2017 IIHF World U18 Championships facts for kids
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |  Slovakia |
| Dates | 13 – 23 April 2017 |
| Teams | 10 |
| Venue(s) | 2 (in 2 host cities) |
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The 2017 IIHF U18 World Championship was a big ice hockey tournament for players under 18 years old. It was the 19th time this championship was held. The games took place in Poprad and Spišská Nová Ves, two cities in Slovakia. The tournament ran from April 13 to April 23, 2017. The team from Finland came into the tournament as the champions from the year before.
Contents
Top Division: The Main Competition
The Top Division is where the best ice hockey teams from around the world compete. Ten teams played in this part of the championship.
How Teams Played in the Preliminary Round
The teams were split into two groups, Group A and Group B. Each team played against every other team in its group. This helped decide which teams would move on to the next stage.
Group A Teams
- Finland
- Canada
- Slovakia
- Switzerland
- Latvia
Group B Teams
- Sweden
- United States
- Russia
- Czech Republic
- Belarus
Moving On: Playoff and Relegation Rounds
After the preliminary games, teams either moved to the playoff round to compete for medals or to the relegation round to avoid being moved to a lower division next year.
The Playoff Round: Who Wins Gold?
The playoff round is where the top teams battled it out. It included quarterfinals, semifinals, and then the final games for the gold, silver, and bronze medals. Teams needed to win their games to keep advancing.
The Relegation Round: Staying in the Top Division
The teams that didn't do as well in the preliminary round played in the relegation round. The goal here was to win games to stay in the Top Division for the next year's championship. If a team lost too many games, it would be moved down to a lower division.
Tournament Awards: Best Players
At the end of the championship, special awards were given to the players who stood out the most.
Most Valuable Player
- Forward: Clayton Keller from the United States was named the Most Valuable Player.
All-Star Team
This team was chosen as the best players in each position:
- Goaltender: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Finland)
- Defencemen: Adam Fox (United States), David Quenneville (Canada)
- Forwards: Tyson Jost (Canada), Jesse Puljujärvi (Finland), Clayton Keller (United States)
IIHF Best Player Awards
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) also gave out awards for the best player in each main position:
- Goaltender: Filip Gustavsson (Sweden)
- Defenceman: Adam Fox (United States)
- Forward: Tyson Jost (Canada)
Final Standings: Who Finished Where?
Here's how the teams ranked at the end of the 2017 IIHF U18 World Championship:
- Gold Medal: Finland
- Silver Medal: Sweden
- Bronze Medal: United States
- 4th Place: Canada
- 5th Place: Slovakia
- 6th Place: Russia
- 7th Place: Czech Republic
- 8th Place: Switzerland
- 9th Place: Latvia
- 10th Place: Denmark (This team was moved down to Division I A for the next year.)
Other Divisions: Different Levels of Play
Besides the Top Division, there are other divisions where countries compete based on their skill level. Teams can move up (get promoted) or down (get relegated) between these divisions each year.
Division I A
This tournament was held in Bled, Slovenia, from April 7 to April 13, 2017. The team that won this division was promoted to the Top Division for 2018. The team that finished last was moved down to Division I B.
Division I B
This tournament also took place in Bled, Slovenia, from April 15 to April 21, 2017. The winner was promoted to Division I A for 2018, and the last-place team was moved down to Division II A.
Division II
Division II A
The Division II A tournament was played in Gangneung, South Korea, from April 2 to April 8, 2017. The winning team moved up to Division I B for 2018, and the last-place team was moved down to Division II B.
Division II B
This tournament happened in Novi Sad, Serbia, from March 13 to March 19, 2017. The team that won was promoted to Division II A for 2018, and the team that finished last was moved down to Division III A.
Division III
Division III A
The Division III A tournament was held in Taipei, Taiwan, from March 21 to March 27, 2017. The winner was promoted to Division II B for 2018, and the last-place team was moved down to Division III B.
Division III B
This tournament was played in Querétaro, Mexico, from March 17 to March 19, 2017. The team that won this division was promoted to Division III A for the next year.
