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***Ace*** · 01-06-2021, 09:59 PM

Hello SHL Community,

The WJC Head Office is excited to announce some changes for the upcoming World Junior Championship. After collecting feedback from the community, it became abundantly clear that the two biggest improvements that could be made to the tournament were the timing being far too early and coinciding with the SMJHL and SHL postseason, and to expand the number of participants that can partake. We are happy to share today that we are addressing both of those concerns. We have been working with the SHL Head Office and the SHL Events Team to coordinate the tournament timing to reduce downtime during the offseason. You can expect WJC GM Job Postings to be posted on the 9th of January.

Regarding WJC expansion, we analyzed the number of players that fit into the current team structures of Team World, USA, UCORCAL, Sweden, Finland, DACH, Canada, and the British Isles. The first thing we evaluated was the possibility of removing Russia from UCORCAL as it’s own independent team, but they didn’t have the headcount to support such a move. We performed a similar exercise for Germany from DACH, and other similar scenarios. The numbers just weren’t there.

The “Super-Nations” of the IIHF, Canada, and the United States, can assemble a strong roster on an annual basis. With the WJC this doesn’t necessarily result in a guaranteed win annually, or even that they will be a contender, they are afforded the unique luxury of a significantly higher number of eligible players to choose from in comparison to their counterparts. This allows them to best assemble a roster for a specific strategic execution, but it leaves many active players “at the altar” and hoping that another team will pick them up.

If we were a perfect emulation of the WJC, each nation would have a team and there would be no multi-nation amalgamations such as Team DACH, Team World, and Team UCORCAL. These teams, while charming now they’ve been established, prove that that vision isn’t realistic for the SHL at the current stage that our community is in. Effective for the upcoming WJC Tournament, we are instituting a two-team system for both Team Canada and Team USA.

Team Canada White
[Image: team_canada.png]

Team Canada Red
[Image: team_canada_red.png]

Team USA Red
[Image: team_united_states.png]

Team USA Blue
[Image: team_united_states_blue.png]

Imgur Album of Jerseys

These two teams per federation will be operating independently from one another as far as the WJC Head Office is concerned. It is up to them to synergize and to best construct their rosters to ice two competitive rosters. There will be two sets of GMs chosen for these rosters. This is a benefit to both the community as a whole, as more active players will be able to partake in the tournament and Canada and the United States Hockey Federations as more of their eligible players will be able to wear their uniform and be involved in their nation’s programs rather than farmed out to a team completely unrelated to their player’s nationality. This can oftentimes lead to larger nations’ players following the road to a transfer. There will also be more GM jobs for members that have always wanted a taste of management.

We’d like to thank the Canadian and American IIHF Federation heads (@Nokazoa, @RotticusScott, @Scrufdaddy, and @FuzzSHL) for their dialogue and willingness to work with us to institute this change.

We know this solution isn’t perfect, and we will be reviewing the results after the tournament. We are excited and can’t wait for this season’s tournament.

Kind regards,

WJC Head Office

***Ace*** · 01-06-2021, 10:06 PM

Also - join the WJC Discord!

https://discord.gg/HmSJQqPg

*AgentSmith630* · 01-06-2021, 10:45 PM

Woah

st4rface · 01-06-2021, 10:46 PM

Interesting! Good luck to all new GMs! Smile

ACapitalChicago · 01-06-2021, 10:48 PM

Hey, thanks for the update and the transparency! Question though, how will players be split between the two distinctions of each US/Canada team? Will each team have to draft from their eligible players, or is it up to whomever GMs those teams?

S66 Damian Littleton

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efiug · 01-06-2021, 10:50 PM

interesting change, we'll have to see but this does seem like a nice solution. when I was in the juniors i didnt have to worry about czechia being too deep for me to get a roster spot but i can imagine it isnt that great to be cut from the wjc. wish every nation had their own team but thats obviously unrealistic at this point in time.

*CementHands* · 01-06-2021, 10:59 PM

I like this, good move!

ztevans · 01-06-2021, 11:08 PM

Anything that gets more players involved in IIHF and WJC is a good move in my opinion.

Mutedfaith · 01-07-2021, 02:58 AM

Inb4 they still build one team to win, and let the other tank.

*Katth* · 01-07-2021, 03:02 AM

I'm not sure I'm liking this idea to give Canada and USA two teams each. Next thing, IIHF will do the same and the smaller nation will still be at the same level they are now. We need more focus on the fact that we need to spread players more evenly amongst all available IIHF teams and not make Canada and USA even stronger than they are now.

S50 Challenge Cup Finals Game 7
[Image: gNFVjT6.png]

***Ace*** · 01-07-2021, 07:16 AM

01-07-2021, 03:02 AMKatth Wrote: I'm not sure I'm liking this idea to give Canada and USA two teams each. Next thing, IIHF will do the same and the smaller nation will still be at the same level they are now. We need more focus on the fact that we need to spread players more evenly amongst all available IIHF teams and not make Canada and USA even stronger than they are now.

Yeah, it’s not a perfect solution. The USA/CAN federation heads have their concerns too.

In a perfect world, each nation can field their own roster but we just can’t do that right now.

***Ace*** · 01-07-2021, 07:19 AM

01-06-2021, 10:48 PMACapitalChicago Wrote: Hey, thanks for the update and the transparency! Question though, how will players be split between the two distinctions of each US/Canada team? Will each team have to draft from their eligible players, or is it up to whomever GMs those teams?

Good question!

We didn’t want to add another layer of work to the GMs and WJC HO by adding a draft component, so we are simply deferring to the GMs that are selected to work together to assemble their rosters.

With my discussions with the IIHF Fed Heads, it was abundantly clear that they were more than happy and plan to mentor whomever is selected for the GM jobs and assist them with that process.

***Ace*** · 01-07-2021, 07:20 AM

01-07-2021, 02:58 AMMutedfaith Wrote: Inb4 they still build one team to win, and let the other tank.

I mean, it’s possible. But that’s no different than what it was before, and despite Canada winning last season, it’s not like USA/CAN are running away with the tournament annually.

The 425 cap really levels the playing field. It’s more about strategy and synergy.

PremierBromanov · 01-07-2021, 10:34 AM

even in the SHL i cant get away from polarizing politics

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