Ideas and suggestions for a true World Cup

[JackSlater]

Copy the 1996 World Cup format, with the eight teams being those that comprise the top 8 in the IIHF rankings. Have the site of the tournament alternate between Europe and North America. Add more teams if and when it becomes necessary.

 

[gifted88]

Two things hold this up from being anything good. IIHF/NHL relations/politics and quality of competition.

The first one isn't far fetched to fix, but the second...

 

[ayoshi]

This "World cup" is a joke. Stick with the once every 4 years Olympics or properly collaborate with the IIHF on the World Championships.

Another one of the great things about the Soccer World Cup is that there is a qualification process and literally every country has a chance to make the finals.

 

[Hv71]

Are a lot of people really caring about the world cup? Talked to a bunch of my friends we all love hockey but no one cares at all about the world cup. And they have a team North America and a team Europe just makes it even more of a joke. Do people in NA care more or is it a big thing over there?
I did hardly even think about the tournament until last night when NHL started spamming on Twitter with there bad embarrassing google translate tweets in every language. This is a NA tournament that Europe will care very little about i think. All i care about is the SHL and NHL season to start.

 

[holyprime]

Well, first of all it shouldn't be organized by the NHL (or any other league, but thats unrealistic anyway), if you want something that remotely represents a world cup. For them its like the "world" series in baseball and they only use it as a marketing tool/income boost for their league, which is exactly the opposite of the idea of international competition.

Something like the football world cup would be great (without all the FIFA shenanigans, corruption and unnecessary stadium building by adding proper rules/prosecution please), replacing the annual world championship with a qualifier for instance. Then have a 12 team tournament (2 groups, then quarterfinals etc) in changing host countries every 4 years or something like that. Together with the olympics, that would mean a best on best every second year.

But that will never happen, or at least not as long as enough people in NA support that "exceptionalism"-mantra that the NHL pursues (just look at the drama they produce about every single olympic participation).

 

[varsaku]

This "World cup" is a joke. Stick with the once every 4 years Olympics or properly collaborate with the IIHF on the World Championships.

Another one of the great things about the Soccer World Cup is that there is a qualification process and literally every country has a chance to make the finals.

This I would love to see happen. Unfortunately, the NHL will never make it happen.

Well, first of all it shouldn't be organized by the NHL (or any other league, but thats unrealistic anyway), if you want something that remotely represents a world cup. For them its like the "world" series in baseball and they only use it as a marketing tool/income boost for their league, which is exactly the opposite of the idea of international competition.

Something like the football world cup would be great (without all the FIFA shenanigans, corruption and unnecessary stadium building by adding proper rules/prosecution please), replacing the annual world championship with a qualifier for instance. Then have a 12 team tournament (2 groups, then quarterfinals etc) in changing host countries every 4 years or something like that. Together with the olympics, that would mean a best on best every second year.

But that will never happen, or at least not as long as enough people in NA support that "exceptionalism"-mantra that the NHL pursues (just look at the drama they produce about every single olympic participation).

There is no way the NHL is going to rotate hosts when they can guarantee that they can sell out in places like Toronto. To the NHL, it all about money than celebrating the sport.

 

[cutchemist42]

Copy the 1996 World Cup format, with the eight teams being those that comprise the top 8 in the IIHF rankings. Have the site of the tournament alternate between Europe and North America. Add more teams if and when it becomes necessary.

Honestly, I dont see why they couldnt have done this. They claim its not fair because they couldnt do a quali this time, but they have never done a qualification for the World Cup so why does it matter now?

I was perfectly more fine with a 6 tesm or 8 team tounrye to start with no qualis, but I at least wanted every team to be a NT.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Honestly, I dont see why they couldnt have done this. They claim its not fair because they couldnt do a quali this time, but they have never done a qualification for the World Cup so why does it matter now?

I was perfectly more fine with a 6 tesm or 8 team tounrye to start with no qualis, but I at least wanted every team to be a NT.

It doesn't matter, but it is just a canned answer to the question of why there are gimmicky teams. You have to have some sort of answer.

