IIHF 2021 World Hockey Championships could be cancelled

[Jumptheshark]

I am very happy--get to party with the FINS again

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[Jumptheshark]

I sort of wanted to Belarus but Latvia is nice

 

[Gold Standard]

Having attended a tournament in Latvia way back in the day, I'm glad Canada is in the Riga group. I was planning on attending this past tournament in Switzerland, but that didn't quite work out. I do hope to get in 1 or 2 more tournaments, but Riga won't be it. For those who do make the trip, drinking with the Latvians is a treat.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Having attended a tournament in Latvia way back in the day, I'm glad Canada is in the Riga group. I was planning on attending this past tournament in Switzerland, but that didn't quite work out. I do hope to get in 1 or 2 more tournaments, but Riga won't be it. For those who do make the trip, drinking with the Latvians is a treat.

Fins and Canadian can drink the Latvians under the table

Part of me wanted Canada in Belarus because it is a little cheaper there but with it being so close to Finland they will come en masse again

 

[Gold Standard]

Fins and Canadian can drink the Latvians under the table

Part of me wanted Canada in Belarus because it is a little cheaper there but with it being so close to Finland they will come en masse again

Yeah, well, drinking myself or anybody else under the table is about 15 years in my rear view. I'm not 25 and single anymore.

but on to the tournament, hopefully it happens and Canada is loaded up with a whole bunch of A-team players. My guess is the vast majority will be Canadians playing in European leagues.

Will be interesting. I am eager to get back to league and tournament play. I miss doing my Saturday morning rosters.

 

[filip85]

Yeah, well, drinking myself or anybody else under the table is about 15 years in my rear view. I'm not 25 and single anymore.

but on to the tournament, hopefully it happens and Canada is loaded up with a whole bunch of A-team players. My guess is the vast majority will be Canadians playing in European leagues.

Will be interesting. I am eager to get back to league and tournament play. I miss doing my Saturday morning rosters.

Why is that ? If there will any new pandemic then those canadians as well won't be in Europe but at home in Canada.

 

[kudla]

Not a chance to reach quarterfinals for us again

 

[TheBigFour]

Why is canada and russia always in a different group? Does iihf purposely do this?

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Why is canada and russia always in a different group? Does iihf purposely do this?

It's done by rankings

 

[Jumptheshark]

It's done by rankings

Why is canada and russia always in a different group? Does iihf purposely do this?

Yes and now. Even when the ranking would have had them in the same divsion, the host country "Snapped their fingers" and they were seperated.

Canada vs Russia is the one game that the IIHF like to keep until the playoffs

 

[filip85]

I am very happy--get to party with the FINS again

If everyone shows up and backed up by fanatical crowd, I could see Latvia finishing as high as 2nd in Riga group.

 

[Jumptheshark]

If everyone shows up and backed up by fanatical crowd, I could see Latvia finishing as high as 2nd in Riga group.

only if none of the Fins, Canada, players do not show up

 

[baronsforever]

Yes and now. Even when the ranking would have had them in the same divsion, the host country "Snapped their fingers" and they were seperated.

Canada vs Russia is the one game that the IIHF like to keep until the playoffs

It is more just a fluke though, the last time that they would have been in the same group, by rankings, was 2013. They should have been in the same group in 2012 and 2013 but were not, so maybe there is something to it.
It is weird that they were swapped for each other in 2021 though, must have been one of the organizer's preference I guess.

 

[BOS358]

It is weird that they were swapped for each other in 2021 though, must have been one of the organizer's preference I guess.

I'm guessing it was done as a way to maximize attendance. Russians do not need visas to visit Belarus but would to visit Latvia. Canadians, on the other hand, get 90 days visa-free in the Schengen area (which Latvia is a part of) and 30 days visa free if flying into Minsk.

 

[S E P H]

I thought this was supposed to be in Suisse with 2020 being cancelled and all?

 

[baronsforever]

I'm guessing it was done as a way to maximize attendance. Russians do not need visas to visit Belarus but would to visit Latvia. Canadians, on the other hand, get 90 days visa-free in the Schengen area (which Latvia is a part of) and 30 days visa free if flying into Minsk.

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense.

 

[v-man]

Fins and Canadian can drink the Latvians under the table

LOL. Canadians don't come even remotely close keeping up with the Latvians. The Finns can hold their own, but also crash harder than anyone else.

Anyways, 2006 in Riga was awesome. Hopefully I'll be able to make the trip. My older brother told me if I ever wanted to see what life was like in the Soviet days, go to Belarus, so maybe I'll be able to hop the border for the medal rounds and check it out too (I believe ground travel to Lukashenkoville is visa free for 5 days).

And yes, the organizing cities were allowed to swap one team each, provided the teams were similarly ranked. This was done to boost potential attendance. Personally I think the groups are ideal.

I thought this was supposed to be in Suisse with 2020 being cancelled and all?

No, it was a possibility, but they declined that option a few weeks ago. The planning for 2021 was too far along. I just read some media speculation from Finland that the Swiss will ask to host the 2023 Championship, originally scheduled for Russia, since they are banned from hosting large tournements for four years because of the WADA ban. That might be the best and fairest solution.

 

[ORRFForever]

LOL. Canadians don't come even remotely close keeping up with the Latvians.

True.

Is a vacation around the World Championships fun?

