WJC: 2021 World Juniors

[wacko2]

I'm always amazed when Canada succeeds at all at the World Championships having no home ice advantage for pretty much the entire modern history of the tournament (aside from 2008 which they lost in OT).

Why? We produce more top flight players than every other country.
Now if only something could be done about the mediocrity amongst the officials and the diving/whining players on all teams now excel at!!

 

[NyQuil]

Why? We produce more top flight players than every other country.

I assumed that you believed that home ice advantage was real given your previous post.

It's something that Canada routinely has to overcome along with a greater proportion of its players playing in the NHL playoffs.

Now that the NHL is more international, that disadvantage has been mitigated somewhat.

Now if only something could be done about the mediocrity amongst the officials and the diving/whining players on all teams now excel at!!

Well, I blame the officials. There were some well-refereed games at the WJC tournament this year but the final and the semi-final involving Sweden and Russia were not among them.

I don't blame the players - they're just trying to win.

It's the officials job to let them know what is acceptable and what isn't. That doesn't necessarily mean a penalty - sometimes a warning or a talk with the coach will suffice.

 

[wacko2]

I assumed that you believed that home ice advantage was real given your previous post.

It's something that Canada routinely has to overcome along with a greater proportion of its players playing in the NHL playoffs.

Now that the NHL is more international, that disadvantage has been mitigated somewhat.



Well, I blame the officials. There were some well-refereed games at the WJC tournament this year but the final and the semi-final involving Sweden and Russia were not among them.

I don't blame the players - they're just trying to win.

I blame the players and the officials, since so many players now dive, throw their heads back faking injury etc it makes the job impossible.
All teams have players that do it, it's a shame and hurts the sport IMO.

 

[NyQuil]

I blame the players and the officials, since so many players now dive, throw their heads back faking injury etc it makes the job impossible.
All teams have players that do it, it's a shame and hurts the sport IMO.

Not all embellishment is created equal.

The head-snapping and wrist-shaking that occurs from high-sticks (or near high-sticks) and slashes to the hands are pretty hard to avoid IMO. The body does have some natural reflexes.

In the NHL, the referees have relationships with the players and it's probably a little easier to enforce as opposed to a short international tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Good to see the tournament back in North America. The European start times are very difficult to watch. Who has five hours every day for nearly two weeks during the middle of the day to watch hockey?

 

[tobu]

Good to see the tournament back in North America. The European start times are very difficult to watch. Who has five hours every day for nearly two weeks during the middle of the day to watch hockey?

It's likewise difficult for us Europeans when the tournament is in America. Sleepless nights for 2 weeks.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It's likewise difficult for us Europeans when the tournament is in America. Sleepless nights for 2 weeks.

There’s no good solution for everyone. The time zones are too spread out.

 

[Maverick41]

Unless Seider is available to play, Germany will have a weaker team than this year.
It really hurts when the oldest birth year allowed in the tournament is weak. This year there was a lot of focus on Seider and the three 17 year olds Peterka, Reichel and especially Stützle, but Bokk, Schütz, Jentzsch, Valenti, Fleischer, Hüttl, Wirt, Hane and Mik were some key players and provided very decent depth. The 01 group doesn't come even close, and we can only hope that Stützle, Reichel and Peterka being 1 year further along in their development and the strength of the other 02 players joining the team will be enough to compensate (at least somewhat) for the loss of the 2000 group and probably Seider.

 

[ES]

It's kind of a statistical quirk that it has only been Canada and Finland as Gold medalists of late - I think there's never been more parity at this level.

Very true about Finland - last medal that was not gold is from 2006. Rask shut out Sweden in QF with about 50 saves. Finland lost semifinal but then beat USA for bronze.

 

[tony d]

In Edmonton/Red Deer next year, should be a good tournament. Hope Canada repeats as champs.

 

[SOLR]

Russia was just in the final and it basically took divine intervention to keep them from winning.

As for Sweden, it’s anyone’s guess as to what exactly the problem is. I don’t know how you can win 52 consecutive games in the preliminary round and then go two games below .500 when it matters. People will say they have no pressure in the group stage, but everyone faces the same pressure to earn that higher seed. Sweden now faces additional pressure to keep that streak going and they have for a few years now, always passing that test. Then they often go on to lose to teams that they have already beaten earlier in the tournament. It is perhaps the most perplexing conundrum in the hockey world right now.

Sweden lacked offensive talent over the past 6-7 years. Maybe Raymond-Holtz team can do it as they did in the U-18.

 

[JackSlater]

I'm glad I'm glad to see Hockey Canada keeping to the big city, small city hosting plan. Much better than the situation where two big cities split the tournament and no one ends up really satisfied.

 

[Gold Standard]

I'm glad I'm glad to see Hockey Canada keeping to the big city, small city hosting plan. Much better than the situation where two big cities split the tournament and no one ends up really satisfied.

yeah, I never want to see a MTL/TOR split again. I'd like to see TOR get the tournament again at some point, next decade, but the full tournament. other than that, BIG Venue/small venue is the ideal way to go.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

yeah, I never want to see a MTL/TOR split again. I'd like to see TOR get the tournament again at some point, next decade, but the full tournament. other than that, BIG Venue/small venue is the ideal way to go.

Toronto/London seems like a great option in the future.

 

[Peiskos]

Quebec City on its own would be a nice option for the World Juniors, its long overdue, the last time QC hosted was in tandem with Montreal back in 1978, Canada took bronze at that tournament and it was actually the first official tournament hosted in Canada.

The IIHF mens tournament was great there in 2008, a fantastic arena with the Centre Videotron and a nice European feel to the city for fans and the players to explore.

 

[JackSlater]

Quebec City on its own would be a nice option for the World Juniors, its long overdue, the last time QC hosted was in tandem with Montreal back in 1978, Canada took bronze at that tournament and it was actually the first official tournament hosted in Canada.

The IIHF mens tournament was great there in 2008, a fantastic arena with the Centre Videotron and a nice European feel to the city for fans and the players to explore.

That would be a good one, and overdue as you say.

 

[Del Preston]

JONES: Edmonton-Red Deer World Junior hockey sells out in 72 hours