World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team Europe

[Jussi]

Are players even allowed to decline? If it's an NHL event (and not IIHF), they'll probably have to play due for contractual reasons.

National teams can't be used without IIHF approval and it's been already publicized IIHF would be involved in this tournament. I don't think you can force players to play for these teams.

 

[QnebO]

Are players even allowed to decline? If it's an NHL event (and not IIHF), they'll probably have to play due for contractual reasons.

I don't see they could change their contracts onesidely. If there already is contract, it is what it is. And players probably cant be forced to sign that kinda of things.

 

[Faterson]

Have the organizers even realized there's virtually zero depth in this team? If a few Slovaks decline and/or there's injuries to other players, the team will be even more of a joke.

Injury consideration shows what this is really all about.

Players want to play on their national team in spite of an injury. If they can only somehow make it, they want to be there. (Remember how Stamkos did all he could to heal in time for Sochi.)

For a joke team like the Europe Leftovers, some players won't join it because of an injury. Injury will be used as an excellent excuse not to join. Bet on it. If playing in the Mickey Mouse Cup is somehow made mandatory for nominated players, I predict there'll be quite a few injuries on the Leftovers team just prior to the tournament.

I mean, why bother? Even if the Leftovers team won the tourney, whose fans would truly be celebrating? No one's, really. It would be nobody's victory. Slovakia's hockey fans might find it mildly flattering due to Slovakia's contribution to the championship, but that's about it. Most people would shrug it off. Whereas if team Slovakia won the World Cup, it would be an event of historic magnitude for the country at large.

One aspect that does not get enough appreciation in this fiasco is the coaching question. How can you nominate a proper coach for the Europe Leftovers team? You can't. Such a coach doesn't exist. Hiring a European coach to coach a 100% ensemble of NHL players makes no sense. (And then, which nationality should the coach be?) Hiring a North American NHL coach for a Euro Leftovers team makes even less sense. And hiring a multi-national coaching staff would lead to chaos.

The whole idea is nothing but a gimmick. Good for a light-hearted All Star weekend, but not for destroying the great Canada Cup / World Cup legacy.

 

[QnebO]

Tbh, I don't see that **** happening with 100% certainty. There is still time to change it the way it is supposed to be and save the tournament.

 

[Canuckistani]

Tbh, I don't see that **** happening with 100% certainty. There is still time to change it the way it is supposed to be and save the tournament.

The NHL's ideas are so asinine and absurd that every bit of me wants to believe that surely they must see how ridiculous this is. But remember that Gary Bettman's ego is on the line here. So yes, they'll go ahead with this, which is why it's imperative that the event fail.

 

[WingsFan95]

I actually like the under 23 team idea as it puts a lot of onus on younger players to step up. Also, the way these tournaments get scheduled, those players might be the only ones to return.

As for the European Other team....when I first heard about it I thought it was a gag. How......does this even get off the shelf? I have no clue. If this goes ahead it'll be no-name guys who just want to earn extra money and play alongside international greats. Probably mostly under 25 players and some old veterans. If they really can't decide to put in a 7th team with Switzerland/Slovakia being just 25 points apart currently, then why not a coalition?

I DO think a Swiss-Slovak squad would garner a dark-horse label. Sure it's not ideal, but there is indeed a noticeable gap between them and 6th place USA.

Such a team would probably challenge for Top 4 in talent on paper.

 

[roto]

You need to remember that is not about competitiveness. I don't think NHL has even once claimed anything like that. World Cup is an international tournament of NHL, and it's main purpose is to showcase the best players of NHL. If Switzerland and Slovakia are playing instead of Euro leftover and NA U23, it means that less NHL (future) stars are present and there are more euros/grinders.

In short it's 100% about $$$. Arranging "an international tournament" is just a way for NHL to put their hands deeper in the pockets of fans. It's like NHL all-stars with national teams. Fans are trying to fit this round block in the rectangular hole of real international tournaments, even though the purpose is different.

In real tournaments players play for their country without compensation, so it's about sports. World Cup, on contrary, is part of NHL player's job ("the show") and they get paid for it.

 

[Canuckistani]

You need to remember that is not about competitiveness. I don't think NHL has even once claimed anything like that.

Actually Bettman has repeatedly said exactly that.

Obviously his real agenda is to get as many NHLers involved as possible, credibility be damned, but his public excuse has been that having as many stars as possible will produce "amazing competitive hockey."

Of course he's talking nonsense. If what he says were true then the NHL all-star game would produce some of the greatest hockey moments of all time instead of worthless 17-11 games of shinny. But the all-star game is a joke precisely because those involved aren't representing anything of consequence. No one breaks a sweat or blocks a shot for "Team Toews" and no one will do so for "the Leftovers" or some arbitrary North American age group either. This is what the NHL is far too stupid and greedy to understand.

 

[Canuckistani]

I actually like the under 23 team idea as it puts a lot of onus on younger players to step up.

Step up for what? Their continent's age group?

Both gimmick joke teams are equally ridiculous. There is absolutely no reason for anyone on those teams to give a damn.

 

[WingsFan95]

Step up for what? Their continent's age group?

Both gimmick joke teams are equally ridiculous. There is absolutely no reason for anyone on those teams to give a damn.

Don't think they'd get anything out of beating the older, wiser veterans?

 

[jka*]

This one in Europe All Star line ups:


Tatar - Kopitar - Boedker
Eller - Nielsen - Zuccarello
Vanek - Grabner - Kostitsyn
Roussel - Grabovski - Neiderreiter

Josi - Meszaros
Chara - Sekera
Ehrhoff - Seidenberg
Streit

Hiller
Halak
Andersen

Pure class.

