WC: 2022 IIHF World Championship Division I (group A: 2–8 May and B: 25 April – 1 May)

[Eye of Ra]

It's hilarious we are using the players that are 2-3 tiers below the competition level and somebody still thinks we could push for more if not for bad coaching

I mean our 1st liner has been outscored by a Slovenian 18 yo in the Oberliga who isn't even near their team .

Kasparaitis and Zubrus would be the last nail in the coffin. Those 2 would be enough for Lituhania to get promoted. Sure they are old but quality dont fade away.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Zubrus would still be a force but Kasparaitis really offered little improvement over any kid even last time around he played. His body was all he had and now it's old.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Fine. But i still think Kasparaitis would be uppgrade over guys like Krukovski (netherlands2 (!)) and Stankius (Germany5 (!) )

 

[SoundAndFury]

That's what I'm saying, he wouldn't be. Those guys have size and can skate fast-ish, he cannot.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Why aren't there more Slovenian fans watching the games despite them hosting it? The Hungary games seem to have more spectators.

Yeah, attendance seems terrible. But I assume that's partially because Slovenian hockey fans understand Lithuania and Romania aren't real opponents.

 

[Marky1999]

Yeah, attendance seems terrible. But I assume that's partially because Slovenian hockey fans understand Lithuania and Romania aren't real opponents.

Fair enough. It's too bad Romania got crushed considering that they held their own for a bit against Slovenia.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Standings right now:

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Slovenia (H)	2	2	0	0	0	13	3	+10	6	2023 IIHF World Championship
2	Hungary	2	2	0	0	0	7	2	+5	6
3	Lithuania	2	0	0	0	2	3	6	−3	0
4	South Korea	1	0	0	0	1	1	5	−4	0
5	Romania	1	0	0	0	1	1	9	−8	0	Relegation to 2023 Division I B

Just as i predicted. Its too bad Poland is not in, i think they would have a big chance to get promoted.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Just as i predicted. Its too bad Poland is not in, i think they would have a big chance to get promoted.

Yeah, it's not like they lost the promotion against Romania who are now getting crushed 9-1. Or were taken to OT by Ukraine this year.

Considering what kind of players Slovenia left out of their team (Simsic, Us, Kalan, Kapel, Music, Predan, etc.) Poland against Slovenia B would be a pretty fair fight.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Yeah, it's not like they lost the promotion against Romania who are now getting crushed 9-1.

Yes, Poland was utter shit in 2019. But normaly they are pretty good, they just beat Japan and have been close to get promoted to highest division in 2016. Polish league just get better and better. On paper, if you compare player for player Poland would be 3rd strongest team in this tournament.

 

[SoundAndFury]

On paper, if you compare player for player Poland would be 3rd strongest team in this tournament.

Yes. That doesn't mean they are anywhere near the top 2 though. Also not sure how is beating Japan a noteworthy achievement nowadays.

Maybe if Japan had Iguchi

 

[Eye of Ra]

Maybe if Japan had Iguchi

Yeah i just checked their roster, they are missing some players. Iguchi, Ando, Sato, Terao, Hanzawa, Isogai. No denying all this players have skills. Japan with all players available would probaly be 4th strongest team in Group A.

 

[garbageteam]

Korea seriously underperforming, they still have Dalton and did pretty well in 2019. I was pretty sure they could compete for that second promotion spot but it's looking like a deserved runaway promotion for Slovenia and Hungary. Well, at least they are likely safe from relegation here with Romania around, but we'll see tomorrow.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Korea seriously underperforming, they still have Dalton and did pretty well in 2019.

Well, they only played one game against Hungary - the country which is obviously the stronger hockey nation 2 tiers above Korea at every level except for Canadian-infused senior teams. The days when Korea will actually get relegated are not that far away, too. Although I guess it depends on Russia/Belarus as well now.

 

[Albatros]

The Koreans to my knowledge haven't been playing any serious hockey since the start of the pandemic, so them collapsing wouldn't be a surprise at all.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Korea, Romania, Poland, Japan, Ukraine, Lithuania and Estonia seems to be this big blob of countries where everyone is at roughly the same level, anyone can beat anyone on a good day, with big gaps above and beneath them (although China is a wild card of course). Considering those countries are split between two divisions currently there is going to be A LOT of movement the next 2-3 years.

From Lithuania's perspective, we absolutely could finish 3rd in 1A, and we absolutely could have finished 3rd in 1B had we played there.

