Sheffield Steelers: Cole Shudra on how GB's team-first ethic sealed IIHF World Championship gold medal-winning promotion

The Sheffield Steelers’ forward was part of the Great Britain team that last week booked a return to the top tier of the World Championships in Switzerland in 12 months time with a gold medal-winning performance in the Division 1A tournament in Romania.

Five wins from as many games ensured Pete Russell’s team would return to the top-tier of the international game at the first time of asking - something they have done twice in succession, having also prevailed when on home ice in Nottingham two years ago.

Shudra had represented his country at both Under-18 and Under-20 level but had to wait for his opportunity at senior level.

When it came last year in Czechia, it was a baptism of fire, the 26-year-old left-hander finding himself thrown in at the deep end against Canada, a respectable 4-2 defeat the first of six appearances for Shudra in Prague, where a win over Austria in the final game of the group stage couldn’t prevent a return to Division 1A.

Regardless, it was a memorable experience for debutant Shudra, something he hopes to repeat in 2026 when it is time for head coach Russell to select his team for Switzerland.

“It definitely was an eye-opener last year but I was pleasantly surprised,” said Shudra. “Even though we did end up getting relegated, I thought we had a really good tournament and we put up a fight against some of the best teams in the world and we were very proud of that.

“It’s nice that we will be able to go back to that level next year. Hopefully, I can make the team next year and experience it all over again.

“If so, we will be better for last year’s experiences in Prague, experience is huge in tournaments like that, experiencing a whole different level of play and so to have that behind me already is going to help massively next year if I make the team.”

Should Shudra continue the development he has made in the Elite League with the Steelers over the past couple of years, he should find himself on the plane to Zurich.

Last week’s promotion-clinching performance in Sfantu Gheorghe was far from easy, Russell’s team forced to win in overtime in their first three games against Ukraine, Romania and Japan to leave their hopes in the balance going into the last two games – regarded as the most challenging – against Italy and Poland, the latter relegated from the top-flight with GB last year.

In the end, it was a case of GB saving their best until last, first overcoming Italy 5-1 before sealing top spot with a 3-0 win against Poland.

Given their pre-tournament training camp had been so short - two days in Nottingham before flying out to Romania - preparations fell victim to an Elite League season that only finished six days before the opening game against Ukraine.

Next year will be different given the mid-May starting date in Switzerland but whenever it is GB find themselves back in the second tier - possibly as early as two years from now - it can only be hoped the EIHL and governing body Ice Hockey UK prove more supportive of the national team in terms of their preparations.

Having seen veterans Dave Phillips and Evan Mosey retire from international hockey in the build-up to the tournament, the GB roster had a slightly younger look about it with Shudra’s former Leeds Knights team-mate Kieran Brown handed his senior debut, along with Glasgow Clan’s Joe Hazeldine and Nottingham Panthers’ Logan Neilson.

“I think a lot of people were writing us off before the tournament had started, because it was a bit of a younger team this time and some people thought it would be a hard transition,” added Shudra.

“The first couple of games saw everyone just getting used to playing with each other again and figuring out how we were going to play as a team and figuring out that identity.

“But we really grew into the tournament and it was great to see it all come together for those last two games when it really counted and when we needed those regulation wins.”

For Shudra, having a gold medal wrapped around his neck at the end of a gruelling week represented something of a career-high.

“I’ve never won a gold for GB before, either at Under-18s or 20s, so that was a really special moment for me,” he added. “And it was nice to share it with some of the guys that I played with growing up and then against in the Elite League.

“It was also great to have my parents there, to share the moment with them, too, was brilliant.”