I went to a World Juniors and it was a great time but I could drive home at the end of a day of hockey. Being in Europe...

Is it expensive?

 

[v-man]

True.

Is a vacation around the World Championships fun?

I went to a World Juniors and it was a great time but I could drive home at the end of a day of hockey. Being in Europe...

Is it expensive?

Very fun, mind you I haven't been to a Word Championship since 2008 in Halifax, but it's much more of an over-all experience than the World Juniors, which tend to have hype around the games and arenas, then the party dies. At the Worlds you see hockey jerseys everywhere at all times for two weeks. Every beer garden and restaurant patio is full of fans from breakfast til 4am or later. Non-stop singing and cheering in the streets. It's has a very communal feel. There are a lot more hard core traveling fans at the Worlds, so you meet a lot of different people, whereas at the Juniors, especially here in Canada, the crowds tend to be locals, with only a few die hards making the trip. I've been to two of each and would pick the Worlds hands down in terms of a good time. It's pretty much not even close.

As for being expensive, that depends greatly on the year and location. Riga was expensive accomodation wise because it was their first big tournament of any kind post Soviet occupation and anyone who could gouged. That's not likely to be the case this time, as it left a very bad mark on the country and affected over-all attendance. People were litterally flying in for games cheaper than staying there. But there are also more hotels now, and with only half the tournament, there will be less demand. Food and drink were still considerably cheaper than at North American sporting events, and most of western Europe. A quick google search tells me beer is still about half of the Canadian average price. Belarus will no doubt be the considerably cheaper option in 2021 as they still have one foot firmly in Soviet times.

Ticket-wise my advice would be to not buy tickets for anything but your big must see games in advance. You'll most likely be able to get much cheaper seats from scalpers before the games, or from fans who bought packages but only want to go to certain games. In Halifax we got tickets handed to us free while having a beer on a patio. In Riga we went to many games last minute for what was the equivalent of about $20 at the time (not quite as cheap as tickets for the last World Cup here in Toronto, but cheap none the less). We saw about 10 games at each tournament.

 

[Kshahdoo]

True.

Is a vacation around the World Championships fun?

I went to a World Juniors and it was a great time but I could drive home at the end of a day of hockey. Being in Europe...

Is it expensive?

Belarus is a pretty cheap country, but during big events everybody and his mom wants to make some money. Still, I don't think, prices will go up 10 times, and you can probably live on $100 a month there. Of course, it's for locals, who do cooking and don't spend a lot on accommodation, transportation and like. I still think, $1000 is more than enough to live in Minsk during the whole event. It's without tickets, of course.

 

[ORRFForever]

People were litterally flying in for games cheaper than staying there. .

LOL. That's crazy. Thanks for the description/info.

 

[ORRFForever]

Belarus is a pretty cheap country, but during big events everybody and his mom wants to make some money. Still, I don't think, prices will go up 10 times, and you can probably live on $100 a month there. Of course, it's for locals, who do cooking and don't spend a lot on accommodation, transportation and like. I still think, $1000 is more than enough to live in Minsk during the whole event. It's without tickets, of course.

Wow. That is cheap. Maybe it would be worth it as a once in a lifetime trip.

 

[Gold Standard]

Wow. That is cheap. Maybe it would be worth it as a once in a lifetime trip.

If the elimination games are in Minsk it might be worth the risk...and get to see Canada in the 1/2 final or, fingers crossed,
the final. I was 50 feet away in the stands when Nash scored the golden goal in Moscow...a year after watching a young Sid in Riga.

but I was living and working abroad at the time.. doing the expat thing for a while.

if you do decide to make the trip, you should try to make a few online friends to help you out when you land.

 

[ORRFForever]

If the elimination games are in Minsk it might be worth the risk...and get to see Canada in the 1/2 final or, fingers crossed,
the final. I was 50 feet away in the stands when Nash scored the golden goal in Moscow...a year after watching a young Sid in Riga.

but I was living and working abroad at the time.. doing the expat thing for a while.

if you do decide to make the trip, you should try to make a few online friends to help you out when you land.

Thank you!

I am NOT a vacation guy - "I hate vacations. There's nothing to do." (David Mamet). But if it was planned around something, it might be fun. Sounds like you enjoyed it.

 

[BOS358]

Very fun, mind you I haven't been to a Word Championship since 2008 in Halifax, but it's much more of an over-all experience than the World Juniors, which tend to have hype around the games and arenas, then the party dies. At the Worlds you see hockey jerseys everywhere at all times for two weeks. Every beer garden and restaurant patio is full of fans from breakfast til 4am or later. Non-stop singing and cheering in the streets. It's has a very communal feel. There are a lot more hard core traveling fans at the Worlds, so you meet a lot of different people, whereas at the Juniors, especially here in Canada, the crowds tend to be locals, with only a few die hards making the trip. I've been to two of each and would pick the Worlds hands down in terms of a good time. It's pretty much not even close.

I've never been to a World Junior tournament, but your description of Worlds is spot on. I've been going every year since 2012 and had a great time every year. The bars are packed and although some countries have their "home bars," everybody is welcome as long as you enjoy drinking beer.

As for the Finns, all you need to know is what happened in 2018: Their "home bar" in Herning wanted to prepare by ordering twice their normal beer load for the first night of the tournament. It wasn't enough. And don't try to keep up with them...it will only end badly (if only I learned to take my own advice!)