[Cecil Terwilliger]

lol. Good job NHL. Looks like maybe that 2028 World Cup announcement was a bit premature.

Apologies for the formatting this is all from Gord Miller on blue sky.

The NHL/NHLPA announcement about a 2028 World Cup has been mostly welcomed in North America, but the response in Europe has been muted. The IIHF wasn’t aware the announcement was coming, nor were most other European hockey stakeholders. There are a number of issues looming

The first is the timing. The proposed World Cup would take place in February, the NHLPA doesn’t want a fall tournament, it feels that would make the season too long. A February tournament would land right in the middle of the European season and draw millions of € away from European clubs.

The European clubs will shut down for the Olympics next year, but the IIHF receives money from the IOC for running the hockey tournament, that money is then passed on to the Member National Associations (MNAs). It’s possible that some federations would get money from the World Cup, but not all.

The other issue is the Men’s Worlds, which along with the money from the IOC is the largest source of revenue for the IIHF. That money is used to run the 40+ tournaments the IIHF stages every year at various levels. A World Cup in Europe just months before the WC could have a damaging effect.

If the NHL is serious about about a World Cup with 8+ teams, it will need players from European Clubs, there aren’t enough Czech, German, Slovak and Swiss players on NHL rosters to put together full teams, so the European teams do have some leverage, plus they control most of the large arenas.

The IIHF also has leverage: It could withdraw funding for federations that take part in an NHL-only event, or even suspend them. Both are extreme steps and unlikely, but the IIHF and the European federations and clubs have a lot to lose if they are not included, they are likely to push back.

The IIHF is holding discussions now with the MNAs and other stakeholders, and will likely make some kind of statement next week. The feeling in some camps is that this is the start of a negotiation, but the February timing of a World Cup is very problematic from the European perspective.