Canada has "rigged, kidnapped and bought the Wjc"

[TimeZone]

Honestly 80+% of viewers of the tournament are probably Canadian so...

 

[Czechboy]

I didn't enjoy it in Sweden this time to be honest. So many empty seats for all the Czech games and quiet arenas.

Also, I hated that we played games on Tuesday, thursday.ans Friday at 3pm euro time. Semis and finals should be Saturday and Sunday.

I do agree that if europe.had the seem fandom that the skodas do that I'd.be pissed it's not.in europe.more. but that isn't really the case.

Amazingly, I'm fine with the U20.in north america and the skodas in Europe. Feels like a good trade.

 

[Nucks2001]

While they’ll always be near the top, Canadas stranglehold on this tournament is clearly over. Other countries are catching up.

This. Prior to Canada’s back-to-back gold medals in 2022 and 2023, Canada only won 2 gold medals in the 2010s at the WJC. It’s not like the 90s and 2000s where Canada had 5+ gold medals and more silver medals finishes.

Times are changing.

Canada no longer has the most hockey players in the world, the USA has the most registered hockey players in the world.

The top of the NHL leaderboards are now dominated by Russians, Swedes and Americans, not just Canadians. In the last 20 years, Canadian player share in the NHL has dropped from well over 50% to 42% today thus, losing the majority share in the NHL. Canada still has the MOST players in the NHL so don’t worry it’s not all Armageddon.

Countries have CLEARLY surpassed Canada in goaltending development.

As a Canadian I’m all for it. I love the growth of the game, though it is a bit sad to see Canada lose its superpower dominance. FYI, Canada is STILL a strong hockey nation and the best in 2024.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I mean if other countries guarantee similar ticket sales and sponsorship $, then rotate it. There’s a very specific audience for this product. If you don’t have the consumer numbers, you have to go where it makes it a financial success and allows you to continue to grow the game.

 

[lawrence]

For a long time Canada was probably the only country that really cared about it, so why not host it there a majority of the time?

In 2006 it was hosted in Vancouver. It brought so much revenue that it was after this one they made it permanent that Canada gets to host it every 2 years. Rightfully so.

 

[bossram]

Seriously. The entire reason it's played in Canada so often is because of attendance. Canada draws much, much better than other countries.

Yeah. What a bizarre article. Everyone knows why Canada hosts it the most often. Money. They make the most money in Canada. Even when the U.S. hosts, they are careful to make sure it's a city close enough to Canada that Canadians will make the drive. Tardiff mentioned this explicitly when Minneapolis/St. Paul was chosen as a host.

The IIHF, member associations, sponsors, broadcasters, etc. all like money. They make way more money in Canada. It's very simple.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Yeah. What a bizarre article. Everyone knows why Canada hosts it the most often. Money. They make the most money in Canada. Even when the U.S. hosts, they are careful to make sure it's city close enough to Canada that Canadians will make the drive. Tardiff mentioned this explicitly when Minneapolis/St. Paul was chosen as a host.

The IIHF, member associations, sponsors, broadcasters, etc. all like money. They make way more money in Canada. It's very simple.

Ya, Buffalo was another one

 

[Bixby Snyder]

I'd like to see it held somewhere like Texas or Nebraska so it doesn't get overrun by thousands of obnoxious Canadians.

 

[NyQuil]

I'd like to see it held somewhere like Texas or Nebraska so it doesn't get overrun by thousands of obnoxious Canadians.

Plus you’d get to hear what every player is saying on the ice without that annoying crowd noise.

 

[Maple Leaf]

I'd like to see it held somewhere like Texas or Nebraska so it doesn't get overrun by thousands of obnoxious Canadians.

Yep, the tournament would be a lot better if it was hosted by clueless Americans

 

[therealdeal]

I agree it’s in Canada too often, money tends to ruin all good things. That being said, it’s just so popular here. Hopefully more countries get a chance to host and can enjoy the tournament and get into like Canada tends, I imagine for sure the US is on that path. And having hockey games in Europe just has its own cool vibe, so I’m down for it.

 

[edog37]

Yep, the tournament would be a lot better if it was hosted by clueless Americans

Better than snobby Canadians. I forgot…what excuse is Canada making tonight for not medaling.

 

[NyQuil]

Better than snobby Canadians. I forgot…what excuse is Canada making tonight for not medaling.

We’re socialists and that means everyone gets a turn eventually.

 

[S E P H]

I read a while back that IIHF has an agreement in place.