There's no reason just not to take the Top 8 ranked teams according to IIHF ranking from the recently completed Prague WHC, in which case the Swiss and Slovaks are in. or take the top 7 and use this coming WHC (Moscow-St. Petersburg) to determine who gets the 8th spot 8-9-10-11-12-13 (Slovakia, Belarus, Latvia, Norway, France and Germany) the team out of that group of 6 finishing with the best record at the WHC 2016 wins the 8th spot.

but those are mostly domestic league players and KHL players...and the NHL isn't interested in that...they are interested in showcasing only NHL players...which is unfortunate...and I won't be watching it. not a second of it.

those who buy into the NHL line that it's only a one-off and we'll do a qualifier next go around are naïve. Ya, sure, tune in. boost those ratings and watch Gary Bettman and his clan of dimwits say, let's do that again. what a smashing success that was. We'll end up with no NHL participation in the Olympics, some kind of quasi international gimmicky NHL freak show that may or may not occur once every 4 years...and some ridiculous Ryder Cup type of format... it's just sad what Bettman and Co are trying to pull off here and even sadder that fans of the international game are buying into their nonsense.

I won't be watching it. I'll be watching baseball instead or Tuner Movie Classics...or hold off on summer vacation until mid September and then go off the grid somewhere in S. America.

 

[mattihp]

1. Hold it every 4 years.
2. Hold it in the Olympic Games
3. With NHL players
4. And booze and strippers
5. Ignore #4

Perfect

 

[cutchemist42]

It doesn't matter, but it is just a canned answer to the question of why there are gimmicky teams. You have to have some sort of answer.

There's no reason just not to take the Top 8 ranked teams according to IIHF ranking from the recently completed Prague WHC, in which case the Swiss and Slovaks are in. or take the top 7 and use this coming WHC (Moscow-St. Petersburg) to determine who gets the 8th spot 8-9-10-11-12-13 (Slovakia, Belarus, Latvia, Norway, France and Germany) the team out of that group of 6 finishing with the best record at the WHC 2016 wins the 8th spot.

but those are mostly domestic league players and KHL players...and the NHL isn't interested in that...they are interested in showcasing only NHL players...which is unfortunate...and I won't be watching it. not a second of it.

those who buy into the NHL line that it's only a one-off and we'll do a qualifier next go around are naïve. Ya, sure, tune in. boost those ratings and watch Gary Bettman and his clan of dimwits say, let's do that again. what a smashing success that was. We'll end up with no NHL participation in the Olympics, some kind of quasi international gimmicky NHL freak show that may or may not occur once every 4 years...and some ridiculous Ryder Cup type of format... it's just sad what Bettman and Co are trying to pull off here and even sadder that fans of the international game are buying into their nonsense.

I won't be watching it. I'll be watching baseball instead or Tuner Movie Classics...or hold off on summer vacation until mid September and then go off the grid somewhere in S. America.

That is also my fear, that ticket sales and tv ratings convince the NHL the gimmick teams should stay....

 

[JETZZZ]

-Have top 12 teams ranked by the IIHF play by International rules, no gimmick teams.
-Each game will be refereed by officials that are from neither country playing in said game. (For example, in a CANADA/SWEDEN game, no Canadian or Swedish referees)
-Pause the NHL season for 2 weeks in the Febuary, and cancel all star game to make it fit in between season a little better (A best on best International tournament is a million times better than an all star weekend ever will be, and it can still be the hefty cash grab the NHL wants. Everybody wins).
-Tournament takes place every 4 years in between Olympic years, and cities bid on it like the Olympics (just dont hold it in Toronto every goddamned year).
-Uniform ads are lame, so no Uniform ads. None. (Preferably no ice or board ads either, but that wont happen).
- Have teams divided into 2 groups of 6 teams. Each team plays each other once (5 games total) , and the top 4 teams in each group advance to the quarter finals.
-After the quarter and semi final games, The tournament is moved to the outdoor stadium where a best of three final is played.
-Winner is awarded The World Cup, which is now a real trophy, not a strange hunk of plastic that doesn't look like anything. Or better yet make it look just like the Stanley cup, except gold. Each 4 years, the winning teams roster will be printed onto it.

