World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team Europe

[xxxx]

Who from Europe is going to fly to Toronto and buy a ticket to watch their national team vs U-23 or the Euro leftover? And also who is going to stand up and cheer when the fake teams score a goal. Does anybody think these games will be sold out or at least well attended. France vs Lativa had 15000 in Prague for the world championships. Finland vs u-23 in Toronto my guess would be 5,000 show up. And this tournament was suppose to be a money grab for the NHL. This sounds more like a money pit.

I'm pretty confident that a game that includes talented players like McDavid, Eichel, MacKinnon, Drouin, Ekblad, Jones, Trouba, Rielly, Galchenyuk, Nugent-Hopkins, etc., will get a big attention, especially in Toronto. 5,000? Lol, don't be ridiculous. Yeah, I think these games WILL be sold out, not just only well-attended. I would want to see such talented players playing together even if it was one exhibition game for charity, let alone a real game against a strong european team playing with their best.

Trust me, the U23's ( featuring McD and Eichel! ) will have a rabid, RABID following in TO. And if they knock off one of hockey's historical heavyweights ( and I'm betting they will ) man, they'll raise the roof!

In all honesty, one of the biggest reasons I follow the WHC ( especially when we , as in most years, send subpar teams ) is the opportunity it affords to see some of our young gunz shine on a Big Stage...This WOrld Cup is that, on steroids!!!!

You guys seem to forget just how popular junior hockey is over here. These guys aren't jr's ( and/or Div 1 college ) any longer, but they're not far from it...To reiterate Our Young Gunzz will have a Big, BIG following...

P.S.: We have a love/hate relationship with the Yankee kidz too, look how Big our semi annual, Canada vs US WJC + New Years Eve clash has been historically? Our Boyz + adopted sons stateside vs Russia? Ah u kidding me?

It's a MARKETTER's DREAM!!!

I absolutely agree. Such a talented team (maybe the best in the past 25 years) will definitely be getting A LOT attention. Not to mention that whether some people agree, the players will definitely take this seriously.

Just to see those star players such as Stamkos, Seguin, Tavares, Keith, Price, Giordano, Crosby, Getzlaf, Toews playing together - in Canada - will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Are you serious? No one in Toronto will give a crap about the Young Gunz.

Canadian hockey fans cheer for their chosen NHL team and for Team Canada on the international stage. They won't be the slighest but interested in some abomination of a team that forces Canadians and Americans to team up against their respective countries. The whole thing is a sick joke.

I bet with you that the YoungGunz team's games will get over 16,000 in each game.

 

[stars33]

Who will buy a ticket for U-23 vs Finland? No one from Finland is flying in for the game. And the U-23 does not represent a college, city, state or Nation.

And if U-23 scores who is standing up to cheer? and why?

And Finally everybody likes rookies? We also like rooting for the veteran players that played many years without winning a Stanley cup. Would you like to make a team of players that have played over 12 years and have not won the Stanley cup. A "old Gunz Team".

Think about how ridiculous that sounds? That is how i feel about your "young Gunz team".

 

[Nakawick]

A very very very distant second favorite team, if that.

And this assumes that players will give 100% while proudly representing their age group.

They will give it 100%. Bank on it.

 

[Nakawick]

Who will buy a ticket for U-23 vs Finland? No one from Finland is flying in for the game. And the U-23 does not represent a college, city, state or Nation.

And if U-23 scores who is standing up to cheer? and why?

And Finally everybody likes rookies? We also like rooting for the veteran players that played many years without winning a Stanley cup. Would you like to make a team of players that have played over 12 years and have not won the Stanley cup. A "old Gunz Team".

Think about how ridiculous that sounds? That is how i feel about your "young Gunz team".

I would and many others will in Hockeys largest market. I'll bet on it. You can't tell me that the Swedes, Finns or Russians want to lose to NA under 23 team. The Young Gunz have nothing to lose and would love to beat Rusia or any other team. This is going to be great hockey.

