World Cup: How can the 2016 World Cup become greater?

[YMCMBYOLO]

Get rid the tournament all together

 

[Epsilon]

I posted this on the BoH board but I'll repeat it here: if they were insistent on an 8-team tournament and on using a gimmick to have as many NHL players as possible, instead of the Euro-Leftovers and NA-Youngins teams, they should have just split Canada up into 3 teams: Ontario, Western Canada, and Quebec+Maritimes.

 

[JETZZZ]

perhaps they should hold all games outdoors at sky dome instead of the ACC

 

[xxxx]

This thread is ridiculous. I'm pretty sure at least half of you will change your minds after seeing two/three games. Don't call it World Cup if you don't want. Don't give it the same importance as to the olympics, if you don't want. But it will be a great hockey nonetheless and a game between Canada and US or Russia will be amazing to watch. It's an exhibition for you? Fine. But how that is gonna change the fact that two teams filled with some of the best players in the world will play each other and will play amazing hockey? I would even watch an EA Sports Cup with Canada, US, and World All Stars, because it would be a great hockey. I really don't get some people. Especially when it was said that in 2020 there would be a qualification system for teams like Germany or France, and it wouldn't be played just in Toronto, but maybe even in Europe, and probably no more all-star teams.

 

[JackSlater]

This thread is ridiculous. I'm pretty sure at least half of you will change your minds after seeing two/three games. Don't call it World Cup if you don't want. Don't give it the same importance as to the olympics, if you don't want. But it will be a great hockey nonetheless and a game between Canada and US or Russia will be amazing to watch. It's an exhibition for you? Fine. But how that is gonna change the fact that two teams filled with some of the best players in the world will play each other and will play amazing hockey? I would even watch an EA Sports Cup with Canada, US, and World All Stars, because it would be a great hockey. I really don't get some people. Especially when it was said that in 2020 there would be a qualification system for teams like Germany or France, and it wouldn't be played just in Toronto, but maybe even in Europe, and probably no more all-star teams.

An international tournament is for nations, not teams combined based on which continent they come from and how old they are. I can already see the world's best players play against each other in the NHL for roughly eight months per year. I don't care who organizes the tournament, what it's called or if there is a qualification process, but I do care about which teams are actually involved. Four of the teams involved (Europe, Young Gunz, Canada 24+ and USA 24+) don't belong in an international tournament, simple as that. If they did something sensible like pick the top 8 teams in the IIHF rankings (meaningless though they are) then it would be fine.

 

[JETZZZ]

This thread is ridiculous. I'm pretty sure at least half of you will change your minds after seeing two/three games. Don't call it World Cup if you don't want. Don't give it the same importance as to the olympics, if you don't want. But it will be a great hockey nonetheless and a game between Canada and US or Russia will be amazing to watch. It's an exhibition for you? Fine. But how that is gonna change the fact that two teams filled with some of the best players in the world will play each other and will play amazing hockey? I would even watch an EA Sports Cup with Canada, US, and World All Stars, because it would be a great hockey. I really don't get some people. Especially when it was said that in 2020 there would be a qualification system for teams like Germany or France, and it wouldn't be played just in Toronto, but maybe even in Europe, and probably no more all-star teams.

No, that is not true.

 

[xxxx]

An international tournament is for nations, not teams combined based on which continent they come from and how old they are. I can already see the world's best players play against each other in the NHL for roughly eight months per year. I don't care who organizes the tournament, what it's called or if there is a qualification process, but I do care about which teams are actually involved. Four of the teams involved (Europe, Young Gunz, Canada 24+ and USA 24+) don't belong in an international tournament, simple as that. If they did something sensible like pick the top 8 teams in the IIHF rankings (meaningless though they are) then it would be fine.

I agree with you there in terms of what "international tournament" really means. And I, as everyone else, want to have the true international event, with unique national teams only and I hope, believe, and think that they will go back to the 04 format in 2020. I guess people wouldn't have that much a problem with it if they knew this was "just" a tournament, and then we would have the olympics in 2018, 22, etc.

