4 Nations Cup Discussion

[Zybalto]

Probably because it’s a made up money grab of tourney in the middle of an NHL season where many teams are trying to make a run for the playoffs , or jockey for a better position.
Everyone best hope that no teams major stars get injure and derail their entire season.
Finally if you win the tournament you haven’t beaten the best in the world because it only 3 other countries. So where is the meaning

I really don't care how much money people are making. Money is going to be one of the driving factors behind the resurgence of the international game.

As far as injury worries go, it's a major worry in soccer as well and something we will have to accept if you want international tournaments. You might as well say you don't want international tournaments then. That's not going away.

It's 4 of the top 6 countries in the world in a best on best showdown for the first time in nearly a decade. It's a scandal it's taken this long to put anything together and I'm sure there are many on all sides looking at how this performs to both continue and expand in this kind of idea.

Single game international "friendlies" among top soccer teams garner front page headlines, closed down towns and sold out events in massive stadiums. Do they mean anything? Of course they do. I'd love it if we could get to the point where we had an official national team system that would play the odd international game leading up to scheduled major tournaments.

I'm hoping the success of this tournament can be used to solidify player involvement in 2026 and even expand it to a permanent world cup in 2028. It's going to take fan support above all else to make it happen though and there are other factors at work as well (Russia will probably be out if its Ukraine debacle and the scandalous Sochi games will be far in the past).

If people don't want to watch, fine, but the level of crap talking going on doesn't help a thing and has reached new levels of cringe. There's no "gimmick" teams here, just 4 super loaded teams playing for their country. The players have desperately wanted this for a long time as have a ton of fans. It's not perfect and I understand if you are more a club level fan but are you really not going to be intrigued by the games?

 

[Racer88]

I really don't care how much money people are making. Money is going to be one of the driving factors behind the resurgence of the international game.

As far as injury worries go, it's a major worry in soccer as well and something we will have to accept if you want international tournaments. You might as well say you don't want international tournaments then. That's not going away.

It's 4 of the top 6 countries in the world in a best on best showdown for the first time in nearly a decade. It's a scandal it's taken this long to put anything together and I'm sure there are many on all sides looking at how this performs to both continue and expand in this kind of idea.

Single game international "friendlies" among top soccer teams garner front page headlines, closed down towns and sold out events in massive stadiums. Do they mean anything? Of course they do. I'd love it if we could get to the point where we had an official national team system that would play the odd international game leading up to scheduled major tournaments.

I'm hoping the success of this tournament can be used to solidify player involvement in 2026 and even expand it to a permanent world cup in 2028. It's going to take fan support above all else to make it happen though and there are other factors at work as well (Russia will probably be out if its Ukraine debacle and the scandalous Sochi games will be far in the past).

If people don't want to watch, fine, but the level of crap talking going on doesn't help a thing and has reached new levels of cringe. There's no "gimmick" teams here, just 4 super loaded teams playing for their country. The players have desperately wanted this for a long time as have a ton of fans. It's not perfect and I understand if you are more a club level fan but are you really not going to be intrigued by the games?

I may watch some of the Canada game and if it’s entertaining enough I will continue to watch but if it turns into a no contact expansion of the all star game I will check out

 

[Nineteen67]

Probably because it’s a made up money grab of tourney in the middle of an NHL season where many teams are trying to make a run for the playoffs , or jockey for a better position.
Everyone best hope that no teams major stars get injure and derail their entire season.
Finally if you win the tournament you haven’t beaten the best in the world because it only 3 other countries. So where is the meaning

It’s the best NHL players from each of the four countries.

I’ll be watching tonight.

This one seems a bit more serious than the tournament that was held when Auston was a rookie. I enjoyed that tournament and I expect to enjoy this one as well. It’s a nice treat for most hockey fans.

It’s better than the All Star game.

 

[Jojalu]

This will be Dubas' best chance of winning anything. Not sure what director of player personal means for this team but I guess he would get to share in the victory

 

[ToneDog]

Will be interesting to see how Matthews performs with J Hughes as his Robin.

Guentzel Matthews Hughes > Knies Matthews Marner

 

[ACC1224]

Im coming back Saturday after the Swe-Fin game. Wife found an airbnb with in-door parking. I don't want to leave my care outside in MTL, its like a magnet for idiots

Just checked the weather for Kingston, Cornwall and Montreal.
Looks like tons of snow coming starting today until Sunday.

We may cancel, we'll make the call Friday.
Thankfully my wife didn't tell her parents we were coming, hate disappointing them.

Safe travels.

 

[Anthrax442]

Just checked the weather for Kingston, Cornwall and Montreal.
Looks like tons of snow coming starting today until Sunday.

We may cancel, we'll make the call Friday.
Thankfully my wife didn't tell her parents we were coming, hate disappointing them.

Safe travels.

Hopefully wont be too bad. Im okay driving in this, its the other yahoos on the road i dont trust much

 

[ULF_55]

Auston Matthews skates on second line with Guentzel, Hughes at Team USA's first 4 Nations practice | TSN

Team USA captain Auston Matthews skated alongside Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes on the second line at Team USA’s first practice Monday ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

www.tsn.ca

Lines sound more like try-outs, not set.

