#BetweenTheSheets: Placement Day
Friday concludes the RR and finalizes the playoff bracket
From Moving Day to Elimination Day to Placement Day.
The stress level for teams goes from hot to hotter to red hot in a span of 48 hours.
But did Thursday actually "eliminate" any teams? Or did we just see teams clinch spots in the playoff round?
What a wacky adventure ride this championship has become.
When the rocks cleared the ice Thursday night, we didn't eliminate any teams. Rather we eliminated the available playoff spots remaining.
#TeamVoldemort, Team USA, Team Canada and Team Scotland (Team GB) clinched their spots in the playoff bracket and, ultimately, a spot for their nations in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Congratulations!
One we expected. One has been the ultimate #TeamUpset story. One is often seen as the curling standard. And one quietly will sneak up on you and steal your medal here. All have produced outstanding curling throughout the week and all four earned, and deserve, their spots in the playoffs.
So we started Thursday play with 5 playoff up for grabs. Sweden already nabbed one Wednesday night.
We end Thursday with 1 playoff spot remaining.
But how many teams are still on the bubble?
We started Thursday with 8 teams vying for 5 spots.
We conclude Thursday with 4 teams vying for 1 spot. No room for error now.
Here is where we stand entering #PlacementDay:
Locks: Sweden, #TeamVoldemort, USA, Canada, Scotland
On The Bubble: Norway, Switzerland
Needs Help: Italy, Japan
Eliminated: Germany, Denmark
At Risk Regional Spot: China, Korea, Netherlands
It is amazing to see no casualties on Elimination Day, other than available playoff spots. This is just a reminder of how good and even this field really is.
9 teams. 6 playoff spots. Lots up for grabs heading into the final two draws of the RR on Friday. The Final 6 may be determined by the morning draw results.
The playoff placements however will need to wait until the conclusion of both draws.
Regardless of how it all plays out, are you not entertained rock heads?
Keep an eye out on those teams at the bottom of the standings though too. They are playing for the future.
Remember the last place team will lose an automatic spot in the 2022 World Men's Curling Championship field for their region.
China and Korea will try to escape the cellar and keep the #PACC at two qualifier spots, which go to the gold and silver medal winners at the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships.
Netherlands is trying to ensure Europe keeps their seven spots in the field, earned at the European Curling Championships.
Of course it does not mean those spots cannot be reclaimed at the World Qualification Event. But those spots will have to be earned rather than provided.
Lets take a look at the Power Rankings mountain and see which teams are making moves and which are taking falls.
Note in parenthesis is the team record and the ranking listed is their previous ranking from the Day 6 #PowerRankings blog post.
#PowerRankings
1. Sweden - Team Edin (10-2, #1): Playoff spot? Check. Olympic berth? Check. SF bye? Check. 1st place in the RR? TBD. Sweden hit the ice once on Thursday, picking up a night cap W over Germany. The victory locked up their spot in the Top 2 and into the SF. Now they play for the #1 overall seed heading into the playoffs. This is the Team Edin we all expected to see. Sure they looked a little out of sorts early on and have had some up and down games but champions win when it matters most and that is what the defending champs have done. They are on a 7-game winning streak. It is always interesting to chat with Nik Edin at events (something I personally am really missing about this event right now being in the same city I live in). He always talks about peaking at the right time and the physical and mental elements the team puts in place to reach the peak at the right moment of the right event. They are doing it right now. This is when they are at their most dangerous. Tour events and slams are one thing. At a world championship, this is Edin's house! Next Up: BYE, JPN
2. #TeamVoldemort - Team Glukhov (10-2, #2): The Voldemort Magic is strong inside the #IceBubble. What a performance on Thursday, dominating another pre-event championship contender Scotland. They have punched their ticket to the playoffs. They solidified their spot in the SF game, avoiding the Qualifying Round Friday night. And the booked a ticket to Beijing for the Winter Olympics. Hmmm, wonder what WADA thinks about this? Hmmm, wonder if Team Glukhov gives a damn what WADA thinks? This is a great story regardless. And, lets remember, this is not a rookie team. Glukhov has been here before and taken his lumps. This is only the 8th world championship appearance for "the nation which can't be named" and their best finish was 9th in 2019. They will play for a medal. The question now is which color? Next Up: BYE, DEN
3. USA - Team Shuster (9-3, #3): Takin' care of business! USA needed to go 2-0 on Thursday to punch their Olympic ticket and book their spot in the playoff bracket. Done and Done! USA will return to the Olympics and a shot to #DefendTheIce. Of course, for Team Shuster, they want to win a world championship first. This team is rolling. 10-1 loss to Canada? Who dat? 2021 marks the 60th world championship appearance for Team USA. They have 4 gold medals. Their last title came in 1978. It has been a hot minute. I would not want to see this team on my side of the playoff bracket come Friday night. Next Up: BYE, KOR
4. Canada - Team Bottcher (8-4, #6): They did exactly what they needed to do Thursday night. They knocked off Norway. They ended their losing streak. They silenced any doubters. And booked their spot in the playoffs and Canada's spot in the Olympics. As the blog has said over and over again with the daily Power Rankings update, lots can change in 24 hours. The work is not over though. They still need to win their final RR game Friday morning against Germany. They can still earn that #3 seed in the playoffs which could, in turn, possibly avoid playing Sweden until the final. Don't get suckered into another #TrapGame against a formidable German team. For tonight though, this team (and Canadian curling fans) can breath a sigh of relief. Next Up: GER, BYE