You could make a better argument for Team Europe perhaps not having the same motivation. But I will also bet that the individual players would love to beat Canada or the USA in Canada.

 

[stars33]

I would and many others will in Hockeys largest market. I'll bet on it. You can't tell me that the Swedes, Finns or Russians want to lose to NA under 23 team. The Young Gunz have nothing to lose and would love to beat Rusia or any other team. This is going to be great hockey.

You could make a better argument for Team Europe perhaps not having the same motivation. But I will also bet that the individual players would love to beat Canada or the USA in Canada.

I am trying to understand your point because it is outrageous that you think this is a good idea. Would you prefer all the teams be made up. For example Team old Gunz, Team Young Gunz, Team 5'8 and smaller, Team Minorities, team 6'4 and larger, team brothers (Staal, Subban, etc.), Team Jewish, and team all goalies (goalies get to play as forwards and defensemen).

I am not joking. i am really asking you. Would you buy a ticket if the NHL set this up. Imagine Hentik Lundqvist playing Center on team Goalie. Wouldn't you think the goalies would want to prove themselves. How about team 5'8 and smaller they would be playing to prove themselves. How about team Jewish or team minorities? How would teams feel losing to them.

Would PK Subban play for the brother combination team or team minority?
The more i think about it the better it gets!!!!

In case you do not realize i being totally sarcastic!

 

[Jussi]

Who will buy a ticket for U-23 vs Finland? No one from Finland is flying in for the game. And the U-23 does not represent a college, city, state or Nation.

And if U-23 scores who is standing up to cheer? and why?

And Finally everybody likes rookies? We also like rooting for the veteran players that played many years without winning a Stanley cup. Would you like to make a team of players that have played over 12 years and have not won the Stanley cup. A "old Gunz Team".

Think about how ridiculous that sounds? That is how i feel about your "young Gunz team".

I doubt hardly anyone will be flying from Finland to watch this tournament. The fan reception on Finnish hockey sites (or rather the biggest site) has mirrored HFBoards, ie. 9/10 people hate the format and 8/10 don't really care how we do in it. The time of the year alone means there won't be much hockey tourism. I'd actually wager all my vCash that the crowds in non-Canada games will be 99% Canadian.

 

[Canuckistani]

They will give it 100%. Bank on it.

You think McDavid is going to go all out to eliminate his own country?

 

[Canuckistani]

The Young Gunz have nothing to lose and would love to beat Rusia or any other team.

They have nothing to lose except their own reputations and admiration of their countrymen if they beat their own national team. Only a moron like bettman would even think of putting them in that situation.

Meanwhile the Euro Leftovers will have nothing to lose but their self-respect if they even agree to play after their national teams (esp the Slovaks and Swiss) were so badly insulted by the NHL.

This is going to be great hockey.

So why isn't the NHL all-star game known for "great hockey"?

 

[ForumNamePending]

Yeah. OR it is for the reason that Canada is a hockey country so when the best junior team that is filled with many future NHL stars plays in front of home crowd, they watch it because they love hockey? nah, that can't be it, its because TSN told them to watch

The first point is true though. People watch because the players wear a red MAPLE LEAF on their jersey.

This is going way off topic but...

If you don't think TSN hasn't played a huge role in transforming the WJC from barely a blip on the radar to the monster it is today then I really don't know what to say.

 

[Nakawick]

I am trying to understand your point because it is outrageous that you think this is a good idea. Would you prefer all the teams be made up. For example Team old Gunz, Team Young Gunz, Team 5'8 and smaller, Team Minorities, team 6'4 and larger, team brothers (Staal, Subban, etc.), Team Jewish, and team all goalies (goalies get to play as forwards and defensemen).

I am not joking. i am really asking you. Would you buy a ticket if the NHL set this up. Imagine Hentik Lundqvist playing Center on team Goalie. Wouldn't you think the goalies would want to prove themselves. How about team 5'8 and smaller they would be playing to prove themselves. How about team Jewish or team minorities? How would teams feel losing to them.

