IIHF World ChampionshipDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
You don't think more kids will want to play when they see their team competing in Sochi?
They'll probably see their team crushed by the Canada, Russia and the other big teams. It's only medal contenders that can influence interest in their sport.
I remember at the last olympics, the German broadcaster kept switching over to luge during the Germany-Canada game because that's where there were medals to be won
They'll probably see their team crushed by the Canada, Russia and the other big teams. It's only medal contenders that can influence interest in their sport.
I remember at the last olympics, the German broadcaster kept switching over to luge during the Germany-Canada game because that's where there were medals to be won
Yeah, and that's why we have more kids picking up lugeing than hockey in Germany... oh wait...
As it was already mentioned, hockey is very popular in Slovenia, but infrastructure is a problem. Most of Slovenians see this qualification for Sochi as bigger success than when our national footbal team beat Russia and qualified for WC in South Africa. But if we talk what could boost interest among young for hockey, I believe LA Kings run to SC with Anze Kopitar in main role was even bigger story.
As far as hockey club Jesenice goes, they'll be soon back. They lost senior team but younger generations are doing normally further. There are now quite few very talented young players that went abroad and are playing for good Swedish, Czechs, Russians clubs in their junior hockey schools.
How we are going to do in Sochi? We'll be very happy if we won't lose all three matches in group, but on the other hand there will be no bloodbath, that's I'm sure. We will play against Russia, USA and Slovakia in our group.
As it was already mentioned, hockey is very popular in Slovenia, but infrastructure is a problem. Most of Slovenians see this qualification for Sochi as bigger success than when our national footbal team beat Russia and qualified for WC in South Africa. But if we talk what could boost interest among young for hockey, I believe LA Kings run to SC with Anze Kopitar in main role was even bigger story.
As far as hockey club Jesenice goes, they'll be soon back. They lost senior team but younger generations are doing normally further. There are now quite few very talented young players that went abroad and are playing for good Swedish, Czechs, Russians clubs in their junior hockey schools.
How we are going to do in Sochi? We'll be very happy if we won't lose all three matches in group, but on the other hand there will be no bloodbath, that's I'm sure. We will play against Russia, USA and Slovakia in our group.
You don't think more kids will want to play when they see their team competing in Sochi?
No, not really. I think club-level play has a much greater impact on that. For example, only Olimpija is playing in EBEL at the moment, but if you'd get, say, three or four clubs into a league played at that level, that would be much bigger than a single qualification for the Olympics. I mean, it's awesome and all, but I just don't think that single event will have that much of an influence. Like people have said, it's the infrastructure that's the problem, and since Slovenia is so small, if you got Maribor competitive that could draw a lot more players within an hour's reach of the city (covering basically a fourth or a third of the country that way). Ljubljana is already taken care of and Olimpija's success is much more important to people in general than this qualification for the Olympics. I would assume that's even more so in Jesenice, Kranj etc. (i.e. the region called Gorenjska), as especially the former now defunct club had/has a lot of die-hard fans.
But yeah, it definitely won't hurt and it's something that will get the general population intrigued like any success in sports does. If that results in them enrolling their kids into hockey schools more, then great, but like I said there aren't going to be new hockey schools popping up now, and in those cities where they are already in place I just don't see people seeing rushing their kids to hockey now. We've been competitive in a few games against good teams before, so it's not that much of a surprise and since it's a one-off event I don't think much will change.
All in all, if I was to compare this qualification for the Olympics to something, I'd even go as far as to say that Mursak's (Detroit's forward) playing for Olimpija during the lockout will have more of an impact than this. I don't live in Slovenia anymore, so it's hard to say whether that's a fair assessment or not, but that's just what I gather from online discussions and such.
One major factor, why hockey will never be very popular (i.e. training hockey, more young hockey players) in youth (like soccer or basketball in Slovenia), is because it's way more expensive. Sadly, playing in Sochi will not change that .
They're also very good at handball (finished 4th in the wolrd cup last month) and basketball (ranked higher than in hockey despite a lot more countries being competitive).
Slovenes are also very good in other winter sports, such as ski jumping where they have four male athletes among the top 20 and are currently a dominant team in team events. The same for ladies, they have six in top 20. + Great results in biathlon this season and in snowboarding. All that combined with Tina Maze's domination the Slovene Olympic team would likely be contenders for around 10 Olympic medals (2M population) if Sochi would start next week, so hoping that all of them keep their good form until next year
So, if Austria beats Germany tomorrow, they qualify? I'd love to see Vanek in the Olympics
Even if they lose in OT or SO they will qualify. Germany is under severe pressure.
Of course, I'd love to see Seidenberg, Ehrhoff and Greiss in the Olympics
Even if they lose in OT or SO they will qualify. Germany is under severe pressure.
Of course, I'd love to see Seidenberg, Ehrhoff and Greiss in the Olympics
Austria going to Olympics would be even bigger suprise than Slovenians. I would love to see Austria pull a suprise, as my team (Medvescak ) plays in EBEL league, it would be cool to have two EBEL countries at Olympics
HK Jesenice were dissolved last year and the 23 times Yugoslav and 9 times Slovenian champions simply doesnt exist any more. Any new team that might emerge in that town will not have the right to claim those honours and will be a brand new team (unless they decide to pay the sum of around 2M euros, the debt of HK Jesenice).
Edit: looks like Slovenia will have a perfect score on their qualifying tournament in Vojens. They lead Ukraine 4-0, after first period.
Question for German fans. Did your Hockey Federation find out the reason behind terrible performance in the last World Championship? Inner conflict or simply bad tournament?
Question for German fans. Did your Hockey Federation find out the reason behind terrible performance in the last World Championship? Inner conflict or simply bad tournament?
The only action of the Federation was to replace the Coach.
to most Fans the bad performance is simply a consequence of years of mismanagement by the federation, a bad junior programe and too many average imports in the DEL.
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