Canada gets to host most of the WJC and Europe gets to host most of the WC. I love WJC, but the average fan cares WAY MORE for the Men's World Championship.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

Yep, the tournament would be a lot better if it was hosted by clueless Americans

Honestly it probably would be. World Juniors is so mid, don't even remember the last time I watched it.

 

[Crosby2010]

Just a side bar here, I think you know you are still a pretty darn good country when it is 2024 - the 5th time the 2020s have had the tournament - and it is the first time you haven't been in the gold medal game this decade, and just the 2nd time you haven't won gold. I do get nervous about our place in the game and what might happen in a best on best, but man, if winning three out of the first 5 tournaments is considered time for a crisis, then I think that means you are still in pretty good shape and the most revered country, still.

Besides, what is the big concern right now? 40-45% of the NHL is still Canadian. Far cry from 80% or so in 1990, even 60% in 2000, but still a good chunk of the NHL. And as for the recent first rounds in the draft:

2020 draft: 19/31 Canadian
2021 draft: 15/32 Canadian
2022 draft: 9/32 Canadian
2023 draft: 13/32 Canadian

That's 56/127 Canadians in the 1st round of the last 4 drafts. That's 44%. And while we're at it, one of the last picks in 2020 is a goalie who is doing quite well for the Sabres right now. USA is next with 21 by my count. I mean come on, let's not always overreact here. The 1st overall pick in 2024 will be Canadian for the 4 time in 5 years. About half of the projected first rounders are Canadian in 2024. I mean I get it, we love our game, but come on, lose one tournament and the hand wringing just drives me crazy.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

Indeed.

Everyone knows hosting the tournament guarantees you the gold medal

 

[jaywills1020]

They’ve been catching up for awhile.

Then your not actually “letting

They’ve been catching up for awhile.

Then they’re not actually “letting other teams win.” They’re just getting beat by better teams.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Clearly the guy “researched” and wrote the article well before and is probably kind of miffed about the actual results.

I liked the part where one country hosting three years in a row was “unprecedented”, as if some other unprecedented globe-spanning catastrophe was not happening at the same time.

I assume his follow-up article will delve into the fact that Canada has hosted the “World” Championships once in like 100 years.

Finland hosted the World Hockey Championships 4 times in an 11 year period, back-to-back twice.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

It’s an under 20 tournament. Is the under 20 FIFA World Cup popular?

Argentina in 2023 was the first tournament since 2011 with attendance of more than 8,000 per match

 

[jj cale]

Plus you’d get to hear what every player is saying on the ice without that annoying crowd noise.

cripes you're funny sometimes

 

[Senor Catface]

(Since it's one of the main discussions here)

One of the reasons for the focus on North America hosting, outside of TSN and Hockey Canada diving into a pile of gold coins, was attendance in the 00s in European nations for these events stunk, even with smaller venues.

2000 - Sweden (1,191 per game)
2001 - Russia (2,474 per game)
2002 - Czech (3,600 per game)
2007 - Sweden (2,000 per game)
2008 - Czech (3,300 per game)

1,191 and 2000 per game? Yeah, I would pass on Sweden too. Some games looked like they had 100 people for the lesser followed teams.

North American venues were bigger, but still were pulling in big numbers compared to their European competitors. As a business, of course you would want to focus on places that actually show interest.

In general it seems like the interest has grown (returned?) in European host countries, so maybe evil Canada won't get as many hosting jobs.

 

[Poro24]

To be honest, Hockey Canada should use its influence to get Russia back in (which it wants, Canada-Russia is a big draw whether Russia is good or bad). Back in the day, if countries took issue with another country, they boycotted themselves (Western countries at Moscow Olympics, Canada from IIHF due to shamateurs). To me, if a country like Finland refuses to play against Russia, they can forfeit if their principles are so strong. I'd have a lot more respect for that rather than see them be rewarded with a Bronze Medal because they artificially took away a team that might beat them. If Canada pressed on the IIHF hard enough, they could likely end that ban. It's gone on long enough. Across generations, Canada-Russia, USA-Russia and Canada-USA games are always far more interesting than other matchups.

What i reading?

It's hard to discuss in this forum because politics are not allowed but please think before you write. Look at the news what russia is doing. Hockey Canada should use its influnence to keep them banned for many more years, maybe forever. They are free to have their own tournament with belarus and north korea.

 

[Oddbob]

Doesn’t seem like you read the story tbh.

Read the paragraph by the OP and the thread name and I am 100% correct, it is a load of crap!

 

[Oddbob]

Better than snobby Canadians. I forgot…what excuse is Canada making tonight for not medaling.

If you took a world poll on bad traits, Americans would top most of them, so running down Canadians is pretty sad!