As the 2022 Winter Olympics draw closer, there are still more than a few major questions looming over the Beijing games. One that seemed to have been answered is the status of the host nation’s entry into the men’s hockey tournament. Even though the host nation typically earns an automatic bid into the tournament, the IIHF has expressed concerns about the talent level of the Chinese team and its impact on the tournament. Yet, just a few weeks ago the international governing body announced that it was moving forward with China taking part in the tournament and had scheduled a pair of preparation games for the national team against KHL competition. After China lost both games last week, the issue appears up for debate once more. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that the IIHF will meet, along with the Chinese Ice Hockey Association, on Friday to discuss whether the team is competitive enough to compete at the top international stage. The International Olympic Committee has granted them the power to make the ultimate decision.
China is currently ranked No. 32 in the world by the IIHF. That ranking is out of 55 registered nations, putting China in the lower half of the world’s hockey playing countries. It sits behind powerhouses such as Spain, Estonia, and Lithuania and just one spot ahead of Australia. Yet, the Chinese are expected to skate in group play with Canada, the United States and Germany, the countries ranked No. 1, No. 4, and No. 5 respectively. For whatever reason, the IIHF has maintained through the long Olympic qualifying process that it would honor the tradition of the host nation receiving a qualifying bid. Even after new IIHF President Luc Tardif took over the mantle, he agreed that the IIHF would not make the solo decision to remove China from the tournament. However, his tune has changed slightly of late, as he was quoted in a recent interview with the Agence-French Presse as stating “Watching a team being beaten 15-0 is not good for anyone, not for China, or for ice hockey.”
Having now watched China square off with two KHL clubs, the IIHF feels it has the information it needs to make an educated decision. While the KHL is one of the best leagues in the world, its teams are significantly less talented than NHL clubs and most Olympic entries – especially China’s group opponents such as Canada and the U.S. – include only the best of the best in the NHL. No one expects China to win, but what good does it serve anyone if the Chinese just embarrass themselves?
If China is removed from the tournament, the highest-ranked team not currently in the field will take its place. As Tardif recently noted when speaking on this possibility: “Norway is ready.” The Norwegians were somewhat stunned by Denmark in Olympic qualifying, but the No. 11-ranked nation could still get a second chance yet. Norway would of course still be an underdog in each of its group-play matches, but would at least have a shot and could be competitive. Mats Zuccarello, Andreas Martinsen, Mathias Emilio Petterssen and company would be ready for the challenge, far more than China anyway. Whether the IIHF takes into account the vast superiority of the replacement option remains to be seen however.
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