 

[tony d]

I actually like the way they're doing it now. Still if they want a true World Cup they should have every hockey nation there is in qualifying group and if possible have every continent represented. Sure Team Australia might get destroyed but it would lead to more people knowing Australia has a hockey program that didn't know before.

 

[FiLe]

Still if they want a true World Cup they should have every hockey nation there is in qualifying group and if possible have every continent represented. Sure Team Australia might get destroyed but it would lead to more people knowing Australia has a hockey program that didn't know before.

This is pretty much what the IIHF does all the time...

 

[Warden of the North]

If you want to sell it to Europeans, for starters it needs to have real national teams only, no exceptions, no buts and absolutely no made-up or age-restricted random teams. International hockey at its heart is not about putting together the best possible teams on paper, but about national pride and the emotions and passion that stirs up in both the players and the fans. That's why people watch the WHC every year despite it not being absolute best-on-best.

But the NHL has made it very clear with their plans that only North American fans matter and they have stubbornly refused to see things from our POV. Hoping that we will suddenly "open our minds" to this thrash is futile. Change it or we don't care.

Just an FYA, but most NA fans think the format is pretty crappy. Do you think we're thrilled McDavid can't play for Canada?

 

[HC Jets]

In everybody's opinion on this thread, would this be good or bad....

Canada
USA
Sweden
Russia
Finland
Czech Rep.
Switzerland/Slovakia (Whoever is ranked #7 by the IIHF that year)
Canada 2 (Whoever is ranked #1 could have a second team)

I think this would be better than gimmick teams and if the NHL really dosen't want 8 real teams than they can do 7 instead of 6, which includes teams nobody cares about (CAN/USA young guns + Europe's Roster Filler).

I could see if Russia or Sweden were ranked first, they would enter a team with only players from the SHL or KHL, which is why this wouldn't happen, because all the NHL cares about is money. ( I would personally prefer a 20 team format.)

 

[Gaps]

Just an FYA, but most NA fans think the format is pretty crappy. Do you think we're thrilled McDavid can't play for Canada?

Yes, but the same time just about everyone who likes the format is either American or Canadian. So yeah, clearly some Canadians are perfectly fine with that.

 

[tarheelhockey]

In everybody's opinion on this thread, would this be good or bad....

It would be better hockey than what we're going to get currently, but I don't think the other countries would appreciate Canada getting double the opportunity to claim the world title.

 

[FiLe]

If I were the dictator of the world - or just the IIHF - I'd make them have the WHC some odd year at a different time as they do now, namely, in the early autumn, pretty much in the timeslot they'll be having this NHL Money Cup now. Have it run three years straight as the European spring party it is, and then veer from that formula every fourth year to ensure the maximum participation of NHLers.

Let's imagine they were to take up on it from 2020 onwards, here's how the tournaments would go...

WHC 2021 (spring) - Olympics 2022 - WHC 2022 (spring) - WHC 2023 (autumn) - WHC 2024 (spring) - WHC 2025 (spring) - Olympics 2026 - WHC 2026 (spring) - WHC 2027 (autumn) - and so forth.

With a setup like this, I could even stand having the NHL pull out of the olympics, or cherry-pick their participation on a case-by-case basis. On top of that, they could keep having their own non-regular World Cups if they so desire and pit Sweden and Canada against Team OldFarts and Team Left-handed if they so desire. It'd be no hair off my back.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

If I were the dictator of the world - or just the IIHF - I'd make them have the WHC some odd year at a different time as they do now, namely, in the early autumn, pretty much in the timeslot they'll be having this NHL Money Cup now. Have it run three years straight as the European spring party it is, and then veer from that formula every fourth year to ensure the maximum participation of NHLers.

Let's imagine they were to take up on it from 2020 onwards, here's how the tournaments would go...

WHC 2021 (spring) - Olympics 2022 - WHC 2022 (spring) - WHC 2023 (autumn) - WHC 2024 (spring) - WHC 2025 (spring) - Olympics 2026 - WHC 2026 (spring) - WHC 2027 (autumn) - and so forth.

