How can the World Championship improve as an event?

[Louiss]

Funny how Canada, a team consisting entirely of NHL players hasn't made it past the quarterfinals for five years if they're so superior.

Lol good point.

Its typically North American to think the 600 best players in the World are in the NHL and there is nothing beside it.

The truth is that there is a lot of good hockey players all around the world and a lot of themare better than the average NHL'er...

 

[tobu]

I think December / January should be the ideal time for WC even for seniors. Players are in form mid-way through the season. But that is wishful thinking... NHL would never go with it.
Second option is to host it after NHL season ends and have the European leagues adapt their schedules to end around the same time. Also wishful thinking...

 

[Pyrophorus]

That doesn't add up.

To improve as an event (the title), the timing would be an issue.

As an example, Compare and contrast Canada's Olympic vs. WC rosters.
BUT I also don't seen the Cup finalists wanting do this annually.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

To improve as an event (the title), the timing would be an issue.

Yes, but to get the timing right everybody needs to play ball..

Average date of awarding of Stanley Cup
1930s: April 11
1940s: April 14
1950s: April 17
1960s: April 27
1970s: May 17
1980s: May 23
1990s: June 9
2000s: June 11

They've had the world vhampionships in the 30's, so basically historically, the NHL has done nothing but make that window worse and worse.
To fix the timing, I'd just toss out the idea of a 60-game regular season (home+away against everyone) followed by playoffs - but theres much more on this topic if you just google NHL season too long.
Its impossible to get timing that works for everybody when theyre STILL playing hockey when its +25 Celsius in Canada!

The world championships have usually finished before mid-may, some deviation recently, but I think the NHL needs to look at tis schedule too and make things work smarter. More hockey is not better hockey

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Lol good point.

Its typically North American to think the 600 best players in the World are in the NHL and there is nothing beside it.

The truth is that there is a lot of good hockey players all around the world and a lot of themare better than the average NHL'er...

There are a handful of players in Europe that could make the NHL, but you are kidding yourself if you think the list is very long.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Funny how Canada, a team consisting entirely of NHL players hasn't made it past the quarterfinals for five years if they're so superior.

I honestly haven't checked where anyone has finished at the WC in a very long time, but I hear it is a great party. It's not only the Austrian hockey team that knows how to have a good time.

 

[Urbanskog]

I honestly haven't checked where anyone has finished at the WC in a very long time, but I hear it is a great party. It's not only the Austrian hockey team that knows how to have a good time.

It was the Olympics the Austrian team "had fun at".

 

[Slimmy]

If we put aside the politics and only look to the hockey that is being played.
I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with the tourney. I like it the way it is. It's more entertaining than the NHL playoffs and even the Olympics, if you ask me.

In my mind players are 'allowed' to be more creative, upsets are more likely to happen and star players have more room to shine.
The added spice of not knowing what the final roster will be even as the tourney has started brings more suspense. For example; Sweden looked real crappy until the Sedins joined the team that won gold in Stockholm in 2013. The final was against the Swiss who would not have been there would it have been the Olympics.
Seeing the transformation of that Tre Kronor team made you really appreciate the Sedins skill and hockey sense. It was night and day.

What's more is that, as a European, I get to see NHL stars a lot closer to home. The opportunity to watch them play live is something I truly value.
But it's also a tourney where players are discovered for the first time by a broader audience and NHL scouts.

I think that as long as not too much stock is put into the actual ranking, every one can agree that it's an entertaining tournament.

 

[jekoh]

LMFAO...exactly like no one in Canada cares about the inferior teams/euro players that make up this tournament.

Canadians watch the WJC instead, so they obviously know very little about who is inferior and who isn't.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

It was the Olympics the Austrian team "had fun at".

That's right and the Austrians care a million times more about the Olympics than the North Americans do about the WC.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Canadians watch the WJC instead, so they obviously know very little about who is inferior and who isn't.

Or maybe we know enough about the game to appreciate seeing kids at the various stages of their development.

 

[Zine]

Funny how Canada, a team consisting entirely of NHL players hasn't made it past the quarterfinals for five years if they're so superior.

Lol good point.

Its typically North American to think the 600 best players in the World are in the NHL and there is nothing beside it.

The truth is that there is a lot of good hockey players all around the world and a lot of themare better than the average NHL'er...

That is quite ironic. The 2 teams usually comprised mostly of NHLers (USA and Canada) haven't won gold in ages at the IHWC.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

That is quite ironic. The 2 teams usually comprised mostly of NHLers (USA and Canada) haven't won gold in ages at the IHWC.

Ya, because it couldn't be that the NA NHLers don't take this precious tournament seriously....

 

[ozo]

Ya, because it couldn't be that the NA NHLers don't take this precious tournament seriously....

Look at these NHL Americans not caring about bronze medal game at all - youtube.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Look at these NHL Americans not caring about bronze medal game at all - youtube.

