IIHF WC in July?

[LeafFan]

The tournament wouldn't lead right into training camp. If it starts late July or early August, it would be done a month before training camp.

And moving WHC to summer would give the guys who would've been there anyways that rest in May.

 

[TomB]

The tournament wouldn't lead right into training camp. If it starts late July or early August, it would be done a month before training camp.

And moving WHC to summer would give the guys who would've been there anyways that rest in May.

Euro leagues often have their training camps in August. The KHL season starts on September 1. So for players in these leagues, the tournament would indeed lead right into training camp.

 

[ijuka]

The league with the messed up schedule is NHL. It makes zero sense to have a literal winter sport well into June. The season should start earlier and end earlier. Or the season should just be shorter. In any case, it's not an issue for any other league who have their seasons sensibly scheduled.

 

[greasysnapper]

I think what we're going to see more and more is less and less nhl players are going to play in the WC until it's just another Spengler Cup. Look how many good players said, "Nah" this year. And threads like this speak to the state of the tournament. People are realizing it's drawing less and less interest from fans and players alike.

It won't matter when it's scheduled. If it's in the offseason and I was a player invited, I'd rather go on vacation, or to my friends weddings, or rehab, or train. WC gold means very little to me.

 

[Toro2017]

I would rather switch ice hockey in summer olympics, than change the calendar for WC. Olympic games are every four years, so it would be pretty much the same, when they play that tournament. And even if it would be in summer olympics, there would still be people that would want to watch it anyway (even if they are on summer vacation. Olympic tournament is after all rare occasion). I fear that if "summer hockey" would happen every summer, then peolpe might lose intress on it, but every four years and possible NHL players might make "summer hockey" work.

 

[Jumptheshark]

some of the responses in this thread makes me sad and angry

instead if moving the WC to July why not start the NHL in September?

Why should the NHL DICTATE to the WC what to do?

The NHL DOES NOT PLAY NICELY WITH ANYONE, they do not think they have to

The IIHF is doing more to grow hockey then the NHL is

We now look at Swiss as almost a power house and part the uppercrust of International hockey

well for ten years or more then got their heads handed to them at the WC--it grew the game in the country and they are now developing home grown talent and the NHL is taking notice

what is the NHL doing to grow the game? Besides acting like king s*it and having people kiss their ring?

About 4 years ago the IIHF offered to move the WC to September every four years and have the games held in North America--THE NHL TURNED THIS DOWN as they wanted COMPLETE control

if the NHL wont play nicely why should anyone else play nicely? other have only to be shutdown by the NHL

 

[Zine]

some of the responses in this thread makes me sad and angry

instead if moving the WC to July why not start the NHL in September?

Why should the NHL DICTATE to the WC what to do?

The NHL DOES NOT PLAY NICELY WITH ANYONE, they do not think they have to

The IIHF is doing more to grow hockey then the NHL is

We now look at Swiss as almost a power house and part the uppercrust of International hockey

well for ten years or more then got their heads handed to them at the WC--it grew the game in the country and they are now developing home grown talent and the NHL is taking notice

what is the NHL doing to grow the game? Besides acting like king s*it and having people kiss their ring?

About 4 years ago the IIHF offered to move the WC to September every four years and have the games held in North America--THE NHL TURNED THIS DOWN as they wanted COMPLETE control

if the NHL wont play nicely why should anyone else play nicely? other have only to be shutdown by the NHL

Not play nice with the NHL? How's that possible when the NHL holds all the power? The only way international hockey is gonna thrive is if power dynamics change.

Not that it isn't possible though; the NHL only agreed to fully honor Euro-league contracts once the KHL showed it had the reciprocal ability to poach NHL talent. Bettman and co. agreed to that 'memorandum of understanding' super fast afterwards. Hopefully something similar will happen that will benefit international hockey.

 

[Hennessy]

If I were Hockey God, I'd mandate a break every February across leagues for international tournaments - be it Olympics, WC, whatever. Every year, a two-week hiatus or so to get it taken care of. Most players get a mid-season break to recover, some go off to play for glory.

I'm not Hockey God, and I don't know about the Euro leagues, but the NHL would never do this. A pity.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Not play nice with the NHL? How's that possible when the NHL holds all the power? The only way international hockey is gonna thrive is if power dynamics change.

Not that it isn't possible though; the NHL only agreed to fully honor Euro-league contracts once the KHL showed it had the reciprocal ability to poach NHL talent. Bettman and co. agreed to that 'memorandum of understanding' super fast afterwards. Hopefully something similar will happen that will benefit international hockey.

the NHL does not hold all the power

only people in North America or those who view other leagues as amateur hour think that way

 

[Spirit of 67]

What's wrong with September?

