World Cup: 2016 World Cup — Team Europe

[NHLFAN82]

It'll be even more of a joke if anyone is forced to join it.

How hard will Hossa and Chara play for this hiddeous team if they don't want to be there? Who'd block a shot for the "Euro Leftovers" or "NA U-23"?

That is fine - I will still enjoy the tournament. I love this format. If Chara or Hossa don't want to play that is fine.

The winner will still be legitimate. The Swiss and Slovaks have no impact on the eventual winner anyway. So I don't see how this makes a difference.

Anyway - enjoy watching some great hockey guys. Look forward to some future discuss on the rosters.

 

[Lepardi]

The winner will still be legitimate. The Swiss and Slovaks have no impact on the eventual winner anyway. So I don't see how this makes a difference.

Do you think Mario Lemieux in 1987 or Sidney Crosby in 2010 had any impact on determining the winner? Cause with this format they wouldn't have been representing Canada.

 

[TheTwelfth]

After that the rest of the countries know they have no business playing against the likes of Canada, Sweden, USA this at least gives the people of those countries something to cheer for and a reason to follow the tournament. Not to mention we are gonna get to see some amazing hockey.

In this picture is Nicklas Bäckström, a 100-pt scoring center in the NHL, behind him is a David Rodman, at the time playing in Swedish second tier team Oskarshamn. Both players had equal legitimate "business" playing against each other, on virtue of qualifying and leading their countries to the quarter final. Your condescending tone towards other teams show you have no respect or understanding of the international competition in sports.

 

[TheTwelfth]

Ya I mean I am torn. I do feel for those bubble nations. I also want to see Kopitar, Vanek and Gaborik on the same team. I think they would give it there all. Why not. The likelyhood of them winning is small but its bigger than Swiss or Slovakia winning on their own.

It is a publicity stunt but its gonna be a whole lot of fun watching how these all star team compare.

So hope for the Kings to trade for Vanek then.

I wish I could see two great talents like Crosby and Malkin play on the same team, oh wait, they do, in the so called the NHL.

 

[Canuckistani]

That is fine - I will still enjoy the tournament. I love this format. If Chara or Hossa don't want to play that is fine.

The winner will still be legitimate. The Swiss and Slovaks have no impact on the eventual winner anyway. So I don't see how this makes a difference.

Anyway - enjoy watching some great hockey guys. Look forward to some future discuss on the rosters.

Fans like you are what's wrong with hockey. You'll agree to watch anything.

Weakened rosters due to stealing young stars for a useless u23 team? Bring it on! Insulting the Slovaks and Swiss with Euro leftovers? Sure, why not.

That's exactly why the NHL feels it can ruin the international game with this dog turd of an event.

 

[FiLe]

Fans like you are what's wrong with hockey. You'll agree to watch anything.

Not exactly. They'll agree to watch anything... as long as Canada has a shot of winning it.

 

[Urbanskog]

Fans like you are what's wrong with hockey. You'll agree to watch anything.

Weakened rosters due to stealing young stars for a useless u23 team? Bring it on! Insulting the Slovaks and Swiss with Euro leftovers? Sure, why not.

That's exactly why the NHL feels it can ruin the international game with this dog turd of an event.

His nickname tells it all, an NHL fan, not a hockey fan.

 

[namttebih]

I was going to suggest a fun tournament and not call it a World Cup. Something like North America, Scandinavia, Former Soviet Republics and Europe. Just for the exercise of creating the teams more than anything.

I was shocked to find only 3 players in the NHL born in the former USSR not born in Russia! Girgensons, Grabovski and Komorov who was born in Estonia but represents Finland internationally. No Kazakhs, no Ukrainians. Am I missing anyone?

