Quote:
Originally Posted by nemanja2306
Yes, but creating an U23 will bring more stars to the tournament, but will help NHL teams as well because on most NHL teams, their star players are older than 23. IMO, hockey is the central event of the WO, and making it basically a WJ or a b/c level tournament would just reduce peoples interest.
Coming from a non-hockey country, I can tell you that during the Olympics, most turn in to watch guys like Sid, Kane, Doughty...and it does contribute to making the sport more popular. I imagine its the same in other countries as well.
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I don't think it will bring many/any stars to the tournament unless they have it replace the WJHC.
The Flames aren't releasing Gaudreau, Monahan, the Avs aren't releasing MacKinnon, TB keeps Drouin, Ekblad stays in Florida. Any guy U23 in the NHL would not go to the tournament. My guess is many guys U23 in the AHL would also be kept in the AHL unless they were B level guys.
If the WJHC are going on tough to see Hockey Canada sending juniors to that and the Olympics and Hockey Canada makes a ton with these events in Canada every two years so hard to imagine why they would agree to send guys to the Olympics instead.