Poland is promoted to the top division of the men's World Championship, Rick Tocchet returns to TNT, and Leon Draisaitl's post-season scoring is making history.
Rick TocchetHockey never sleeps, and this past week gave us a few more stories to chat about as May continues to bring us warmth outside of the rinks:
Poland Earns a Promotion at the Men's Div. I-A World Championship
One of the best parts of spring hockey is paying attention to the men's World Championships. On the men's side, seven World Championship tournaments already took place since late February, all at different levels as countries vie for promotion to the next division up.
In the Divison I-A tournament from April 29 to May 5 in Nottingham, Great Britain, Team Poland finished second with a 4-0-1-0 record and 13 points. That's good enough for them to join first-place Great Britain in earning a promotion to the top World Championship in 2024, the first time Poland will play at that level since 2002.
It has been a long road back to the elite pool for Poland after being a mainstay at the top level of the event for decades from the 1930s all the way to the early 2000s. And considering the country was just promoted from Div. I-B last year, it's fantastic to know they'll be playing in Czechia next spring. This year's elite pool begins on May 12, and two countries will replace Great Britain and Poland in Div. I-A for next year.
Things Changed at TNT Upon Rick Tocchet's Return
When the NHL on TNT launched in 2021, one of the main faces on their analyst panel was NHL alum Rick Tocchet. Until mid-January of 2023, he was a staple on the broadcasts until taking over the coaching duties for the Vancouver Canucks.
This past week, Tocchet returned to TNT to be a part of their playoff coverage. In a hilarious video, the network welcomed him back but let him know that things have changed since he last reported to work for the network.
There's been no word on if Tocchet got his parking spot back from Darren Pang or got his key card access working again.
Leon Draisaitl's Stick Remains On Fire
Peanut butter and jelly, fish and chips, and Leon Draisaitl and playoff goals. People cannot get enough of these pairings.
In just eight games, the Edmonton Oilers star scored 13 times, and he's on a goal-scoring pace that hasn't been accomplished in decades.
With the pace Draisaitl is at, it is no surprise that he's already firmly in the Conn Smythe award discussion, even with every second-round series still in progress. But with the Oilers' series against the Vegas Golden Knights tied at 1-1, they aren't even halfway to truly considering Draisaitl for the playoff MVP honor.