As far as the original idea, I'm pretty sure that the three listed would be in contention to make the USSR team (remember, NHL players only) but would hardly be game changers. Because of that, I tried making it a former Soviet bloc team including Czech and Slovak players. This left the European team quite week essentially leaving German, Swiss, Austrian, Slovenian and French players. Don't get me wrong, it was a fine team. I just thought that they would have a hard time against Canada/USA, Russia/Czech/Slovak/Baltic countries and Sweeden/Finland/Norway/Denmark

 

[Urbanskog]

I was shocked to find only 3 players in the NHL born in the former USSR not born in Russia! Girgensons, Grabovski and Komorov who was born in Estonia but represents Finland internationally. No Kazakhs, no Ukrainians. Am I missing anyone?

Dainius Zubrus, born in Lithuania and Anton Khudobin and Evgeni Nabokov, born in Kazakhstan.

 

[BlueBratislava]

Yeah here is the thing, Canada in soccer is just not comparable to Slovakia or Switzerland in hockey. On a good day I know we can beat any team. Sure luck needs to be involved but we have proven it over almost 10 years now. And I am sure the Slovaks feel the exact same way.

So why would I care or cheer for an European All-Star team that futures maybe 4 Swiss players max? It is just a joke and really disrespectful against the countries sitting in that 7th and 8th spot.

I haven't read the entire thread, so maybe it has been brought up before but here are some quotes from Mark Streit and I couldn't agree more: http://www.courierpostonline.com/st...ne-flyer-happy-new-world-cup-format/22192403/

You think that the announcement of the World Cup format was received with emotions from fans? Wait for the time of player nominations! Dear Lord, it's gonna be crazy....Slovaks will say: "why are we even sending an EU team? Screw the NHL!" and Swiss will say: "why do we have only 4 players and Slovaks 6?!" then Germans will say: "Swiss and Slovaks have 10 players together and we have only 2, what the hell?! and you can imagine the rest of the countries. I am afraid that the NHL will pick the team themselves and will give the coaching job to some Canadian, because online voting for this after the Girgensons precedent can produce some very weird line up that will not have the best players possible. Honestly I can't imagine team EU being a good ticket seller either. Who in Toronto will want to spend 300+ dollars for some "inferior eftover team" from Canadian perspective. There are about 500,000 ethnic descendants of Slovaks around Toronto who came 2 generations ago and they bought a lot of the World Junior Championship 2015 tickets when our Slovakian team played. So if anything this marketing target group has a way larger chance of buying tickets to games with Slovakia at World Cup, then anybody who could possibly have any emotions towards team EU I don't know if there are any Swiss, Slovenian, Danish, Belarusian etc. descendants in Toronto. I understand that this tournament is about making money and selling out each game, but who will want to go see Team Europe for that price? Especially if people will be wearing SVK, SUI, GER, BEL, NOR, SLO etc. jerseys and waving their national flags. Expecting somebody to bring an EU flag and wave it is rather comical Mr. Bettman once again proved that he is completely incompetent.

 

[namttebih]

Dainius Zubrus, born in Lithuania and Anton Khudobin and Evgeni Nabokov, born in Kazakhstan.

Awesome! Thanks man.

Again, hardly bolstering the Soviet lineup. Khubodin as a third string... Maybe?

6 total NHL players from all of the former republics is still kind of shocking.

 

[Robin Hood]

I have never said that ALL players accept this. I am sure all players were consulted or at least had a forum to voice their opinion. If players chose not to be involved in the process that is their choice. The players vote for their player rep. This is their voice.

If Hossa or Chara have issues with the union's decisions then maybe they should be more involved with their own union. If they are upset, they have no one to blame but themselves.

I know most of you think this just on Bettman and the owners, but the players are equally responsible.

Yes you did. You have quite clearly dismissed the argument that some players from Slovakia and Switzerland among other countries would be dissatisfied with this format by saying that the players have agreed to it. This quite clearly implies all or almost all of them, since the counterargument was that some would be dissatisfied. And you said that none would boykott. Then you said the players are promoting it and you said that they were trying to maximize their profits. You have said several of these things numerous times.

I take the rest of your post as an admission that this is not the case. It is just silly BTW. Of course you can disagree with what your union decides. What if you lose a vote - must you then agree on the opinion of the opponent? In the real world the opinion of NHLPA is of course not automatically the same as the one of every member.

