Olympics: Canada Roster Discussion (Roster in post 1)

[1989]

While I understand the fact that people want a true best-on-best tournament (as do I) and the Olympics are supposed to be a representation of that, I wish I knew more people would commit to watching this.

The NHL is being given too much power in this. Yes, they have a right to exercise their options of whether they want "their players" to play, contractually speaking. I understand the NHL's concerns, and many are valid. But if the Olympics suffer a great blow to viewership/attendance, it will only reinforce the NHL's assertion that they do not -need- to be at the Olympics and they will be the only major non-international team sports league (excluding American football) that do not participate in the Games.

They'll either continue their assertion of monopolization over future Olympic participation in order to wrangle a better deal from the IOC (which seems unlikely), or the NHL will drop the pretenses and continue the World Cup, which, while it contains the majority of the best players in the world, is mostly for self-promotion and is not a great look for the sport from a non-North American perspective.

For the love of the sport first and foremost, I'll be watching.

 

[Sky04]

While I understand the fact that people want a true best-on-best tournament (as do I) and the Olympics are supposed to be a representation of that, I wish I knew more people would commit to watching this.

The NHL is being given too much power in this. Yes, they have a right to exercise their options of whether they want "their players" to play, contractually speaking. I understand the NHL's concerns, and many are valid. But if the Olympics suffer a great blow to viewership/attendance, it will only reinforce the NHL's assertion that they do not -need- to be at the Olympics and they will be the only major non-international team sports league (excluding American football) that do not participate in the Games.

They'll either continue their assertion of monopolization over future Olympic participation in order to wrangle a better deal from the IOC (which seems unlikely), or the NHL will drop the pretenses and continue the World Cup, which, while it contains the majority of the best players in the world, is mostly for self-promotion and is not a great look for the sport from a non-North American perspective.

For the love of the sport first and foremost, I'll be watching.

How is the NHL given too much power? It's literally their asset, would you rent out your car and pay them to use it? Didn't think so. You can't force them into letting the Olympics use their assets, you want them in? Make a better offer than the half assed one disguised under the pretense of patriotism. They have a right to say yes or no on participation.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

It's hard to be excited about a tournament where the only team with professional players really is the team formerly known as Russia. I might watch a game if it's on but it's not best on best and it's not an amateur tournament either.

I'm pretty sure the ratings for it are going to be down.

 

[Scott Stevens]

I’m excited for this. Recently, the only international hockey I have cared to watch is the Spengler Cup. This will be like that, but better, I hope.

 

[1989]

How is the NHL given too much power? It's literally their asset, would you rent out your car and pay them to use it? Didn't think so. You can't force them into letting the Olympics use their assets, you want them in? Make a better offer than the half assed one disguised under the pretense of patriotism. They have a right to say yes or no on participation.

Congratulations, you've simply reaffirmed what I already acknowledged, but added nothing to the discussion.

Why do you think the NHL is one of the only major professional team sports league aside from football and cricket that keeps their players from the biggest, internationally recognized best-on-best tournament? Out of major sports such as soccer, basketball, rugby, baseball, and other professional hockey leagues, etc - what makes hockey as a league sport more deserving to have better status with the IOC? Every other major league can agree to lending their players - we're stuck watching the NHL, with its numerous lockout concerns, believe it's better than the other professional leagues? With the mismanagement record of the NHL as of late, how can you believe that they are blameless?

 

[Maple Leaf]

Canada is the best

 

[Sky04]

Congratulations, you've simply reaffirmed what I already acknowledged, but added nothing to the discussion.

Why do you think the NHL is one of the only major professional team sports league aside from football and cricket that keeps their players from the biggest, internationally recognized best-on-best tournament? Out of major sports such as soccer, basketball, rugby, baseball, and other professional hockey leagues, etc - what makes hockey as a league sport more deserving to have better status with the IOC? Every other major league can agree to lending their players - we're stuck watching the NHL, with its numerous lockout concerns, believe it's better than the other professional leagues? With the mismanagement record of the NHL as of late, how can you believe that they are blameless?

How does an adult not understand the risks the NHL takes lending it's players to the Olympics? It makes perfect sense not to go given the risks, if the IOC doesn't want to be cheap then they'd have the players.

 

[1989]

How does an adult not understand the risks the NHL takes lending it's players to the Olympics? It makes perfect sense not to go given the risks, if the IOC doesn't want to be cheap then they'd have the players.

So you're saying the owners in a dozen of other professional sports leagues who participate in the Olympics don't understand the risks and they're all being shorted by the IOC?

 

[Hagstrom]

Men's Ice Hockey Game Summary

Canada beats Belarus 2-0.

Poulin with matches Scrivens and gets the shutout.

Maxim Lapierre and Andrew Ebbett with the goals.

