Dramatic changes to the World Cup?

[GirlySports]

How about they send the World Junior Champs for that year. Add an additional carrot.

I still think the natural option is Quebec.

[Samuelsson]

Yeah, it's foolish to suggest merging teams. If there was a combined US/Canadian team, would you follow that? Cheer for it and sing your anthem? (Ah, you can't). That's right, probably not.

I mean, every fibre of my body thinks that this won't work, but I still really want it to happen. Even if people's national team gets mullered every game, they'll still cheer for it. Much better than a merging of teams.

The real question though is the qualification for the lower-rank teams. Say for instance, in 5 years time, Germany are pretty decent and could probably snag the eighth spot in the tournament - how would you go about letting them in? It can't become like an old boy's club where only the select 8 every year get invited, otherwise there's no incentive. Imagine being from that country (Germany) on the brink and you get to represent your country in what should be the biggest tournament in the world, because you just managed to qualify after beating Slovakia or Switzerland in OT. You'd be buzzing.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

How about they send the World Junior Champs for that year. Add an additional carrot.

I still think the natural option is Quebec.

Seriously? Not only would they get annihilated, but at risk to injury as well.

[Zarley]

I find it difficult to get excited about hockey in September.

The beauty of the Olympics is that they are right in the middle of prime hockey season, it's going to be unfortunate to lose the Olympic tournament.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Samuelsson

Yeah, it's foolish to suggest merging teams. If there was a combined US/Canadian team, would you follow that? Cheer for it and sing your anthem? (Ah, you can't). That's right, probably not.

I mean, every fibre of my body thinks that this won't work, but I still really want it to happen. Even if people's national team gets mullered every game, they'll still cheer for it. Much better than a merging of teams.

The real question though is the qualification for the lower-rank teams. Say for instance, in 5 years time, Germany are pretty decent and could probably snag the eighth spot in the tournament - how would you go about letting them in? It can't become like an old boy's club where only the select 8 every year get invited, otherwise there's no incentive. Imagine being from that country (Germany) on the brink and you get to represent your country in what should be the biggest tournament in the world, because you just managed to qualify after beating Slovakia or Switzerland in OT. You'd be buzzing.

It works in golf with the Ryder and Presidents Cup. It could work in hockey as well.

[Samuelsson]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

It works in golf with the Ryder and Presidents Cup. It could work in hockey as well.

Yeah, no it doesn't really. The majority of the people in the European countries couldn't care about a 'team Europe'. It's only golf fans that follow it. Whereas your general sports fans will more likely follow their own team in a competition.

Also, golf is a singular, one-person game. I'd love to see all those European skaters try to speak to eachother on the ice. Likelihood is the players won't wanna play for it either. A team feeling and chemistry is something that's built up over time, when you play more regularly with the same players, whether that be in the World Cup or the Olympics. Going to play a competition with people you hardly know, not feeling that patriotic because, well, it's not your country you're playing for is a recipe for a mullering.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Samuelsson

Also, golf is a singular, one-person game. I'd love to see all those European skaters try to speak to eachother on the ice. Likelihood is the players won't wanna play for it either. A team feeling and chemistry is something that's built up over time, when you play more regularly with the same players, whether that be in the World Cup or the Olympics. Going to play a competition with people you hardly know, not feeling that patriotic because, well, it's not your country you're playing for is a recipe for a mullering.

Have you watched a Ryder or Presidents Cup event? The non-American team really does come together as a unified body despite being from different countries. They may not be playing for their own nation but winning still has significant meaning.

Team Europe in a hockey tournament can still come together despite not having a singular national identity. There major driving force will likely come as an "underdog" drive with their focus being on beating the national powerhouses.

[powderjunkie]

Just because it's always fun to do this - a quick look at two fairly even teams (I'm sure I'm missing a few):

Team Crosby

Duchene - Crosby - Mackinnon
Hall - Getzlaf - Perry
Benn - Seguin - McDavid
J Staal - Staal - Skinner

Hamhuis - Weber
Keith - Seabrook
Bouwmeester - Pietrangelo

Price
A couple backups from the long list for team 2


Team Stamkos/Toews

Nash - Stamkos - Giroux
Sharp - Toews - Carter
Lucic - Bergeron - Marchand
Neal - Monahan - O'Reilly

Vlasic - Doughty
Giordano - Brodie
Staal - Subban

Crawford
Smith
Elliott
Holtby
Bernier
Luongo
Mason



Still have a bunch of other possible forwards: Couture, Thornton, Marleau, Johansen, RNH, Spezza, Kunitz, St Louis, Iginla...a few of these may be washed up, and of course there will be a few new guys emerging. Not a ton more super elite D options, but tons of serviceable guys. Ekblad, Hamilton, etc. may emerge too...

[d_phaneuf]

even giving them geographical reasoning helps though

probably missing people but going off the team West/Central/East above

West

Benn/Toews/Sharp
Hall/Getzlaf/Marleau
Kane/Johansen/Eberle
Lucic/RNH/Ladd

Keith-Weber
Hamhuis-Seabrook
Bouwmeester-Barrie

Price
Holtby

Central

Stamkos/Tavares/Perry
Giroux/Seguin/Carter
Duchene/Thornton/Couture
Simmonds/Staal/Spezza

Giordano-Pietrangelo
Doughty-Subban
Fowler-Burns

Mike Smith
Brian Elliot

East

Dupuis/Crosby/St.Louis
Tanguay/Bergeron/MacKinnon
Burrows/Brassard/Marchand
Pominville/Vermette/Perron

Vlasic-Letang
Beauchemin-Demers
Scandella-Robidas

Roberto Luongo
Marc-Andre Fleury

[CliffFletcher]

Can someone explain to me why the World Cup needs 8 teams? Or if they do, what would be so difficult about using IIHF rankings, or the World Championships seeding, to determine the other two teams? This seems like a lot of hand-wringing and whacky ideas for no good reason.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Can someone explain to me why the World Cup needs 8 teams? Or if they do, what would be so difficult about using IIHF rankings, or the World Championships seeding, to determine the other two teams? This seems like a lot of hand-wringing and whacky ideas for no good reason.

The IIHF rankings rely heavily on the World Championships, which isn't a best vs best tournament. I believe at one time the United States were out of the top 8 in the world. I don't think the NHL wants to risk one of the high profile countries missing out of the World Cup.