photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation
Six teams gather in Tallinn, Estonia this week for the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group B, which begins on Sunday and runs through to next Saturday, 29 April. As no team was relegated from last year’s Group A, this year’s Group B includes four returning teams – Japan, Ukraine, Estonia and Serbia – and two that were promoted from Division II Group A – China and the Netherlands.
Japan enters this tournament as the favourite, with Ukraine and China being their two most likely challengers. Serbia and the Netherlands face the greatest danger of being relegated.
Japan
The Japanese finished second at last year’s Division I Group A in Tychy – their only blemish being a narrow 2-0 loss to host Poland. With no team being relegated from that group this year, Japan enters this tournament with the clear goal of advancing to Group A for the first time since 2016. Japan was the group’s highest-scoring team last year with four of the top seven scorers, led by AHLer Yushiroh Hirano’s 10 points. This veteran team with 18 returnees is anchored in goal by 36-year-old Yuta Narisawa. Defender Kotaro Yamada is their most internationally experienced player, with 35 games in seven previous World Championships.
Ukraine
Against all odds, Ukraine participated in last year’s Group B and placed third. They lost 8-2 to Japan but also took promoted Poland to a shootout, so they have their work cut out for them. They will be without longtime captain Andri Mikhnov, their last link from their most recent World Championship top-level appearance in 2006, but will be led by 34-year-old Dmitri Nimenko, who has played in five Group A tournaments. Ihor Merezkhko, who plays in Denmark, was named the Top Defender last year in Tychy.
Estonia
Once a regular “elevator team” between Divisions I and II, Estonia is now in this group for the seventh consecutive time. Their highlight of last year – where they finished fourth – was putting a big scare into Japan before falling 7-5. This year on home ice, they should remain somewhere in the middle of the group, with the ability to play with top teams when on their game but not high enough on talent to take anybody lightly. Their captain is 44-year-old defender Lauri Lahesalu, who will be playing in his 21st World Championship who will be joined by their star forward, 29-year-old Robert Rooba, a veteran of Finland’s Liiga.
China
China is playing in Division I for the first time since 2007, but make no mistake about it, this team aspires to do much more than just stay up. This year’s Chinese team includes 15 returnees from last year’s World Championship and 11 that played in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. They are led by captain Brandon Yip (Jinguang Ye), who has 174 games of NHL experience and has played for Chinese-based Kunlun Red Star team for the past six seasons and goaltender Paris O’Brien (Yongli Ouban), who was Top Goalkeeper last year in Zagreb.
Serbia
Last year in Tychy, Serbia played in Division I for the first time since 2010 and for the second time ever. It was a learning experience, to say the least – going winless and getting outscored 29-4 in four games. Fortunately for the Serbs, no team was relegated, and they will try to build on that this year and attempt to earn their first-ever Division I win. The good news is their top players are young. Every goal last year was scored by their top line, with 24-year-old right winger Mirko Djumic scoring all four. His linemates are 21-year-old Marko Dragovic and 20-year-old Mateja Popovic.
Netherlands
The Dutch team has been promoted or relegated from each of its last six World Championships, going back and forth between Divisions I and II. Last year in Zagreb, they finished second and were promoted along with China. They lost their head-to-head matchup with China 5-1, so if they want to buck their recent trend and avoid relegation, their sights are most likely set on Serbia as their most winnable game. Quinnipiac University grad and current ICEHL forward Guus van Nes will be representing the Netherlands for the first time since 2018, while returnee Jordy Verkiel was named Top Defender last year in Zagreb.
Japan enters this tournament as the favourite, with Ukraine and China being their two most likely challengers. Serbia and the Netherlands face the greatest danger of being relegated.
Japan
The Japanese finished second at last year’s Division I Group A in Tychy – their only blemish being a narrow 2-0 loss to host Poland. With no team being relegated from that group this year, Japan enters this tournament with the clear goal of advancing to Group A for the first time since 2016. Japan was the group’s highest-scoring team last year with four of the top seven scorers, led by AHLer Yushiroh Hirano’s 10 points. This veteran team with 18 returnees is anchored in goal by 36-year-old Yuta Narisawa. Defender Kotaro Yamada is their most internationally experienced player, with 35 games in seven previous World Championships.
Ukraine
Against all odds, Ukraine participated in last year’s Group B and placed third. They lost 8-2 to Japan but also took promoted Poland to a shootout, so they have their work cut out for them. They will be without longtime captain Andri Mikhnov, their last link from their most recent World Championship top-level appearance in 2006, but will be led by 34-year-old Dmitri Nimenko, who has played in five Group A tournaments. Ihor Merezkhko, who plays in Denmark, was named the Top Defender last year in Tychy.
Estonia
Once a regular “elevator team” between Divisions I and II, Estonia is now in this group for the seventh consecutive time. Their highlight of last year – where they finished fourth – was putting a big scare into Japan before falling 7-5. This year on home ice, they should remain somewhere in the middle of the group, with the ability to play with top teams when on their game but not high enough on talent to take anybody lightly. Their captain is 44-year-old defender Lauri Lahesalu, who will be playing in his 21st World Championship who will be joined by their star forward, 29-year-old Robert Rooba, a veteran of Finland’s Liiga.
China
China is playing in Division I for the first time since 2007, but make no mistake about it, this team aspires to do much more than just stay up. This year’s Chinese team includes 15 returnees from last year’s World Championship and 11 that played in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. They are led by captain Brandon Yip (Jinguang Ye), who has 174 games of NHL experience and has played for Chinese-based Kunlun Red Star team for the past six seasons and goaltender Paris O’Brien (Yongli Ouban), who was Top Goalkeeper last year in Zagreb.
Serbia
Last year in Tychy, Serbia played in Division I for the first time since 2010 and for the second time ever. It was a learning experience, to say the least – going winless and getting outscored 29-4 in four games. Fortunately for the Serbs, no team was relegated, and they will try to build on that this year and attempt to earn their first-ever Division I win. The good news is their top players are young. Every goal last year was scored by their top line, with 24-year-old right winger Mirko Djumic scoring all four. His linemates are 21-year-old Marko Dragovic and 20-year-old Mateja Popovic.
Netherlands
The Dutch team has been promoted or relegated from each of its last six World Championships, going back and forth between Divisions I and II. Last year in Zagreb, they finished second and were promoted along with China. They lost their head-to-head matchup with China 5-1, so if they want to buck their recent trend and avoid relegation, their sights are most likely set on Serbia as their most winnable game. Quinnipiac University grad and current ICEHL forward Guus van Nes will be representing the Netherlands for the first time since 2018, while returnee Jordy Verkiel was named Top Defender last year in Zagreb.