Is there a way to make IIHF World Championship being played after SC Playoffs?

[doug88]

Not happening. Even the NLA has plans to start the regular season in late-september or early-october for the near future because it's ridiculous to start playing hockey in September when it's still hot outside. The month of September is also the worst in term of attendance for the NLA.

 

[Tuoppi]

Everyone boycott the NHL for screwing international hockey. North Americans can watch AHL, college and junior hockey. It's better that top players come to KHL and other European leagues.

 

[karlstegger]

Everyone boycott the NHL for screwing international hockey. North Americans can watch AHL, college and junior hockey. It's better that top players come to KHL and other European leagues.

No thanks, NHL playoffs beats everything I've seen on international level.

 

[tobu]

No thanks, NHL playoffs beats everything I've seen on international level.

It wouldn't if the top European players would not play there though, not that it has any chance of happening in the coming years.

It is still pitty that NHL as good as it is holds the international hockey a hostage. Imo the best hockey league is ironically the culprit of the relative slow international growth of the sport. All it really takes is one league to align its schedule with the rest of the world. Yes, short term attendance and ratings might be hurt for the first month of the season, but fans would get used it just as the European fans are used to hockey starting in September.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Everyone boycott the NHL for screwing international hockey. North Americans can watch AHL, college and junior hockey. It's better that top players come to KHL and other European leagues.

Uhm yeah, how about NO! How about the European countries and fans build their domestic leagues so they can pay their best players what they make in the NHL and then maybe they would stay home?

It wouldn't if the top European players would not play there though, not that it has any chance of happening in the coming years.

It is still pitty that NHL as good as it is holds the international hockey a hostage. Imo the best hockey league is ironically the culprit of the relative slow international growth of the sport. All it really takes is one league to align its schedule with the rest of the world. Yes, short term attendance and ratings might be hurt for the first month of the season, but fans would get used it just as the European fans are used to hockey starting in September.

Yes, it would. Play-offs have always been awesome, even when there weren't as many Europeans in the league and 16 of 21 teams made the play-offs.

Why not have the European leagues push their start back to coincide with the NHL schedule? If International Hockey means that much to Europeans, you would think their leagues would cater to their fans wishes, no? Like you said, Europeans would eventually get used to the season starting in October and ending in late May/Early June.

 

[BruinLVGA]

The question is as equally ridiculous as asking why the FIFA World Cup can't move to the winter so that it doesn't occur during the MLS season.

It's not ridiculous by any means. The FIFA World Cup is in summer because ALL major soccer leagues but one (MLS) have finished the season. The same goes for the IIHF World Championship: ALL major hockey leagues but one (NHL) have finished the season. Using the FIFA World Cup as an example hurts your argument, instead of helping it.

 

[patnyrnyg]

The NFL is playing in October, so what's the big difference? The NHL should start sooner so that that way it would end sooner, to play the SC Final in June is just absurd. No one is interested in watching hockey in June not even Canadians.

You are also dealing with MLB pennant races. At least with the post-season, it is less cities involved. Canadians aren't interested in June because their teams are never in the finals.

 

[BruinLVGA]

If anything, I would want them to push the start of the season back to November. Get away from the MLB post-season.

As far as being unacceptable? Not sure it would be "unacceptable". It is simply business. In September, you have the start of the NFL season, you have MLB pennant races. Secondly, most North Americans really do not care about the World Championships, so they are not going to change their calendar to accommodate a tourney for which their customer base has little interest.

Could also be temperature related. I know in April, May, June, arenas have a harder time with the ice as the warmer air gets into the arena. September is still hot for the most part through most of the US, not sure about Canada. I can't remember hearing this mentioned, just speculation on my part.

I can understand this side (= staying away from other sports' seasons) of the argument and it makes sense. However, if the NHL feels that it's viable to have the World Cup of Hockey in September, I still feel that this could apply for the NHL season too. Bottom line, I still think it's political posturing between NHL and IIHF more than anything else. Just for that, things will never change.