With a setup like this, I could even stand having the NHL pull out of the olympics, or cherry-pick their participation on a case-by-case basis. On top of that, they could keep having their own non-regular World Cups if they so desire and pit Sweden and Canada against Team OldFarts and Team Left-handed if they so desire. It'd be no hair off my back.

Not a bad idea. As long as they at least held the fall tournament in NA once every 8 years then I'd be in favour of it. Also I think sharing some revenue with the players and clubs supplying players would be appropriate.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Okay there's more posters here so I posted it here mods. Let's talk real topics.

Let's talk issues here if they really want people to spend money.

1)There is NO press in all of Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Slovakia, Belarus, Norway, Austria whatever you want to say, aren't these countries important? And as demonstrated by an all english reporter presence, nobody cares enough to send anyone.

2)Is the center of the Hockey World Toronto? I didn't know that. Every time I see a Toronto nhl game it's awfully quiet and devoid of passion. There is more passion shown for Hockey in Visp, Switzerland then Toronto. Why can't they also go on a World tour to promote this event?

3)How will they actually want people from other countries across the World to travel to this city and country and support their nations like we all do during the Olympics and World Championships?

Over 1 million fans supported their nations at the Football World Cup in 2014. Don't they want such diverse cultural atmosphere in their arena's come september 2016?

What will entice Russians, Czechs, Fins, Americans, Swedes to travel over and support their country?

4)Who is the mascot of this tournament? Each Hockey International event has a mascot that is an integral part of any international setting.

5) Is there a fan zone being constructed? International events usually have a location where fans can mingle and share culture and all and watch on giant screens in the host cities.

Has there been any talk of setting up large screens in the likes of Toronto ,Montreal, Helsinki, Moscow, Prague etc. Like is done for the World Cup of Football in all major cities across the World?

6) WHO is that host, who ran the question period? If he's the Hockey night in Canada host that I've heard of, I pity you Canadians, I've never seen a worse personality on television. What remarks he made, complete lost soul

Okay people add ideas so one day we can have a true World Cup. This tournament has SO MUCH potential. It's too bad it's run by a professional sports league that only cares for not people's hearts but $.

1) Were these countries prohibited from sending reporters or did they choose to not send anyone?

2) Games in Toronto are quiet because their team has been lousy. The passion is there, I have been to Toronto for games and have seen it. There are also plenty of hockey lovers within a driving distance to Toronto that do not care about the Leafs.

3) That could be the hope, but it is not going to happen overnight.

4) Mascot? Really? Last time I cared about a mascot was when I was about 10 years old.

5) I'm sure all the plans aren't finalized yet. However, if you do not think fans from Europe will travel to this event, why do they need something set up so Swedes, Canadians, Americans, Russians, and Czechs can "share culture"?

6) Host as in the host on tv? Who cares? I don't watch the Olympics because I am interested in hearing Bob Costas give his take on things.

 

[patnyrnyg]

In everybody's opinion on this thread, would this be good or bad....

Canada
USA
Sweden
Russia
Finland
Czech Rep.
Switzerland/Slovakia (Whoever is ranked #7 by the IIHF that year)
Canada 2 (Whoever is ranked #1 could have a second team)

I think this would be better than gimmick teams and if the NHL really dosen't want 8 real teams than they can do 7 instead of 6, which includes teams nobody cares about (CAN/USA young guns + Europe's Roster Filler).

I could see if Russia or Sweden were ranked first, they would enter a team with only players from the SHL or KHL, which is why this wouldn't happen, because all the NHL cares about is money. ( I would personally prefer a 20 team format.)

Would rather see Switzerland and Slovakia than a Canada 2.

 

[patnyrnyg]

If I was putting on this tourney, I would start with 8 teams.

US, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland.

Would not have any groups or pools. Everyone would play everyone once. 7 games total.

1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 in the semis winners for the Championship.

Round-robin. 20 minute OT followed by shootout, however NHL rules for the shootout. Everyone has to go, before someone goes a second time. Thought that US-Russia game that turned into Oshie vs Kovalchuck and Radulov (?) was dumb.

