[GT] World Cup Final - Europe vs Canada Game 2

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Mike F

Have to admit that I'm glad the tournament is over, but that's due more to the lack of "sexiness" to the finals matchup with Europe and the drawn out schedule.

However, I said it before and I'll say it again: If you ignored this tournament under a mistaken belief that it lessened the chances of NHLers going back to the Olympics, or because it wasn't "best on best", or for whatever reason, you missed the highest quality hockey that will be played for at least 2 years, and a dominating performance by what could go down as a golden generation of Canadian hockey players.

Shame on you as a hockey fan.

Lol at the bold. Any playoff series would obliterate this tournament in quality of hockey. Heck I would take the majority of regular season NHL games over this.

Face it, not many people cared about this.

[Hemi-Cuda]

I totally forgot about this game tonight. If it wasn't for the whole Gaudreau contract stuff, I probably would have forgotten about the entire tournament. So stupid and contrived

[getbak]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Was 2014 international size? IIRC it was some sort of hybrid, wasn't it?

Vancouver was the only Olympics that were played on NHL ice because it would have been too expensive to make GM Place adaptable to International size (plus, most of the players were coming from the NHL anyway).

[GoJetsGo]

I'm the first to admit this tournament took a back seat to the significance of the Olympics... but it's kind of odd all the hipsters who couldn't care less about the tournament are in a thread about it repeating how little it interests them. When I don't care about something at all the last thing I do is pay it any mind. People are strange.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I totally forgot about this game tonight. If it wasn't for the whole Gaudreau contract stuff, I probably would have forgotten about the entire tournament. So stupid and contrived

It's kind of sad that you and others feel this way. It just shows that the NHL messed up the greatest tournament ever and turned it into this.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

It's kind of sad that you and others feel this way. It just shows that the NHL messed up the greatest tournament ever and turned it into this.

More odd than sad considering when he remembered it happened his instinct was to come to a forum and declare to others he forgot about it because it doesn't interest him. Cool story though.

[N-E-B]

Best team won. Was some good hockey but I never felt a patriotic connection to Team Canada like I do at the Olympics. Not a replacement for the Olympics, sorry Gary.

Is it really that hard for the NHL to accept that once every four years for two weeks it's not the biggest thing in hockey...?

[Enoch Root]

Marchand continues to be one of the most under-rated players in the league.

And Toews is laughably under-rated by a segment of the fan base - those who thirst for flash. All Toews does is everything necessary to win. And he does it every night. But he doesn't make youtube highlights so he must not be very good.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

More odd than sad considering when he remembered it happened his instinct was to come to a forum and declare to others he forgot about it because it doesn't interest him. Cool story though.

nah, that's what forums are for

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

I'm the first to admit this tournament took a back seat to the significance of the Olympics... but it's kind of odd all the hipsters who couldn't care less about the tournament are in a thread about it repeating how little it interests them. When I don't care about something at all the last thing I do is pay it any mind. People are strange.

It's not that we don't care about the tournament... we hate the way the NHL has gimmick-ified it and turned it into a money grab. Then comes the not-caring part.

The Canada Cup has an illustrious history, but the Olympics currently serve as the best international hockey tournament in the world. I don't want to hate this tournament, but the NHL has turned it into an unbearable bore.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

It's not that we don't care about the tournament... we hate the way the NHL has gimmick-ified it and turned it into a money grab. Then comes the not-caring part.

The Canada Cup has an illustrious history, but the Olympics currently serve as the best international hockey tournament in the world. I don't want to hate this tournament, but the NHL has turned it into an unbearable bore.

The Canada Cup was the original cash grab. Right into Alan Eagleson's pocket. If the Canada Cup was created now instead of the 70s, social media would consider it a joke.

The Olympics are the World Champions of cash grabs. Just not into the NHL bank account.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

sure but the next 3 were/will be 2014, 2018 and 2022 and wherever else they decide to put it. After 2022 that will be 5 out of 7 olympics in wee hours.

And suddenly this matters to you? You seem to love that any other time. Just being argumentative now?

And also IIRC the Sochi games started early morning, not wee hours. More like breakfast.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

The Canada Cup was the original cash grab. Right into Alan Eagleson's pocket.

