to the semi-pro/pro league in Kazakhstan) and 4 players from 2nd tier junior leagues.

In what world and in what dimension are all the Latvian players better than all the Kazakh players?

Also, I don't think you realize that the only reason why we don't have any MHL B players is because we no longer have a team there.

 

[Namejs]

He's right to say no one's been drafted, since 2004 at that. And I wasn't looking for Kazakhs in the scouting watch list but I don't believe there were any. A few play for solid clubs in the KHL system but they're not stars there either.

Why are we comparing the number of NHL draftees right now? How is that relevant? Why should the number of draftees in 2004 matter when discussing the quality of both teams?

 

[BalticWarrior]

Kazakhstan has 9 MHL and 2 current KHL players, one more has KHL experience and 2 more have pro experience in VHL and Kazakhstan.

Latvia has 8 MHL players, 2 players from the Latvian league (which is amateur/semi-pro compared to the semi-pro/pro league in Kazakhstan) and 4 players from 2nd tier junior leagues.

In what world and in what dimension are all the Latvian players better than all the Kazakh players?

First of all theres a very good reason why im fixating on NA its because thats where most talent and hockey resources congregate,if you havent made in NA as a junior then you are probably(with rare exceptions ) doomed to playing in Europe/KHL
Our top end players are waay better than any of their players is what im saying - Ābols,Dzierkals,Balcers,Čukste,Rubīns, Zīle these guys on paper are better than what kazakh have to offer and should absolutley dominate

 

[BalticWarrior]

Why are we comparing the number of NHL draftees right now? How is that relevant? Why should the number of draftees in 2004 matter when discussing the quality of both teams?

Its very relavant ,its shows how good or bad you junior system is if you cant pump out players that are drafted chances are somethings wrong with your system and fact is not long ago we were in a severe drought ,but now it looks like we are consistantly producing talent.

 

[Namejs]

First of all theres a very good reason why im fixating on NA its because thats where most talent and hockey resources congregate,if you havent made in NA as a junior then you are probably(with rare exceptions ) doomed to playing in Europe/KHL
Our top end players are waay better than any of their players is what im saying - Ābols,Dzierkals,Balcers,Čukste,Rubīns, Zīle these guys on paper are better than what kazakh have to offer and should absolutley dominate

Are you aware that most players at this level don't even become career pro players? As in not in Europe, Russia or North America? If they make it big in Europe or the KHL, they're extremely lucky, not doomed.

Also, you just named 6 Latvian players. That leaves 18 other players. A pretty big overlap I'd say and pretty far from what you said earlier. Also, in what way is Rubins or Cukste better than Lobanov?

And our 1st line actually did dominate against them.

 

[kabidjan18]

Why are we comparing the number of NHL draftees right now? How is that relevant? Why should the number of draftees in 2004 matter when discussing the quality of both teams?

Only 3 players on the Kazakh team have been KHL drafted if we're going there. Grents has yet to score in the KHL and the other one has played as many MHL games this season as KHL games. I don't really get where the debate here is though, if you're trying to prove that Kazakhstan is better than Latvia, my reaction =
If you're going to say Beresnevs is a bad coach, which I think he's a great coach, talk about the Norway game, not the Kazakhstan game. A bunch of local team Norwegians came in and stole a point from Latvia, that should be more upsetting than beating a middle of the road team by only 2 goals.

 

[Namejs]

Its very relavant ,its shows good or bad you junior system is if you cant pump out players that are drafted chances are somethings wrong with your systems and fact is not long ago we were in a severe drought ,but now it looks like we are consistantly producing talent.

The only reason we had 3 draftees this year is that we had a great showing at U-18 WJC. That is why getting promoted is so important. It brings exposure that countries like Kazakhstan simply do not have.

It's not an indication of having talent in your hockey programme (or to be more precise - not having any NHL draftees doesn't mean that you're not capable of producing good pro hockey players). The NHL draft procedure is not very efficient in the later rounds and most likely neither of those players would've been picked if they were playing in D1a or D1b.

 

[Namejs]

Only 3 players on the Kazakh team have been KHL drafted if we're going there. Grents has yet to score in the KHL and the other one has played as many MHL games this season as KHL games. I don't really get where the debate here is though, if you're trying to prove that Kazakhstan is better than Latvia, my reaction =
If you're going to say Beresnevs is a bad coach, which I think he's a great coach, talk about the Norway game, not the Kazakhstan game. A bunch of local team Norwegians came in and stole a point from Latvia, that should be more upsetting than beating a middle of the road team by only 2 goals.

The other guy claimed that all of the Latvian players are better than all of the Kazakh players and that us not steamrolling them is an indication that Beresnevs is an awful coach.

What I'm saying is that those claims are not only completely incorrect, but that saying things like that display pretty severe ignorance.

 

[kabidjan18]

The other guy claimed that all of the Latvian players are better than all of the Kazakh players and that us not steamrolling them is an indication that Beresnevs is an awful coach.

What I'm saying is that those claims are not only completely incorrect, but that saying things like that display pretty severe ignorance.

The Norway game I thought was disappointing for Latvia. Norway has a few exports but mostly just locals from a not very productive system. They're a 1-3 team that might go 1-4. They came in and took Latvia to a shootout. It's not quite a red flag but it is a game that I think if you're Latvia you can't really like. I think Latvia has always had great coaches though and you've disagreed with me on this before but compared to what a lot of smaller hockey programs have, Latvia has always had decent coaches who could organize a power play, decent strategies, etc.

 

[kabidjan18]

This is poor coaching from Roger Bader. Our 3rd and 4th lines look completely worn out. No need to rest the starting goalie with a day of rest ahead either.

 

[Phame]

Hope Italy fights on Saturday for the remaining in the group... Latvia has now two days to celebrate