Ice Hockey

[Gnidrologist]

So, does anyone actually care about this sport here? Hockey has been p. big in Latvia since even pre-soviet times and now we're having "fun" time hosting the yearly IIHF World Cup in Riga with no crowds, of course. It also seems that most NTs are quite diluted from superstars for whole crop of reasons. Just now Latvia won against Canada for the first time in the history of any tournament. Probably something between second and third tier Canada team, but it still warms my heart. Will stay in statistics lol.
Anyone ever gave a shit about this tournament? I don'y follow NHL btw. International tournaments only.

 

[Farripas]

So, does anyone actually care about this sport here? Hockey has been p. big in Latvia since even pre-soviet times and now we're having "fun" time hosting the yearly IIHF World Cup in Riga with no crowds, of course. It also seems that most NTs are quite diluted from superstars for whole crop of reasons. Just now Latvia won against Canada for the first time in the history of any tournament. Probably something between second and third tier Canada team, but it still warms my heart. Will stay in statistics lol.
Anyone ever gave a shit about this tournament? I don'y follow NHL btw. International tournaments only.

Well, i like ice hockey but i follow the NHL and no international tournaments

 

[Luftstalag14]

Latvia beat Canada? Wow, that is something.

I like ice hockey, but didn't like the fighting in the NHL.

By the way, our (Barca's) ice hockey team won the Spanish ice hockey league (Liga Nacional de Hockey Hielo) this season (20/21), our 6th title.

 

[Sailor Mars]

The IIHF World Championship tournament doesn't get much love because all the top players are playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs or usually resting for the next season. Out of the top nations, it seems only Russians try and make themselves available for the tournament if they have no NHL commitments.

But good to see Latvia beat Canada.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Just checked the IIHF ranking, can't believe the US is ranking only 6th, just barely ahead of No.7 which is Germany...

 

[Sailor Mars]

Just checked the IIHF ranking, can't believe the US is ranking only 6th, just barely ahead of No.7 which is Germany...

IIHF rankings are even more of a joke than FIFA rankings. Nobody cares for the IIHF rankings at least in Canada and probably the US too. Can't speak for other countries.

 

[Gnidrologist]

Those rankings are probably based on recent success in tournaments and as you all mentioned, most teams don't bring their best to these tournaments, which makes possibility of upsets much higher and situations, where USA doesn't even get to the playoffs or Latvia can beat Canada.
Despite all that i still always prefer international tournaments to NHL. Reason being that i don't give a slightest shit about any of the NHL clubs just like i don't care for any of the other north american sports league clubs. And when i can't care for or against a team it makes for a dull viewing even if the sportsmanship is on high level. The only american club i used to be fan of was Chicago Bulls, when Jordan was still playing and that's it. Haven't developed any sympathy to anything else.
Regarding national teams on the other hand i have developed certain likes/dislikes both regarding their usual playing style or historical reasons. Usually like Sweden and Finland due to their combinational "barca-like" style, dislike Chek Republik due to them playing boring defensive "atletico style" hockey or hating on russians, because they're russians and former soviet glory.
Nothing really catches my eye in the american/canadian leagues as their teams are just bunch of ever morphing clumps of mercenaries with no persistent style or historical continuity. I love to watch an odd playoff match few times a year, but that's it.

 

[Messi983]

Seattle Kraken expansion draft in NHL today. I've not watched NHL a lot in recent years but I'm supporting all teams from Seattle so quite looking forward to see what team they'll get. Some good players were exposed.

 

[Farripas]

Seattle Kraken expansion draft in NHL today. I've not watched NHL a lot in recent years but I'm supporting all teams from Seattle so quite looking forward to see what team they'll get. Some good players were exposed.

I am a Chicago teams supporter, but love to see a Seattle team in the NHL. They will try to follow what the Golden Knights did, but that is a though one. They really nailded their Expansion Draft. Top team from the get go.

 

[Messi983]

Yeah, other teams GMs probably also learned something from LV draft. OTOH salary cap is still problematic for many teams and Seattle could use that in their favour, maybe taking on some big contracts to add more draft picks for the Entry draft.

Really have no idea what strategy GM Ron Francis will have. He could build a team that would challenge for playoff in inaugural season but at the same time he surely also wants to be longterm competitive so his approach will probably be pretty balanced between taking veterans and younger less proven players.

Carey Price being exposed is surprising but just don't think taking on his contract at his age is smart so probably won't happen but who knows. Tarasenko is also available and there are already multiple rumours Seattle will take and trade him with 3-teams trade also a possibility. And surely there will be other side deals as well if teams will want to keep some players they couldn't protect.

 

[Messi983]

Very defense heavy expansion draft with no trades (at least nothing confirmed so far). Looks like a physical team. Still have almost 29m cap space before FA signings and possible trades.

 

[Sailor Mars]

Vegas did way better in their draft than Seattle. Vegas ended up walking out of the expansion draft with 2x 1st rd draft picks, 3x2nd rd picks, a 3rd, and some later round picks.
Plus they got guys like Shea Theodore, Rielly Smith, and Alex Tuch in side deals.

Seattle got nothing in terms of trades.

 

[Messi983]

Can't really compare them to Vegas, different circumstances now. As I've said above GMs around the league have learned their lesson. They were just thinking - you can only take one player away from us, why we would give you 2 or 3 players (or picks turned into players)?

OTOH I think Ron Francis also prefered having more flexibility with cap space before FA. We'll see what he'll do.

 

[TheStig]

Does anybody follow Barca's ice hockey team? Are they any good? Are they even professionals or amateurs? How good is the Spanish league compared with other European leagues? Do they have any internationals other than Spaniards?

 

[Messi983]

Not following but AFAIK they are professionals, just don't think Barca invest much in this section (even when we had money). We won Spanish league last season for the first time since 2009 though.

Regular season winner Bar?a Hockey Gel needs just 3 games to beat reigning champion CG Puigcerd? in a catalan clash and win the Liga Nacional title, the sixth for the ice hockey section of football powerhouse FC Barcelona, the first since 2008-09 season.

There are only 5 teams playing in the league and as you can expect they're not competitive with top European leagues https://www.championshockeyleague.com/en/rankings

Couldn't find where LNHH (La Liga Nacional de Hockey sobre Hielo) is ranked but I'd say not in top 25-30 European leagues (if we don't include 2nd divisions or even junior leagues from top countries who I'm sure are also stronger than Spanish league).

This season we were playing in Continental Cup (2nd tier European competition) and finished 3rd in a group with clubs from Romania, Croatia and Turkey which says enough.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021–22_IIHF_Continental_Cup

Here is our squad which includes two Swedes, a German, a Canadian and also a Japanese player. Don't think they are good though or they would be playing in a better club/league.

https://www.eurohockey.com/club/1108-bara-hockey-gel.html?season=2022&league=55