Canada hasn’t had any trouble with the cupcakes so far as they combined 22 goals in two games. These lopsided scores have brought the issue up how to fix the World Junior Championships.
Bob McKenize of TSN has a solution to the problem:
Very simple format change for WJC would make for a more competitive tournament and fewer blowouts. Here’s how it would work:
Top 5 seeds play single round robin against each other to determine 1-5 placement. Bottom 5 seeds do same. Promote one team from bottom 5. 1 and 2 get byes into semis. 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5 in QFs. 7 thru 10 play in relegation. Games would be closer and more competitive.
This formula is like pro-BCS people in college football when the topic of playoffs for college football comes up. The pro-BCS people bring up why play the regular season then? In this case why have Pool A play in the pool play portion? Canada will always get a top 2 seed.
At least McKenize sees the downside of his formula:
So what’s the problem? It would be difficult to sell tickets in the 6-10 tier. That’s the only shortcoming. Hockeywise, its great.
If this formula was used this tournament, Regina gets screwed over because they would most likely get the Czech Republic/Finland, Slovakia, Switzerland, Latvia, and Austria. I think Regina is the place to be this year with Russia, Finland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic in one group
How would I fix it? Easy, takeout goals for away from any tie breaking scenario. Instead use goals allowed. Teams won’t run up the scoreboard on the Latvia’s and Austria’s of the world. Defense will be much tighter.
Enjoy the rest of the tournament, tonight Sweden-Russia face-off and on Thursday it’s Canada-United States.