Wow, they looked more excited to win than canada did in Sochi.

Winning any close game is exciting but if you think that either of the NA teams go over fully engaged and ready to do whatever it takes to win then you're not being realistic. Would they like to win? Sure. If they don't does it bother them for more than a minute? No.

 

[ForumNamePending]

I don't think Canadian players go over to the WC with the goal of getting knocked out in the QFs but I guess it's fair if you want to argue NA teams don't care as much about the tournament as the European teams and therefore don't put in the same level of effort... Not sure I agree, but whatever. Of course if that is your line of thinking it's probably worth keeping all that in mind when discussing Canada's prowess in things like the CC or the WJC... Maybe the competition just didn't/doesn't care as much.

 

[saskriders]

Or maybe we know enough about the game to appreciate seeing kids at the various stages of their development.

Or TSN promoted an event they knew Canada could almost always medal at considering the limited age range hurts smaller nations (ie Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden)

 

[Zine]

Ya, because it couldn't be that the NA NHLers don't take this precious tournament seriously....

"Errr, we rarely win because, uh, we don't care! Yeah, that's it!"

The players who don't care turn down the invites.

 

[Zine]

Or maybe we know enough about the game to appreciate seeing kids at the various stages of their development.

The WJC is popular because people want to see victories and a good story line. The WJC provides for this. It's the reason TSN promotes the hell out of it.

Unfortunately TSN's promotion has targeted and exploited people's sense of patriotism; and as a result rampant and over-the-top Canadian nationalism is often on display at the WJC.

 

[Rob]

"Errr, we rarely win because, uh, we don't care! Yeah, that's it!"

The players who don't care turn down the invites.

That is what the OP was saying. You send over 3rd and 4th line players it is not surprising that Canada and the US do poorly at this tournament. I don't consider that excuse making but reality. Just look at the lineups.

Anyway that is why I am a proponent of moving the tournament to September. It isn't a guarantee that all the best would show but the chances are much greater. Plus, the tournament could be hosted in North America.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

"Errr, we rarely win because, uh, we don't care! Yeah, that's it!"

The players who don't care turn down the invites.

So then why does Canada win much more often at tournaments we do care about?

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Or TSN promoted an event they knew Canada could almost always medal at considering the limited age range hurts smaller nations (ie Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden)

The original appeal of the WJC was that every county could ice their best team, something that Canada had very rarely had the opportunity to do. Not sure that the limited age range really helps anyone, we seem to be just as dominant when we ice our best mens team.

 

[saskriders]

The original appeal of the WJC was that every county could ice their best team, something that Canada had very rarely had the opportunity to do. Not sure that the limited age range really helps anyone, we seem to be just as dominant when we ice our best mens team.

At the juniors since 1998 Canada has 5 gold medals, 6 silver medals, 3 bronze medals, and 3 tournaments where they did not medal.

In the same period at the men's world championship Canada has 3 gold medals, 3 silver medals, 0 bronze medals, and 10 tournaments where they did not medal.

At the Olympics since allowing NHLers Canada has 3 gold medals, and 2 tournaments where the did not medal


And the point I was making is that at the junior tournaments most players will be born within a 3 year period. At the worlds and olympics it can be up to a 20 year period. For countries that have 25 or 30 million fewer people they are producing a lot less elite players per year regardless of how good their program is due to the population realities. When you only have 3 or 4 years to choose from it is hard to compete with big countries

 

[Auston Marlander]

I don't think Canadian players go over to the WC with the goal of getting knocked out in the QFs but I guess it's fair if you want to argue NA teams don't care as much about the tournament as the European teams and therefore don't put in the same level of effort... Not sure I agree, but whatever. Of course if that is your line of thinking it's probably worth keeping all that in mind when discussing Canada's prowess in things like the CC or the WJC... Maybe the competition just didn't/doesn't care as much.

It isn't that the players there don't care, it is the ones that don't go (see: our best players) don't care.

I'm not saying they are right, but to say Canada is not as good when our B or C squad doesn't beat A squads, well, that's just daft.

 

[Auston Marlander]

At the juniors since 1998 Canada has 5 gold medals, 6 silver medals, 3 bronze medals, and 3 tournaments where they did not medal.

In the same period at the men's world championship Canada has 3 gold medals, 3 silver medals, 0 bronze medals, and 10 tournaments where they did not medal.

At the Olympics since allowing NHLers Canada has 3 gold medals, and 2 tournaments where the did not medal


And the point I was making is that at the junior tournaments most players will be born within a 3 year period. At the worlds and olympics it can be up to a 20 year period. For countries that are have 25 or 30 million fewer people they are producing a lot less elite players per year regardless of how good their program is due to the population realities. When you only have 3 or 4 years to choose from it is hard to compete with big countries

I might be reading this wrong, but it appears you do not know the population of Canada.