5. Scotland - Team Mouat (8-4, #4): So that was not a Terrific Thursday for the Scotland boys. They were blown off the ice by #TeamVoldemort. But, in thanks to how the rest of the results played out Thursday, Scotland punched their ticket to the playoffs and earned Team Great Britain a berth in the Winter Olympics. Perhaps not the way you wanted to but get in however you can. Now this team needs to shifts it focus to momentum for the playoffs. They draw a Norway team struggling but fighting for their playoff (and Olympic) lives Friday morning. They have a shot at landing the #4 seed but, in reality, they are probably locked in as the #5 seed. Unless they lose. Then it would be #6 meaning they draw, likely, red hot USA in the Qualifying Round Friday night. Next Up: NOR, BYE
6. Norway - Team Walstad (7-5, #5): 48 hours ago this team was in first place and looking strong. Fast forward to end of Thursday and they are clinging to their playoff lives. Again, things can change fast inside the #IceBubble. Norway had the opportunity Thursday night but just never could get their game sliding in the right direction. Canada took control and Norway took another loss. This was their 4th loss in a row. They play a possible do or die game Friday morning vs. Scotland. Simple #WinAndIn. They have the H2H vs. Switzerland already. They would have the H2H over Scotland as well so they could land the #5 seed. If they lose and Switzerland wins, game over. Next Up: SCO, BYE
7. Switzerland - Team De Cruz (7-5, #7): Speaking of teams who started the event strong and then struggled throughout the week, Switzerland is still alive. They took care of business on Thursday, going 2-0 against Netherlands and Korea. They still have hope. The simple answer for them? Defeat China Friday morning and become the biggest fans of Scotland. What will be interesting is both of those games take place at the same time and are on far opposite sheets. You know there will be some scoreboard watching. But the Swiss cannot get caught up in other results either. They have to take care of their own business first. We saw what happened vs. Denmark on Wednesday. Next Up: CHN, BYE
8. Japan - Team Matsumura (6-6, #9): They did exactly what they needed to do on Thursday. They knocked off their #PACC rivals. They brought their record back to .500 after sitting 2-6 a mere 48hrs ago. And they remain in the bubble conversation. It will not be easy. They need to knock off Sweden in the final RR game and then they will need LOTS of help but, technically, they are not eliminated. The downside is, by the time they hit the ice Friday afternoon the playoff spots may already be determined and their final game vs. Sweden may be for nothing. They already have a coveted Top 9 finish. But, if that does happen, they always say it is better to win your final game. Next Up: BYE, SWE
9. Italy - Team Retornaz (5-6, #8): They never stepped on the ice on Thursday so they remain 5-6 and, technically, still have a shot at the playoffs. I guess that counts as a moral victory, right? They wrap up the RR against two Euro opposition teams who are struggling. Another 7-win world championship appearance for Joel Retornaz would tie him with his best ever finish (2019). But it might, once again, be one or two games behind the cut line. Still on the bubble to enter play on Friday though. Next Up: NED, DEN
10. Germany - Team Totzek (4-8, #10): A solid Thursday overall for the German boys. They picked up the morning victory over China where they looked strong throughout and really were in control. They played the champs Team Edin strong in the night game, giving them a run before giving up a tough steal of 2 in 9 as the difference maker. Up next: Canada on TSN. All of Canada will be watching the game vs. Team Bottcher. Germany can play a minor role #TeamSpoiler. If they do knock off Canada, it would be a huge W for 21-year old skip Sixten Totzek. Plus it might knock Canada into a less desirable seed for the playoffs. Next Up: CAN, BYE
11. Denmark - Team Noergaard (3-8, #11): A for Effort for the Danes trying to be #TeamSpoiler on Thursday and slow down the US Express but it was not meant to be. USA was too hot and too sharp. Denmark dropped to 3-8 and will try to end their debut world championship appearance on a high. They draw an Italian team fighting for their playoff lives and then #TeamVoldemort, who is playing for top spot in the RR. Hmmm, could be a #TrapGame? Next Up: ITA, #VOL
12. Netherlands - Team van Dorp (2-10, #13): The Dutch had the chance to play #TeamSpoiler on Thursday and couldn't make it happen. Now they head into the final day of competition tied for last place and fighting to ensure Europe does not lose a spot in the next world championship. The way to ensure that doesn't happen? Knock off and officially eliminate a fellow European team. Ouch. Next Up: BYE, ITA
13. Korea - Team Jeong (2-10, #14): See above? Korea also could have played spoiler on Thursday and also came up short, losing to Japan and Switzerland. The young rookie team not only sits tied for last place but also went 0-2 against their #PACC rivals. And they end their debut appearance against probably the hottest team in the field right now. The DSC might be the one saving grace to keep them out of the last place finish. But, if it isn't them and is China, does it really matter? Same unwanted result, different name. Next Up: BYE, USA
14. China - Team Zou (2-10, #12): Tough penultimate day for the Olympic host nation, dropping both their games to Germany and Japan respectively. The loss to Japan might be a double kick in the pants. Not only does Japan claim #PACC bragging rights but we now have both #PACC teams sitting at the bottom of the standings. The last place team will lose an auto berth into the 2022 World Men's Curling Championship for their region. It is hard to see that not being a #PACC nation right now. And it is hard not seeing China be that team. If all three bottom teams lose their final RR games and remain tied, they would be 1-1 against one another and the final TB would be Draw Shot Challenge results. China currently sits behind both Netherlands and Korea. Next Up: SUI, BYE
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