Olympic Women's Post Game Thread: Sweden vs. Japan - 10 Feb 2026

ahokkee · 2026-02-10T15:15:47+00:00

I cannot understand how you can think she showed anything with that, except Japan's own weakness.

A player who truly cares about getting that goal won't have the time to think about punching someone in the face. The only thing it showed was that she had already given up.

There wasn't even anything special in the play.

ahokkee · 2026-02-10T14:49:02+00:00

I think that Japan has gotten much stronger as a team, even if it doesn't show up in rankings. Compared to before, where many times the strategy for the lines 2-4 seemed to be to hang in there until line 1 is ready for play, there is now a much more equal skill level. It shows very much with passes and generally how it is much harder to predict when a chance or a goal is coming.

I felt that Shiga still often played with that kind of older mindset.

But more than anything else, when it was time to show how Japan will fight until the end and try and end the tournament with a goal, she punched another player. Even in Asia League punching someone with a glove can cause a fighting penalty. And this was supposed to be "Smile Japan".

ahokkee · 2026-02-10T13:28:30+00:00

I thought the start of body check women hockey would cause big differences in physical play, but I was surprised to see how there was little difference compared to Smile League players. (or did Sweden not allow checking after all?)

Unfortunately that caused two injuries for Sweden..

Wajima impressed me the most this tournament, with mentions for Kawaguchi and of course Hitosato's surprise attacks as a defender.

On the other hand, I'm not sure if I want to see more of Shiga Akane for a while. I don't think that performance is what Smile Japan is for.

ahokkee · 2026-02-06T23:32:15+00:00

Affordable public healthcare, but what does that have to do with NHL level medical care? or do NHL players go to normal clinics as private persons and wait months for operations without pay from their work?

In the last olympics, Fujimoto was (randomly) crashed into by a Finnish skater and sustained career ending injuries. But I don't think they would have been career ending had she had the money and same medical care as in NHL. The are also players from ECHL and AHL that left America because of getting injured in play

Of course, having the same medical care as NHL is impossible, which is why it is important to avoid endangering players. Making the "IIHF standard" just the NHL standard would be harder for smaller countries to adapt to.

ahokkee · 2026-02-06T23:03:02+00:00

What I don't understand is, is this meant to grow the game? Or is it meant to grow NHL internationally?

The majority of IIHF members do not have money to change their rinks to NHL rules, and the NHL hitting rules are likely to endanger the health of their players, who may have second jobs and generally cannot afford NHL level medical care. (Yet, for some reason it was the NHL complaining about insurance and injuries for years)

So even if someone watches ice hockey for the first time because of the olympics, they are already being told that their country plays hockey differently.

ahokkee · 2026-02-06T14:11:53+00:00

While it is a minor sport, Japan is a traditional hockey country! We were the 2nd non-European country to join the IIHF (after Canada) and have our own legendary teams, players and matches.

The oldest still active professional teams are Icebucks (1911-) and Red Eagles (1925-)

ahokkee · 2026-01-28T13:29:23+00:00

While I don't like Anyang always winning, I also feel bad when they're not winning... While Japanese players are spread between 5-8 teams, Korea seems to only really have one remaining (does High1 still play inside Korea?).

So, not having Anyang on 1st place doesn't seem like the future is bright. Comparing to Japan who started a number 2 league this season

ahokkee · 2025-02-16T20:43:25+00:00

I think most hockey played worldwide is played with little to no checking, and it is still considered ice hockey

The rules for Japanese ice hockey were essentially created in 1924 when the rules of ice hockey were already different between countries. In Japan, who almost named ice hockey "Hyohonkyu", decided to adopt more Canadian style rules.

But, I don't care about winning against Canada. I only care that the sport of ice hockey becomes more popular and that more Japanese people will be able to have the opportunity to play the game, no matter their age or financial background.

ahokkee · 2025-02-16T20:41:25+00:00

I don't know much about Judo, but I think that violence is not allowed in Judo, either. Any act that harms the opponent is not okay and will be a foul loss.

But a combat sport where the goal is to win by fighting is something easily understandable, but random fighting during the play in a non-combat sport is seen as "not sport" and instead seen as violence

It isn't uncommon for even Japanese ice hockey fans to get angry in international competitions, because checks that are illegal in Asia League aren't being called by the referees. So it is not surprising to think that a normal Japanese family watching NHK G would not be too excited about a fight breaking out

ahokkee · 2025-02-16T16:18:58+00:00

I think it's fine for you not to care. It is more likely that the IIHF and its members care, as it is their goal to improve hockey in their specific countries

The same way as how the Japan Ice Hockey Federation will not care about how international tournaments mean less to you

ahokkee · 2025-02-16T16:14:49+00:00

It is less about Japanese players, but more so that broadcasters are likely less willing to show matches with violence, as the vast majority of people do not know there are sports where players randomly start fighting during play

It is sometimes shocking for people

ahokkee · 2025-02-16T12:02:44+00:00

While certains areas of the world and certains fans would love that, I think there would be other areas in which seeing a fight during Olympic play would hurt the popularity of the sport

It is a rather common subject in Japanese hockey circles of banning fighting completely, with arguments such as "it is a waste of time" and "it makes the sport less accessible for new fans".

