Olympics: Bettman hints NHL won't play in 2018 and 2022

[Canuckistani]

Anyway, this is also the result of our great hockey development here in Slovakia. Guess I will have to forget our hockey sooner or later. Well, I am going to root for the Euro teams and mainly Czechs.

The Slovak national team has certainly fallen on hard times, and but this move by the NHL is horribly insulting to Slovakia's players and fans.

Slovakia almost knocked off Canada in Vancouver 2010, went to the final of the 2012WHC, and took the Russians to a shootout in Sochi. So they're obviously capable of being competitive.

And now the NHL has the gall to tell them that they'll be grouped with Swiss, Slovenian and Austrian players as part of some "Team Other" that no one in their right mind would want to play for.

I can only hope saner heads will prevail at the World Cup talks, or that this was just some clueless junior consultant thinking out loud.

 

[86Habs]

Or you could have more teams with a proper qualification system.

Sure, that would of course be the best case scenario. But do you really think that the organizing bodies could pull that off, logistically? I have my doubts. Perhaps they can leverage the results of the recent World Championships to fill in the rest of the field if they really want to have a 10 (or 12, or whatever) country tournament. But to play devil's advocate here, do you really think that folks in Toronto (the only host city currently in play) will line up to see Latvia-Norway on a late August evening?

 

[Canuckistani]

To think there are people who firmly believe it makes no difference who the organizers are...

It doesn't, provided the organizers aren't smoking crack or being petty A-holes out to stick it to the IIHF/IOC, as is obviouly the case here.

Previous World Cups, especially 1996, were well-organized, exciting, were open to all leagues, and had games played in six countries. So the NHL has the proven ability to do this right.

 

[86Habs]

[/B]
It has been overwhelming negative but I did hear one talking head, sports writer, express his positive take on the idea. I was shocked that even one guy would have a positive reaction to that nonsense.

As much as I laugh at what the NHL is floating here, one has to take a serious look at the IIHF and other European federations and wonder, what the hell are they doing? Why are they even indulging the NHL on this. It's quite simple, Gary, either you commit to the next 2 Olympics or we are done here, we are not even discussing the World Cup until you agree to the Olympics. If you don't want the Olympics then take your World Cup, roll that up and smoke it.

Yes, while I have some concerns around the format of the Olympics (particularly the use of shootouts to determine playoff/medal games), I firmly think that it is best for the sport of hockey if the best players are at the Olympics. Getting NHL players over there should be the #1 priority. The #2 priority should be to organize, with the IIHF, NHL, KHL, and any other national organizations, a consistent (i.e., every 4 years) World Cup that has a clear qualification system and field of countries. Start it in Toronto in 2016, then build from there.

 

[Canuckistani]

As much as I laugh at what the NHL is floating here, one has to take a serious look at the IIHF and other European federations and wonder, what the hell are they doing? Why are they even indulging the NHL on this. It's quite simple, Gary, either you commit to the next 2 Olympics or we are done here, we are not even discussing the World Cup until you agree to the Olympics. If you don't want the Olympics then take your World Cup, roll that up and smoke it.

I suspect that's exactly what happened, hense the NHL is floating their current idiocy in the hope of "going it alone."

 

[cutchemist42]

Why go through with 2 leftover teams though? Just call it a 6 Nations NHL Invitational and invite the 6 teams. Rugby has a popular 6 team cup.

 

[86Habs]

It doesn't, provided the organizers aren't smoking crack or being petty A-holes out to stick it to the IIHF/IOC, as is obviouly the case here.

Previous World Cups, especially 1996, were well-organized, exciting, were open to all leagues, and had games played in six countries. So the NHL has the proven ability to do this right.

Agreed. This could be a great tournament if the NHL makes an effort to get everybody on board.

 

[ZagrebCityBoy*]

No Swiss and Slovaks ?

Hopefully all swiss and slovaks will decline invitation to that "EU team".

 

[Raimoh]

There are enough NHL stars to populate six national teams: Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic.

Finland can ice a full NHL-lineup? What? Are we borrowing some D from Sweden? Altough that would be in line with what the league appears to be planning.

 

[Snowsii]

Finland can ice a full NHL-lineup? What? Are we borrowing some D from Sweden? Altough that would be in line with what the league appears to be planning.

nope.. we just use 8 more goalies

 

[Canuckistani]

Finland can ice a full NHL-lineup? What? Are we borrowing some D from Sweden? Altough that would be in line with what the league appears to be planning.

According to the NHL's website, there are only 20 Finnish skaters currently in the NHL, 15 forwards and 5 defencemen (of whom Jyrki Jokipakka and Petteri Lindbohm have played three and one games respectively).

So Finland could ice a team if they borrowed a few D-men (maybe a couple Slovaks?)and if every single one of their NHL players show up and there are no injuries.