And in before Eye of Ra comes here telling how good the Polish league is and whatnot, it has 7 actual Poles in top-38 of players ranked by PPG. 3 of them play on the same line (Wronka-Pasiut-Fraszko). So unless Poland starts playing their imports in WCs, they are stuck at this level with us no matter how much better their league is getting. Even more so considering they didn't have a good U20 generation since 17/18. They are still the best of the pack but far behind teams like Hungary with actual good players playing for good teams in good leagues.

 

[ozo]

Korea, Romania, Poland, Japan, Ukraine, Lithuania and Estonia seems to be this big blob of countries where everyone is at roughly the same level, anyone can beat anyone on a good day, with big gaps above and beneath them (although China is a wild card of course). Considering those countries are split between two divisions currently there is going to be A LOT of movement the next 2-3 years.

I almost want to throw GB in the same bracket. They sure are closer to this group, than being an actual top16 team (with Belarus and Russia existing).

 

[SoundAndFury]

I almost want to throw GB in the same bracket. They sure are closer to this group, than being an actual top16 team (with Belarus and Russia existing).

Although I understand the sentiment completely you have to agree they need to get themselves relegated from the elite at very least for us to even entertain this idea. Be it their imports or the good old magic beans, they created a lot of good rep for themselves.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Obligatory post how nice it is to see Yevgeni Skachkov, Pavlo Borysenko and Albert Zagidullin on top of the Romanian scoring list.

 

[garbageteam]

Although I understand the sentiment completely you have to agree they need to get themselves relegated from the elite at very least for us to even entertain this idea. Be it their imports or the good old magic beans, they created a lot of good rep for themselves.

Once again quite a stroke of luck in a way to have Belarus replaced with an Austria that will have zero NHLers on the roster.

Korea will avoid relegation this year. It really looks like we already know which two teams will be at the Elite division, and I hope it's not too early to say congratulations to Hungary on a first return in 7 years.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Once again quite a stroke of luck in a way to have Belarus replaced with an Austria that will have zero NHLers on the roster.

Considering how the last GB - Belarus game went it's not about the NHLers at that level, it's about the team being ready to play. Austria has just as good of a chance to destroy GB as Belarus did.

By the way, I see on eliteprospects there is no Belarus flag next to Bailen's name. He denounced the citizenshp?

 

[ozo]

Obligatory post how nice it is to see Yevgeni Skachkov, Pavlo Borysenko and Albert Zagidullin on top of the Romanian scoring list.

Yeah, it does feel like Romania has fully joined the dark side in regards of fasttracking imports to their NT.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Korea, Romania, Poland, Japan, Ukraine, Lithuania and Estonia seems to be this big blob of countries where everyone is at roughly the same level, anyone can beat anyone on a good day, with big gaps above and beneath them (although China is a wild card of course). Considering those countries are split between two divisions currently there is going to be A LOT of movement the next 2-3 years.

From Lithuania's perspective, we absolutely could finish 3rd in 1A, and we absolutely could have finished 3rd in 1B had we played there.

And in before Eye of Ra comes here telling how good the Polish league is and whatnot, it has 7 actual Poles in top-38 of players ranked by PPG. 3 of them play on the same line (Wronka-Pasiut-Fraszko). So unless Poland starts playing their imports in WCs, they are stuck at this level with us no matter how much better their league is getting. Even more so considering they didn't have a good U20 generation since 17/18. They are still the best of the pack but far behind teams like Hungary with actual good players playing for good teams in good leagues.

China with KHLers would be the best team among the nations you brought up imo. I think the KHLers is sticking with China. The KHLers even played in Division II A.

 

[filip85]

China with KHLers would be the best team among the nations you brought up imo. I think the KHLers is sticking with China. The KHLers even played in Division II A.

Which doesn't say a lot. I had a chance to speak with Zanatta (China head coach) and he said that he isn't so sure if all naturalized players will be available for upcoming season(s), he didn't say why he thinks that, but he also stated they are planning to naturalize few more players to be sure they still have good team at D1B in case of eventual declines. Another worry for him is uncertainty about Kunlun in the KHL given the current situation with Russia and all the sanctions.

 

[Albatros]

The question is rather the opposite — how long will China continue in the KHL now that its only real purpose is to show support to Russia in a complex international situation. The players will surely stay as long as they get paid.

 

[SoundAndFury]

The question is rather the opposite — how long will China continue in the KHL now that its only real purpose is to show support to Russia in a complex international situation. The players will surely stay as long as they get paid.

This. How long did Cronucks, for example, remember their Croatian roots? It's really pretty obvious what's the shelf life of those import-driven teams.

If their imports continue to play, of course KHL players are basically elite division level, silly to even compare them to 1B nations.