Olympics: Should the qualification system be changed?
- Thread starter Eye of Ra
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Antiillafire
Registered User
Although I agree that qualification should not be guaranteed for anyone. Sweden is a top 5 hockey nation without a doubt. I would take Sweden’s “lack” of talent development and national team programs any day of the week, at any time, to replace ours.
Zero Pucks Given
American Hero
Is this a joke? Sweden is still top 5 despite what their 2021 WHC performance would suggest.
It should be like this. With the exception of the hosts (China,) all of them have been among the best in the world.
Last five years for Sweden: 5th, 1st, 1st, 6th, 5th. 2018 Olympics: 5th. 2016 World Cup of Hockey: 3rd.
Worst ever finishes: Worlds: 9th (1937), Olympics: 5th (last time in 2018.) Canada/ World Cup: 5th (last time in 2004)
I think they're solidly in the top 10 in the world.
I'm fine with the hosts having a spot. I'm not fine with China giving zero effort to improve and become competitive.
I'd argue that more teams should automatically be qualified. Not less.
Middle nations like Germany, Slovakia, Latvia and Denmark have a big disadvantage in qualification when up against the likes of Belarus, Kazakstan and Norway, and run the risk of missing the Olympics simply because they are missing their best players.
Either that, or increase the tournament from 12 to 14 teams. Especially since the likes of South Korea, China and Italy have guaranteed spots, thus increasing the risk of the middle nations missing out on the tournament even further.
Middle nations like Germany, Slovakia, Latvia and Denmark have a big disadvantage in qualification when up against the likes of Belarus, Kazakstan and Norway, and run the risk of missing the Olympics simply because they are missing their best players.
Either that, or increase the tournament from 12 to 14 teams. Especially since the likes of South Korea, China and Italy have guaranteed spots, thus increasing the risk of the middle nations missing out on the tournament even further.
Ivo
Registered User
Isn’t the qualification played in the summer now? All players should be available then, no?
The tournament is too short to accommodate 14 teams, even with 12 they have to settle for that stupid format instead of 2 groups of six.
3 qualifying spots is fine I think, you want everyone to have a chance to go. If you reduce it to one or two you won't have stories like Slovenia in 2014.
3 qualifying spots is fine I think, you want everyone to have a chance to go. If you reduce it to one or two you won't have stories like Slovenia in 2014.
It's scheduled in late august. I hope NHL teams are willing to let their players participate. Maybe qualifycation was even included in the Olympic agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA. I hope so. Slovakia has both Belarus and Austria in their qualifying group. That's gonna be tough competition without Tatar, Cernak, Halak and others.
Fjorden
Registered User
Norway are seeded higher than Denmark. (might change after this tournament though)With your logic Norway would have been automatically qualified.
I think it's fair that we have this qualification tournament, so we secure that the best teams are in the olympics.
NHL'ers will also be available for this qual tournament, and they were that the last qualification as well.
Name Nameless
Don't go more than 10 seconds back on challenges
- Apr 12, 2017
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I think it's fine as is, it really makes the WCs exceptionally important for the 7-9 ranked nations.
If any change happens I can see them adding one additional auto qualify spot, thereby almost guaranteeing Swiss, Slovakia and German qualification and giving 2-3 slots for Latvia Denmark Belarus Norway etc. Qualification tournament final round can be two groups instead of three.
If any change happens I can see them adding one additional auto qualify spot, thereby almost guaranteeing Swiss, Slovakia and German qualification and giving 2-3 slots for Latvia Denmark Belarus Norway etc. Qualification tournament final round can be two groups instead of three.
Well said.
I refuse, on principle, to acknowledge anything by Taylor Swift, but this year's tournament was clearly played under exceptional circumstances and is not really indicative of anything. Based on recent history, Sweden deserves an automatic qualification far more than USA.
CamPopplestone
Registered User
- Sep 27, 2017
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The thing is, Olympics are about money. The auto qualifying teams make up likely the most popular teams, and the ones that will result in the most money being made.
What "auto qualification"? The only auto qualified team is the host, as there is very much a qualification system in place even for the top countries - it's called the IIHF World Ranking. The top countries' "qualification tournament" is the World Championships, as they accrue points for the IIHF Ranking by doing well in the tournament and then get the bye to the olympics by being in the top-8 in the ranking in a pre-determined year. The qualification tournaments that decide the remaining three to four participants are more like back doors to countries that fail to accrue enough points to make it in through the main process.
Now, while the system is not automatic, it does heavily favor the top countries, as the ranking points are awarded based on the team's final placement in the tournament instead of any single game. So it is extremely difficult for one of the major powers to fall outside of the top-eight in a single olympic cycle unless they somehow manage to mail in several tournaments in a row.
Now, while the system is not automatic, it does heavily favor the top countries, as the ranking points are awarded based on the team's final placement in the tournament instead of any single game. So it is extremely difficult for one of the major powers to fall outside of the top-eight in a single olympic cycle unless they somehow manage to mail in several tournaments in a row.
archangel2
Registered User
- May 19, 2019
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JETZZZ
Registered User
If the IIHF already has a ranking system that updates after every World Championships, why do they bother with a separate qualification for the Olympics? Why not just look at the rankings and pick the teams 1 through 12? (If they have to save a spot for the host nation, and they are not in the top 12, then just send the teams 1 through 11 and the host.)
Yeah I know that and thats not a good idea when the host country is so bad that they will most likely embarrass themselves.
ItWasJustified
Registered User
- Jan 1, 2015
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Justshootmore
Registered User
- Mar 13, 2018
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As long as the NHL does not accommodate international games, it should not change.
Ideally, you would want something like in soccer, where all major leagues stop for a few weeks each year to accommodate those qualification games, and then every nation (except the host) would need to qualify.
But if you don’t do it that way, you risk missing big nations at the tournament because all their best players are in the NHL.
Ideally, you would want something like in soccer, where all major leagues stop for a few weeks each year to accommodate those qualification games, and then every nation (except the host) would need to qualify.
But if you don’t do it that way, you risk missing big nations at the tournament because all their best players are in the NHL.
