Better concept for the World Cup

[Xokkeu]

Where the NHL dimwits want to take this....

World Cup gimmicks will be declared a big hit despite being an obvious flop

NHL pulls out of Olympic participation...

Without NHL participation Russia wins its 1st. Olympic Gold Medal since Napoleon was a cadet.

A USA-Russia Summit Series is announced...4 games in Moscow 4 game at MSG adopting a WWE marketing strategy to take advantage of the current political climate to make some quick bank...

because that's the way New York wants it.

I can't see how that summit series is even remotely interesting to people. Americans wouldn't care at all

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Wish they would have it similar to the IIHF World Championship tournament except having every country's best players participating.

Really think it's stupid to have under an 23 North American team and a team of players from random European countries. At the same time, I think it would be hilarious if the final is between those teams.

 

[1Gold Standard]

I can't see how that summit series is even remotely interesting to people. Americans wouldn't care at all

Wasn't really my point. but why do you think that matters to the NHL? This gimmicky World Cup nonsense is not going over too well in Toronto/Canada.

If you can sucker broadcasters/corporate sponsorship into believing that it is an event, then fan appeal doesn't really matter all that much.

 

[Xokkeu]

[/B]

Wasn't really my point. but why do you think that matters to the NHL? This gimmicky World Cup nonsense is not going over too well in Toronto/Canada.

If you can sucker broadcasters/corporate sponsorship into believing that it is an event, then fan appeal doesn't really matter all that much.

Right but I just can't imagine they are dumb enough to think that would draw more than 50k tv viewers

 

[Seanaconda]

Wish they would have it similar to the IIHF World Championship tournament except having every country's best players participating.

Really think it's stupid to have under an 23 North American team and a team of players from random European countries. At the same time, I think it would be hilarious if the final is between those teams.

I would like it it would mean it's more best on best than the Olympics

having the random europe team be able to win. while the Europian teams team Europe would replace would probably be the first knockouts and the team north American players wouldn't even get to play. Gimmick or not it adds 2 more talented teams than there would be otherwise

 

[JackSlater]

I would like it it would mean it's more best on best than the Olympics

having the random europe team be able to win. while the Europian teams team Europe would replace would probably be the first knockouts and the team north American players wouldn't even get to play. Gimmick or not it adds 2 more talented teams than there would be otherwise

Would you like the NHL playoffs to add, as eighth seeds, teams composed of the best players from teams who didn't make the playoffs? Adds two teams way more talented than any eighth seed.

 

[mattihp]

Would you like the NHL playoffs to add, as eighth seeds, teams composed of the best players from teams who didn't make the playoffs? Adds two teams way more talented than any eighth seed.

Those two teams could very well be the two strongest teams in the playoffs!

 

[Seanaconda]

Would you like the NHL playoffs to add, as eighth seeds, teams composed of the best players from teams who didn't make the playoffs? Adds two teams way more talented than any eighth seed.

playoffs are different this is just a fun tournament. If the hockey is better with these teams I'm all for it. Ill reserve judgement until after I have watched it. Will hurt players point totals tho not having the 8-1 games against the weak teams.

 

[1Gold Standard]

playoffs are different this is just a fun tournament. If the hockey is better with these teams I'm all for it. Ill reserve judgement until after I have watched it. Will hurt players point totals tho not having the 8-1 games against the weak teams.

I hear ya. Thank god for that 3-1 blowout of Norway and 2-1 shellacking of Latvia at the Sochi Olympics, otherwise Sid may not have cracked Top 40 in tournament scoring.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I would like it it would mean it's more best on best than the Olympics

having the random europe team be able to win. while the Europian teams team Europe would replace would probably be the first knockouts and the team north American players wouldn't even get to play. Gimmick or not it adds 2 more talented teams than there would be otherwise

Good or not, I would like to see what type of teams countries not in the "big 6" could put up. I actually enjoy watching lower tier teams compete.

 

[JackSlater]

playoffs are different this is just a fun tournament. If the hockey is better with these teams I'm all for it. Ill reserve judgement until after I have watched it. Will hurt players point totals tho not having the 8-1 games against the weak teams.

What makes the playoffs different exactly? It's just as stupid for a supposedly best on best tournament as it is for the NHL playoffs.

 

[Voodoozz]

playoffs are different this is just a fun tournament. If the hockey is better with these teams I'm all for it. Ill reserve judgement until after I have watched it. Will hurt players point totals tho not having the 8-1 games against the weak teams.

Fun tournament ? I thought World Cup is meant to be a serious best on best international competition. If it was a fun tourny i wouldn't pay it any attention. But you're right. With these "NA youngsters" and team "Europe" it pretty much is a fun tournament. Shame.

 

[FiLe]

You know what would make this tournament even more "fun"?

Not bothering with having national teams involved at all. Just take the 184 best players in the league, arbitrarily seed them into teams and pit 'em against each other. Nothing involved but teams that have roughly equal chance of winning. Fun!

 

[xxxx]

“I’m at 100 percent,” Price told Geno Reda. “I’ve been working pretty hard since I’ve been injured.”

“I’m sure it’s going to be a great experience,” Price told Reda. “Having played for Team Canada on several occasions, I know it’s always fun to get together with your fellow countrymen and guys you don’t always get to play with on a regular basis. I’m sure it’s going to be a fun tournament.”