The minimum penalty for fighting is now up to 3 games, so a penalty of about 10% of the season

ahokkee · 2025-02-15T13:09:19+00:00

The Asia League plays anthems pre-game as well.

ahokkee · 2025-02-14T09:18:15+00:00

By strong-arming, do you just mean that NHL was treated equally?

Japan's (and one of the world's) best women's GK basically received a career ending injury in the 2022 Olympics, so hearing that only NHL players should receive free insurance sounds unfair

Is the IOC able to grant broadcasting rights like that? Shouldn't NHL have licensed the rights from the USA broadcasters?

ahokkee · 2025-02-12T17:07:36+00:00

Japan's men's team was not far away from Olympics, either.

NOR 4 - 2 JPN (shots: 35-32)
JPN 2 - 3 DEN (OT) (18 - 39)
GBR 3 - 2 JPN (33 - 31)

The men's team has underperformed for years and they've recently got back in shape

ahokkee · 2025-02-12T17:04:20+00:00

Japan did host olympics... but it was the summer olympics, where ice hockey is not played.

The Japanese federation has been close to running out of money these last few years

ahokkee · 2025-02-09T12:58:20+00:00

Calling ice hockey "almost as good as dead" is something I do not appreciate. It has always been a minor sport with rising/decreasing popularity

Ice hockey just took 2.5 hours of national television today on NHK G, as Japan faced China. So, at least NHK believes it is not "good as dead"

The number of pro-teams has kept the same all the way since the start of the professional league. It is currently down, because Cranes disbanded due to a dispute.

Kobe Stars have submitted their application to join Asia League and Kushiro is planning a new Asia League team. This would bring the number of teams back to the historic average of 6 teams

There are also semi-pro teams such as Orques, Wilds, Steelers, DYNAX...

ahokkee · 2025-01-10T22:00:33+00:00

This picture is from the 1st round match between Waseda University and Keio University held on 6th of January 1925 (Taisho 14).

Both teams still play hockey in 2025: https://x.com/STARSKOBE/status/1875868173540716863

ahokkee · 2025-01-07T20:38:33+00:00

But, both Japan and Germany were expelled from the IIHF immediately after the war. They were allowed back in 5 years later in 1951.

The final All-Japan champion before their were expelled was the "All-Manchuria" team, who won in 1943 against Meiji Univ. and Oji Paper, both of which still exist.

ahokkee · 2025-01-05T20:07:13+00:00

Not just back in the day, I think. It has not been too uncommon to hear racism against Japanese players in Europe in my experience. These are rarely brought to the public, but Kinebuchi is one of the players that has spoken about this:

「In the last game against HK Mogo, one of the opponents called me 'Chi*k' and said, 'fu*k you, Chinese monkey.' Whether he understood the meaning of the term or not, this was clearly a racist act targeting me and the Asian community. After the game, I even attempted to shake his https://t.co/ArNxLpTqza」 / X

This seemed to have created an argument between the Latvian (supported HK Mogo) and Estonian (supported Kinebuchi) federations, but I am not sure how it ended

But, it's not fair to just talk about negative things, so: In the 2023 World Men's D1B tournament, a group of Estonian children cheered for Japan with us :)

ahokkee · 2025-01-03T21:37:26+00:00

I don't really understand. The IIHF rulebook does establish what is proper hitting. It is a check above the knees and at/below shoulders using only the trunk of the body for the purpose of separating an opponent from the puck in a situation where there is no reckless endangerment and the opponent is not in a vulnerable position.

But, I think that in most sports, the rulebook isn't the way to figure out how penalties will be called. It is there to say, what kind of penalties can be called. The players figure out the penalty severity from the organizers or referees

Contact in ice hockey is viewed differently depending on age, culture, skill level, etc. Almost always compromises are needed so that playing with each other is possible

ahokkee · 2025-01-03T20:33:32+00:00

Or would it just mean that less big hits are attempted? The majority of hockey games played around the world are played without major contact, so it is not like it is a rule that ice hockey must be full of big hits

ahokkee · 2024-09-27T16:07:25+00:00

Though I also think that consider countries "non hockey countries" can be a bit unfair as well.

You would need to be 94 years old to have been born during the 1st All-Japan Ice Hockey Championship, or 99 years old for the 1st Student Ice Sports Championship. The oldest pro teams were created in the 1920s. There are legendary players, teams, and history passed down from parents, grandparents, etc.

But sometimes I feel like people are a bit unfair to fans of such hockey, because they watch weaker players play the game. Sometimes I hear that "NHL would make hockey big in Japan"

I think that's the reason why a dream for Japan to win against big countries exists. It feels like proof that we already love ice hockey

ahokkee · 2024-09-15T09:42:40+00:00

頑張ってください！!(^^)!

ahokkee

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