 

[bax]

I really don't care how much money people are making. Money is going to be one of the driving factors behind the resurgence of the international game.

As far as injury worries go, it's a major worry in soccer as well and something we will have to accept if you want international tournaments. You might as well say you don't want international tournaments then. That's not going away.

It's 4 of the top 6 countries in the world in a best on best showdown for the first time in nearly a decade. It's a scandal it's taken this long to put anything together and I'm sure there are many on all sides looking at how this performs to both continue and expand in this kind of idea.

Single game international "friendlies" among top soccer teams garner front page headlines, closed down towns and sold out events in massive stadiums. Do they mean anything? Of course they do. I'd love it if we could get to the point where we had an official national team system that would play the odd international game leading up to scheduled major tournaments.

I'm hoping the success of this tournament can be used to solidify player involvement in 2026 and even expand it to a permanent world cup in 2028. It's going to take fan support above all else to make it happen though and there are other factors at work as well (Russia will probably be out if its Ukraine debacle and the scandalous Sochi games will be far in the past).

If people don't want to watch, fine, but the level of crap talking going on doesn't help a thing and has reached new levels of cringe. There's no "gimmick" teams here, just 4 super loaded teams playing for their country. The players have desperately wanted this for a long time as have a ton of fans. It's not perfect and I understand if you are more a club level fan but are you really not going to be intrigued by the games?

Very well put!

 

[notDatsyuk]

It’s the best NHL players from each of the four countries.

I’ll be watching tonight.


It’s better than the All Star game.

I have a game tonight, but it's set to record and I will definitely watch it as soon as I get home.

Will we have our own GDT?

 

[notDatsyuk]

Will be interesting to see how Matthews performs with J Hughes as his Robin.

Guentzel Matthews Hughes > Knies Matthews Marner

I don't think that's debatable.

More interesting is will Guentzel Matthews Hughes be better than Reinhart McDavid Marner?

 

[ACC1224]

Mark Masters: Marner, Nylander put friendship on hold as Canada and Sweden open 4 Nations Face-Off | TSN

Toronto Maple Leafs teammares Mitch Marner and William Nylander will be on opposite sides Wednesday night as Canada opens the 4 Nations Face-Off against Sweden in Montreal. Mark Masters has more.

www.tsn.ca

Marner, who leads the Leafs with 71 points, is slotting in beside Connor McDavid and Sam Reinhart on Canada's top line. Nylander can't pinpoint just one area for his new Swedish teammates to focus on when it comes to slowing down Marner.

"It's just so hard to say that he does one in particular thing all the time," Nylander noted. "He's very, very shifty and hard to read."

Nylander, who leads the Leafs with 33 goals, will start on Sweden's second line with Mika Zibanejad and Rickard Rakell. Marner's advice to teammates when it comes to stopping Nylander?

"Try not to watch the puck," Marner warned. "He likes to make people look silly. He's very, very skilled out there. Easy, smooth with the puck, and makes a lot of things happen where it doesn't look like something should be there."

This is a big moment and one Marner and Nylander have waited years to experience. The atmosphere will be electric.

"It will be nice to be on their side for once," Marner said of the Bell Centre crowd. "It will be nicer to be cheered for than booed and yelled at.”

Nylander is expecting a similar sensation to when the Leafs play here.

"You're buzzing going into the game," Nylander said.

Considering the anticipation for the return of best-on-best hockey, the energy could even go up a notch from an NHL game.

"If it goes up a notch from that Saturday Montreal-Toronto game we had here [on Jan. 18], it's going to be bananas," Marner said. "This crowd's always great. It's always a pretty crazy game when we come here with the atmosphere."

The moment also brings a lot of pressure.

"I just look at this as a super fun opportunity," said Nylander, who will have father Michael Nylander, a former NHL player, on hand to support him. "I'm playing against the best players in the world on Team Canada, like, obviously you're feeling some kind of excited, a little nervous, of course, I mean that's just natural, but that's how it is. I like feeling like that. It's good."


Looks like Bennett and Sandheim will be the scratches tonight.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Just checked the weather for Kingston, Cornwall and Montreal.
Looks like tons of snow coming starting today until Sunday.

We may cancel, we'll make the call Friday.
Thankfully my wife didn't tell her parents we were coming, hate disappointing them.

Safe travels.

My wife and I and the ski club are going to the Eastern Townships (Orford) for the long weekend. Snow is good - glad I'm not driving.

 

[ToneDog]

I don't think that's debatable.

More interesting is will Guentzel Matthews Hughes be better than Reinhart McDavid Marner?

Jury is out on whether Marner and McDavid works. In Edmonton the third wheel is a grinder, Hyman. Tonight the third wheel is a soft perimeter, pass first winger. IMO Matthews paired with Hughes is more dangerous than with Marner because Hughes can also score.

 

[Optimist]

Knowing Canadian broadcasting, it will probably be blacked out like most games are anyways.

 

[ACC1224]

Interesting to hear McDavid compare Marner to Draisaitl, I don't see it myself.

 

[arso40]

Interesting to hear McDavid compare Marner to Draisaitl, I don't see it myself.

They’re both elite that’s about all I can see being comparable even then there’s a tier separation between them