It is a fun tournament, even Price says so it fits the agenda, doesn't it?

 

[FiLe]

Perhaps "fun" is the wrong aspect to criticize. After all, there's nothing wrong with having fun.

It would be more correct to complain about how pointless this entire affair is. Or, if not completely pointless, not nearly as poignant as it could be.

 

[stars33]

This is why the tournament will be an epic failure. The tournament is not suppose to be fun it suppose to mix sports with politics. This combination creates incredible tension. The NHL totally do not understand the reason for international tournament.
Yes, it does foster a common interest among nations and cultures which is good but it also promotes nations economic systems. The US v USSR games were great because of the conflicting economic systems. Which system could produce better players?
And it still lingers today, Putin still hates losing to the US. That is drama.
These fake teams just destroyed the whole point of taking the best players in the world from there regular jobs.

 

[xxxx]

as I've always said - if it is important to players, I don't care what some fans think. And their attempt to make me believe that players don't care didn't really bring anything reliable or worthy considering for me.

IF it turns out, that the players really play it like an all-star game, or just play their 50%, fine, then I will admit it's not an important or serious tournament, if I see it clearly that it's more fun than a game. But as long as players give it their best, and visibly care about the games and about the whole tournament, I'm not gonna pretend it's meaningless, when in fact it is not meaningless to the players who play it. You may say the results are meaningless to you, if you want, but not the game, you cannot change what is already there. Of course, if that's gonna be the case, but it's pretty likely.

 

[mattihp]

as I've always said - if it is important to players, I don't care what some fans think. And their attempt to make me believe that players don't care didn't really bring anything reliable or worthy considering for me.

IF it turns out, that the players really play it like an all-star game, or just play their 50%, fine, then I will admit it's not an important or serious tournament, if I see it clearly that it's more fun than a game. But as long as players give it their best, and visibly care about the games and about the whole tournament, I'm not gonna pretend it's meaningless, when in fact it is not meaningless to the players who play it. You may say the results are meaningless to you, if you want, but not the game, you cannot change what is already there. Of course, if that's gonna be the case, but it's pretty likely.

If it is important for the players there is no need to sass it up for the viewers...

 

[stars33]

This is not a serious tournament no matter how hard the players play.
The two made up teams do not represent anybody so there is no reason to care if they win or lose.
Club teams represent a city or state, college teams represent the student body and alumni, national teams represent the country and/or culture.
Nobody will have emotional ties to the made up teams. This means no passion from the crowd which is going to destroy the atomsphere. The games will feel like an NHL all star game. BORING!!!

 

[Epsilon]

You know what would make this tournament even more "fun"?

Not bothering with having national teams involved at all. Just take the 184 best players in the league, arbitrarily seed them into teams and pit 'em against each other. Nothing involved but teams that have roughly equal chance of winning. Fun!

I honestly think this would be much better if they are going to use a gimmick format rather than have a proper international competition. Basically a real-life version of fantasy sports, which lots of people enjoy.

Drop any pretext that it's a national competition, pick 8 team captains, and have a draft broadcast on TV.

 

[Grimmas]

Why not go with half the soccer world cup and follow their format? It's pretty successful.

16 teams. 4 groups of 4. Each group plays every team in their group. Top two in each group go to a normal knock out tournament from there.

Canada
Sweden
USA
Finland
Switzerland
Russia
Slovenia
Slovakia
Austria
Norway
Czech Republic
Latvia

Everybody put host needs to qualify, other teams that could round out the field are:
Ukraine
Poland
Netherlands
Korea
Kazakhstan
Japan
Italy
Hungary
Great Britian
Germany
France
Denmark
Belarus
Belgium
Austrialia

Underdogs help sell tournaments too. Run this every 4 years in early September!

 

[A4T1L6]

hockey and politics dont mix well imo

 

[Voodoozz]

hockey and politics dont mix well imo

International hockey isn't politics

 

[1Gold Standard]

as I've always said - if it is important to players, I don't care what some fans think. And their attempt to make me believe that players don't care didn't really bring anything reliable or worthy considering for me.

IF it turns out, that the players really play it like an all-star game, or just play their 50%, fine, then I will admit it's not an important or serious tournament, if I see it clearly that it's more fun than a game. But as long as players give it their best, and visibly care about the games and about the whole tournament, I'm not gonna pretend it's meaningless, when in fact it is not meaningless to the players who play it. You may say the results are meaningless to you, if you want, but not the game, you cannot change what is already there. Of course, if that's gonna be the case, but it's pretty likely.

I wouldn't say the players don't care. Not at all. I's say they care roughly 50%, and equal to the 50% stake in revenue they have in the tournament. It's becoming more and more apparent that the fans' emotional stake in this tournament comes in at something considerably less than 50%.

 

[JackSlater]

I wouldn't say the players don't care. Not at all. I's say they care roughly 50%, and equal to the 50% stake in revenue they have in the tournament. It's becoming more and more apparent that the fans' emotional stake in this tournament comes in at something considerably less than 50%.

Bu bu buuuuuuuut... the world's best players will be there! The NHL told me that that is what I wanted first and foremost! Are you trying to say that having gimmick teams might just make a tournament look a bit ridiculous to many fans? Or are you trying to say that players who aren't even playing on a national team, in a supposedly international tournament, just might not have the same motivation as players on legitimate national teams?