What’s the process of adding more teams?

[JlindiesANA]

I’ve been noticing it’s always the same teams over and over. I read the eligibility section of IIHF on their website? And it just talks about player eligibility. What about country eligibility?

Could we possibly see Australia? Or England, Iceland, etc participating? Or is that more of an Olympics type of tournament.

Anyways been trying to figure out how teams qualify for this WJC. Thanks!

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[BigRangy]

There’s actually more than just the WJC tournament that we get on TV. There are lower divisions. The worst team in this year’s tournament will be relegated and have to play in the WJC division 1A tournament next year.

The winner of the WJC division 1A tournament this year will play in the top level tournament next year.

Then below Div 1A there is Div 1B, Div 2A, Div 2B, and Div 3. The div 3 tournament is going on in Istanbul right now actually.

 

[pckstpr31]

There's an entire relegation system set up, across different divisions. You can see more here. This year, Norway won the Division 1A tournament, and so will be in the main tournament next year. Whoever is relegated this year will take their place. Slovenia was relegated in the 1A tourney and has moved down to 1B, which Japan won.

 

[JlindiesANA]

Got it! You all are so helpful. So there is a way to get in if you aren’t known for hockey. That’s awesome Japan made a step up in their hockey department.

 

[angry pirate]

There’s actually more than just the WJC tournament that we get on TV. There are lower divisions. The worst team in this year’s tournament will be relegated and have to play in the WJC division 1A tournament next year.

The winner of the WJC division 1A tournament this year will play in the top level tournament next year.

Then below Div 1A there is Div 1B, Div 2A, Div 2B, and Div 3. The div 3 tournament is going on in Istanbul right now actually.

I always thought that the 1A tournament should be played in either the Summer or November with the winner playing in the WJC the same season. Always feels like a bit of a shame when the winners of the 1A have to age out a large portion of the players that got them there.

 

[Statsy]

I always thought that the 1A tournament should be played in either the Summer or November with the winner playing in the WJC the same season. Always feels like a bit of a shame when the winners of the 1A have to age out a large portion of the players that got them there.

This has been a long standing Gord Miller argument. There’s a certain logic to that for sure. I assume the problem lies in the logistics of setting up summer tournaments. These are not even what we consider main hockey countries in the lower divisions so it’s probably enough of a challenge to host a hockey tournament in hockey season. Lol

 

[ES]

I would rather support February tournament where worst two teams of top level and best two teams of Div1A would play for the two spots in the next tournament. That tournament would be played with the players who are eligible in the next one (so this year it would be those born in 2004 and later)

 

[The Marquis]

I always thought that the 1A tournament should be played in either the Summer or November with the winner playing in the WJC the same season. Always feels like a bit of a shame when the winners of the 1A have to age out a large portion of the players that got them there.

But then they’d be playing 2 world junior tournaments in a year. It makes sense that the tournament would be played to earn promotion for the next years tournament, not the same year.

 

[angry pirate]

But then they’d be playing 2 world junior tournaments in a year. It makes sense that the tournament would be played to earn promotion for the next years tournament, not the same year.

I don't think it makes sense when you can't send most of the teams that earn promotion because they are no longer eligible. Teams like Austria are good enough to qualify every once and a while but don't have the talent level year over year to be continuously competitive. Allowing these promotional teams to qualify the year of the tournament would make the WJC more competitive and showcase these countries elite talent to a much broader audience.

 

[kaiser matias]

Got it! You all are so helpful. So there is a way to get in if you aren’t known for hockey. That’s awesome Japan made a step up in their hockey department.

A new country starts at the bottom with the lowest ranked teams. For example Bosnia is playing the junior level for the first time this year, so are in Division III.

Likewise at the senior level, Indonesia and the Philippines are playing in the World Championship for the first time, so will play in Division IV (there's more senior teams than junior, so more levels. The IIHF simply adds more divisions as needed). Theoretically they could win their divisions for the next several years and make the top division and play Canada, the US and so on, but the skill level is not likely to be there and teams usually only go up or down one or maybe two levels.

 

[majormajor]

I always thought that the 1A tournament should be played in either the Summer or November with the winner playing in the WJC the same season. Always feels like a bit of a shame when the winners of the 1A have to age out a large portion of the players that got them there.

But then they’d be playing 2 world junior tournaments in a year. It makes sense that the tournament would be played to earn promotion for the next years tournament, not the same year.

Would it make sense to have promotions to U20 determined by U18 results from two years prior? That way it's the same players.

I agree that you don't want teams to play two tournaments in a row.

This has been a long standing Gord Miller argument. There’s a certain logic to that for sure. I assume the problem lies in the logistics of setting up summer tournaments. These are not even what we consider main hockey countries in the lower divisions so it’s probably enough of a challenge to host a hockey tournament in hockey season. Lol

I can understand Gord Miller's passion on the topic, he has to feign enthusiasm through all the blowouts, while the rest of us turn the TV off.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

There’s actually more than just the WJC tournament that we get on TV. There are lower divisions. The worst team in this year’s tournament will be relegated and have to play in the WJC division 1A tournament next year.

The winner of the WJC division 1A tournament this year will play in the top level tournament next year.

Then below Div 1A there is Div 1B, Div 2A, Div 2B, and Div 3. The div 3 tournament is going on in Istanbul right now actually.

you think your avg acha d3 team would smoke the D3 nations?

 

[Statsy]

I can understand Gord Miller's passion on the topic, he has to feign enthusiasm through all the blowouts, while the rest of us turn the TV off.

That's a legit point. Perhaps he needs to solve that problem like I do, by entering WJC hockey pools where blowouts can suddenly become good things. Lol.

 

[joestevens29]

This has been a long standing Gord Miller argument. There’s a certain logic to that for sure. I assume the problem lies in the logistics of setting up summer tournaments. These are not even what we consider main hockey countries in the lower divisions so it’s probably enough of a challenge to host a hockey tournament in hockey season. Lol

Granted there were other issues, but the summer tourney here in Edmonton was a massive failure.

Although even without the hockey canada issue, I don't know that you get the butts in the seats and the viewers at home that you do during the current setup.

 

[angry pirate]

Granted there were other issues, but the summer tourney here in Edmonton was a massive failure.

Although even without the hockey canada issue, I don't know that you get the butts in the seats and the viewers at home that you do during the current setup.

You would only play the 1A tournament out of season. The WJC that we are watching now would remain from Boxing Day onwards. I don't think the 1A tournament has much attendance anyways and I've never seen it televised although it's possible it gets a bit more attention in Europe.