Post by DanCan on Dec 14, 2003 6:53:27 GMT -5
Gurj, I agree with your choice, but I had to follow my heart on this one. Switzerland is in my opinion definitely the #1 contender, but Denmark could easily be the #2. First of all, our junior teams are pretty solid. In April 2004 our U18 team participates for the first time in the World Championships in Minsk, Belarus. Our U20 team is still in the first division, but could with a little luck qualify for the WC's.
The U20 WC, Group A starts today in Berlin, Germany (in half an hour, Denmark plays its first game of the tournament against Slovenia). Germany is of course the top favorite to win Group A, but as IIHF notes in its December newsletter, But it won’t be a cakewalk for the Germans to rule in Berlin, standing in the team’s way is a very talented Denmark squad, which upset Germany at the U18 Div. I World Championship last year, 4-3, ultimately keeping Germany out of the top Division for yet another year."
To underline the progress of Danish youth hockey, Denmark will probably record with four or five players in next years NHL draft.
Finally, the public interest in hockey is definitely increasing in Denmark. On 4 February, Denmark plays a training match against Sweden in Malmö. It's already sold out! In other sports, this only happens when the football team is to play some decisive games in the WC or EC qualifying games. In 2005, Denmark will play another training match vs. Sweden, this time in Copenhagen, and likely with no less than 40-50,000 spectators as the game will be played in the national football arena.
During the next couple of years, we are facing a major generation shift on the senior level. The immidiate objective on that level is therefore to stay put in the WC's so more and more of the younger U20 and U18 players will be able to play on the highest level. In the WC 2004 we got a lucky draw with Japan in our group, but it will not be easily. 2004 will be the last year, Japan (or more precisely Asia) gets a free ride in the WC, so there's no doubt that Japan will fight with tooth and nail to avoid relegation.
The U20 WC, Group A starts today in Berlin, Germany (in half an hour, Denmark plays its first game of the tournament against Slovenia). Germany is of course the top favorite to win Group A, but as IIHF notes in its December newsletter, But it won’t be a cakewalk for the Germans to rule in Berlin, standing in the team’s way is a very talented Denmark squad, which upset Germany at the U18 Div. I World Championship last year, 4-3, ultimately keeping Germany out of the top Division for yet another year."
To underline the progress of Danish youth hockey, Denmark will probably record with four or five players in next years NHL draft.
Finally, the public interest in hockey is definitely increasing in Denmark. On 4 February, Denmark plays a training match against Sweden in Malmö. It's already sold out! In other sports, this only happens when the football team is to play some decisive games in the WC or EC qualifying games. In 2005, Denmark will play another training match vs. Sweden, this time in Copenhagen, and likely with no less than 40-50,000 spectators as the game will be played in the national football arena.
During the next couple of years, we are facing a major generation shift on the senior level. The immidiate objective on that level is therefore to stay put in the WC's so more and more of the younger U20 and U18 players will be able to play on the highest level. In the WC 2004 we got a lucky draw with Japan in our group, but it will not be easily. 2004 will be the last year, Japan (or more precisely Asia) gets a free ride in the WC, so there's no doubt that Japan will fight with tooth and nail to avoid relegation.