It hasn’t been easy for Slovakia at the World Junior Hockey Championship in the 30 years it’s been an independent nation. Nearly every year, the team fights just to stay in the Top Division, rarely rising from the lowest spots in the standings, but, critically, never ending up in last place and getting relegated. They’ve had remarkable consistency finishing around the seventh or eighth position in the tournament, perched on the fence between the top hockey countries in the world and those a step lower.
Improving their standing has been difficult with little funding available for the sport, and the end result has essentially been outsourcing the development of their young talent to other countries.