GDT: Latvia vs. Austria (Game 2)

[Canada4Gold]

I remember hearing something that Russia's spot would be given back when they are allowed to return, so my guesses are;

1) 12 team tournament (whether that means no relegation + promotion + Russia, or 2 teams promoted + 1 team relegate + Russia) with two teams relegated(how they would do that I don't know maybe worst team each group or a relegation playoff bottom 4 team or something)

2) 11 team tournament with two teams relegated

3) Tournament before Russia comes in have 2 teams relegated Russia + Promoted team come in.

Personally I like option 3, at most just needs enough notice I.E they say Russia will not be re-instated for 2024 tournament but the 2025 tournament. All that would need to be sorted out is how they relegate. Option 1 is the next best, but as we have see with the bottom end teams, it's not ready to be expanded yet (think if you had Latvia, Austria, and Norway all get to be in). That is no offense to those nations but we all know how that would end. Now remember before Russia was kicked and because of Covid No relegation but still promotion, they were planning on 11 teams.

In no way should a team be kicked out or not be allowed to be promoted just so Russia can come back and we stay at 10 teams, and I want Russia back in. For obvious reason why they are not and no need to get in a debate on that, but in a vacuum the tournament is missing Russia.

The issue with #3 is if the war ends in say March of whatever year, Russia likely is back in the next tournament 9 months from then. You can't relegate the 9th place team from the tournament than ended 3 months prior as they won their right to stay(for example if the war ended tomorrow and Russia was back in for next year, suddenly relegating Latvia isn't right). If the war ends in say November when there's not enough time to get Russia in for the next one you would have teams knowing at the time of playing 9th and 10th go down which would be fair.

11 team would just be way too awkward I think.

I think 12 team tournament makes the most sense. Remember Belarus had won their way into the 2023 tournament and didn't participate. That's an easy 2nd team to add if they need another. They could easily just demote Belarus again without letting them play as they're not the lock that Russia is every year, Belarus in Div 1 wouldn't be as dominant as Russia down in div 1.

Lets say they go with 12. Do they stay at 12 forever or do they relegate 3 teams(1 promoted) to get back to 10?

 

[garyjones93]

The issue with #3 is if the war ends in say March of whatever year, Russia likely is back in the next tournament 9 months from then. You can't relegate the 9th place team from the tournament than ended 3 months prior as they won their right to stay(for example if the war ended tomorrow and Russia was back in for next year, suddenly relegating Latvia isn't right). If the war ends in say November when there's not enough time to get Russia in for the next one you would have teams knowing at the time of playing 9th and 10th go down which would be fair.

11 team would just be way too awkward I think.

I think 12 team tournament makes the most sense. Remember Belarus had won their way into the 2023 tournament and didn't participate. That's an easy 2nd team to add if they need another. They could easily just demote Belarus again without letting them play as they're not the lock that Russia is every year, Belarus in Div 1 wouldn't be as dominant as Russia down in div 1.

Lets say they go with 12. Do they stay at 12 forever or do they relegate 3 teams(1 promoted) to get back to 10?

1st point, basically it should be sucks to be you Russia, thank you for ending war, but still going to take some time going back to normal. So if they end the war in march of 2023, then then the 2024 tournament should be the tournament to see who plays in 2025, so in that case there is enough time to plan the 2024 tournament to have two teams relegated and the 2025 tournament Russia comes back + the new promoted team. If war ends in November you can probably still plan for 2 teams to be relegated (bottom team in each group and no relegation games or whatever) and Russia would still not be in until the 2025 tournament. Basically meaning they should miss the tournament after the war ends or whatever arbitrary reason the IIHF decides Russia is allowed to come back (if the war hasn't ended).

2nd point absolutely agree, that was basically my point "In no way should a team be kicked out" I worded that poorly, but that is what I meant.

3rd point, yeah way to awkward don't do it.

4th point it's not that 12 doesn't make sense I just think it really lowers the quality, but I will admit I hadn't thought about Belarus and being Promoted (was just thinking do the same thing in lower divisions with them as with Russia) so yeah that could work if move to 12 teams (Russia+Belarus+Promoted team in, relegated team out). It can definitely work going to 12 but I just think it becomes much weaker and adds more games to fit in a short schedule.

If they go to 12 for getting Russia back in, then just have a relegation tournament, bottom 2 teams from each Pool, round robin (3 games) Bottom team relegated, top team bye to final round, 2 plays 3 loser relegated, winner plays 1 and winner stays. so 3 down. Or bottom team each group goes down, 2nd worst in each group play the normal relegation series (that's probably the best)

 

[GX]

so in that case there is enough time to plan the 2024 tournament to have two teams relegated and the 2025 tournament Russia comes back + the new promoted team.

Normally you promote the 11th team in the world, to replace the 10th one. In this case, we would essentially swap 9th team with the 11th one, which makes less sense.

These two options would seem fairer:
a) No promotion from D1A, if russia comes back
b) A best-of-3 series for 9th and 11th team during, i.e., senior WC. Or even a group tournament for 9th/10th/11th spot and belarus (as they had earned elite spot previously) to decide the 10th place.

Or, well, play a 12 team tournament for one year, and see how much whining we can endure about lack of competitiveness.

 

[Namejs]

That's a whole lot of words for something that's not going to happen anytime soon.