GB belongs to the A and not in the B

[Artorius Horus T]

I absolutely loved GB players effort in the last Worlds, in 2019,
they have kept that and progressed, as a team.

Sure, their core, national team core is old and only few top young players, Liam Kirk included.

However, to where they are going, as an ice hockey country, ..is promising.
They have money, supporters, fans in the UK, their leagues are improving
youth program as well,...things are looking good for GB Ice Hockey.

Click to read more...

 

[JohnWillow]

Can Brendan Perlini suit up for GB in the near future?

 

[Antiillafire]

They’ve looked good, following their system

 

[weklof]

Would be great for hockey as a sport if it could grow in the UK. I think there are a lot of growth potential for hockey in the UK, France and Germany. If we could get those major European economies investing more in hockey, then there is potential for stronger European leagues and act as a counter balance against NHL.

 

[BritainStix]

Can Brendan Perlini suit up for GB in the near future?

They have specifically not picked him even though he is obviously dual registered. He had no intention of playing for GB when we were struggling in the lower international divisions even though his brother is on the team.

They have kept the same core of players together for around 6-7 years now. This isn't a team of sub par canadians anymore, this is a British team with British players and it's fantastic.

 

[BMann]

There is a huge amount of work to do before we can produce high end prospects on a consistent basis. By high end I mean NHL possibles.

Still no cooperation between IHUK, the leagues and clubs on a concerted development plan. Lack of media coverage. Lack of opportunities to even get ice time in many parts of the country. No subsidies for those who might like to play but because it is expensive to play no chance of ever trying out, lack of talent identification and then using top level coaching to work on it. Bad habits are very difficult to erase when you pick them up as a player early on.

Just ice time itself. There are very few places in the UK where the sport impinges on the community consciousness. Places like Nottingham, Cardiff and Sheffield for instance. The potential is there of course but until heads are banged together and self interest put aside the sad fact is we will remain where we are as an also ran with luck producing the odd high calibre player like Tony Hand, Liam Kirk and hopefully Liam Steele.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Well, Hungary and Poland is just as good. I say we should expand WC.

 

[Antiillafire]

Well, Hungary and Poland is just as good. I say we should expand WC.

 

[Eye of Ra]

You really think Uk is better than those? You do realise games beetwen these teams are always even? Hungarian players is mostly good Ebel/AlpsHL players while polish players are mostly good players in polish league, a league that is better than people think. i dont see how this is worse than good brits playing in EIHL.

 

[Urbanskog]

They have specifically not picked him even though he is obviously dual registered. He had no intention of playing for GB when we were struggling in the lower international divisions even though his brother is on the team.

They have kept the same core of players together for around 6-7 years now. This isn't a team of sub par canadians anymore, this is a British team with British players and it's fantastic.

They haven't picked him because he isn't eligible to represent GB. That's all there is to it, this is not some kind of a principled decision.

 

[BritainStix]

They haven't picked him because he isn't eligible to represent GB. That's all there is to it, this is not some kind of a principled decision.

He was born in England. He chose to represent Canada 5 years ago instead

 

[Urbanskog]

He was born in England. He chose to represent Canada 5 years ago instead

He hasn't played at least sixteen consecutive months of hockey in Britain after his 10th birthday (which is required in this case), as was the case for his brother.

 

[weklof]

Why is the team called Great Britain and not United Kingdom by the way? My understanding of the diffrence is that Great Britain = England, Wales, Scotland but United Kingdom = England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Does Northern Ireland have their own nationl team?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Why is the team called Great Britain and not United Kingdom by the way? My understanding of the diffrence is that Great Britain = England, Wales, Scotland but United Kingdom = England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Does Northern Ireland have their own nationl team?

Actually...these days, in some sports (like ice hockey) its Great Britain and in lets say Athletics, its officially Great Britain and N.I.
(i guess Team GB, after the latest change, which, that Team GB, sounds really stupid)

It used to be just United Kingdom (pretty much everywhere) and like you already know, in Football, each have their own national teams.

 

[Albatros]

Why is the team called Great Britain and not United Kingdom by the way? My understanding of the diffrence is that Great Britain = England, Wales, Scotland but United Kingdom = England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Does Northern Ireland have their own nationl team?

Northern Ireland has only had an unofficial team play a couple of games, England and Scotland have maintained national teams that are not currently active other than in youth hockey. Wales has tested in women's hockey only.

 

[SoundAndFury]

GB was stuck in D1B for 4 years straight before skipping through D1A in a year so I have no idea why the notion other D1A teams are close to them is funny. Before that 2018 D1A championship, we (Lithuania) beat GB twice in pre-tournament friendlies. Hungary did beat Belarus 5-2 last time they were up in the top division so overall, GB is definitely at the same level as other D1A nations. If you are making an argument they belong in the elite (as OP is doing) you can truly make one many other countries do.

I would say, however, that none of them do and in the current situation 14 team championship with one-team relegation/promotion would be far more fitting the competitive spirit.

 

[KTl]

Why is the team called Great Britain and not United Kingdom by the way? My understanding of the diffrence is that Great Britain = England, Wales, Scotland but United Kingdom = England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Does Northern Ireland have their own nationl team?

