Perhaps it was my post that sparked this?
Quote:
3v3 Canada Cup.
Injury risk is miniscule, and could work either pre-season or during season. I'd favour pre-season - early part of training camp for higher level players is mostly about getting game shape cardio and 'touch'...which would be well achieved.
You'd have at least 3 Canada teams - Team West, Team Ontario, Team QC & Maritimes, and maybe 1-2 for US. Could have a round robin in each of these regions...then maybe semis+finals happen at the All Star Break. Could still do the skills comp and maybe a 'sticks in the middle' game for the other All-Stars.
It feels unlikely to get full passion 5v5 for anything outside the Olympics, but I think you would see tremendous skill displayed, and every country could be pretty competitive (still probably requires a version of Team World). 3 Team Canadas = more revenue.
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The problem I see with your 32 team idea is that it doesn't have any 'hook' aside from 3 on 3. If more people will tune in for 3 on 3 than 5v5, then the NHL should be moving that direction regardless. The same diehard fans that follow every moment of the pre-season would do the same for this, but I don't see it attracting anyone new.
One of the reasons 3v3 OT is so good is that you see the very best players over the boards pretty much the entire time (unless you're the Oilers and only have 2 good players). Without real stakes playing time will be more evenly spread...I'm not super interested in seeing what Bennett Janko and Hamonic do every 3 minutes.
Canada Cup/World Cup is at least a bit of an established brand...certainly not to Olympic levels, but people will tune in to watch any group with a version of Team Canada on their jerseys. Elite depth and more interesting line combos...McDavid-Tavares-Subban? Sounds fun. Crosby-Mackinnon-Marchand out for a Nova Scotia special shift, because why not? Hall-Eberle-J Schultz...
Whatever version it is, the most important thing is probably a substantial cash prize to the winning team...