World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team Europe

[Scotty B]

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.

Toronto, Hog-town, the GTA, the Golden Horseshoe, Southern Ontario a SMALL, limited in size and scope , Hockey Market...How does one even begin to formulate a response to such utter absurdity???

Look the U23's , bearing in mind the caliber of opposition they will face, will be highly, HIGHLY motivated ...Moreover...Team Young Gunz WILL SELL OUT EVERY GAME!

 

[Hanji]

Toronto, Hog-town, the GTA, the Golden Horseshoe, Southern Ontario a SMALL, limited in size and scope , Hockey Market...How does one even begin to formulate a response to such utter absurdity???

Look the U23's , bearing in mind the caliber of opposition they will face, will be highly, HIGHLY motivated ...Moreover...Team Young Gunz WILL SELL OUT EVERY GAME!

Great we have the U23s who care. Anyone else? And yes Toronto is small compared to the entirety of the hockey world.
Unfortunately this is a sad cash grab. Market to a small rabid fan base who will watch anything hockey related, low production costs, throw in gimmicks, and wallah instant money.

Even so, the NHL has already seen the ill of its ways. They've stated the format will be changed for future World Cups.

 

[xxxx]

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....

I believe they would. This is not the olympics. It would of course be nonsense if we saw such teams in Sochi for example. This is a different tournament. But still one that is a best-on-best. World Cup is organized by the NHL and not by an international body (IIHF,IOC), so their tournament doesn't necessarily need to be "strictly international".

 

[Nakawick]

Great we have the U23s who care. Anyone else? And yes Toronto is small compared to the entirety of the hockey world.
Unfortunately this is a sad cash grab. Market to a small rabid fan base who will watch anything hockey related, low production costs, throw in gimmicks, and wallah instant money.

Even so, the NHL has already seen the ill of its ways. They've stated the format will be changed for future World Cups.

Obviously the tournament will be televised. I am not sure what other city could draw as much interest or audience to games not involving the home team or its closest neighbor. Montreal probably. Would New Yorkers fill MSG to watch Young Gunz vs Russia? What about Sweden vs Finland or Czech Republic vs Canada?

Prague is quite central so they might be the best bet in Europe. Would Switzerland and Slovakia represented in this world cup suddenly make Stockholm and Helsinki contenders to host the tournament? If it was held in Europe would the World Cup tournament be more popular?

This is the issue with International hockey IMO.

An annual "World" Championship where not all players are available and many don't even want to play in it even if they are available. Europeans seem to enjoy it anyway, but it is hard to declare any team the worlds best when no one has their best team. I do like the 16 teams as it gives the more emerging and smaller hockey nations a chance to compete against the larger hockey countries.

The Olympics has the most prestige due to the increased media attention from around the world and the grandeur of the event, etc,... but the current tournament has 12 teams with a set up of 3 divisions of 4. All domestic leagues shut down in the middle of the season and very little preparation time, no tryout period, etc. It seems very rushed.

Do people want a World Cup every 4 years? Held during the same time as the Olympic qualifiers that involves the top 8 teams already qualified for the Olympics? There would be more preparation time. Each country should have its best players available and healthy. All of the hockey nations would have a national team playing at the same time, if not in the World Cup then in the Olympic qualifiers, except maybe for the years where the Olympics is held in a country who is already in the top 8, then one country could be left out, unless they have 4 qualification spots during those years. What if the tournament was held in North America (Canada) most or all of the time?

 

[Urbanskog]

The Olympics has the most prestige due to the increased media attention from around the world and the grandeur of the event, etc,... but the current tournament has 12 teams with a set up of 3 divisions of 4. All domestic leagues shut down in the middle of the season and very little preparation time, no tryout period, etc. It seems very rushed.

Once again, that's just because of the NHL.

 

[Jablkon]

Obviously the tournament will be televised. I am not sure what other city could draw as much interest or audience to games not involving the home team or its closest neighbor. Montreal probably. Would New Yorkers fill MSG to watch Young Gunz vs Russia? What about Sweden vs Finland or Czech Republic vs Canada?

Prague is quite central so they might be the best bet in Europe. Would Switzerland and Slovakia represented in this world cup suddenly make Stockholm and Helsinki contenders to host the tournament? If it was held in Europe would the World Cup tournament be more popular?

This is the issue with International hockey IMO.