Would PK Subban play for the brother combination team or team minority?
The more i think about it the better it gets!!!!

In case you do not realize i being totally sarcastic!

I realize you are being sarcastic, however, grouping people based on physical appearance is a lame analogy. But to answer your question, no, I would not buy tickets to watch over 50 under 5'4 sized 16 and up one legged minority lesbians who survived small pox and a plane crash and were born in South America or whatever.

They have nothing to lose except their own reputations and admiration of their countrymen if they beat their own national team. Only a moron like bettman would even think of putting them in that situation.

Meanwhile the Euro Leftovers will have nothing to lose but their self-respect if they even agree to play after their national teams (esp the Slovaks and Swiss) were so badly insulted by the NHL.



So why isn't the NHL all-star game known for "great hockey"?

An allstar game is an allstar game, this is a tournament.

 

[Canuckistani]

An allstar game is an allstar game, this is a tournament.

But an all-star game is full of the best players in the world. What causes them to go through the motions and play a completely indifferent, effort-free game that ends 13-11?

Answer: they're not representing anything or anyone. Sort of like playing for your age group or the Euro leftovers.

No one blocks shots at the all-star game for "Team Foligno" and no self-respecting player will do so for the Young Gunz or Leftovers either.

 

[Jablkon]

I would and many others will in Hockeys largest market. I'll bet on it. You can't tell me that the Swedes, Finns or Russians want to lose to NA under 23 team. The Young Gunz have nothing to lose and would love to beat Rusia or any other team. This is going to be great hockey.

You could make a better argument for Team Europe perhaps not having the same motivation. But I will also bet that the individual players would love to beat Canada or the USA in Canada.

This is it.I agree this tourney can be a great marketing event in NA, where fans are more focused on quality and shows while europeans still take it more from national identification. Problem for me is that this tourney will be use as a team evaluation (at least some of us will definetely do it here. In that case there are too much disruptions like no draw, teams which have nothing to loose or even kind of struggle to find motivation against USA or Canada in playoff. Maybe Hossa (in case he participate) once he score against czech would thinking " damn I wish my czech friends will win it when we can not be here etc..i have never had a problem with canadian referees in olympics or world cups, but this event is really too much twisted for me....it will be great to make some results there but if we dont, I dont know what to think about it.....

 

[Jablkon]

If I play for Czech Republic U23 and beat my country in a semifinal of the best of best tournament I would have trauma till the end of my career, or even longer

 

[swissexpert]

Playing against your own country in a u23 line-up will never motivate you as much as playing your long time rivals. The game can be compared to the All-Star game. They're from the same country and will be in the opponent's team next time. That makes this game basically a training match.
But the biggest insult is the leftover team. Please, just please name me a good reason someone should play for them and be motivated?!
What is the reason for them to give their best?
"Yeah, we just beat Finland, so if you put as all together, we can compete with them, amazing! #whatacrowd #gosvksuigerlatfraitaden"

 

[Pominville Knows]

I can not believe you are from Sweden and do not understand how absurd this World cup is. So I am assuming that you will root for this U-23/Young Gunz/Rookie team. How are you going to feel when they are down 3-0 in the quarter final. Will you be upset or angry? How will you feel if they are up by a goal in the semi-final with 2 minutes left. Will you feel nervous and yet excited? And finally how will you feel if Team Young Gunz wins the World cup. Will you have an immense feeling to celebrate?

No i will normally not root for them but they will be enthralling to see in a game. If they meet Canada or the USA i will root for them as underdogs.

Sports fandom is about passion. The passion you have for your club team is what makes sports such a entertaining spectacle. The only other format besides club teams which brings out people's passionate emotion is international tournaments. Many People have a deep passionate connection to their country/culture. Team U-23 and Euro Leftover do not represent a city, state, or nation. They will have no passionate supporters.These fake teams makes the event just like any all-star game which has all the talent but no passion.