 

[Albatros]

What's wrong with September?

Start of domestic seasons, more complicated than their end. Also level of play would be worse and attendance quite possibly too.

 

[vorky]

If I were Hockey God, I'd mandate a break every February across leagues for international tournaments - be it Olympics, WC, whatever. Every year, a two-week hiatus or so to get it taken care of. Most players get a mid-season break to recover, some go off to play for glory.

I'm not Hockey God, and I don't know about the Euro leagues, but the NHL would never do this. A pity.

There was a hockey forum in Barcelona. I believe in 2012. The KHL proposed a very similar model as you described. All events held in February.

YEAR 1 - European Championship
YEAR 2 - IIHF World Championship
YEAR 3 - Challenge game NHL vs KHL/Europe
YEAR 4 - Winter Olympics

The hockey needs badly the agreement signed by European leagues, NHL & IIHF about international hockey schedule, where are stipulated obligated pauses for IIHF/IOC events.

Of course, the NHL does not want it due to its egoism. But there will be a time when their words mean nothing. And the NHL will be a big loser here.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Start of domestic seasons, more complicated than their end.

I don't see it that way. Players are headed to camp anyway. Rather than to vacation/recovery time.

Also level of play would be worse.

I doubt it. Players would be fresher.

attendance quite possibly too.

I would have to believe you'd have a better chance of attracting fans in September than July. Who wants to go watch hockey in July?

 

[TomB]

I don't see it that way. Players are headed to camp anyway. Rather than to vacation/recovery time.

I doubt it. Players would be fresher.

I would have to believe you'd have a better chance of attracting fans in September than July. Who wants to go watch hockey in July?

The KHL season, for example, starts on September 1. We're not talking about "headed to camp", we're talking about "the regular season has actually started".

I'm starting to feel like I'm repeating myself.

 

[Albatros]

I don't see it that way. Players are headed to camp anyway. Rather than to vacation/recovery time.

Yes, teams need training camps in order to prepare for the season, and that won't be adequately possible if all the best players aren't available. Many players also relocate before the season from a city or even a country to another, especially for those with families it's all going to get more complicated to organize if you start the season in yet another place with a long international tournament.

I doubt it. Players would be fresher.

They would need a longer national team training camp if they're supposed to be ready for a top-level international tournament to start the season. That time is also away from everything else. Players would also have to be chosen based on their performance the season before.

I would have to believe you'd have a better chance of attracting fans in September than July. Who wants to go watch hockey in July?

July is a terrible idea, September is a bad idea. Late spring works just fine in European hockey and it has tradition for the fans too.

 

[CanadienShark]

If you really want all NHL players to be available while not cutting into their vacations, September is a much better choice than July.

Then injuries would be an even bigger concern than now or July, since they wouldn't have the summer to rehab.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

-Start NHL season September
(from what I can tell, most other pro leagues are already going in September, and most people here, including myself are counting down the days waiting for the season to start anyways)
-Move All Star Game to preseason, should shorten regular season another 5 days or so
(Its not like NHL All Stars are fighting for a final roster spot during preseason. Also, now that the alternative is no longer a mid season break, there is less incentive to skip it)
-Now that the Stanley cup is awarded in May, the IIHF can begin a week or 2 back so there is no more overlap.
-Although, it probably still wont be best-on-best, as many players will still choose rest, the Worlds will now have 100% of the hockey focus in North America, and perhaps North America will now have incentive to actually bid on hosting this thing once and a while.

Agree on pretty much everything here.

You just turn the all-star game into an actual achievement for last year. Each team generally names their player of the year fill in the rest of the roster based on the whole of last season. Give each guy a bonus and you kick of the season with your all-star event. Like you said none of them are playing in the last two pre-season games by in large put the game there.

I don't expect we would ever see it, but I think all of these would be good adjustments to the calendar. It moves you forward off of the NBA, and you get to take advantage of their dismal first round playoffs with your stronger end of playoffs. I just think having your own calendar might not be the worst thing and marrying it to hockey everywhere creates a nice worldwide picture and format where all hockey fans are watching on a similar timeline. Embrace your niche and fans and set your calendar correctly, it just seems so unlikely in this day and age.

I do also wonder if this is even possible anymore with the way most of these teams arenas function is my only uneducated guess at one of the problems you would run into once you really started to flush this idea out.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Back to the original topic. The best option is if the NHL and IIHF partner together and hold a true World Cup once every four years, in February, alternating each time between a North American and European host city. The NHL has shown that they will break in February for international hockey as long as they see a benefit to their league and I think an arrangement like this would benefit all parties.