An annual "World" Championship where not all players are available and many don't even want to play in it even if they are available. Europeans seem to enjoy it anyway, but it is hard to declare any team the worlds best when no one has their best team. I do like the 16 teams as it gives the more emerging and smaller hockey nations a chance to compete against the larger hockey countries.

The Olympics has the most prestige due to the increased media attention from around the world and the grandeur of the event, etc,... but the current tournament has 12 teams with a set up of 3 divisions of 4. All domestic leagues shut down in the middle of the season and very little preparation time, no tryout period, etc. It seems very rushed.

Do people want a World Cup every 4 years? Held during the same time as the Olympic qualifiers that involves the top 8 teams already qualified for the Olympics? There would be more preparation time. Each country should have its best players available and healthy. All of the hockey nations would have a national team playing at the same time, if not in the World Cup then in the Olympic qualifiers, except maybe for the years where the Olympics is held in a country who is already in the top 8, then one country could be left out, unless they have 4 qualification spots during those years. What if the tournament was held in North America (Canada) most or all of the time?

It depends on pricing and participating teams. If prices were similar to WHC and there were Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia, you can definetely organize it somewhere in central Europe ...It would also depends on ticket distribution imo...

 

[Nakawick]

It depends on pricing and participating teams. If prices were similar to WHC and there were Switzerland, Slovakia and Latvia, you can definetely organize it somewhere in central Europe ...It would also depends on ticket distribution imo...

Doesn't that say a lot though? Really, how many countries or cities could host a World Cup? Maybe it makes sense to have it in North America.

 

[Jablkon]

Doesn't that say a lot though? Really, how many countries or cities could host a World Cup? Maybe it makes sense to have it in North America.

I thought It was just a hypothetical question from you so I gave you hypothetical answer. If the income is the purpose you can have it just somewhere in Canada. If it should be more for fans why not to organize it even in Europe?Again I dont really know what is pricing suppose to be.... The problem with Canada and concept with allstars and U23 is that not many europeans want to spend money for smth what they dont really understand to.

It makes sense to have it in NA. But on the other hand this tourney would attract even americans to travel to Europe if you make it there.With three teams I mentioned in previous post it would be the biggest hockey carneval ever. Problem is that you need two at least 17000 capacity arenas in close distance.This could be the issue.....

 

[Urbanskog]

It makes sense to have it in NA. But on the other hand this tourney would attract even americans to travel to Europe if you make it there.With three teams I mentioned in previous post it would be the biggest hockey carneval ever. Problem is that you need two at least 17000 capacity arenas in close distance.This could be the issue.....

Well, distances are small in Europe. You have the O2 in Prague and then there's the Lanxess Arena which seats 18.5k in Cologne.

 

[Jablkon]

Well, distances are small in Europe. You have the O2 in Prague and then there's the Lanxess Arena which seats 18.5k in Cologne.

Its like 700 km. That's quite far for me. Let it in Toronto

 

[RandV]

Once again, that's just because of the NHL.

Here's a link where you can count, of the 300 players in the 2014 Olympics the NHL provided just over half. The KHL supplied about 50 players, and only a handful from each of the rest of the leagues around the world.

When you're sending over 20% of your players mid-season to a tournament you kind of have to shut down.

 

[Urbanskog]

Here's a link where you can count, of the 300 players in the 2014 Olympics the NHL provided just over half. The KHL supplied about 50 players, and only a handful from each of the rest of the leagues around the world.

When you're sending over 20% of your players mid-season to a tournament you kind of have to shut down.

That is not what I meant. It's rushed and there's little preparation time because the NHL wants the break to be as short as possible.

 

[Nakawick]

I thought It was just a hypothetical question from you so I gave you hypothetical answer. If the income is the purpose you can have it just somewhere in Canada. If it should be more for fans why not to organize it even in Europe?Again I dont really know what is pricing suppose to be.... The problem with Canada and concept with allstars and U23 is that not many europeans want to spend money for smth what they dont really understand to.

It makes sense to have it in NA. But on the other hand this tourney would attract even americans to travel to Europe if you make it there.With three teams I mentioned in previous post it would be the biggest hockey carneval ever. Problem is that you need two at least 17000 capacity arenas in close distance.This could be the issue.....

But the World Championship is held every year in Europe with not that many from North America going.

 

[RandV]

That is not what I meant. It's rushed and there's little preparation time because the NHL wants the break to be as short as possible.

Sorry my mistake, but still. It's in the NHL's best interest to minimize interruptonis their schedule more than any other league. Especially when they're largely a gate driven league, while the Euro leagues are more sponsorship driven.

