JackSlater
Registered User
- Apr 27, 2010
- 19,805
- 15,466
Apparently Rene Fasel is just as insane as Bettman
- Thread starter Canuckistani
- Start date
PanniniClaus
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2006
- 12,673
- 6,001
I have attended both World Cups and while I agree with you, I think it needs to be hosted at 1 site and rotated. It also needs a qualifying format.
Taro Tsujimoto
Registered User
It's called the World Cup of Hockey. So the way I see it, the format should be similar to the FIFA World Cup.
Take the top 16 teams in the current world rankings and split them into either four groups of four teams each or two groups of eight teams each. The tourney itself would be your usual pool play followed by knockout round format with the top 2/4 teams (depending on pool size) from each pool advancing to the knockout round.
Take the top 16 teams in the current world rankings and split them into either four groups of four teams each or two groups of eight teams each. The tourney itself would be your usual pool play followed by knockout round format with the top 2/4 teams (depending on pool size) from each pool advancing to the knockout round.
could be the most ridiculous idea ever... takes away from it being a true international tournament. We can watch the best players in the world every night its called the nhl
Do it as planned, but replace the junior team (which would get slaughtered anyway) and the leftover team (which is an idiotic concept to begin with) with national teams.
Here's how I would do it: The top 8 countries in the IIHF rankings are allowed to participate.
It gives at least SOME meaning to the WHC, which should please the IIHF, and rewards countries with a deep pool of players, since many of the top countries' best will still be playing in the SC playoffs during the world championship. It also gives a chance to smaller hockey nations who don't lose too many players during the SC playoffs to "qualify" for the World Cup.
The actual World Cup of Hockey is timed so that it doesn't collide with the playoffs, to ensure that every country is able to participate with their best possible (healthy) rosters.
This way we would have a best on best tournament with some variety. The top 6 nations don't really have to worry about their spot since they are deep enough to offset the player loss, but Switzerland and perhaps Slovakia might fall out of the tournament from time to time and might be replaced with countries like Latvia, Germany or Norway.
The WHC essentially turns into qualifying games for the World Cup and the World Cup itself turns into a tournament that only involves national teams. And since it's not as stiff as a tournament with pre-determined teams, countries like Germany which definitely have some NHL talent can still participate from time to time. If they are good enough.
JackSlater
Registered User
- Apr 27, 2010
- 19,805
- 15,466
I agree that one single site is best and that rotation (between North America and Europe) is also ideal. I don't really care about qualifying in hockey given how few nations are at the top level, but just taking the IIHF rankings should suffice.
Rob
Registered User
16 is way too many for a single tournament. We would be fortunate to have 8.
NyQuil
Big F$&*in Q
Part of what made the World/Canada Cup special was that there weren't too many one-sided contests.
It was only the elite teams that participated.
It would distinguish it a little bit from the WHC/Olympics.
I always preferred the idea of the NHL staying in the Olympics regardless of where they are held, but I was somewhat warming to the idea of the return of the World Cup until I heard about the plan for the euro team and the North American junior team. This idea is beyond stupid, and quite frankly if they go through with it will ruin any remote chance they had of making the World Cup of Hockey a legitimate event.
If they did a tournament like this properly with a 50/50 split between NHL and IIHF with all of the various international federations behind it AND alternated hosting it between NA and Europe every four years then I could at least see the potential for it to become more than a meaningless exhibition tourney not unlike (though clearly on a much smaller scale) the soccer World Cup.
Sadly, however, the NHL only cares about the NHL and the almighty dollar and this will never come to fruition. And the writing is on the wall that the NHL is done at the Olympics which leaves hockey fans with no legitimate best on best hockey competition.
I realize that there are issues with NHL players going to the Olympics, but once every four years they need to suck it up for two weeks. It's just the right thing to do.
If they did a tournament like this properly with a 50/50 split between NHL and IIHF with all of the various international federations behind it AND alternated hosting it between NA and Europe every four years then I could at least see the potential for it to become more than a meaningless exhibition tourney not unlike (though clearly on a much smaller scale) the soccer World Cup.
Sadly, however, the NHL only cares about the NHL and the almighty dollar and this will never come to fruition. And the writing is on the wall that the NHL is done at the Olympics which leaves hockey fans with no legitimate best on best hockey competition.