 

[ForumNamePending]

[/B]As much as I laugh at what the NHL is floating here, one has to take a serious look at the IIHF and other European federations and wonder, what the hell are they doing? Why are they even indulging the NHL on this. It's quite simple, Gary, either you commit to the next 2 Olympics or we are done here, we are not even discussing the World Cup until you agree to the Olympics. If you don't want the Olympics then take your World Cup, roll that up and smoke it.

I'm not sure if the IIHF has any leverage. At this point it looks like the league envisions the WCUp, from the people organizing it right down to all the players, as a 100% NHL(PA) production. If this is the case the IIHF, the national federations and other leagues have about as much say in how the WCup is run (and how it relates to future Olympic participation) as they do in the NHL All-Star game or the Winter Classic, which is to say none at all. Perhaps the NHL might want the IIHF/National Feds to provide some sort of symbolic endorsement but they probably don't view it as any type of show stopper if they don't get their stamp of approval. Maybe the NHL is really giving everyone the screws and already told the other parties... never mind the Olympics, if you don't at least pretend to like our WCup, players under NHL contract might no longer be available to play in things like the IIHF WC. I think the only party that has any substantial power in this, outside of the league/owners of course, is the players.

 

[Hesher]

This idea with the two extra teams is so stupid. They might as well just play the tournament with the 6 big teams.

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

My friends of the International Tournament sector.

I present to you the World Cup 2016.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...015730909.html

There are enough NHL stars to populate six national teams: Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic. But it’s an eight-team tournament; do you bring in Switzerland? Germany? Slovakia? Latvia? None of them have the numbers to be total NHL rosters, without any Euro league or KHL players, and that’s the goal for this tournament: Have it controlled by the NHL and the NHLPA, and populated with its players. (Good luck with Russia, by the way.)

The solution? To have the other two teams in the tournament be all-star teams.

As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported on Monday, the NHL is considering a Ryder Cup-style European All-Star team that would be comprised of players from nations that aren’t represented in the Big Six. Anze Kopitar, Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, Zdeno Chara, Jaroslav Halak, Jonas Hiller, Nino Niederreitter and others would star on this squad.

I know most of us on this side of the forum are people who enjoy true Hockey, and all of might argue once in a while, but reading this, we just all spilt our drinks laughing the hardest laugh of the day.

What a joke.

This tournament is totally stupid. Thanks, NHL

 

[1Gold Standard]

I'm not sure if the IIHF has any leverage. At this point it looks like the league envisions the WCUp, from the people organizing it right down to all the players, as a 100% NHL(PA) production. If this is the case the IIHF, the national federations and other leagues have about as much say in how the WCup is run (and how it relates to future Olympic participation) as they do in the NHL All-Star game or the Winter Classic, which is to say none at all. Perhaps the NHL might want the IIHF/National Feds to provide some sort of symbolic endorsement but they probably don't view it as any type of show stopper if they don't get their stamp of approval. Maybe the NHL is really giving everyone the screws and already told the other parties... never mind the Olympics, if you don't at least pretend to like our WCup, players under NHL contract might no longer be available to play in things like the IIHF WC. I think the only party that has any substantial power in this, outside of the league/owners of course, is the players.

I really don't think the Russian NHL players can participate without the Russian Ice Hockey Federation's approval.

 

[86Habs]

I'm not sure if the IIHF has any leverage. At this point it looks like the league envisions the WCUp, from the people organizing it right down to all the players, as a 100% NHL(PA) production. If this is the case the IIHF, the national federations and other leagues have about as much say in how the WCup is run (and how it relates to future Olympic participation) as they do in the NHL All-Star game or the Winter Classic, which is to say none at all. Perhaps the NHL might want the IIHF/National Feds to provide some sort of symbolic endorsement but they probably don't view it as any type of show stopper if they don't get their stamp of approval. Maybe the NHL is really giving everyone the screws and already told the other parties if you don't at least pretend to like our WCup players under NHL contract might no longer be available to play in things like the IIHF WC. I think the only party that has any substantial power in this, outside of the league/owners of course, is the players.

You're probably right, but by cutting out the European national organizations they're severly limiting the availability of the "best" players to play at the World Cup. Which of course seriously damages the credibility of the tournament. I'd think they (the NHL) would want the rosters to appear as close as possible to the Olympic rosters, with everyone available. As it stands, only Canada, the U.S. and Sweden could construct a roster of only NHL players....I'm not sure who the NHL expects to fill out the rosters of Russia, Finland, Czech Rep., etc.

 

[YMCMBYOLO]

What a joke.

 

[Snowsii]

I'm not sure if the IIHF has any leverage. At this point it looks like the league envisions the WCUp, from the people organizing it right down to all the players, as a 100% NHL(PA) production. If this is the case the IIHF, the national federations and other leagues have about as much say in how the WCup is run (and how it relates to future Olympic participation) as they do in the NHL All-Star game or the Winter Classic, which is to say none at all. Perhaps the NHL might want the IIHF/National Feds to provide some sort of symbolic endorsement but they probably don't view it as any type of show stopper if they don't get their stamp of approval. Maybe the NHL is really giving everyone the screws and already told the other parties... never mind the Olympics, if you don't at least pretend to like our WCup, players under NHL contract might no longer be available to play in things like the IIHF WC. I think the only party that has any substantial power in this, outside of the league/owners of course, is the players.

hmm.. Correct me if im wrong, but you cant use anything related to certain national team, if that federation doesnt give you permission.