Semis and finals-continuous OT. Want the finalists and winner decided by real hockey.

Logistics---Run tournament every 4 years. Change the host country and region (for larger countries). NA one year, Europe 4 years later, NA 4 years later, then Europe and so forth.

In the US, Canada, Russia, don't limit to one city, go by region. So for 2016, would have games in Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Montreal. Next time it was in Canada, go out west. Also include smaller cities that have a decent size arena.

In the US, they could have it once in NYC-Boston-Philly-DC. Next time Pitt-Detroit-Buffalo-Columbus. The next time maybe go west then maybe go south.

Can't really comment on Russia as I am not all that familiar with the geography and or the cities near each other with appropriate rinks. Just think it would be dumb to have it all in Moscow each time.

A smaller country (area-wise), like the Czech Republic. Obviously, they would want to use the O2 arena in Prague for big games, but other cities are close enough where they could hold games out in Kladno, Plzen, Ceske Budjeve (sp?), etc.

I'd also include plans to expand the tournament. Maybe 10 teams for 2020 with a qualifying for the 9th and 10th spots. Countries like Belarus, Kazakhstan, Germany, Slovenia, etc.

In pool play, a hybrid of the old school "carry-over" and then knock-out phase.

2 pools of 5 teams each. top-3 to the medal round. Carry over your points from the first round. Play the 3 teams from the other pool once each. THEN, a 1 vs 4, 2 vs 3 semi final and then a final.

As far as the money, kick a good cut of the profits back the countries with the smaller countries getting more than countries like the US and Canada (I'm American, so this is not some anti-NA bias). HOWEVER, there has to be stipulations that the money is funneled to youth and junior programs in those countries, not used for "administrative" costs. Heck, if you are afraid of corruption or shadiness, donate the money directly to youth and junior programs leagues, and by-pass the national governing bodies altogether.

Hold the tounrnament in September.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

This is a WORLD F***** CUP.




Imagine telling the rest of the World how this Hockey event is run. Most people around the World only glimpse Hockey during the World Championships and Olympics, it's a shame, our sport can have something similar to Rugby and Cricket yet it's run by a corrupt league that thinks there's one country on this globe. I wonder if Buttman has ever left the north american borders to know other people in this World care about this game, we know most nhl fans haven't by the sounds of these boards, that's for certain.

Rugby World cup, lopsided scores aplenty yet the countries passion for their sport is shown, watched around the World, the passion seen, same as the Cricket World Cup, no gimmicks, no games, sport at it's purest. International sport is sport at it's finest, that's why a game in the World Juniors is more entertaining then what you see in 1200+ nhl regular season games, and this league has managed to even ruin what it means to play for your country. The greatest honour any athlete in the World can have. A player of the level of Connor McDavid is going to play with Americans in an international tournament, imagine what that must feel like, hope he shoots pucks at Eichel's face to show that International sport doesn't work that way. The sheer thought of that is disgusting, playing with someone from another country when playing national teams, that must be so awkward beyond belief. Any athlete would rather lose and be embarassed with their countrymen then compete with people they couldn't care less for.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Unbelieable opening ceremony, you can feel the passion from your television screen. Fans from around the Rugby World attending is what I also noticed, imagine the people in attendance at the nhl exhbition cup.

Don't think you'll even have people from the rest of Canada going to this nevermind the World!

They hold 1 press conference in Toronto. They're having a World Cup, and they hold 1 press conference in Toronto with reporters only from one country pretty much.

This is going to be one of the most embarassing moments in International Hockey history.

Can the IIHF do something and remove the word World from this tournament? Would love to see it called what it actually is. ( Exhibition cash grab cup. - Looking for people to pay us money and we know the suits in Toronto will pay us what we want. Because to the nhl only one thing matters - Money! I hope you hear that las vegas and seattle ...we're cominggg )

Wish they held it in Montreal, the empty seats would have been so satisfying.

 

[stars33]

There is nothing wrong with making money. Bettman is so dumb that he does not understand international hockey. If he produce a proper world cup he would make more money. This world cup is going to be a disaster.