Thursday, September 1, 2016

Showing Some International Love: 2018 Olympic Final Qualification - Group D Preview

The final around of Olympic Qualifying kicks off soon, with Group D hosted by the Belarusians. The host are hoping to get back into the main tournament after missing out in 2014. Denmark is the second highest team ranked in this group, and are looking to qualify for the Games for the first time in their history. Slovenia made the Olympics for the first time in 2014, and will want to get back there for 2018. Poland rounds out the group, and will look to qualify for the Games for the first time since 1992.

Note: Most information from the fancy IIHF website.

World Rankings

9. Belarus
13. Denmark
15. Slovenia
20. Poland

Rosters

Belarus

Goalies:
Name
Team
Mikhail Karnaukhov
Dinamo Minsk
Ivan Kulbakov
HK Gomel
Kevin Lalande
Dinamo Minsk

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Nick Bailen
Dinamo Minsk
Roman Graborenko
Toronto Maple Leafs
Kirill Gotovets
Dinamo Minsk
Yevgeni Lisovets
Dinamo Minsk
Nikolai Stasenko
Severstal Cherepovets
Oleg Yevenko
Cleveland Monsters

Forwards:
Name
Team
Artur Gavrus
Dinamo Minsk
Andrei Kostitsyn
HK Sochi
Sergei Kostitsyn
Dinamo Minsk
Yevgeni Kovyrshin
Dinamo Minsk
Alexander Kulakov
Dinamo Minsk
Alexander Pavlovich
Dinamo Minsk
Andrei Stas
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
Andrei Stepanov
Dinamo Minsk
Artyom Volkov
Dinamo Minsk


Denmark

Goalies:
Name
Team
Frederik Andersen
Toronto Maple Leafs
Sebastian Dahm
Graz 99ers
Simon Nielsen
Herning Blue Fox

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Jesper B. Jensen
Jokerit Helsinki
Philip Larsen
Vancouver Canucks
Stefan Lassen
Pelicans Lahti
Markus Lauridsen
Leksands IF
Oliver Lauridsen
Jokerit Helsinki
Daniel Nielsen
Herning Blue Fox

Forwards:
Name
Team
Mathias Bau Hansen
Frederikshavn White Hawks
Oliver Bjorkstrand
Columbus Blue Jackets
Mikkel Bodker
San Jose Sharks
Mads Christensen
EHC Munchen
Nikolaj Ehlers
Winnipeg Jets
Morten Green
Rungsted Seier Capital
Jannik Hansen
Vancouver Canucks
Nichlas Hardt
Malmo Redhawks
Nicklas Jensen
New York Rangers
Morten Madsen
Karlskrona HK
Frans Nielsen
Detroit Red Wings
Frederik Storm
Malmo Redhawks


Poland

Goalies:
Name
Team
Kamil Kosowski
GKS Tychy
Przemyslaw Odrobny
Milton Keynes Lightning
Rafal Radziszewski
Cracovia Krakow

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Adam Borzecki
Bietigheim Steelers
Mateusz Bryk
GKS Tychy
Bartlomiej Bychawski
No Team
Bartosz Ciura
GKS Tychy
Pawel Dronia
Lowen Frankfurt
Bartlomiej Pociecha
GKS Tychy
Mateusz Rompkowski
Cracovia Krakow
Patryk Wajda
Cracovia Krakow

Forwards:
Name
Team
Mateusz Bepierszcz
GKS Tychy
Aron Chmielewski
HC Ocelari Trinec
Michael Cichy
No Team
Krystian Dziubinski
Cracovia Krakow
Kamil Kalinowski
GKS Tychy
Marcin Kolusz
GKS Tychy
Mikolaj Lopuski
Milton Keynes Lightning
Tomasz Malasinski
Swindon Wildcats
Grzegorz Pasiut
Neman Grodno
Maciej Urbanowicz
Cracovia Krakow
Patryk Wronka
Orli Znojmo
Krzysztof Zapala
MMKS Nowy Targ


Slovenia

Goalies:
Name
Team
Luka Gracnar
EC Salzburg
Robert Kristan
No Team
Gasper Kroselj
No Team

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Blaz Gregorc
HK Hradec Kralove
Sabahudin Kovacevic
No Team
Ales Kranjc
HDD Jesenice
Jurij Repe
HC Kladno
Mitja Robar
Klagenfurter AC
Miha Stebih
HC Slavia Praha
Luka Vidmar
No Team

Forwards:
Name
Team
Ziga Jeglic
HC Slovan Bratislava
Anze Kopitar
Los Angeles Kings
Anze Kuralt
Grenoble Bruleurs de Loups
Jan Mursak
CSKA Moscow
Ales Music
Olimpija Ljubljana
Ken Ograjensek
Graz 99ers
Ziga Pance
Klagenfurter AC
Nik Pem
Olimpija Ljubljana
Marcel Rodman
No Team
Robert Sabolic
Admiral Vladivostok
Rok Ticar
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
Jan Urbas
Villacher SV
Miha Verlic
Villacher SV


Schedule

September 1
Slovenia - Poland
Denmark - Belarus

September 2
Slovenia - Denmark
Belarus - Poland

September 4
Poland - Denmark
Belarus - Slovenia

Predictions

1 (Qualify for Olympics) - Denmark
2 - Belarus
3 - Slovenia
4 - Poland

Probably the toughest group to judge. Belarus, Denmark, and Slovenia all look like they can take this group and get into the Olympics. I do like Denmark's team a little more than the rest, so they are my pick for the top spot. Belarus falls just behind them, ending in second. Slovenia settles for third. I can't see Poland beating - let alone get a point - against the other three, resulting in them finishing in fourth.

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