 

[namttebih]

Not exactly. They'll agree to watch anything... as long as Canada has a shot of winning it.

I don't understand this post.

Canada has a shot at winning every tournament. Even the ones scheduled while most of their elite are playing more important hockey.

 

[Robin Hood]

Mr. Bettman once again proved that he is completely incompetent.

It's all about the $$$$$. They don't care about international hockey. These people would include a team of chimpanzees, or perhaps an allstar animal kingdom team with several species, if people would pay for it. And people in Toronto would happily pay 300 dollars for it.

 

[namttebih]

The whole tournament is garbage. It wasn't broken. Is insulting to not only the Slovak's and Swiss but to to up and coming Scandinavian nations, Germany, Belorussia and Latvia. They've made great strides and could all beat any one of the original "elite six".

Is this entire setup so that Vanek and Kopitar can play?

 

[namttebih]

It's all about the $$$$$. They don't care about international hockey. These people would include a team of chimpanzees, or perhaps an allstar animal kingdom team with several species, if people would pay for it. And people in Toronto would happily pay 300 dollars for it.

Don't fool yourself. This tournament is being played in Toronto because it is the largest hockey market in the world and there is a HUGE corporate scene here that buys the majority of tickets.
The format however is set up to please specific hockey markets in the US.

 

[Robin Hood]

Don't fool yourself. This tournament is being played in Toronto because it is the largest hockey market in the world and there is a HUGE corporate scene here that buys the majority of tickets.
The format however is set up to please specific hockey markets in the US.

I'm confused now. How am I fooling myself? I don't care where it's played. That wasn't really the point.

 

[Urbanskog]

Awesome! Thanks man.

Again, hardly bolstering the Soviet lineup. Khubodin as a third string... Maybe?

6 total NHL players from all of the former republics is still kind of shocking.

Well, Khubodin and Nabokov actually represent Russia on international stage, while Zubrus plays for Lithuania. The Ukrainian Ruslan Fedotenko and Alexei Ponikarovsky both played in the NHL until the 2012-13 season though.

 

[albator71]

Don't fool yourself. This tournament is being played in Toronto because it is the largest hockey market in the world and there is a HUGE corporate scene here that buys the majority of tickets.
The format however is set up to please specific hockey markets in the US.

I agree its all about the mighty $$$$, Im Canadian and i love hockey but i will not watch that crap, the NHL says it wants to grow the game in Europe, well they have a funny way of doing it, for me Slovakia and Switzerland have earn the right to be part of the WC, The IIHF should organize the WC the have the experience to organize such a tournament, the NHL have no right because the represent the interest of North America only.

 

[jason2020]

Don't fool yourself. This tournament is being played in Toronto because it is the largest hockey market in the world and there is a HUGE corporate scene here that buys the majority of tickets.
The format however is set up to please specific hockey markets in the US.

The other thing is they know having it in Toronto people will come from Southern Ontario/Eastern Ontario and most of Quebec.

 

[BlueBratislava]

I agree its all about the mighty $$$$, Im Canadian and i love hockey but i will not watch that crap, the NHL says it wants to grow the game in Europe, well they have a funny way of doing it, for me Slovakia and Switzerland have earn the right to be part of the WC, The IIHF should organize the WC the have the experience to organize such a tournament, the NHL have no right because the represent the interest of North America only.

IIHF is completely useless and their boss René Fasel...waste of words talking about him. Their international calendar is outdated and forces ambitious leagues like KHL to play 60 reg. season games MAX. Don't expect anything progressive from those people. The NHL also forgot how the original Canadian Cup worked and why it was so prestigious. I am afraid that they really will sell all the tickets to corporations in package deals, but this type of fans won't bring the emotions like we can see in WC or OG. Another thing is, who are the North Americans supposed to cheer for? Especially when their team will play against U23 And how are those players supposed to take it seriously? If the NHL wants to have another All Star exhibition event, they should call it that way. This tournament will have 10% of the emotions of the original Canadian Cup. Also how do they expect the Russians and Fins to bring the best teams without their KHL players...that's beyond me. The NHL is so stubborn and arrogant thinking only NHL players will show the best possible hockey. Seems like everybody forgot about Nagano 1998 when the Czechs beat Canada with their NHL All Star line up and won the gold medal while the Czechs had 1/2 of their team from the Czech league.