I remember some players from Northern Ireland playing for the Ireland national team back when there was one.

 

[swissexpert]

GB was stuck in D1B for 4 years straight before skipping through D1A in a year so I have no idea why the notion other D1A teams are close to them is funny. Before that 2018 D1A championship, we (Lithuania) beat GB twice in pre-tournament friendlies. Hungary did beat Belarus 5-2 last time they were up in the top division so overall, GB is definitely at the same level as other D1A nations. If you are making an argument they belong in the elite (as OP is doing) you can truly make one many other countries do.

I would say, however, that none of them do and in the current situation 14 team championship with one-team relegation/promotion would be far more fitting the competitive spirit.

I don't think the competition would improve by adding many more countries. It would probably make the big nations care even less.

I know this year are a lot of games where you could argue that the level gap has narrowed and Hungary would probably take points as well. But in normal years (just look at 2019) those teams are still far apart. More B teams would lead to even more lopsided results.

I like that GB is improving and really hope their program keeps producing even stronger teams, but don't agree that GB clearly belongs in the A.

If GB and Italy would be in the B division with France, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Austria etc. I would not call them clear favourites.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I like that GB is improving and really hope their program keeps producing even stronger teams, but don't agree that GB clearly belongs in the A.

If GB and Italy would be in the B division with France, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Austria etc. I would not call them clear favourites.

Well for starters, OP made the mess of all the lettering. IIHF championships are classed into elite, D1A, D1B, D2A, etc. He called elite A hence actual D1A becomes B, etc. So what you call "B division" is what I called D1A because, you know, it actually is D1A.

 

[swissexpert]

Well for starters, OP made the mess of all the lettering. IIHF championships are classed into elite, D1A, D1B, D2A, etc. He called elite A hence actual D1A becomes B, etc. So what you call "B division" is what I called D1A because, you know, it actually is D1A.

It was called the A-WM and B-WM for years.
So I think everyone understands the reference OP is talking about. Even more with the actual context, only one definition sounds logical.

However, I think I completely missed your point, I thought you were suggesting that more of them should be at the Elite WC (Top Division) but you actually want a bigger 2nd Division, which makes much more sense to me.

That is the level where teams are actually the closest I guess. Further down, you can't mix them together.

 

[Mestaruus]

I don't think the competition would improve by adding many more countries. It would probably make the big nations care even less.

I know this year are a lot of games where you could argue that the level gap has narrowed and Hungary would probably take points as well. But in normal years (just look at 2019) those teams are still far apart. More B teams would lead to even more lopsided results.

I like that GB is improving and really hope their program keeps producing even stronger teams, but don't agree that GB clearly belongs in the A.

If GB and Italy would be in the B division with France, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Austria etc. I would not call them clear favourites.

I'd rank France higher than GB long term.

 

[mirec04]

GB has great fans, I remember them from last WC in Slovakia (Kosice). What a difference with football ultras.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

I love me some GB but realistically they're viewed as a competitive D1A team and it's accurate, imo.

The way these tournaments are formatted, it's actually easier to stay in the top division than it is to win D1A. To stay in the top division, GB needed 1 good game against France. I'm not saying it's an easy win but in a 1 game do-or-die in hockey, almost anything can happen. On the other hand, to get to the top group GB had to beat Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, and Poland. They lost a game to Kazakhstan which almost cost them the tournament. So basically you have run a near perfect 5 game week against 5 nations that are of a similar caliber, all capable of upsetting whoever you view as the favourite.

Another good example would be those years of GB stuck in D1B.
2014 they blew the opening game to the Cronadians and despite going 3-2 they finished 4th.
2015 they only lost 1 game on the final day to Lithuania and took Croatia to overtime, they missed promotion by 1 point.
2016 they only lost 1 game on the final day to Ukraine this time, missing promotion by 1 point
2017 they finally ran the table and went 5-0

Had GB lost to Japan on the final day of the 2017 tournament, GB spends 2018 in D1B once again. Instead they went to D1A and ran hot enough to earn promotion to the top group.

Hopefully GB can continue surviving in the top group for a while but if they go back down, it's not a guaranteed bounce back up to the top division.

 

[stv11]

It was called the A-WM and B-WM for years.
So I think everyone understands the reference OP is talking about. Even more with the actual context, only one definition sounds logical.

However, I think I completely missed your point, I thought you were suggesting that more of them should be at the Elite WC (Top Division) but you actually want a bigger 2nd Division, which makes much more sense to me.

That is the level where teams are actually the closest I guess. Further down, you can't mix them together.

It was called Pool A and Pool B actually, I'm pretty sure the term "WM" is more recent than that. And it was 20 years ago, many recent fans wouldn't be aware of the old terminology (I admit I'm guilty of using WC rather than WM, but it's less confusing than using the old names for the divisions).

And regarding the GB name, given that Belfast is UK hockey hotbed, wouldn't "UK" make much more sense. I guess Northern Irish would be eligible for both countries as per the good Friday agreement, but Ireland hasn't had a team since 2013 and has no rink right now.

 

[llwyd]

Lovely play from the Brits - I just love their effort and spirit! I totally hope that they are here to stay but competition will get tougher next year, hopefully they will have good luck as regards the round robin group.