 

[jka*]

Meszaros two last season in nhl before he retired. Around 35 year old.

 

[Faterson]

I don't know how you can leave Hossa & Gáborík out of that line-up. (Maybe they won't be interested in playing, but in theory.)

 

[Canuckistani]

Don't think they'd get anything out of beating the older, wiser veterans?

Beating Sweden, Russia or Finland mind be mildly interesting but I doubt Nathan MacKinnon has dreams of beating Canada.

 

[Zippy316]

I'm not condoning the idea of the Rest of Europe team; I understand the concerns that it is gimmicky.

However, what other option does the NHL have? This World Cup of Hockey is the NHL's thing -- it's more of a North American thing than anything. Let's say they hypothetically have a Slovakian team and a Swiss team instead of the U-23 team and the Rest of Europe team. They aren't going to fill a Swiss or Slovak team with just NHL players and I highly doubt the European players would be too interested especially since it occurs so close to the start of their season.

In addition, how do they decide which national team gets left out?

I would be pissed too if I was Slovak/German/Swiss etc, but you have to look at it from an outside perspective. This gives the NHL the best chance to showcase it's talent, after all, it is a NHL-organized event and not IIHF...

 

[1Gold Standard]

I'm not condoning the idea of the Rest of Europe team; I understand the concerns that it is gimmicky.

However, what other option does the NHL have? This World Cup of Hockey is the NHL's thing -- it's more of a North American thing than anything. Let's say they hypothetically have a Slovakian team and a Swiss team instead of the U-23 team and the Rest of Europe team. They aren't going to fill a Swiss or Slovak team with just NHL players and I highly doubt the European players would be too interested especially since it occurs so close to the start of their season.

In addition, how do they decide which national team gets left out?

I would be pissed too if I was Slovak/German/Swiss etc, but you have to look at it from an outside perspective. This gives the NHL the best chance to showcase it's talent, after all, it is a NHL-organized event and not IIHF...

Then call it the NHL pre-season exhibition tournament, charge 10-20 per ticket and stream it on NHL.com for 3.95 per game. because that is what this is and that is what this NHL preseason exhibition tournament is worth. Rogers got sucked in to overpaying for this nonsense, throwing good money after bad. I'm not watching a second of it. I'll be busy doing something else in Sept. 2016.

 

[Jussi]

I actually like the under 23 team idea as it puts a lot of onus on younger players to step up. Also, the way these tournaments get scheduled, those players might be the only ones to return.

As for the European Other team....when I first heard about it I thought it was a gag. How......does this even get off the shelf? I have no clue. If this goes ahead it'll be no-name guys who just want to earn extra money and play alongside international greats. Probably mostly under 25 players and some old veterans. If they really can't decide to put in a 7th team with Switzerland/Slovakia being just 25 points apart currently, then why not a coalition?

I DO think a Swiss-Slovak squad would garner a dark-horse label. Sure it's not ideal, but there is indeed a noticeable gap between them and 6th place USA.

Such a team would probably challenge for Top 4 in talent on paper.

Yes, I'm sure they're all so eager to score against their own countries, which they are forced to do.

 

[Canuckistani]

I'm not condoning the idea of the Rest of Europe team; I understand the concerns that it is gimmicky.

However, what other option does the NHL have?

How about doing what they did at prior world cups in 1996 and 2004: the top eight national teams.

They aren't going to fill a Swiss or Slovak team with just NHL players and I highly doubt the European players would be too interested especially since it occurs so close to the start of their season.

The new WC format doesn't rule out non-NHLers. Indeed only Canada, USA and Sweden could form a team using only NHL talent. And prior World Cup had many Euro league players.

So why is it suddenly so imperative that the NHL maximize their player exposure to the point of turning the event into a complete joke with "all-star" teams?

Because the NHL is letting greed get the better of their judgement. It's a disgrace.

 

[Stats01]

The problem is, there is no if. There is no way its gonna work. Of course many people will watch real games (national team against national team) in this tournament, but these things they're trying aren't going to work. And they just eat the value of the victory of the tournament.

I don't have anything against changing the formats if the goal is to make the tournament better. But you can't just generate ideas with random number generator and try everything you get.

it's a one time thing you know.

 

[FiLe]

it's a one time thing you know.

Unless there actually are enough basket cases paying money for it.

 

[TonyTinglebone]

Tatar - Kopitar - Hossa
Vanek - Neilsen - Gaborik
Neiderreiter - Grabovski - Zuccarello
Hansen - Girgensons - Boedker
Eller

Chara - Josi
Streit - Sekera
Ehrhoff - Seidenberg
Visnovsky

Halak
Hiller
Andersen

NB - I only used NHL players

 

[Canuckistani]

it's a one time thing you know.

If the joke teams are such a great idea (as the NHL claims) then why would they do it once? Why do it at all?

 

[Sverra]

I'm not a supporter of this format.

But I have a question.
Is it Team Europe (Leftover) or Team Rest of Europe?
Because leftover could mean they could also use the guys who didn't made to team Russia (if he's form the west of ural ) Czech Rep., Sweden and Finland, not?

 

[FiLe]

It's supposed to consist of players from countries who do not have a team of their own in it. So no Russians, Swedes, Finns or Czechs.

 

[Pominville Knows]

I dont understand why people are still complaining about it. It's a done deal. We still have the worlds best six nations so for sure the tournament has meaning.