I wonder if in an event like this, where the emphasis is more on development than winning, it would make more sense to have multiple teams from the US and Canada. Split North American squads may still be better, but the Europeans should at least have a better chance to compete. If the split was fairly equal, then 3rd and 4h lines would be players currently not making the cut. The cost of sending teams would increase, but then so would the number of competitive games. It makes more sense than at the Olympics, where even a bronze Olympic medal is a huge incentive. For U18, beating a North American team can probably match finishing third, and split squads would greatly increase the odds of that.
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