 

[Urbanskog]

It's hard to be excited about a tournament where the only team with professional players really is the team formerly known as Russia. I might watch a game if it's on but it's not best on best and it's not an amateur tournament either.

I'm pretty sure the ratings for it are going to be down.

What does this mean? First you state that Russia is the only team with professional players and after that you say that it's not an amateur tournament. Perhaps you should not use words that you don't know the meaning of.

It seems to be unclear to many North Americans here but I can assure you that all players on Team Canada are full-time paid professional hockey players.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

What does this mean? First you state that Russia is the only team with professional players and after that you say that it's not an amateur tournament. Perhaps you should not use words that you don't know the meaning of.

It seems to be unclear to many North Americans here but I can assure you that all players on Team Canada are full-time paid professional hockey players.

It’s a tournament where one team has professional players. No Canadian or American player would be caught dead playing in a league that’s not the NHL if they had the choice.

I would rather it was all amateurs or everyone plays. As off now it’s pretty much a joke and I don’t think any North American is really going to take it seriously.

 

[Jon Riley]

It’s a tournament where one team has professional players. No Canadian or American player would be caught dead playing in a league that’s not the NHL if they had the choice.

Uh?
All the players of every team at the olympics are pro..there is basically not a single amateur there.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Uh?
All the players of every team at the olympics are pro..there is basically not a single amateur there.

Which is why I wish it was either amateur (no pro's) or everyone plays. Right now the pro's on North American teams are players who weren't good enough for the NHL. The only team with any recognizable talent is the team formerly known as Russia and to a lesser extent Sweden.

 

[Ceremony]

There are few things on HFBoards as annoying as people who say "the Olympics should be for amateurs"

Yeah Usain Bolt actually works in McDonald's on the weekends to be able to pay for his shoes. It's not 1920, you know.

 

[member 74440]

Just a fun story I picked up today. My chiropractor is at the Olympics right now with a few athletes so I had to use a different guy. He's actually Rene Bourque's chiropractor (and some of the Flames etc) and he told me that Rene is so unbelievably stoked to be a part of the team. Apparently he used to talk to all the athletes that would go to the Olympics and ask about their experiences. The fact that he's going to represent Canada is such a big deal for him.

Most likely no one cares but I thought it was such a cool thing to hear. Yeah, he got to live his dream playing in the NHL and stuff but this was something that was a dream that was unattainable in his eyes and now he's there. It's just fun and nice to think aboot.

Go Canada Eh!

 

[bert]

There are few things on HFBoards as annoying as people who say "the Olympics should be for amateurs"

Yeah Usain Bolt actually works in McDonald's on the weekends to be able to pay for his shoes. It's not 1920, you know.

I think its more annoying when I see HF posters that have never even owned a pair of skates rip on these rosters. These are all incredibly talented hockey players playing for Olympic Gold. No they arent the best on best but they are still pretty damn amazing with alot on the line.

This line-up is so bad

Example A. Where did you play Bouboumaster. No where.

It's hard to be excited about a tournament where the only team with professional players really is the team formerly known as Russia. I might watch a game if it's on but it's not best on best and it's not an amateur tournament either.

I'm pretty sure the ratings for it are going to be down.

Example B. This one is especially strong as the poster doesnt understand the difference between a professional hockey player or one thats playing in the NHL. How much money do you make a year? I bet you arent making as much as a single player playing on team canada. Some of them are making way more money than they would have playing in the NHL. Is that a real professional player that makes a million tax free?

Yeah Ratings are going to be down... Its not the players fault this happened.

 

[Jon Riley]

Which is why I wish it was either amateur (no pro's) or everyone plays. Right now the pro's on North American teams are players who weren't good enough for the NHL. The only team with any recognizable talent is the team formerly known as Russia and to a lesser extent Sweden.

Where do you even start to look for amateur, exactly?
Or better, how do you intend to scout the thousands of beer leagues around the globe?
Last time olympics were just for amateurs was back then, right when rich people did not want ugly and stinky poor people ruining their sporty events..