I believe they will be more interesting than Slovakia and Switzerland for the average american viewer with some but not much knowlegde about the NHL. Even non-hockey fans there might see those teams as spectacles which is what the NHL are counting on, since Team Young Gunz Americas and Team European All-Stars may bring curiosity and feel exotic to a higher degree than Slovakia and Switzerland.

 

[Nakawick]

But an all-star game is full of the best players in the world. What causes them to go through the motions and play a completely indifferent, effort-free game that ends 13-11?

Answer: they're not representing anything or anyone. Sort of like playing for your age group or the Euro leftovers.

No one blocks shots at the all-star game for "Team Foligno" and no self-respecting player will do so for the Young Gunz or Leftovers either.

If you are expecting an all-star game, you will be pleasantly surprised.

If I play for Czech Republic U23 and beat my country in a semifinal of the best of best tournament I would have trauma till the end of my career, or even longer

In that scenario there would be two teams representing the Czech republic. How would you feel if those teams met in the final?

 

[xxxx]

I realize you are being sarcastic, however, grouping people based on physical appearance is a lame analogy. But to answer your question, no, I would not buy tickets to watch over 50 under 5'4 sized 16 and up one legged minority lesbians who survived small pox and a plane crash and were born in South America or whatever.



An allstar game is an allstar game, this is a tournament.

I would

 

[Pominville Knows]

But an all-star game is full of the best players in the world. What causes them to go through the motions and play a completely indifferent, effort-free game that ends 13-11?

Answer: they're not representing anything or anyone. Sort of like playing for your age group or the Euro leftovers.

No one blocks shots at the all-star game for "Team Foligno" and no self-respecting player will do so for the Young Gunz or Leftovers either.

What you are choosing to forget is that six of the eight teams will be national teams playing for the crown. This creates an amosphere of competitive hockey.
The Young Gunz is happy to be there and we should be happy to see them. Team Europe is the one questionmark, and even if they should not be fully motivated they are one team out of eight. However, i would think that these players from nations that would have been chanceless to win the title if on their national teams would love a chance for once to actually win a tournament like this. They are competitive and they know it.
If i were a slovenian i would root for Team Europe becouse it is in fact in a way representing me even if in an exotic form, the World Cup 2016 form. Kopitar guarantees it and i would want him to win this and welcome the rest of the players to the team with open arms becouse i know that those players are in the same situation as Kopitar and we should work together to knock the top-6 nations of their thone.

 

[Jablkon]

If you are expecting an all-star game, you will be pleasantly surprised.



In that scenario there would be two teams representing the Czech republic. How would you feel if those teams met in the final?

That would be fine,however that can not happen because U23 is not in the same group as CAN and USA...according to Tretiaks leak....

 

[FiLe]

However, i would think that these players from nations that would have been chanceless to win the title if on their national teams would love a chance for once to actually win a tournament like this. They are competitive and they know it.

The team is still supposed to rely heavily on Slovaks and Swiss, who know they can be competitive even on their own. And if they turn down invitations in masses or show up playing disheartened, the rest of the players from lesser nations will not be enough to save the squad from turning into a punching bag.

 

[Jablkon]

If you are expecting an all-star game, you will be pleasantly surprised.



In that scenario there would be two teams representing the Czech republic. How would you feel if those teams met in the final?

That would be fine,however that can not happen because U23 is not in the same group as CAN and USA...according to Tretiaks leak....

 

[Scotty B]

If memory serves me right, the WJC was never overly popular in your country until TNS started to promoting the hell out of it around the late 1980s.

CBC with Sherri Basin doing coloUr commentary, still had it in 1987, the year of the infamous Piestany Punch-up. Even before that , which was a Big story nationwide, WJC's still had a fairly size-able following...

