GB belongs to the A and not in the B

[3 Minute Minor]

I think we are in the same boat as our Baltic brothers Latvia in that sense, we are fine with what we have. We are one of the biggest countries in basketball you know and are yet to have any naturalized players play for us. I'm somewhat proud this was so easy to answer.

By your standards, Lukas Vascho is naturalized.

 

[SoundAndFury]

By your standards, Lukas Vascho is naturalized.

..because? You spelled his name wrong by the way but I get it, it's kinda tricky. Way easier when you realize it's Vaško just transcribed into whatever USA migrations worker felt was right.

You must have missed my first post where I said GB is a D1A nation realistically

Yeah, you have also said imports have nothing to do with it which is debatable at best considering, once again, your junior NTs are quite firmly where lower-end 1B teams are.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

..because?


Yeah, you have also said imports have nothing to do with it which is debatable at best considering, once again, your junior NTs are quite firmly where lower-end 1B teams are.

I didn't say that.

I said they aren't the reason for the promotion, as you suggested.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I said they aren't the reason for the promotion, as you suggested.

Which, once again, is debatable.

Any answer about the Vashco part?

 

[3 Minute Minor]

Which, once again, is debatable.

Any answer about the Vashco part?

Dual national who went to America at 14. He was even invited to a USA Hockey camp in 2016! Must only represent Lithuania because he didn't make the American team.

And hey why did you type Vashco! It's Vaško! What's wrong with you!

 

[SoundAndFury]

Dual national who went to America at 14. He was even invited to a USA Hockey camp in 2016! Must only represent Lithuania because he didn't make the American team.

And hey why did you type Vashco! It's Vaško! What's wrong with you!

Well key difference between him and Perlini, just like between Armalis and Perlini, is that his parents are actually Lithuanian and not a renowned Canadian hockey player.

You typed Vascho, not Vaško OR Vashco, because you probably had no idea how his name actually sounds like.

 

[Siamese Dream]

@SoundAndFury this is all very silly and childish

I have always enjoyed the friendly rivalry we've had with you on here over the years, especially in the lower divisions of the junior tournaments where you've provided an alternative viewpoint and knowledge of opposition teams and players which was interesting.

Now you are just coming across as very bitter and defensive just because a couple of what I would say are non-regulars have come in here giving it the big 'un off the back of a couple of good results for GB.

I would have thought you would be for the growth of hockey and pleased to see smaller nations doing well and earning respect from traditional hockey market. Instead you are being quite cynical and it's not very becoming.

 

[SoundAndFury]

@SoundAndFury this is all very silly and childish

Yeah I agree with that much. The last dozen of posts are a bit sad and pointless.

But I guess such is the topic of naturalized players. Some see it as an unfair advantage and sound bitter about it, some are fine with it if players have some connections to the country, some are fine if the players are low-key enough, etc. There is no right or wrong, everyone kinda draws a line for himself which makes it all polarizing.

And it's a more general topic than just GB, it comes up before/during every championship in multiple threads. It's not that I want to see GB do bad or they are my arch-nemesis of some kind. And, like I said before, I accept that naturalized players are a part of a deal for almost every D1A country (I think Slovenia is the only exception), it's just sad that some people seem in complete denial about those playing the role. I mean if you do use those at the very least accept and acknowledge that they do improve your team. If they didn't, they wouldn't be on the roster.

 

[Nosswor]

I think it's just a little problematic to criticize someone's right to play for Great Britain, or any country, because of decisions their parents made.

If they have the right, and I would prefer it to at least stick to the line of being able to claim heritage one way or another, they are well within their rights no?

And my final point on the topic. I'd like to see GB as being able to consolidate their position in Div1A when all is said and done.

You can look back on those years in 1B, and there's a point to be made there. I don't think there was much excitement about playing for the national team, and there certainly wasn't a culture there.

Now you're seeing a team that is far greater than the sum of its parts, and doing everything that it can to either gain promotion or stay in the top division, and they can't do more than that.

One would hope that, even as players such as Phillips and Myers hang up the skates, that spirit instilled in the group since Russell has taken over remains with the team.

Saying that, I'd also love to see the IHUK pay greater attention to their junior teams, in terms of getting component coaches on board, and getting more of our NA-based juniors over for tournaments.