 

[face slapper]

This is what I would do if I ran hockey Canada
Get rid of the world cup
Bring back the Canada cup
Then get a bunch of legends Mario, Wayne etc to hype how much it meant to the people involved
Then throw a ufc/boxing type press conference and have someone from hockey Canada say something like: Canada has a rich history of hockey dominance, we are the best, come try and take our title from us, we dare you, something along those lines. After the first tournament have one every four years, winner of the last tournament gets to host the next one, then you got a hockey tournament I think a lot of people would be interested in both players and fans. Don't have to try and cut deals with the IOC any more, amateurs still get their shot at an Olympics , then we can all stop pretending that Olympic hockey mattered to us before they let the pros go play and got rid of the Canada cup

 

[Toene]

This is what I would do if I ran hockey Canada
Get rid of the world cup
Bring back the Canada cup
Then get a bunch of legends Mario, Wayne etc to hype how much it meant to the people involved
Then throw a ufc/boxing type press conference and have someone from hockey Canada say something like: Canada has a rich history of hockey dominance, we are the best, come try and take our title from us, we dare you, something along those lines. After the first tournament have one every four years, winner of the last tournament gets to host the next one, then you got a hockey tournament I think a lot of people would be interested in both players and fans. Don't have to try and cut deals with the IOC any more, amateurs still get their shot at an Olympics , then we can all stop pretending that Olympic hockey mattered to us before they let the pros go play and got rid of the Canada cup

Great idea, I would watch for sure! It would help bring back emotion and intensity in those international rivalries.

 

[Hanji]

This is what I would do if I ran hockey Canada
Get rid of the world cup
Bring back the Canada cup
Then get a bunch of legends Mario, Wayne etc to hype how much it meant to the people involved
Then throw a ufc/boxing type press conference and have someone from hockey Canada say something like: Canada has a rich history of hockey dominance, we are the best, come try and take our title from us, we dare you, something along those lines. After the first tournament have one every four years, winner of the last tournament gets to host the next one, then you got a hockey tournament I think a lot of people would be interested in both players and fans. Don't have to try and cut deals with the IOC any more, amateurs still get their shot at an Olympics , then we can all stop pretending that Olympic hockey mattered to us before they let the pros go play and got rid of the Canada cup

The IOC is only half the problem, the other half is the NHL.

Unfortunately Hockey Canada doesn't have the power to pull this type of tournament off. Any best on best using NHL talent will almost certainly have the NHL calling the shots. And there's no way the NHL will allow a Canada Cup/World Cup to be held solely in Europe.

 

[RandV]

So you're saying the owners in a dozen of other professional sports leagues who participate in the Olympics don't understand the risks and they're all being shorted by the IOC?

Well there are different variables at stake here.

- How long have they been participating in the games, giving them more time to evaluate the impact?
- How aligned is the league with the international body?
- Do the Olympic games overlap with the leagues schedule?

You're saying everyone else is doing it except Football, but as far as North America goes Baseball isn't either. It hasn't been a part of the Olympics in 2012 or 2016 but will be returning for 2020, but doing a quick google search it doesn't look like MLB players will participate because of the scheduling conflict. As like the NHL, the summer Olmpics runs at the same time as the MLB season

I'm not sure about other global leagues but isn't Olympic soccer only an under 24 event? And a lot of the other leagues unlike North American pro sports have international competition built into their DNA and are run in alignment with national federations, not just a for-profit business. So in NA this still leaves the NBA, but they have the huge advantage of having the Olympic games during the off season. And considering basketball is played with smaller teams and is far more star power driven sport that international exposure is an extra big boon to them.

My point is there aren't that many team sports and there's enough variations here to say why it can work for most others but not the NHL. And it looks like the MLB is joining the NHL's stance for the same reasons.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I think its more annoying when I see HF posters that have never even owned a pair of skates rip on these rosters. These are all incredibly talented hockey players playing for Olympic Gold. No they arent the best on best but they are still pretty damn amazing with alot on the line.


Example A. Where did you play Bouboumaster. No where.


Example B. This one is especially strong as the poster doesnt understand the difference between a professional hockey player or one thats playing in the NHL. How much money do you make a year? I bet you arent making as much as a single player playing on team canada. Some of them are making way more money than they would have playing in the NHL. Is that a real professional player that makes a million tax free?

Yeah Ratings are going to be down... Its not the players fault this happened.

Not one player on the team would be playing if the NHL players were allowed to play. I don't care how much they make they are a step below the NHL and inferior players, especially for NA.

The ratings are going to be terrible.

 

[Hanji]

It's hard to be excited about a tournament where the only team with professional players really is the team formerly known as Russia. I might watch a game if it's on but it's not best on best and it's not an amateur tournament either.

I'm pretty sure the ratings for it are going to be down.

Russia is the only team with professional players? You don't honestly believe this.
There are only 6 non-professionals participating, the NCAA guys and Gionta.

 

[Urbanskog]

It’s a tournament where one team has professional players. No Canadian or American player would be caught dead playing in a league that’s not the NHL if they had the choice.

I would rather it was all amateurs or everyone plays. As off now it’s pretty much a joke and I don’t think any North American is really going to take it seriously.

Sounds like you have attached a meaning that you have come up with by yourself to the word, doesn't make it right though.

 

[Duckhugs]

I'm proud of my Boys Linden Vey and Mason Raymond,

And all things considered its not a terrible roster theirs some talent in there still