So you're wrong. Nat feds have alot of leverage here.. Unless in worst case you want a USA & Canada tournament with 6 mix teams.

 

[86Habs]

If all else fails - Canada vs. USA, best of seven.

 

[ForumNamePending]

You're probably right, but by cutting out the European national organizations they're severly limiting the availability of the "best" players to play at the World Cup. Which of course seriously damages the credibility of the tournament. I'd think they (the NHL) would want the rosters to appear as close as possible to the Olympic rosters, with everyone available. As it stands, only Canada, the U.S. and Sweden could construct a roster of only NHL players....I'm not sure who the NHL expects to fill out the rosters of Russia, Finland, Czech Rep., etc.

As to reasons why the NHL is digging up the WCup I think creating a tournament with 'universal' credibility, legitimacy & prestige is at best a very distant second on the list.

Given the history of how the CC/WCup has been run (into the ground) I was pretty skeptical that when they did finally bring it out of mothballs they would 'do things right' and despite my low expectations I am still finding this shockingly bad.

hmm.. Correct me if im wrong, but you cant use anything related to certain national team, if that federation doesnt give you permission.

So you're wrong. Nat feds have alot of leverage here.. Unless in worst case you want a USA & Canada tournament with 6 mix teams.

Based on the reports I'm not even sure the NHL cares. They can simply come up with their own generic blue and white jersey that says 'Finland' across the front.

 

[Jablkon]

You're probably right, but by cutting out the European national organizations they're severly limiting the availability of the "best" players to play at the World Cup. Which of course seriously damages the credibility of the tournament. I'd think they (the NHL) would want the rosters to appear as close as possible to the Olympic rosters, with everyone available. As it stands, only Canada, the U.S. and Sweden could construct a roster of only NHL players....I'm not sure who the NHL expects to fill out the rosters of Russia, Finland, Czech Rep., etc.

Even if they would be able to fillout the rosters, these teams would not be entitled to call themselfs CZ, Finland or whatever. Who would even coach them? It is completely nonsense. You simply can not make it without national federations. This must be one of the biggest HOAXes I ever heard....

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Stupid. Just let the NHL players go to the Olympics.

 

[alce*]

I'm not sure if the IIHF has any leverage. At this point it looks like the league envisions the WCUp, from the people organizing it right down to all the players, as a 100% NHL(PA) production. If this is the case the IIHF, the national federations and other leagues have about as much say in how the WCup is run (and how it relates to future Olympic participation) as they do in the NHL All-Star game or the Winter Classic, which is to say none at all.

There is one thing about all that. They could make NHL only tournament and even call it World Cup . But what they surely couldn't do is to call participating teams as team Russia, team Finland and team Sweden without national federations approval. Because even if they have the guts for such impertinence, most players from those countries wouldn't go against their federations and wouldn't participate in that scam.

Maybe the NHL is really giving everyone the screws and already told the other parties... never mind the Olympics, if you don't at least pretend to like our WCup, players under NHL contract might no longer be available to play in things like the IIHF WC. I think the only party that has any substantial power in this, outside of the league/owners of course, is the players.

There was the time when NHL guys weren't allowed to participate in IIHF tournaments and Canada have actually boycotted those tournaments because of it. Do you really think that now it can be a threat for IIHF? Seriously?

 

[86Habs]

As to reasons why the NHL is digging up the WCup I think creating a tournament with 'universal' credibility, legitimacy & prestige is at best a very distant second on the list.

Given the history of how the CC/WCup has been run (into the ground) I was pretty skeptical that when they did finally bring it out of mothballs they would 'do things right' and despite my low expectations I am still finding this shockingly bad.

You're of course right that its all about the $$$, but the hockey fans that are the World Cup's target audience will recognize a well-organized tournament from a poorly-organized one. I love international hockey, and I'll tune in because of that, but there's no fun in watching Canada beat up on a Russian team comprised of half NHLers, and half uncontracted guys from the god knows where (well, there's some fun in that ). The 1996 and 2004 tournaments were fairly well-organized, they need to look back to those and figure things out from there.

 

[Jablkon]

Professional sport is no longer what it once was. All the major World's professional leagues are full of greed the NHL included, maybe more so then other leagues because of their inability to help grow the game. I mean I'm still in awe for some of the prices they charge to watch the product that's out there. We're not watching the Soviets of the 70's here,so much diluted talent and now with more teams coming the league will contain even more sub par talent, yet they can and will raise prices because of the demand.

The Olympics are unique because it's sport at it's purest, something so magical, professional sports can and will never bring in my opinion.

For sure when you are outside any hockey federation, you can behave with no limits. You probably talking about professional sport in NA. The situation is quite different in the rest of the world.....