 

[xxxx]

No, that is not true.

My point remains

I would even watch an EA Sports Cup with Canada, US, and World All Stars, because it would be a great hockey.

I will watch because of the level of hockey, if the players take it seriously. The attitude of the participating players is all I care I would say.

 

[JETZZZ]

I agree with you there in terms of what "international tournament" really means. And I, as everyone else, want to have the true international event, with unique national teams only and I hope, believe, and think that they will go back to the 04 format in 2020. I guess people wouldn't have that much a problem with it if they knew this was "just" a tournament, and then we would have the olympics in 2018, 22, etc.

Why on earth would the NHL team owners allow this if nobody is going to pay them a ton of money? They OWN these players, and have the last words on whether they go play in Olympics, what they say to the media, when they use the bathroom, what they eat, when they go to sleep, and so on.

 

[ForumNamePending]

This thread is ridiculous. I'm pretty sure at least half of you will change your minds after seeing two/three games.

I'm not going to "boycott" it or anything silly like that, but it also isn't something I'm looking forward to or will plan my nights around.

Don't call it World Cup if you don't want. Don't give it the same importance as to the olympics, if you don't want. But it will be a great hockey nonetheless and a game between Canada and US or Russia will be amazing to watch. It's an exhibition for you? Fine. But how that is gonna change the fact that two teams filled with some of the best players in the world will play each other and will play amazing hockey? I would even watch an EA Sports Cup with Canada, US, and World All Stars, because it would be a great hockey..

For me personally even without the "all star" teams I was never going to be all that impressed with a "World" Cup being a 6 or 8 team, invite only tournament.

I think the problem is even many of the most provincial thinking hockey fans have a certain idea/standard of what a WCup should be. For many of these fans the expectations are pretty modest and the NHL still failed to meet them.

I really don't get some people. Especially when it was said that in 2020 there would be a qualification system for teams like Germany or France, and it wouldn't be played just in Toronto, but maybe even in Europe, and probably no more all-star teams.

Two points about this...

1) Given the history of the WCup, and the NHL/NHLPA's spotty commitment to it over the years, I'm going to take a "I'll believe it when I see it" approach.

2) The below sounds every bit as bad as having team "North American players below a arbitrary age limit" and team "Since we have no interest in working with any other parties to secure additional players we are just going to dump all the guys from countries without enough players under NHL contract into the leftovers bucket".

Per TSN

Eligibility restrictions would be relaxed so that Canadian and American players who don't make those teams can play for a nation of their ancestry.

Anyway... That's enough serious talk. Let's all try to get back to mocking this dumpster fire.

 

[Urbanskog]

My point remains


I will watch because of the level of hockey, if the players take it seriously. The attitude of the participating players is all I care I would say.

You already have the NHL. Most of the world's best players are there and they're motivated to play.

 

[xxxx]

I'm not saying it's perfect. If I could pick between this and the format before, I would pick the same option as everyone else. But it is still going to be a good hockey, you don't get to watch Crosby, Stamkos, Tavares, Weber, Keith, Doughty, Price, Toews playing in the same team every day. If not anything else, I will take this as an interesting tournament. People here are acting like it's really an NHL-All-star game-like tournament, which is obviously false. I will say it again, don't give it the same importance as to the olympics if you want. But don't discredit the winner, whether it's Canada or Russia, if all the players participating give it all they got.

 

[Paxton Fettel]

let them play on blue ice

 

[JETZZZ]

let them play on blue ice

black ice, white puck, and ads everywhere

 

[Jussi]

I posted this on the BoH board but I'll repeat it here: if they were insistent on an 8-team tournament and on using a gimmick to have as many NHL players as possible, instead of the Euro-Leftovers and NA-Youngins teams, they should have just split Canada up into 3 teams: Ontario, Western Canada, and Quebec+Maritimes.

Stop giving them ideas, we'll probably see that in 2020.