 

[jj cale]

Back to the original topic. The best option is if the NHL and IIHF partner together and hold a true World Cup once every four years, in February, alternating each time between a North American and European host city. The NHL has shown that they will break in February for international hockey as long as they see a benefit to their league and I think an arrangement like this would benefit all parties.

Yep, that's what I would like to see.

Having it in the U.S exclusively might be a problem though as attendance is likely not going to be very good for games that do not involve the U.S.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

May is good. Maybe the NHL season should begin a month earlier.

 

[Shrimper]

No-one has appetite for Ice Hockey in July. The players need a break too.

 

[Mickey Marner]

I'd rather it start earlier, tbh. Give more roster spots to guys who value the tournament over those who treat it as a European vacation.

 

[Gold Standard]

Yep, that's what I would like to see.

Having it in the U.S exclusively might be a problem though as attendance is likely not going to be very good for games that do not involve the U.S.

The NHL would do what USAH does when hosting the WJHC - just put it in a border city and bank on Canadians making the trek.

I'd like to see an international break every February for WHC/OG and true non-gimmicky World Cup, but the chances of that ever happening are minuscule. but there's no reason why if the WHC tournament were to be held in N. America once in 4, that it couldn't be a dual hosting tournament. Seattle-Vancouver/Detroit Toronto/Montreal Boston. makes sense to me. dependent of course the NHL committing to the Olympics. win-win for everybody involved.

Maybe the NHL/IIHF can make 1 accommodation and once every 4 years host the WHC in N. America in February, and when in Europe, keep it as is, May month is fine with me. I enjoy a little afternoon WHC action as a warmup to that evening's NHL playoff action.

 

[vorky]

The NHL would do what USAH does when hosting the WJHC - just put it in a border city and bank on Canadians making the trek.

I'd like to see an international break every February for WHC/OG and true non-gimmicky World Cup, but the chances of that ever happening are minuscule. but there's no reason why if the WHC tournament were to be held in N. America once in 4, that it couldn't be a dual hosting tournament. Seattle-Vancouver/Detroit Toronto/Montreal Boston. makes sense to me. dependent of course the NHL committing to the Olympics. win-win for everybody involved.

Maybe the NHL/IIHF can make 1 accommodation and once every 4 years host the WHC in N. America in February, and when in Europe, keep it as is, May month is fine with me. I enjoy a little afternoon WHC action as a warmup to that evening's NHL playoff action.

Agree with you.

I just want to add another perspective. May is not fine for European leagues, especially the KHL and the Champions Hockey League (CHL). CHL has to accommodate their games since August to early February (before playoffs begin in Sweden, Finland, others). See, they need to start in August, even if it is the latest week of August. Not the best month for hockey, low attendance. They could easily start their CHL season late September and finish early March. I admit that European leagues (SHL etc) do not have problems with the playoff, because it is short (one less round than NHL/KHL). But the KHL has a super problem with it. Due to it, the KHL regular-season has to be finished in February. The league would like to prolong it for one or two weeks, but cannot, because playoff would not be accommodated (PO needs to finish before IIHF Worlds, so in April).

If there was an agreement on international schedule (NHL, IIHF, KHL, Euro leagues), the common break would be in February, when Olympics/IIHF Worlds/World Cup or games NHL vs Europe would take place. July is out of discussions, moving hockey to Summer games is the stupidest idea ever.

E:

The point, for the KHL & CHL, is a better option to break the season for a weak or two in February than finishing the season in April. So, with Feb´s pause, they could prolong their season into May.

 

[jj cale]

The NHL would do what USAH does when hosting the WJHC - just put it in a border city and bank on Canadians making the trek.

I'd like to see an international break every February for WHC/OG and true non-gimmicky World Cup, but the chances of that ever happening are minuscule. but there's no reason why if the WHC tournament were to be held in N. America once in 4, that it couldn't be a dual hosting tournament. Seattle-Vancouver/Detroit Toronto/Montreal Boston. makes sense to me. dependent of course the NHL committing to the Olympics. win-win for everybody involved.

Maybe the NHL/IIHF can make 1 accommodation and once every 4 years host the WHC in N. America in February, and when in Europe, keep it as is, May month is fine with me. I enjoy a little afternoon WHC action as a warmup to that evening's NHL playoff action.

February sounds o.k but I suggest once every four years and it has to be switched between Europe and North America on regular rotation. It can become the new World Cup of hockey, refs also have to be a mix of N.H.L and IIHF guys and with the refs not calling games involving it's own country (to get rid of the howling among European fans over both those issues) who needs the olympics anymore?

International hockey co-operating together can run it's own show, olympics aren't needed.