IIHF World Championship 2021

[SteelerBlade]

As hockey is back & the Brits are playing speculation will naturally start about who will make the GB side.

Pete Russell’s Team GB head to Riga, Latvia for this years WC Group A action. There is no relegation this year so we can turn up and give it a right good go without fear.

GB will take on Russia, Denmark, Belarus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden & Switzerland.

Our Group A action will take place in a 6,000 seat sportshall conversion at the Elektrum Olympic Centre.

I will try my best to update the oppositions rosters pre-tournament & this can double as the tournament thread also

[TealSteeler]

Apparently there's no relegation from the top group this year.

[SteelerBlade]

Apparently there's no relegation from the top group this year.

Correct. Due to the divisions below not playing.

[SteelerBlade]

Ciaran Long staking a BIG claim to make the squad this time with his 4th goal in as many games! Amazing what happens when he actually gets minutes.

He’s making himself tough to overlook.

[Ashbarron]

Apparently there's no relegation from the top group this year.

Correct. Due to the divisions below not playing.

Sorry not been following during the pandemic. Does that mean Great Britain will play in the championships next year as well?

[SteelerBlade]

Apparently there's no relegation from the top group this year.

Correct. Due to the divisions below not playing.

Sorry not been following during the pandemic. Does that mean Great Britain will play in the championships next year as well?

Yes regardless of our results we will retain our position in the top division for 2022 in Finland (either Helsinki or Tampere).

[SteelerBlade]

Hewitt playing himself into an outside chance? *

*May or may not be tongue-in-cheek.

[SteelerBlade]

GB SQUAD ANNOUNCED

Netminders
Ben Bowns – Nottingham Panthers
Jordan Hedley – Coventry Blaze
Jackson Whistle – Nottingham Panthers

Defence

David Clements – Coventry Blaze
Dallas Ehrhardt – Manchester Storm
Mark Garside – Nottingham Panthers
Sam Jones – Sheffield Steelers
Evan Mosey – EHC Freiburg
Ben O’Connor – Sheffield Steeldogs
David Phillips – Sheffield Steelers
Josh Tetlow – Nottingham Panthers
Paul Swindlehurst - Coventry Blaze

Forwards

Ollie Betteridge – Nottingham Panthers
Brendan Connolly – Sheffield Steelers
Ben Davies – Manchester Storm
Robert Dowd – Sheffield Steelers
Sam Duggan – Coventry Blaze
Luke Ferrara – Coventry Blaze
Mike Hammond – Coventry Blaze
Lewis Hook – Nottingham Panthers
Liam Kirk – Sheffield Steelers
Robert Lachowicz – Nottingham Panthers
Ben Lake – Manchester Storm
Ciaran Long – Manchester Storm
Matthew Myers – Sheffield Steelers
Brett Perlini – Nottingham Panthers
Jonathan Phillips – Sheffield Steelers
Ross Venus – Coventry Blaze

[SteelerBlade]

Norway currently taking on Denmark. Two of the Elite Series Norwegians are icing tonight, Max Krogdahl (Coventry) & Jacob Lundell Noer (Manchester)

Thomas Valkvæ Olsen also up on the top line, he’s scored against us in pre-season for both Södertälje SK & Leksands IF.

[SteelerBlade]

BELARUS SQUAD: (Will face GB)

https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/wc

Belarus consist of almost entirely current KHL players. Some dual-nationals in there too, Plymouth born Danny Taylor, Francis Paré, Shane Prince Nick Bailen & Geoff Platt have tons of AHL games. Taylor & Paré have both played on Aaron Fox sides, Paré also has played against Cardiff in pre-season. They have one of the worlds biggest Defencemen in 6”9” Stepan Falkovsky. The Kostitsyn brothers have 840 games of NHL between them. Also notable is veteran Andrei Antonov who was part of the Yunost side that beat the Steelers 7-1 in 2017.