2016 World Cup of Hockey

[getbak]

Johnny's doing whatever it takes to get more ice time: https://twitter.com/TeamNA_WCH/statu...62833630912512

[Traditional_Ale]

I don't see why they couldn't have the tournament in Europe? I think its cool. Best players in the world all on mishmashed up teams. The young guns team is a sweet idea as well, but rather than Team North America, make it an international U23 team.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by polak

It doesn't make sense until every player plays for their own country and every country has a shot at qualifying. You know... like a WORLD cup should be? It's a joke that the NHL just decides who is worthy of being in it. A World Cup should never be an Invitational...

And there should be ZERO bias towards taking NHL players and ZERO influence from the NHL regarding individual nations management.

Until it follows that call this the NHL Invitational Cup or some BS.

Why is it so difficult for you to understand that ice hockey is only played at a high level in a handful of countries in the world? The kind of tournament you're talking about would be an absolute travesty. It would be like having an NFL world cup where a team of guys from Poland in shoulder pads gets destroyed by American pro players who toss them around like children and beat them 78-0.

Including 6 or 8 teams in a tournament who have zero chance of winning does not elevate the stature of a tournament - it degrades it.

[polak]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Why is it so difficult for you to understand that ice hockey is only played at a high level in a handful of countries in the world? The kind of tournament you're talking about would be an absolute travesty. It would be like having an NFL world cup where a team of guys from Poland in shoulder pads gets destroyed by American pro players who toss them around like children and beat them 78-0.

Including 6 or 8 teams in a tournament who have zero chance of winning does not elevate the stature of a tournament - it degrades it.

They play within their divisions. Eventually you get success stories that improve and make an impact in the top division. Thats the point. Its already happening for the World Championship. Just do what GirlySports said and piggy back onto that.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by polak

They play within their divisions. Eventually you get success stories that improve and make an impact in the top division. Thats the point. Its already happening for the World Championship. Just do what GirlySports said and piggy back onto that.

Ok so Kazakstan beats out China and Japan. Who do they play after? It's going to be one of Sweden, Russia, Canada or the U.S and the score will get ugly. What's the point of that? Those countries would get spanked every World Cup for at least 100 years.

[jemjey]

I imagine it would similar to the world cup for footy. Some teams are expected to contend every year while for others it is a "win" to make it out of the group stage.

I get what you're saying but I don't think it would necessarily be a bad thing. Could help grow the game in places like China and Japan.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Ok so Kazakstan beats out China and Japan. Who do they play after? It's going to be one of Sweden, Russia, Canada or the U.S and the score will get ugly. What's the point of that? Those countries would get spanked every World Cup for at least 100 years.

you know that the US and Switzerland used to get spanked 10-0. Can't improve if you don't play.

If it's a Canada Cup Invitational then it's fine but can't call it a World Cup and have fake teams.

The World Cup of Soccer is special because everyone has a chance. Everyone.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

you know that the US and Switzerland used to get spanked 10-0. Can't improve if you don't play.

If it's a Canada Cup Invitational then it's fine but can't call it a World Cup and have fake teams.

The World Cup of Soccer is special because everyone has a chance. Everyone.

Well that and everyone can play soccer. You need a ball and feet.

If hockey didn't require a thousand bucks worth of equipment just to get started, plus ice infrastructure etc maybe more people in Turkmenistan would get onboard.

[GirlySports]

Any non north american sport is the same. Like golf and tennis. Canada got good at tennis all of a sudden and are in Davis Cup. If it were hockey they would be deemed to poor according to the NHLs logic.

Heck even baseball is trying a World Baseball Classic with proper qualifying.

[polak]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Ok so Kazakstan beats out China and Japan. Who do they play after? It's going to be one of Sweden, Russia, Canada or the U.S and the score will get ugly. What's the point of that? Those countries would get spanked every World Cup for at least 100 years.

You mean like Switzerland? And Belarus?

Have you never watched the Fifa World Cup? Yes you have lopsided scores, but for the countries on the receiving end of those spankings it's a big deal for them just to be there, just as it would for Canada to be at the Fifa World Cup. Then occasionally you get upsets and underdog stories (like Iceland at this last Euro cup) and even changes among the top teams (Switzerland is probably ahead of Slovakia now for example).

I feel like Canada's lack of success in team sports has really robbed people here of how exciting having a team in a truly world renowned event can be.

[polak]

Ovechkin says he'll be playing in 2018 regardless of the NHL's stance, threatens to retire if someone tries telling him he can't:

“I’ll go play in the Olympic Games for my country. If somebody says to me, ‘You can’t play,’ see ya,” he said.

