Dramatic changes to the World Cup?

[sureLoss]

apparently there will be the 6 hockey nations plus two "all star" teams

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/w...matic-changes/

The parties discussing the revamped World Cup of Hockey are prepared to make some dramatic changes to the tournament format, Sportsnet has learned.

The eight-team event is now expected to include two all-star entries along with the top six hockey nations — Canada, U.S., Sweden, Finland, Russia and Czech Republic — when it returns in September 2016, according to multiple sources.

The first all-star team is expected to feature the best players from the remaining European countries: Slovakia, Switzerland, Latvia, Germany and Slovenia, among them.

The makeup of the other mixed squad is still to be determined, although one idea being considered is bringing together all of the top young stars in the sport.

Organizers looked at staging a pre-tournament qualifier to determine the final two spots, but don’t believe there is time to pull everything together. They also like the idea of doing something different than the World Cups and Canada Cups of the past and think that adding all-star teams will make for a more competitive event.

[nik-]

Uhhh ...

[skudr248]

LOL, what a joke.. "oh sorry the rest of you guy's aren't good enough to join our games, let's just pluck a few individuals out of each country, all speaking different languages, and playing different style games and make a team.." lol...

[Tinordi]

A rest of Europe team would be good, young stars though? Would we have a skills competition too?

[Finger Cookin]

Stop trying to make a hockey world cup happen. It's not going to happen.

[Puppet Guy]

with the NHL at the Olympics and so much time passing between tournaments, I can't muster the enthusiasm for another World Cup.

[FlamesAddiction]

I actually don't mind this at all. It will give us a chance to see stars from non-traditional markets, and it turn should help boost hockey in those counties.

One thing that I really hate about international hockey is that it is too top heavy.

I would also be foe seeing countries like Canada, USA and Russia being able to enter more than one team in the tournament.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I am definitely on-board with having the rest of the European players on a team. I think it would help to grow the game in those countries if nothing else, which I think is great for the game over-all.

I don't see the point of a second all-star team, however. I will wait and see how they formally introduce it, but at this point it sounds like throwing a bunch of players from all countries together who didn't make their respective teams and who are at some arbitrary cut-off in age. Exactly who is going to cheer for that team?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Stop trying to make a hockey world cup happen. It's not going to happen.

I honestly believe that if the IHHF want to grow the sport (and if the NHL wants the sport to grow) they need to get a good World Cup up and running on a regular basis.

FYI, these changes aren't a good World Cup.


I love, love, watching the national team play.

[mile]

I have good memories of the last World Cup, but I feel like the all-star team idea would cheapen this tournament to that of the NHL all-star game. Perhaps not so much the rest of the European players together, but putting together all the "young stars" in the sport. It sounds like a Sportsnet idea.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I would also be foe seeing countries like Canada, USA and Russia being able to enter more than one team in the tournament.

That would be a nightmare.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I honestly believe that if the IHHF want to grow the sport (and if the NHL wants the sport to grow) they need to get a good World Cup up and running on a regular basis.

FYI, these changes aren't a good World Cup.


I love, love, watching the national team play.

Growing the sport isn't the NHL's mandate. Growing its business is. That's why the league wants a World Cup, but not Olympics. It gets no benefit from the latter.

As far as the changes go, I like some, hate others. What made the Canada Cup great was that it was limited entry. There were only six teams. Sucks for the Slovakias and Switzerlands of the world, but that is what the World Championship is for.

If the NHL wants to maintain the 10-12 team format, it can't play one city only. Changes the logistics.

[Tinordi]

I think there's a very real possibility that the NHL pulls out of the Olympics, building up the World Cup is a necessary endeavour to do that.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Stop trying to make a hockey world cup happen. It's not going to happen.

The World Cup is very much going to 'happen'.

The NHL is also going to be withdrawing from the Olympics.

[nik-]

A Champions League would be much better than a World Cup for growing the game imo.

[neo45]

Just give either Switzerland or Slovakia their own team and the 8th team can be the rest of the Euros

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by nik-

A Champions League would be much better than a World Cup for growing the game imo.

I could get on board with that. Or an invitational like the Spengler. Invite club teams and/or national teams or smaller nations.

[Finger Cookin]

Originally Posted by Tyler

The World Cup is very much going to 'happen'.

The NHL is also going to be withdrawing from the Olympics.

It's going to happen just like the other gimmicky, similarly named tournaments happened. It won't be meaningful or more than a curious footnote when it happens this time, only to disappear for another few years or CBAs.

The potential withdrawal from the Olympics will be dumb, as the Olympics have more built in prestige and significance than anything the NHL and IIHF will be able to manufacture for decades.

[Weitz]

To add to this:

Greg Brady, host of Brady & Walker on Sportsnet590 The Fan:

Convo today w/ NHL front office person today: "We're done with the Olympics. Bet the league doesn't wait long to announce it, either."

https://twitter.com/bradyfan590/stat...63742634131456

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by nik-

A Champions League would be much better than a World Cup for growing the game imo.

How does that help the NHL's business though?