Following Japan’s relegation from Division 1A of the World Championship, Great Britain now know the five teams they will face at next year’s Division 1B tournament.
As well as facing Japan, GB will once again come up against Lithuania, Croatia and Estonia – and are joined by Netherlands who were promoted from Division 2A at the first time of asking.
Netherlands hosted Division 1B last time they were at the third level of international ice hockey in 2015, but were relegated on home ice in Eindhoven.
However, they were promoted back earlier this month at the Division 2A in Spain when they pipped the hosts by picking four regulation times wins and an overtime win.
The venues for the 2017 tournaments will be announced at the IIHF Congress in Mid-May. Details of all of the venues and GBSC trips will be announced at the GBSC AGM on the 18th June. Currently both Great Britain (Belfast) and Estonia (Tallinn) have expressed an interest in hosting Div 1B in April 2017.