[News] Tavares done for the season

[the_professsor]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Nothing interesting about being an NHL fan over an Olympic fan. I like the Olympics but more for the amateur athletes that bust their ass for four years while getting by with sponsorship and working daytime jobs in some cases. I would rather go back to a non-NHL team so the focus could be more on the amateur athletes chasing the dream over millionaire athletes stealing the limelight over the two weeks.

nothing interesting about watching the best players in the world represent their countries? I've pretty much planned the last week of my life around watching these games, couldn't disagree with you more.

no way I would watch a scrubby team of canadians get rolled by KHL players in 2018 (if we don't go)

[Coach]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I wouldn't mind seeing NHLers not go anymore. I like the idea of a best on best tournament every year or two - but that can be achieved with something like the World Cup.
I hate the break during the NHL season.

So when do you hold the WC? In July? The NHL playoffs go into mid June. What about the athletes that participated in NHL playoffs, now go to WC for a few weeks and have about 1 month off before they're back to training camp again?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by the_professsor

nothing interesting about watching the best players in the world represent their countries? I've pretty much planned the last week of my life around watching these games, couldn't disagree with you more.

no way I would watch a scrubby team of canadians get rolled by KHL players in 2018 (if we don't go)

Meh. I personally haven't even found the games exciting outside of the US/Russia shootout. I've personally found other events like short track speedskating and some of the skiing events more exciting than watching inferior teams play ropeadope with skilled teams for 60 minutes.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

NHL players in the Olympics has been great, but I also think it might be time to have hockey change to a Word Cup style, every 4 year tournament in late August-early September.
Emulate the soccer model, perhaps, with younger CHL players going over to the Olympics(if that league would agree).

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

Emulate the soccer model, perhaps, with younger CHL players going over to the Olympics(if that league would agree).

The soccer model is stupid in almost every conceivable way.

And sending juniors over to play against KHL/SHL pros would not only see Canada finish dead last every time out, it would be physically dangerous for the kids.

[Huntingwhale]

This is why the Flames can never ever have one of the top draft picks in any draft. Proof that the hockey Gods will always be against us. I'm fully expecting the Isles to go in full-on tank mode and end up as bad as Edmonton now. Sucks for us.

I don't think this stops the NHL players from going to the Olympics next time. Sure it's an owners worst nightmare. But players are injured all the time in the NHL during the season and teams just deal with it. Injuries are part of the game, regardless of where they are played and at what level. I doubt you'll see a single player change his mind about participating because of this, and really if the players want to go then they should be allowed to. The Olympics are every 4 years, I doubt by this time next season anyone is going to even care. Can anyone even remember the name of a single player injured in the 2010 games? IMO it's a non-issue.

[flamesfan6]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The soccer model is stupid in almost every conceivable way.

And sending juniors over to play against KHL/SHL pros would not only see Canada finish dead last every time out, it would be physically dangerous for the kids.

I think he was referring to every country sending their younger players, not just canada.

So like a U23 or something like that in essence for the hockey tournament.

[Ashasx]

Buffalo is likely going to have two top 5 picks next season. Unbelievable.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Nothing interesting about being an NHL fan over an Olympic fan. I like the Olympics but more for the amateur athletes that bust their ass for four years while getting by with sponsorship and working daytime jobs in some cases. I would rather go back to a non-NHL team so the focus could be more on the amateur athletes chasing the dream over millionaire athletes stealing the limelight over the two weeks.

While that's a nice romantic fantasy, in reality, that wouldn't happen. If the NHL doesn't go in the future, that won't exclude the KHL or any of the European leagues from sending their players.

Canada might chose to re-establish the touring national team, but most nations would make up their Olympic teams from European pros. Even Team Canada would go back to being what it was between 1988 and 1994, which was a collection of players who weren't quite NHL level. It was a combination of former NHLers who were past their primes; future NHLers who weren't quite in their primes; and NHL bubble players who were likely destined for the AHL or a Euro league if they didn't join the national team.

Without NHL participation, Team Canada would likely be led this year by the likes of Dustin Boyd and Nigel Dawes.


As for hockey stealing the Olympic limelight from the other sports, that would happen no matter what. Canadians love hockey. Canadians understand hockey. Canadians love to feel superior about hockey.