As for me? I go all the way back to when they used to send the previous year's Mem Cup champs, ( usually with a couple of additions from other clubs to make-up for the previous year's grads ). The silver medal winning St Kitts FinCups, featuring guys like Dale McCourt, Ric Seiling , Al Secord and John Anderson ( from the Marlies ) comes to mind...Pat Riggin was the other add on, if memory serves...

Back then you had to listen to the broadcasts on CBC radio...no TV coverage

World Juniors got a boost when Canada sent a quasi- best team, featuring a 16 year old Gretzky....circa 1978/79...but they were still missing the WHA's Baby Bulls and , if memory serves, a guy like Bobby Smith was only made available for a game or two... Not sure, cuz I was out of the country that year...

***
But back to the subject at hand...NO doubt in my mind that Team U23 ( which wouldn't be in Canada/ USA's group for the round robin ) would, like I said, have a RABID following in TO ( the hockey capital of the planet , less we forget )

Sans doubt they'll be marketing the hell out of McD and Eichel....And, again no matter what anybody says to the contrary...Team U23 vs Russia would be HUGE...Throw in an upset and then they become everyone's second fav team overnight...

Again its a no brainer/ Marketer's Dream!

 

[Jablkon]

CBC with Sherri Basin doing coloUr commentary, still had it in 1987, the year of the infamous Piestany Punch-up. Even before that , which was a Big story nationwide, WJC's still had a fairly size-able following...

As for me? I go all the way back to when they used to send the previous year's Mem Cup champs, ( usually with a couple of additions from other clubs to make-up for the previous year's grads ). The silver medal winning St Kitts FinCups, featuring guys like Dale McCourt, Ric Seiling , Al Secord and John Anderson ( from the Marlies ) comes to mind...Pat Riggin was the other add on, if memory serves...

Back then you had to listen to the broadcasts on CBC radio...no TV coverage

World Juniors got a boost when Canada sent a quasi- best team, featuring a 16 year old Gretzky....circa 1978/79...but they were still missing the WHA's Baby Bulls and , if memory serves, a guy like Bobby Smith was only made available for a game or two... Not sure, cuz I was out of the country that year...

***
But back to the subject at hand...NO doubt in my mind that Team U23 ( which wouldn't be in Canada/ USA's group for the round robin ) would, like I said, have a RABID following in TO ( the hockey capital of the planet , less we forget )

Sans doubt they'll be marketing the hell out of McD and Eichel....And, again no matter what anybody says to the contrary...Team U23 vs Russia would be HUGE...Throw in an upset and then they become everyone's second fav team overnight...

Again its a no brainer/ Marketer's Dream!

And can you guarantee me that, in case they will face USA or Canada in playoff, they would play for 100%. I am not that sure about that....

 

[Scotty B]

And can you guarantee me that, in case they will face USA or Canada in playoff, they would play for 100%. I am not that sure about that....

Motivation won't be a problem for the u23's , I Guarantee that...Two bits they punch WAY above their weight...They may well beat the Yankee A team...

Hopefully Larkin makes it...they'll need to favor Yankee Bubble Boyz to try to even out the Can/ USA ratio

 

[Hanji]

***
But back to the subject at hand...NO doubt in my mind that Team U23 ( which wouldn't be in Canada/ USA's group for the round robin ) would, like I said, have a RABID following in TO ( the hockey capital of the planet , less we forget )

Sans doubt they'll be marketing the hell out of McD and Eichel....And, again no matter what anybody says to the contrary...Team U23 vs Russia would be HUGE...Throw in an upset and then they become everyone's second fav team overnight...

Again its a no brainer/ Marketer's Dream!

If this tourney is a marketer's dream, it's because it is limited in size and scope. It's targeted at a small existing NHL fanbase in Toronto, with gimmicks thrown in.
The rest of the world, US included, is left out in the cold. The NHL had the opportunity to manufacture a really great and inclusive international tournament. Unfortunately they took the easy way out. A quick cash grab, XFL style.
Players aren't stupid, don't think this won't affect motivation.