 

[Tuoppi]

Canadians also have their reasons to boycott NHL and Buttman. Canadian teams can separate and maybe join the KHL and Batman can have his on league with new teams in Alabama and Georgia.

 

[Jakk123]

Not happening. Even the NLA has plans to start the regular season in late-september or early-october for the near future because it's ridiculous to start playing hockey in September when it's still hot outside. The month of September is also the worst in term of attendance for the NLA.

Ridiculous? You are acting like it's around 30 degrees Celsius in September. May is hotter than September and no one is complaining about WC being played in terms of temperature. Stanley Cup finals take place in June and no one seems to be complaining about weather.

 

[tobu]

Why not have the European leagues push their start back to coincide with the NHL schedule? If International Hockey means that much to Europeans, you would think their leagues would cater to their fans wishes, no? Like you said, Europeans would eventually get used to the season starting in October and ending in late May/Early June.

That's the problem, ending a season in late May/early June would push IHWC to late June, which the players would outright refuse as that is the summer season they want to spend with their families. Hockey has to end in May. September is generally autumn across northern hemisphere, so it makes sense for hockey season to start there.

 

[JackSlater]

It wouldn't if the top European players would not play there though, not that it has any chance of happening in the coming years.

It is still pitty that NHL as good as it is holds the international hockey a hostage. Imo the best hockey league is ironically the culprit of the relative slow international growth of the sport. All it really takes is one league to align its schedule with the rest of the world. Yes, short term attendance and ratings might be hurt for the first month of the season, but fans would get used it just as the European fans are used to hockey starting in September.

Why should the NHL change its schedule to accommodate the IIHF, when the IIHF's tournament is something that most of its fans don't care about and its players aren't all that passionate about? This problem would have been avoided in the past if the IIHF had tried to align its tournament with the league where all all of the best players played (think 1950s NHL) but instead it chose not to. After a few decades of schedules and traditions taking root it is difficult to change things.

 

[patnyrnyg]

That's the problem, ending a season in late May/early June would push IHWC to late June, which the players would outright refuse as that is the summer season they want to spend with their families. Hockey has to end in May. September is generally autumn across northern hemisphere, so it makes sense for hockey season to start there.

So, the European players refuse to adjust to allow for the IIHF WC to possibly be a true best-on-best? So, it is on the NHL to cater to the Europeans? Why can't the European players have their "vacation" from July through mid-september?

September is not Autumn in the US. It is generally hotter in September than in May, at least in NY.

 

[tobu]

Why should the NHL change its schedule to accommodate the IIHF, when the IIHF's tournament is something that most of its fans don't care about and its players aren't all that passionate about? This problem would have been avoided in the past if the IIHF had tried to align its tournament with the league where all all of the best players played (think 1950s NHL) but instead it chose not to. After a few decades of schedules and traditions taking root it is difficult to change things.

I don't know where you got that from, but most European hockey fans care and love the IHWC tournament. The fact that not all the best can participate because of schedule conflict is one of the main reasons for other players not being that passionate about it. When you're asking IIHF to adapt instead of NHL, you're asking 10+ leagues to change their schedules instead of one.

 

[tobu]

So, the European players refuse to adjust to allow for the IIHF WC to possibly be a true best-on-best? So, it is on the NHL to cater to the Europeans? Why can't the European players have their "vacation" from July through mid-september?

September is not Autumn in the US. It is generally hotter in September than in May, at least in NY.

Asking 10+ leagues to cater vs 1, that's one of the arguments.
Another is that vacations can't be from July to mid-september because school/education systems follow some laws where the schedule for schools is fixed, and players logically want to spend their summer break with their kids.

 

[JackSlater]

I don't know where you got that from, but most European hockey fans care and love the IHWC tournament. The fact that not all the best can participate because of schedule conflict is one of the main reasons for other players not being that passionate about it. When you're asking IIHF to adapt instead of NHL, you're asking 10+ leagues to change their schedules instead of one.

I was talking about most NHL fans, which is a different group than most European fans. I don't think that the IIHF could or should adapt to the NHL's schedule at this point. It's a problem that can't realistically be solved, although the IIHF has tried in recent years. The IIHF should have adapted decades ago, but it's too late now.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Nope. KHL training camps begin in early-mid July.