 

[Jablkon]

But the World Championship is held every year in Europe with not that many from North America going.

I know. Its because it is not best of best and WC also does not have that popularity in NA. I assume that canadians would travel to Europe to see WC, especially in a time when there is no other big hockey. US fans would come as well imo, as it is probably only one int tourney (together with OG) to attract them. Anyway, I do not really care. I just put it on table as a very hyphotetical situation.....I saw fever here during WHC and this would be probably even bigger which might be too much for me

 

[Nakawick]

I know. Its because it is not best of best and WC also does not have that popularity in NA. I assume that canadians would travel to Europe to see WC, especially in a time when there is no other big hockey. US fans would come as well imo, as it is probably only one int tourney (together with OG) to attract them. Anyway, I do not really care. I just put it on table as a very hyphotetical situation.....I saw fever here during WHC and this would be probably even bigger which might be too much for me

I am sure there are a few Canadians who go every year. I would suspect most Canadians at each World Championship are tourists who happen to be in the country or have a Euro trip planned in addition to hockey.

 

[Nakawick]

But back on topic, I wonder who the coach of this team will be?

 

[xxxx]

But back on topic, I wonder who the coach of this team will be?

Maybe Ralph Kruger or Glenn Hanlon. Kruger was the coach of Switzerland and Hanlon still is (?) the coach of Belarus and was also the coach of team Slovakia in the past

 

[Sipak4]

If starts Americans U23, make also Europian union U23. Can someone make a line up? I'm so curious and too lazy to make it myself.

 

[WhiteLight*]

If starts Americans U23, make also Europian union U23. Can someone make a line up? I'm so curious and too lazy to make it myself.

Landeskog - Zibanejad - Forsberg
Hertl - Barkov - Pastrnak
Dano - Girgensons - Lindholm
Burakovsky - Teravainen - Rakell
Draisaitl - Jaskin

Maatta - Ristolainen
Lindholm - Brodin
Klefbom - Larsson
Lindbohm - Wikstrand

Forsberg
Grubauer
Lassinantti

 

[FiLe]

Grubauer

Too old. My suggestion for replacement would be Saros, who is at least clearly better than Lassinantti.

 

[Sipak4]

Landeskog - Zibanejad - Forsberg
Hertl - Barkov - Pastrnak
Dano - Girgensons - Lindholm
Burakovsky - Teravainen - Rakell
Draisaitl - Jaskin

Maatta - Ristolainen
Lindholm - Brodin
Klefbom - Larsson
Lindbohm - Wikstrand

Forsberg
Grubauer
Lassinantti

Thx It looks pretty strong. If we add non-EU players from Switzerland, we have also Fiala and Müller. This team can beat american U23. I rather see european u23 than "remainder of world".

 

[Wooren]

This team is an absolute joke. There should have been qualification made out of the good teams (Slovakia, Switzerland, Latvia, Belaraus) ''Team Europe''...
Sure this team, if all the players from the countries contributed, could win a medal. But a lot of the players will decline, because as I said, absolute joke. I can't imagine cheering for a team like that being a Swiss or Slovak.

 

[Canuckistani]

This team is an absolute joke. There should have been qualification made out of the good teams (Slovakia, Switzerland, Latvia, Belaraus)

They don't even need a qualifying stage. Previous Canada/World Cups never had one so there's no need for 2016 to have one either. We all know who the top eight nations are according to both common sense and the IIHF: top six plus Slovakia and Switzerland.

The only reason the NHL is wrecking the 2016 event with non-national teams is to get Kopitar, McDavid and Eichel in there by any means necessary.

 

[Wooren]

They don't even need a qualifying stage. Previous Canada/World Cups never had one so there's no need for 2016 to have one either. We all know who the top eight nations are according to both common sense and the IIHF: top six plus Slovakia and Switzerland.

The only reason the NHL is wrecking the 2016 event with non-national teams is to get Kopitar, McDavid and Eichel in there by any means necessary.

I know what the top nations are, just thought the qualification would be kinda fair given the fact Latvia did better on the last Olympics than Slovakia or Switzerland. But overall, if the teams play the best they can, Slovakia and Switzerland are of course better than Latvia or Belaraus.

If NHL wants to see Mcdavid or Eichel so badly, just push them into the usual national teams. Kopitar is the best player of the ''rest of europe'' and I would like to see him on another big tournament, but putting him in the joke team is not right. NHL makes all those stupid decisions, but in the end no top Europe player will play for that joke team.