TheFridge
All part of The Plan™
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The WJC is the best hockey tournament in the sport. There are barely 10 Americans who even know hockey is a thing, never mind hockey related tournaments.
2025 WJC Discussion
- Thread starter TLEH
- Start date
The WJC is the best hockey tournament in the sport. There are barely 10 Americans who even know hockey is a thing, never mind hockey related tournaments.
Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
- Feb 16, 2018
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Crow
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- May 19, 2014
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clydesdale line
Connor BeJesus
- Jan 10, 2012
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Me as well. A WJC shouldn't tell you how any prospect will do down the road. Or Gajan would be the best goalie prospect in the world right now.
SJ had the same issue the last build too
Much more forward focused team and had Nabakov bailing them out
Much more forward focused team and had Nabakov bailing them out
- Aug 24, 2011
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It’s better than the NHL playoffs and the Olympics? GTFO
Clownish
Registered User
- Jan 1, 2014
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TSN has been hyping the 4 Nations tournament for over a year and a half guessing who would be on it for Team Canada. I'll probably watch a bit, but I couldn't care less if USA places dead last in it. It's like the NBA All-Star Game to me. Oh, neat they're playing some funzies games instead of regular season stuffs--go team.
I loved this type of thing back before you could buy the packages and watch all the games and see all the players whenever you want. Since then, anything resembling an All-Star game in any sport is incredibly uninteresting.
TheFridge
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Easily.
The drama, the highs and lows, the comebacks and collapses are all peak at the WJC. It is the biggest tournament any of these kids have ever played in and for a lot of them it will be the pinnacle of their careers.
Crow
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I don’t think so. It’s not the best of the best going against each other. It’s the best kids, but only the ones who aren’t too good to be there. Maybe it’s the most entertaining to you, but to me I’m with tame impala. There is more on the line in the playoffs and in the Olympics and that makes for a more exciting tournament. I do enjoy the tournament and wish it were more popular here so I could watch it when I’m out, but I find it to be clearly below those two. Especially the playoffs.
GIADF
Not A Mod
- Aug 17, 2024
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Not for me. I'm not even a big Olympic sports fan for any sport.... But I'd much rather watch the Olympics with NHL players vs the WJC. It's not even close for me personally. Last year was the most I've ever managed to watch the WJC and even then it was just background noise for the most part.
Happy for the kids that get to participate as they seem to love being there, but it's not for me as a viewer.
TheFridge
All part of The Plan™
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It's literally a best-on-best U20 tournament. There are snubs at every level.
I don't ever recall seeing any Blackhawks player shed a tear after losing in the playoffs. I don't recall seeing players crying after getting bounced in the quarter or semi finals at the Olympics.
The WJCs are fever dreams with tons of raw emotion.
Crow
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It’s not a best on best. Bedard, celebrini etc would be there if it were.
TheFridge
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Clownish
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I think the pursuit of more money, higher ratings. and more access to the athletes who participate has killed what used to be exciting and competitive all-star events. Going way back to Larry Bird asking the other 3 point shooting contestants who is finishing second, Jordan vs. Dominique Wilkins in the slam dunk contest, the NHL all-star games of the 90's with Owen Nolan calling his shot, the steroid era home run derbies. Eventually, every league wanted more out of those events and maybe that has worn out the players to where they see them as more of a burden that kills what could be time to recharge in the middle of the season than a fun opportunity to compete like back when they were kids.
- Aug 24, 2011
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I’ll give it a shot. If the players treat it like an All Star game then I’ll have zero interest. There’s a chance they really get up for this tournament however, and I think that’s actually the likely outcome. It’s a precursor to the Olympics so I’m excited.
Then hopefully next time they do this Russia will be added as will a Rest of the World squad.
Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
- Feb 16, 2018
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A lot of hype over Mateiko's tournament performance.
No surprise for me. I had him ranked 30th overall.
No surprise for me. I had him ranked 30th overall.
Beukeboom Fan
Registered User
The WKCs are fever dreams, or were? Didn't Team Canada cancel a number of practices because the team was too tired?
Dead Meat
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WarriorofTime
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A lot can be said about Canada’s selections but Catton and McKenna each walking away with just one point is pretty shocking.
Evidently you haven't watched much then. It happens almost every year. And kids cry more than grown men? Who would have thought. Lol
TheFridge
All part of The Plan™
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You have the receipts for all the times NHLers have cried over losing in the 1st round of the playoffs or bowing out in the quarter finals at the Olympics? Surely you have receipts.
Yeah, they're kids and that's the point. They wear their hearts on their sleeves and they get swept up in the emotion and drama of the game way more than NHLers do.
The WJC > every other tournament in hockey. It's not close.
- Feb 1, 2009
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Team Canada's braintrust, essentially saying they did everything right and wouldn't change a thing.
deytookerjaabs
Johnny Paycheck's Tank Advisor
Oh hell no. Same goes for the Olympics. It's fun as hell, don't get me wrong, but most teams are full of slop with lots of mistakes all over and often the team that simply has some chemistry has a huge advantage.
There's a lot to be said about having a playing style catered to a group and a full season of hockey behind that before a tournament begins. Personally I think the frozen four is some of the most exiting hockey out there beyond the NHL.