That is what I meant in my post

 

[tobu]

I was talking about most NHL fans, which is a different group than most European fans. I don't think that the IIHF could or should adapt to the NHL's schedule at this point. It's a problem that can't realistically be solved, although the IIHF has tried in recent years. The IIHF should have adapted decades ago, but it's too late now.

Of course NHL fans dont care about IHWC when few best NHLers go there because of schedule conflict. Should there be no schedule conflict more NHLers would play and the interest in North America in the tournament would grow likewise.

 

[hardkorejackets]

I can get behind starting the NHL regular season a bit earlier though.. Maybe like beginning of October. Season ends around Memorial Day/Late May. I probably would like that as an American NHL fan. I wouldn't start the season any earlier than that. Weather wise- Would work pretty good weather wise, I think (especially in the northern U.S. hockey cities, in my opinion). I don't think it happens, but I would like it.


But, onto IIHF World's.. After thinking about it the last 30 minutes, I keep it where it's at.. I mean, if you host the tournament in mid-late June you could run into other problems- 1. How many players who just finished the Stanley Cup or even eliminated in Conference finals really will want to play in the IIHF Worlds? 2. I'm actually curious how many players whose season ended on April 8th come to the mid-late June hockey tournament across the globe.

Personally, I keep the tournament where it's at

 

[JackSlater]

Of course NHL fans dont care about IHWC when few best NHLers go there because of schedule conflict. Should there be no schedule conflict more NHLers would play and the interest in North America in the tournament would grow likewise.

It's not that easy. That would help generate interest, but plenty of players would still refuse, and the negative reputation that this tournament has built in Canada would still persist.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Asking 10+ leagues to cater vs 1, that's one of the arguments.
Another is that vacations can't be from July to mid-september because school/education systems follow some laws where the schedule for schools is fixed, and players logically want to spend their summer break with their kids.

When do schools start in Europe? When I was in Prague, I did a tour around Old Town Square. Tour guide was a teacher. I asked him and he said their school year was September-June. So, July and August with their kids is not enough?

Yes, 1 league. The 1 league that happens to be the biggest league in the World and controls ~90% of the world's top talent. This is not like soccer where the best players are spread throughout the 4 big leagues of Europe and those leagues have players coming from all over the globe.

 

[tobu]

It's not that easy. That would help generate interest, but plenty of players would still refuse, and the negative reputation that this tournament has built in Canada would still persist.

What's the negative reputation even based on? My premise is that it's solely on the schedule conflict leading to lack of top NHL players. Canadians love the juniors where the top players participate, Canadians love the Olympics when NHL top players participate, why would they not love IHWC with top NHL players participating?

 

[Bear12Good]

It's not that easy. That would help generate interest, but plenty of players would still refuse, and the negative reputation that this tournament has built in Canada would still persist.

And what is the negative reputation?
If WCOH dead
OG games with NHLers dead
IIHF Worlds only good international tournament

 

[tobu]

When do schools start in Europe? When I was in Prague, I did a tour around Old Town Square. Tour guide was a teacher. I asked him and he said their school year was September-June. So, July and August with their kids is not enough?

September-June is about right, the exact dates vary country to country. July - August would be enough, the problem is you would have to again ask 10+ leagues do adapt to NHL schedule, as pretty much most European leagues are done with their season in March, which would leave the European players without game experience for over 2 months.

 

[patnyrnyg]

September-June is about right, the exact dates vary country to country. July - August would be enough, the problem is you would have to again ask 10+ leagues do adapt to NHL schedule, as pretty much most European leagues are done with their season in March, which would leave the European players without game experience for over 2 months.

And again, the 1 league controls ~90% of the world's top talent. It is not as if the MLS fans are asking FIFA and the European leagues to change to their schedule. What is next, CFL asks the NFL to run their season from May-November so the CFL Champ can play the Super Bowl champ in a "North American" Championship? Let's not act like the European leagues are equals to the NHL.