The Olympics are the World Champions of cash grabs. Just not into the NHL bank account.

Yeah, but the Olympics at least have only real countries as teams. "Team North America"... "Team Europe"... what is this, the NHL All-Star Game? Oh wait, it is, just in tournament form with four times the teams.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

It's not that we don't care about the tournament... we hate the way the NHL has gimmick-ified it and turned it into a money grab. Then comes the not-caring part.

The Canada Cup has an illustrious history, but the Olympics currently serve as the best international hockey tournament in the world. I don't want to hate this tournament, but the NHL has turned it into an unbearable bore.

First of all, you really need to dial down the "we". Unless you collected a lot of data from a wide group of people, it just sounds obnoxious.

2nd, it is gimmicky and not a comparable to the Olympics. But if it bores you and you don't care, why did you watch it and why are you in a thread about it afterwards repeating how you don't care over and over? I've got news for you. That's not how not caring works.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Yeah, but the Olympics at least have only real countries as teams. "Team North America"... "Team Europe"... what is this, the NHL All-Star Game? Oh wait, it is, just in tournament form with four times the teams.

I agree that was stupid.

[Caged Great]

I personally watched zero minutes of it because I do not support the idea of it replacing the olympics. I would have watched it if they were saying that this was going to be going on in addition to the olympics.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by getbak

Vancouver was the only Olympics that were played on NHL ice because it would have been too expensive to make GM Place adaptable to International size (plus, most of the players were coming from the NHL anyway).

28. Those who ridicule the emphasis on bigger ice at the Sochi Olympics point out that, in 2002, when Canada won in Salt Lake City, it was an international-sized surface. Or was it? "No," said Ken Hitchcock, one of Canada's coaches. "It was 200-by-94-by-95, I can't remember which ... We measured it. The corners were much like an NHL rink." IIHF regulations are 200x100

http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/hoc...head-rule.html

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

First of all, you really need to dial down the "we". Unless you collected a lot of data from a wide group of people, it just sounds obnoxious.

2nd, it is gimmicky and not a comparable to the Olympics. But if it bores you and you don't care, why did you watch it and why are you in a thread about it afterwards repeating how you don't care over and over? I've got news for you. That's not how not caring works.

I watched it because it's hockey and it's on TV and that's how I roll. It was poor, poor hockey with stupid fake board animations and advertisement shoulder patches and a ridiculous team. The fake drama and storylines were over-the-top. But it was hockey. If the Flames had a preseason game on, I'd be watching that instead.

And my issue with the bolded is that the NHL likely sees it as a comparable/replacement for the Olympics. And this tournament was vastly inferior to even the worst Olympics. Again, at least those had all real countries as teams.

At least winning at those Olympics actually meant helping your country on a grander scheme.

[Cole436]

It was some damn good hockey, but I also had a very hard time being engaged in this tournament.

When we had the first WCH it was freshly after the 2002 Gold, and everyone knew the lockout was coming, so there was something to savour about it. As well Canada was going nuts for hockey because of the 2004 Cup run.

I can't put my finger on why I think there was so much apathy to this tournament. It did feel very corporate with the Team North America and Team Europe, and I think that sucked a little of the soul out of the event. The ads on jersey's didn't help either.

I also believe having it so late in the summer was a mistake. NHL preseason games are already being played, and it really takes the lustre off the whole tournament.

There was also a 12 year gap between World Cup's, and it's very hard to see this event as something more than an NHL money maker that's convenient to put on when they want it. It definitely lacked the mystique of a best on best like the Canada Cup or even the 2004 WC.

It's too bad to, because it was some really good hockey being played. But the NHL really needs to go back to the drawing board with this.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

First of all, you really need to dial down the "we". Unless you collected a lot of data from a wide group of people, it just sounds obnoxious.

2nd, it is gimmicky and not a comparable to the Olympics. But if it bores you and you don't care, why did you watch it and why are you in a thread about it afterwards repeating how you don't care over and over? I've got news for you. That's not how not caring works.

You don't think its an issue that many legitimate hockey fans (especially ones that signed up to a hockey forum) had no interest in the "World Cup of Hockey"? You don't find that somewhat worthy of discussion?