TEAM CROATIA 2015 div 1B

[EbencoyE]

I actually can't believe what I'm seeing with the Croatian roster with all the dual nationals.

Maybe GB should go and raid Canada for all the players with British parents and call that team 'Great Britain' too. They did that in 1996 to advance to the top division, but it killed the depth of British young talent in the long run.

Pretty weak IMO.

The difference is that GB has been developed for quite some time - their current place in the hockey world is because of their own shortcomings, though they have obviously been higher in the past.

Croatia on the other hand is developing the sport from practically nothing before Zagreb joined the EBEL there was practically no hockey in the country at all. Now they have their professional team that has been creating interest and a process of developing youth - but for now the focus of the national team is to give those youth players something to look forward to by putting together a team that can compete and work the young kids into the system to continue that success.

GB passed this point long ago, and for them to resort to naturalized players would make them look even more sad than they already do. They won a gold medal in the Olympics, if they had a half-way decent development system they would already have a great national team of domestic players.

Don't project your own nation's failures on another country just trying to get into the game.

France and Switzerland have shown that the naturalized talent leading to domestic growth strategy can work - sorry things didn't work out for you.

 

[Elvs]

GK:
Mark Dekanich
Mate Tomljenović
Andrej Vasiljević
D:
Kenny MacAulay
Geoff Waugh
Alan Letang
Andy Sertich
SaÅ¡a Martinović
Marko Ljubić
Igor Jačmenjak
Borna Å ilović
F:
Mike Glumac
Andrew Murray
Dario Kostović
Nathan Perkovich
Ryan Kinasewich
Ivan Janković
Dominik Kanaet
Mislav Blagus
Luka Vukoja
Tadija Mirić
Ivan Brenčun
Matija Miličić

Wow, being a close follower of all players with NHL contracts, I'm surprised to see so many names I know on this roster. Glumac, Murray, Perkovich, Waugh, Dekanich... Missing from the roster is obviously Rendulic. Croatia should be in the top group in a not too distant future.

 

[kulenova seka]

Wow, being a close follower of all players with NHL contracts, I'm surprised to see so many names I know on this roster. Glumac, Murray, Perkovich, Waugh, Dekanich... Missing from the roster is obviously Rendulic. Croatia should be in the top group in a not too distant future.

I have to disagree with you. This is rather old team with 28 y/avg and players such as Glumac, Letang, Murray won't be at disposal much longer, maybe year or two. Then again if they sign somewhere in NA (AHL or ECHL) playing in post season can prevent them from playing for Croatia. I do think that we should promote this year and stay in D1A for year or two maybe, but as naturalized players will vanish by the time we are going to return where we belong and that is elevator team from D2A to D1B.

 

[kaiser matias]

The difference is that GB has been developed for quite some time - their current place in the hockey world is because of their own shortcomings, though they have obviously been higher in the past.

Croatia on the other hand is developing the sport from practically nothing before Zagreb joined the EBEL there was practically no hockey in the country at all. Now they have their professional team that has been creating interest and a process of developing youth - but for now the focus of the national team is to give those youth players something to look forward to by putting together a team that can compete and work the young kids into the system to continue that success.

GB passed this point long ago, and for them to resort to naturalized players would make them look even more sad than they already do. They won a gold medal in the Olympics, if they had a half-way decent development system they would already have a great national team of domestic players.

Don't project your own nation's failures on another country just trying to get into the game.

France and Switzerland have shown that the naturalized talent leading to domestic growth strategy can work - sorry things didn't work out for you.

That gold medal, which happened 80 years ago, was won by Canadians who were largely brought over to the UK just to play hockey. Add to that the tournament was a little shady, and it does nothing to showcase the strength of British hockey.

 

[cutchemist42]

With the new iihf nationalization criteria would wacey rabbit qualify to play for Croatia ?

What are the new rules?

Anyhow, these happenings are just part of intl. sport, for better or worse. I mean, look how many plastic Brits were used in the Olympics, or even the American soccer team has its fair share of these types.

 

[crobro]

If CROATIA wins all their remaining games can they still advance?

 

[Urbanskog]

If CROATIA wins all their remaining games can they still advance?

Why could they not, unless Britain wins all their matches?

 

[kulenova seka]

Yes, Brits must lose against Korea in order for Croatia to have any chance for promotion. Given how we played so far, I would consider Koreans heavy favourites.

 

[HajdukSplit]

well promotion chances drastically go down with GB beating South Korea today. Not only do Croatia need to win their three games remaining but they must hope GB slips up, don't see it, maybe against Lithuania but doubt it

 

[EbencoyE]

That gold medal, which happened 80 years ago, was won by Canadians who were largely brought over to the UK just to play hockey. Add to that the tournament was a little shady, and it does nothing to showcase the strength of British hockey.

No ****? That was my entire point. Britain's era of using naturalized players to build a competitive development system was a long time ago, whereas countries like Korea and Croatia are far newer to the international hockey landscape and are thus still in that era of bolstering the national program with imports.

Though to be fair to that British team, all but two players were born in Britain.

 

[kulenova seka]

well promotion chances drastically go down with GB beating South Korea today. Not only do Croatia need to win their three games remaining but they must hope GB slips up, don't see it, maybe against Lithuania but doubt it

After miserable performances yesterday against Netherlands we didn't deserve to promote. Way too many players who decided to have vacation in Eindhoven. Lack of chemistry, lack of intensity from "cronucks" and result is what it is. Despite all KHL-ers and EBEL-ers on the roster Rendulić is missed big time, he is simply class above of any forward we currently have.

Hopefully we will re-group, play some EIHC torunament during the season, host next year's group and try to take advantage of home ice.

- this smiley summarized performances of Croatia so far.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

The difference is that GB has been developed for quite some time - their current place in the hockey world is because of their own shortcomings, though they have obviously been higher in the past.

Croatia on the other hand is developing the sport from practically nothing before Zagreb joined the EBEL there was practically no hockey in the country at all. Now they have their professional team that has been creating interest and a process of developing youth - but for now the focus of the national team is to give those youth players something to look forward to by putting together a team that can compete and work the young kids into the system to continue that success.

GB passed this point long ago, and for them to resort to naturalized players would make them look even more sad than they already do. They won a gold medal in the Olympics, if they had a half-way decent development system they would already have a great national team of domestic players.

Don't project your own nation's failures on another country just trying to get into the game.

France and Switzerland have shown that the naturalized talent leading to domestic growth strategy can work - sorry things didn't work out for you.

Oops

 

[crobro]

Matija militic I believe proved himself in this tournament to be a potential late round draft pick in this years NHL Entry draft.

 

[kulenova seka]

Matija militic I believe proved himself in this tournament to be a potential late round draft pick in this years NHL Entry draft.

Sorry bro, but he needs to eat a lot of Polenta to be a strong EBEL player. He does have a potential, but talking about draft is just ridiciolus.