Also, hockey is spread out through the entire games. Most events are completed, from start to finish, in the time it takes to play one hockey game. So, in that sense, hockey will always dominate the Winter Games because it takes the entire Games to play the tournament.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The soccer model is stupid in almost every conceivable way.

And sending juniors over to play against KHL/SHL pros would not only see Canada finish dead last every time out, it would be physically dangerous for the kids.

Um, all countries would be playing by the same rules. Call it U-21 or whatever, so no need for "who will think of the children!".

As for the stupidity of the model, it is a concession that pro leagues may not want to send their very expensive players to a tournament with little or no financial consideration. If they don't go, who else would you suggest? A tournament of retired players? Scrap it all together?

It would not be best-on-best, but it would still be good exposure to the game. Canadians know and love the WJHC, but no one else does. Put them in every 4 years, keep the WJHC at Christmas time on the off years and have the pros play in a World Cup every 4 years. More exposure all around and more control (money)for the players and owners. You may disagree, but nothing stupid about it.

[Devils'Advocate]

Mmm... removing the NHL from the Olympics will leave Russia with their KHL stars like Kovalchuk. It will be Canada having to play rope-a-dope just not to be embarassed.

[Kaine]

One of the most likeable guys in the league (how many of us would stick with the Islanders), one of the best players in the league and will be for many years to come, yet most of the post in this thread is more whining about this hurting our draft chances.

Sounds like a bunch of Oilers fans in here, I'm a bit embarrassed that this is what we aspire to as Flames fans now.

Anyway really sucks for Tavares, never good to see anyone hurt while playing for country.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Kaine

One of the most likeable guys in the league (how many of us would stick with the Islanders), one of the best players in the league and will be for many years to come, yet most of the post in this thread is more whining about this hurting our draft chances.

Sounds like a bunch of Oilers fans in here, I'm a bit embarrassed that this is what we aspire to as Flames fans now.

Anyway really sucks for Tavares, never good to see anyone hurt while playing for country.

Maybe because he got hurt and is going to be fine? It's not like he got his neck slashed, he hurt his knee.

I think it's incredibly appropriate for fans of a team to be concerned first with how it affects their own team.

[SebC]

I assume Olympic soccer is U23 because FIFA wants it that way. It's would probably be better for the clubs for it to be unrestricted.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Buffalo is likely going to have two top 5 picks next season. Unbelievable.

I wouldn't bet on it.

I don't think the Islanders are going to be that bad (bottom 4/5 in the league) next year... young core + high pick this year + no reverse performance incentive (no high pick means less incentive to sell at deadline, deliberately play suboptimal line-up like we did for the Nashville game last year, etc.). I wouldn't say them handing Buff a top 5 pick is out of the question, if there's anything the Islanders are good at it's being bad, but absent the 1st round pick a lot of their late season discision making process will be different to reflect that. Top 10 pick? yeah I could buy that but top five is far from a sure thing.

The Sabres are going to be really bad though. I find it shocking that they're this bad with a legit elite goaltender having a great season.

[Rubicant]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I wouldn't mind seeing NHLers not go anymore. I like the idea of a best on best tournament every year or two - but that can be achieved with something like the World Cup.
I hate the break during the NHL season.

I also find that this olympics has had very few good games. The semis should be good but the best teams barely play each other so you either see a blowout or teams pulling a 0-5 defence and waiting for a break.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I wouldn't mind seeing NHLers not go anymore. I like the idea of a best on best tournament every year or two - but that can be achieved with something like the World Cup.
I hate the break during the NHL season.

I believe all the domestic soccer leagues in Europe take a break around the Xmas holidays?

Ex. Arsenal did not play between Jan 1st and 13th.

The break does not bother me. We still get 82 games. It's actually nice to step away from the NHL for a little while.

[Inglewood Jack]

blah blah blah MY FANTASY TEAM something something

<runs away>

[lazypucker]

Injuries can and do happen to anyone anyday, it's just bad timing to have Taveres injured during the Olympics. The chance of him getting injured during a regular season NHL game, or even slip and fall on the pavement are equal. I personally don't think the NHL should take this as a argument point for not participating in future Olympics.

[OldSam]

Really feel bad for Tavares. That looked nasty and it apparently was. I enjoy watching him a lot.