World Cup of Hockey - Which team are you cheering for?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

How is this not best on best?

Because team North America makes the whole thing a joke, despite the fact that nobody on team North America was making Canada anyway.

If Corey Perry's not on the roster, there's not a snowball's chance in Hell Connor McJesus and his 48 points in 45 career NHL games gets to go.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Since none of the players at the young stars camp would be at the World Cup, I don't see why it wouldn't be held.

It's a valuable tool for all the clubs involved to evaluate the players.

Laine will be playing for Finland. He would likely have attended the Penticton tournament otherwise (assuming the Jets draft him and take part in Penticton again).

Not that it's a big deal since he likely would have only played in one game anyway (like McDavid last year).

[Parallex]

None.

I think this is a stupid tournament and I'll be severely pissed off if it leads to Olympic non-participation. I think I'll maybe watch a Team North America game if Gaudreau and McDavid are on the same line since it might be the only occasion to ever see that. But otherwise I'm completely out on the World Cup.

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Because team North America makes the whole thing a joke

I think it's really Team Europe that makes it a joke... they may as well have called it "Team Give Anze Kopitar A Snowballs Chance in Hell of winning a medal". Although Team North America is dumb as well.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

How is this not best on best?

Well first because North America and Rest of Europe aren't countries and second because they've split out U23's and made a "best of the rest" team.

You don't think a Best on Best USA team has Johnny on it? Or even Eichel? Saad?

Canada and the Euro teams are hurt less than the US, but limiting even one team from taking their best players means the legitimacy of this tournament is diminished.

[polak]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

How is this not best on best?

USA without Gaudreau is a big loss.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by nik-

Well first because North America and Rest of Europe aren't countries and second because they've split out U23's and made a "best of the rest" team.

You don't think a Best on Best USA team has Johnny on it? Or even Eichel? Saad?

Canada and the Euro teams are hurt less than the US, but limiting even one team from taking their best players means the legitimacy of this tournament is diminished.

The USA team doesn't have Phil Kessel on it, so I don't know what to make of the way they selected their team.

Team Europe removes a bunch of teams nobody wants to see outside of their own small republics. And much like I'm opposed to starting World War 3 if Russia decides to annex Slovakia, I'm okay sacrificing that country's hockey team to ensure I don't watch Switzerland clog up the neutral zone for sixty minutes.

[dino7c]

its either best on best or its not

any restrictions on the players you can select makes it the latter

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by polak

USA without Gaudreau is a big loss.

He's still in the tournament.

Team Europe is better than Team Slovakia.

A tourney without Anzi Kopitar, Slava Voynov, even Phill Kessel is also not a best on best tournament.

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by nik-

Well first because North America and Rest of Europe aren't countries and second because they've split out U23's and made a "best of the rest" team.

You don't think a Best on Best USA team has Johnny on it? Or even Eichel? Saad?

Canada and the Euro teams are hurt less than the US, but limiting even one team from taking their best players means the legitimacy of this tournament is diminished.

Best on best doesn't necessarily have to be split based on countries.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Best on best doesn't necessarily have to be split based on countries.

The US and Canada have restrictions on who they can select as a result of age.

It's not a best on best.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by nik-

The US and Canada have restrictions on who they can select as a result of age.

It's not a best on best.

Nobody on Team North America would have been named to Team Canada.

It sucks that some young stars aren't going to play for the US. But given how that team is constructed, I don't know if anyone outside Johnny makes it either.

This tournament is designed to get as many high end players as possible into the spotlight.

It's meant to be fun. See how it works.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Best on best doesn't necessarily have to be split based on countries.

Don't be silly, of course it does.

If you're not splitting it by nations and you actually wanted it to be "best-on-best" then you'd just ignore nationality altogether and do something like a 6 team snake draft so all those people who wonder what hockey would be like in a universe where there was no expansion can get an answer.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Don't be silly, of course it does.

If you're not splitting it by nations and you actually wanted it to be "best-on-best" then you'd just ignore nationality altogether and do something like a 6 team snake draft so all those people who wonder what hockey would be like in a universe where there was no expansion can get an answer.

That's a bloody brilliant idea. I'd go into so much debt to watch that live.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Parallex

Don't be silly, of course it does.

If you're not splitting it by nations and you actually wanted it to be "best-on-best" then you'd just ignore nationality altogether and do something like a 6 team snake draft so all those people who wonder what hockey would be like in a universe where there was no expansion can get an answer.

So, an expanded all-star game?

[nik-]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

This tournament is designed to get as many high end players as possible into the spotlight.

This tournament is designed to make as much money as possible.

[Firebot]

I expect this tournament to bomb. Does anyone even remember the 2004 World Cup? The lockout happened days after it ended. The World Cup / Canada Cup was made obselete with the NHL participation in the Olympics. Now the NHL is willing to walk away from the Olympics and go back to the World Cup, and pretend it will work?

To me it seems to be only slightly above the all star game, especially with so many omissions and the separate under 23 games.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

So, an expanded all-star game?

And now it doesn't seem so brilliant...

Look, everyone has a reason to play in this new format. Everyone on North America will likely want to prove that they could've made their national teams. Team Europe represents the first time most of those players have had a shot to actually win won of these events.

The rest of the teams are still wearing their country's colors. If anyone is risking pulling a no-show, it's the Russians.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by nik-

This tournament is designed to make as much money as possible.

Yes. By loading up on star power.

Without North America, we don't get to see the following players:

Connor McDavid
Sean Monahan
Jonathan Drouin
Shayne Gostisbehere
Morgan Reilly
Ryan Murray
Aaron Ekblad
Brandon Saad
Dylan Larkin
Auston Matthews
Mark Sheifele
Nathan MacKinnon
Matt Murray
John Gibson

The argument doesn't hold up quite as well for team Europe, but I would argue that team is still going to try and score goals, instead of the Swiss emulating their World War 2 strategies on ice. And we still wouldn't get to see Kopitar, Josi, Streit, Andersen, Zucarrello etc.

I want to see McDavid and Gaudreau play together more than I want to watch an aging Slovak team or a boring Swiss one.

[Weitz]

How hard will players go when they haven't had a training camp and could risk injury?

[midniteowl]

A silly but honest question, will there be no national anthem be played in this tournament then? If there will be, what or which anthem will be played when Team NA and Team EU play?