It's not irrelevant at all: absent a Canadian bid, the championship would have been held elsewhere.
Current articles on the IIHF website refer to the USA, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia as the "Big-7." Why? Because those seven countries have accounted for every single medal in Olympic and World Championship play FOR THE PAST FIFTY PLUS YEARS!
It very much means what you define as 'talent.' And regardless of one's definition of talent, success in a highly technical and equipment intensive sport like hockey requires a significant and well-established level of capital and cultural infrastructure that is simply not available in countries outside the Big-7. Also, with the well-known talent drain of players to elite commercial leagues (specifically the NHL, but also increasingly the KHL) it is harder and harder for countries, even within the Big-7, to maintain an internationally competitive level of hockey within domestic markets. Even perennial powerhouse like Finland has good cause to be concerned about a lack of young stars capable of replacing their much decorated but retiring warhorses.
Maybe it's just an American thing, but generally one expects an event called "World Championships" to be a contest between the best in the world. I have tapes of the Olympics stored on my computer. The events are not comparable in terms of intensity or level of play. You know this. I know this. The IIHF knows this. No one in their right mind would argue that this is a best-on-best tournament. A spade is a spade. That said, good luck to Germany. It's good to see you qualify to next year's 'championships'; legitimately this time.
Excuse me while I try to keep a straight face. *giggle*
All I hear it's going to be hard for Canada to hold off this beast, watch out Canada, here we come Canada, they're getting better, be careful Canada
FYI- This is excuse is used all the time.
Because it's true... and it's easily confirmed.
I have seen this tournament covered in articles on ESPN and NHL. If you do a google search it shows up in American papers.
I keep hearing this too, watch out for Texas. No I won't watch out for Texas, even with their enormous population. Comparing winter climates to scorching climates is like comparing apples to oranges. Texas won't become a hockey factory. California has had 50 or 60 years to prove me wrong. If it's not happening in SoCal, it's not happening in Texas.
Decades of glory and Soviet, Canadian championships signify that this tournament means something. Just because "America" isn't interested in this tournament, doesn't mean hockey revolves around them.
All I hear it's going to be hard for Canada to hold off this beast, watch out Canada, here we come Canada, they're getting better, be careful Canada
No one talks about how Canada has improved, no one talks about we better watch for Canada since the program of excellence.
Well guess what world watch out again, another Canadian hockey summit is taking place in August.
The fact and reality is that Canada's love and passion for this game makes us good, so this beast that is Canada is going to be hard to hold on to in the future and beyond.
I'm being serious.
Google it, or check Hockey Canada, too busy now, to help watching Rus-Ger. It's actually or maybe unofficially considered a hockey summit, because all the huge hockey organizations will be attending.They're putting more emphasis on this one. The first one (1999) led to the program of excellence with outlining ideas that were templates over a year in opinions and suggestions. The one coming up hopes to get a lot out of it.
I have no idea who is on the roster. I have no idea who the coach is. I have no idea who the Gm is, if there is one at all. I, and I'm sure 99% of american hockey fans, don't care about this tournament. I only say this because people from other countries seem to think it is some sort of upset or that american hockey is suffering. We got gold in the WJC and silver in the Olympics. We are doing just fine.