I realize that there are issues with NHL players going to the Olympics, but once every four years they need to suck it up for two weeks. It's just the right thing to do.
The last World Cup was held 11 years ago. You don't think that other countries have developed since?
NyQuil
Big F$&*in Q
Aaaaaaaaaaaaa
Registered User
- May 16, 2009
- 12,252
- 1,586
Who really cares? Just stop dicking around and get it organized so we don't have to wait another ten years for a tournament.
Despite being limited to only 6 teams the Canada Cups, especially during the first 3 tournaments, weren't lacking in one-sided blowouts. Actually the '96 WCup had plenty as well. Tbh all of the 'best vs best' 12 team Olympic tournaments have been just as competive, if not more so, than a majority of the CC/WCups.
Last edited:
We'll already be punished enough by having deadly boring grind it out teams like Finland there, anymore than 6 teams right now is too many if the product is going to be even somewhat entertaining.
The skill level of the Finnish, Czech and Slovak teams have all decreased relative to the top teams in the last 11 years in my opinion.
A big reason being that the round robin games at the Olympics are more or less meaningless and the big teams don't put forth their best efforts. The other major factor is that many of the weaker squads have learned that if they collapse in a defensive shell around their goalie they can keep things close.
I think your first point is debatable at best. I agree that tactics have definitely played a role though. I think another factor has been that even the weaker teams are now made up entirely of guys who are full time professional hockey players.
None of this changes my original point though... CC/WCup tournaments generally haven't been anymore competitive than recent Olympic tournaments.
Last edited:
TheTwelfth
Registered User
Every time you underestimate the Finnish team, they go and kick your ass (I am looking at you WJC 2014!
).Finland has great tactical coaching and goaltending, enough to keep them competitive for the next 5 years. After that, the new surge of great talents that are being/have been drafted will make up the new core of the team.
Rob
Registered User
and some people still think the tortoise can run faster than the hare
Every time you underestimate the Finnish team, they go and kick your ass (I am looking at you WJC 2014!
Finland has great tactical coaching and goaltending, enough to keep them competitive for the next 5 years. After that, the new surge of great talents that are being/have been drafted will make up the new core of the team.
At the men's level Finland plays defensive hockey because they don't have the skill level compete any other way against the big countries. Anyone who watches league hockey knows that defensive systems help less skilled teams be competitive, the downside is that it sucks the entertainment level right out of the sport.
and some people make poor analogies
Canada 3-1 Norway
Canada 6-0 Austria
Canada 2-1 Finland
Canada 2-1 Latvia
So the only game that Canada cared about and tried hard was the Austrian game? Why specifically that game?
And ironically also Canada collapsed around its goal and played ultra defensively in Sochi. It's also ironic that if Canada does that, it just shows how dominating the team is defensively. If other teams do that it just shows that the players are not skilled enough to play properly against stronger opponent. Yeah, sure. Apparently other teams should just let super stars to walk in the slot and score, because otherwise it's too difficult for star players to prove their mad skillz.
I wonder how Finnish grinders made most goals in the tournament (+40% when compared to super hyper skilled Canadian hockey gods)? I also wonder that if Canada has so ultra skilled players, why can't they demolish even some Latvia or Norway with their A-team? Mr Kanadensisk already drew the "players did not care/didn't put best effort" card, which is the ultimate desperation move when the game and results does not reflect how things look on paper (super stars vs pathetic euro grinders) to someone.
Last edited:
Lobstertainment
Oh no, my brains.
A 16 team Tournament could happen but I'd feel really bad for the 10-16 Teams. France is currently 12th on the IIHF rankings(as of April 2014).
Top 8 works. There's no significant drop off of talent there. It'd be kinda cool to see a Best of the Rest team but not in the World Cup.
Top 8 works. There's no significant drop off of talent there. It'd be kinda cool to see a Best of the Rest team but not in the World Cup.
Ad
Upcoming events
-
-
Props Alex Ovechkin to Record 895th Career Goal During 2024/25 Regular SeasonWagers: 10Staked: $20,650.00Event closes - 6 days from now- Updated: