from Thomson Reuters at CBC,

China should brace for a string of blowout losses at the 2022 Beijing Olympic men's ice hockey tournament unless the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) steps in and throws the hosts a lifeline, warned two international coaches.

Dave King, one of the most respected names in international hockey who was head coach of the Canadian men's national team for three Olympics and worked with Japan to prepare them for the 1998 Nagano Winter Games, told Reuters scores could be "scary" with China in a group alongside powerhouses Canada and the United States.

Jim Paek, who coached and prepared South Korea for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games, voiced similar concerns particularly with the world's top player returning to the Olympics stage after the NHL sat out the showcase four years ago.

"When you have host countries that are allowed to automatically qualify this is what you get," warned King, who has also coached in the NHL, Russia, Sweden and Germany. "What is very important is to have a plan and stay with it and I don't think the Chinese did a very good job with that, they have been all over the map.

"To me there is nothing a coach can do at this point, there is no magic wand.

"It's scary, it really is. They are in way over their head for sure."

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