If the NHL doesn’t go to South Korea, will Ovechkin still go to play for Russia?

“My decision is the same. I don’t know what’s going to happen right now,” he said on Thursday. “I’ve said I’m going to play.”

Is your intention to go to South Korea [for the Olympics] no matter what the NHL’s decision is, or is it a matter of seeing how it plays out?

“I will go there.”

Whether the NHL is there or not?

“Yeah. Maybe I won’t be in the NHL. Maybe I’ll be retired then. We’ll see,” he said, smiling widely.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ovechki...192419182.html

Good on him for having some balls. Hopefully some Canadian and American players do the same.

Criticizes the World Cup too:

Ovechkin said the World Cup of Hockey is “good for the game, but not good for” NHL players.

“There are 82 games plus playoffs, and then the World Cup. We’re not going to have any time to relax. Or recover our bodies, if we’re injured. But it’s great for fans. Great for hockey,” he said.

He also said that the tournament’s format can’t be compared to that of the Olympics, with Team Europe – a collection of “orphaned” NHL players from European nations – and the under-23 Team North America included rather than two specific nations, like Slovakia and Switzerland, for example.

“That’s why you can’t compare it to the Olympic Games. You can’t compare those two tournaments. Basically it’s three North American teams, one Team Europe and then Russian, Czech, Sweden and Finland,” he said.

“Yes, the best players are here. But it’s not the Olympics.”

[GirlySports]

well Ovi can go play another 10 years in the KHL. Also that has to be breech of contract? Can a suspended player go play elsewhere? even Olympics?

Canadians have nowhere else to go. So no.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Ovechkin is just the best. Him or PK. So much fun.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

well Ovi can go play another 10 years in the KHL. Also that has to be breech of contract? Can a suspended player go play elsewhere? even Olympics?

Canadians have nowhere else to go. So no.

I don't believe you can play in iihf tournament if under contract with nhl team and not have permission

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Why is it so difficult for you to understand that ice hockey is only played at a high level in a handful of countries in the world? The kind of tournament you're talking about would be an absolute travesty. It would be like having an NFL world cup where a team of guys from Poland in shoulder pads gets destroyed by American pro players who toss them around like children and beat them 78-0.

Including 6 or 8 teams in a tournament who have zero chance of winning does not elevate the stature of a tournament - it degrades it.

Friedman has said the NHL will be looking at holding the World Cup in London. It is easy to get to for all the countries competing and will help spread the NHL brand. If they do go to London...I will be there!

[Weitz]

So, retire. No contract.

[OldSam]

And the mouthpieces on TSN are saying in six months, McJesus will be the best player on the planet AND once the real games start, he will instantly show how good he is. With those kinds of comments, no wonder Conner is struggling. His coach says he is getting better every game and they need to find players who can compliment him. Yup, that is what great players do. They don't make those around them better..nosiree. Good grief!!!

[Locke]

Ovechkin's over-the-top National Pride always strikes me as somewhat hollow. Almost like they're delivered at gunpoint.

I just get the feeling that for some reason some Russian Oligarchs got their hooks in Ovechkin and he has to constantly defend them or fear retribution.

"Someone has made disparaging remarks about the Motherland! Defend us or the dog gets it!"

[polak]

Originally Posted by Locke

Ovechkin's over-the-top National Pride always strikes me as somewhat hollow. Almost like they're delivered at gunpoint.

I just get the feeling that for some reason some Russian Oligarchs got their hooks in Ovechkin and he has to constantly defend them or fear retribution.

"Someone has made disparaging remarks about the Motherland! Defend us or the dog gets it!"

He's not from North America.

Playing for their country in the Olympics trumps the NHL every day for most European players.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

you know that the US and Switzerland used to get spanked 10-0. Can't improve if you don't play.

If it's a Canada Cup Invitational then it's fine but can't call it a World Cup and have fake teams.

The World Cup of Soccer is special because everyone has a chance. Everyone.

The Khazakstans (spell?) of the soccer world in soccer get elliminated years before the actual World Cup begins because the competition in soccer is so deep they get filtered out in the zone qualifications.

The soccer model needs to stop being used as a comparison for international hockey. Agreed it's the gold standard, but the hockey situation is completely different. Soccer, the most popular and universal sport in the world, hockey a regional sport that we love, but doesn't come close to the depth of competition. To your point, maybe one day, but right now the nations that can't compete don't get better by coming to World Cups to lose to Canada 10-0. Their development will come in other ways.