 

[JackSlater]

Stop giving them ideas, we'll probably see that in 2020.

Since they implied considering a Canadian B team in the tournament, the provincial selection just might be percolating already!

 

[FiLe]

Since they implied considering a Canadian B team in the tournament, the provincial selection just might be percolating already!

The most interesting aspect in that case might just be seeing how much dung Toronto really is willing to swallow...

 

[gretskidoo]

"greater" implies it's not trash. That would be very wrong.

 

[Canuckistani]

I really don't get some people. Especially when it was said that in 2020 there would be a qualification system for teams like Germany or France, and it wouldn't be played just in Toronto, but maybe even in Europe, and probably no more all-star teams.

Probaby no more all-star teams? The fact that even supporters of this event are not confident that the NHL will refrain from vandalizing the sport again in 2020 tells you all you need to know.

The best we can hope for is that this stupid thing crashes and burns in 2016, the more embarrassing the better. Player boycotts due to fake "unjuries," no Slovaks or Swiss showing up, U23s not giving a damn, empty seats, crappy ratings...

Aynything to make sure that we have a real best-on-best again in 2018.

 

[xxxx]

Probaby no more all-star teams? The fact that even supporters of this event are not confident that the NHL will refrain from vandalizing the sport again in 2020 tells you all you need to know.

The best we can hope for is that this stupid thing crashes and burns in 2016, the more embarrassing the better. Player boycotts due to fake "unjuries," no Slovaks or Swiss showing up, U23s not giving a damn, empty seats, crappy ratings...

Aynything to make sure that we have a real best-on-best again in 2018.

I guess people would react differently if the World Cup was "just some interesting, different tournament", and we still had olympics in 2018, and a real World Cup in 2017 for example...the tournament by itself is not bad imo. The problem I see and I agree with you, is that fans are worring it will be the only international best-on-best tournament.

 

[JETZZZ]

"greater" implies it's not trash. That would be very wrong.

hmmm... Perhaps it should have said "become the most profitable" instead of "become greater"?

 

[jka*]

Draws of Groups?

Gruop A and Group B wich?

I will this ones:

A:

Canada
Russia
Europe All Star
USA

B:

Sweden
Finland
Czech Republic
North America U23

Pure class.

 

[JETZZZ]

Draws of Groups?

Gruop A and Group B wich?

I will this ones:

A:

Canada
Russia
Europe All Star
USA

B:

Sweden
Finland
Czech Republic
North America U23

Pure class.

It would work better if they had Canada and the Under 23 All Stars play each other 3-4 times in the preliminary rounds as just extra games not worth any points so they could sell more tickets

 

[Slimmy]

Goddamnphone

 

[Slimmy]

Greater?

First of all it's not a great tournament, it's a silly exhibition no one cares about, this as a proud Canadian.

What makes sport special is not the games itself, it's the stage,
All the world's a stage, and they're just merely actors. The Olympics is the pinnacle of our game, because you know every soul in this country to every soul in Slovakia to Russia, to Sweden, to Finland will wake up and gather with family , friends, strangers and urge their nation to victory. It doesn't matter if you don't enjoy Hockey or not, you urging your country men on for that pursuit of the ultimate victory every 4 years. An Olympic medal, a medal which has been contested since the early 1900's , that has built a tradition across every nation in this World.

What are they playing for? Nothing, there is no prize
Who are they playing for? Certainly they don't represent me and millions of Canadians in this money making tournament.
Does anyone care? No, no one in the Hockey World gives a s*it of this tournament.

What makes International sport what it is, is that it unites people, from all backgrounds to find a common purpose to unite over, and this is meaningless, if you want to see emotion, and what sport actually signifies, watch one month earlier in Rio, that's representing your nation. Not some ugly tournament from a corrupt league that cares not about Hockey, but money.

Fans make Hockey what it is, in a tournament where only 3 million might watch, no , don't even think of this as a great tournament.

Spell...

Meaningless.

Well said