 

[namttebih]

IIHF is completely useless and their boss René Fasel...waste of words talking about him. Their international calendar is outdated and forces ambitious leagues like KHL to play 60 reg. season games MAX. Don't expect anything progressive from those people. The NHL also forgot how the original Canadian Cup worked and why it was so prestigious. I am afraid that they really will sell all the tickets to corporations in package deals, but this type of fans won't bring the emotions like we can see in WC or OG. Another thing is, who are the North Americans supposed to cheer for? Especially when their team will play against U23 And how are those players supposed to take it seriously? If the NHL wants to have another All Star exhibition event, they should call it that way. This tournament will have 10% of the emotions of the original Canadian Cup. Also how do they expect the Russians and Fins to bring the best teams without their KHL players...that's beyond me. The NHL is so stubborn and arrogant thinking only NHL players will show the best possible hockey. Seems like everybody forgot about Nagano 1998 when the Czechs beat Canada with their NHL All Star line up and won the gold medal while the Czechs had 1/2 of their team from the Czech league.

I don't want to take anything away from that Czech team and I don't disagree with the sentiment of the post as a whole. But the Czechs had a certain goaltender that was the biggest reason for their success in that tournament, not the bench full of Czech league players.

 

[namttebih]

Well, Khubodin and Nabokov actually represent Russia on international stage, while Zubrus plays for Lithuania. The Ukrainian Ruslan Fedotenko and Alexei Ponikarovsky both played in the NHL until the 2012-13 season though.

Sure, there have been many Ukrainian players in the NHL, I'm not disputing that. The Leafs had a Kazak-Ukranian first line when Poni was around. It's just the general trend that I was observing. I'm not sure if it's because of the KHL or because the players that once played here grew up and were actually born in the Ukraine republic and the Russian influence on the region is why it produced more players at the time.

 

[BlueBratislava]

Sure, there have been many Ukrainian players in the NHL, I'm not disputing that. The Leafs had a Kazak-Ukranian first line when Poni was around. It's just the general trend that I was observing. I'm not sure if it's because of the KHL or because the players that once played here grew up and were actually born in the Ukraine republic and the Russian influence on the region is why it produced more players at the time.

It's simple, the Soviet Championship was played in mostly Russian cities and the only non-Russian teams were Dinamo Riga, Dinamo Minsk, Sokol Kiev, and very briefly after WWII Spartak Kaunas. The players and staff were mostly ethnic Russians while Riga was mainly Latvian. The KHL currently considers Belarusians as non-imports, so they play there mostly. Ukrainian hockey a had brief period of renaissance when Donbass Donetsk played in the VHL and later KHL and also the Ukrainian league had a growing tendency in pre-Maidan period. Kazakh league is growing, but the conditions there are iffy...read Danton's blog about his time there. The story of Donetsk is especially sad, because they were a very like-able team in the K. I got to like their team with Fedotenko as captain and also their fans when they played in Bratislava in their last season, when we provided them asylum when the war was starting. Then the rebels burnt their arena because their owner was neither Russian nor Ukrainian, but he was a Tatar who supported united Ukraine and provided money to clear off separatists' road blocks and helped the policemen loyal to Kiev. They were also building a beautiful 12,000 seat arena and had plans to build an NHL-sized arena until 2018. All of it is now history since western and eastern imperialism use Donbass as their chess board.

 

[TheTwelfth]

I don't want to take anything away from that Czech team and I don't disagree with the sentiment of the post as a whole. But the Czechs had a certain goaltender that was the biggest reason for their success in that tournament, not the bench full of Czech league players.

This is really dishonest. Czech Republic won the WHC -99, -00, and -01 following their Olympic gold, without Hasek on the team a single time of those. They had a really good generation then.

For example, one of those "Czech league players" was Milan Hejduk, who would score 48 pts in the NHL the next season.