KHL and the World Cup (Mod warning post 355)

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

The NHL is the best league in the world, that's not an opinion, that's a fact. To think otherwise is simply delusional.

No one denies that the NHL is the best league of the world with most of the top players in the world playing in it.
So let's imagine that next year for some reason the whole top 50 regular season scoring leaders, the top 20 defensemen and the top 10 goalies go and play in the KHL. Should the KHL be granted of the right to organize a world cup?
Or even better, should La Liga or the English Premier League organize the football World Cup instead of the FIFA?

 

[1Gold Standard]

Just curious, but does anybody know if the World Cup would have been included in Rogers/NHL TV deal or will that be open to bids from TSN?

I'm still of the opinion that there's nothing in a revived World Cup for the KHL if the NHL balks on further Olympic participation. So, if that's the case, then the World Cup is DOA for me...

and in that case I say go to the next best thing, Canada v the USA in a 7 game series. That's the only international match up that I would make time to watch.. Canada may as well not even bother with the annual IIHF charade and Olympics for that matter imo, as without NHL participation at the Olympics, I couldn't be bothered watching that.

 

[Kalzu]

No one denies that the NHL is the best league of the world with most of the top players in the world playing in it.
So let's imagine that next year for some reason the whole top 50 regular season scoring leaders, the top 20 defensemen and the top 10 goalies go and play in the KHL. Should the KHL be granted of the right to organize a world cup?
Or even better, should La Liga or the English Premier League organize the football World Cup instead of the FIFA?

Not being IIHF-sanctioned isn't a problem as long as all best players are available and the majority of them wants to play. Plus there are competent refs. So if the KHL can host that kind of a World Cup, it's a legit WC.

Look at golf, the Masters is maybe the most important major and it isn't hosted by any golf association but the club.

And maybe the soccer WC would be less corrupt if it were organized by some league. Money would still change hands and Qatar would get the WC but it would be the hosting fee and not bribes.

 

[The Bad Guy*]

Oh c'mon.

What about the WJC? WJC is an IIHF tournament that's blossomed into a crazy cultural phenomenon in Canada.

True, but that is due far more to TSN and the passion of Canadian fans then the IIHF.

The IIHF is just cashing in, HockeyCanada could organize each and every WJC and it would be just as popular here.

 

[1Gold Standard]

True, but that is due far more to TSN and the passion of Canadian fans then the IIHF.

The IIHF is just cashing in, HockeyCanada could organize each and every WJC and it would be just as popular here.

absolutely, WJC popularity in Canada is 100% a TSN production. The IIHF did squat.

TSN aided by a pier 4 brawl in Piestany made that tournament into what it is...

 

[JackSlater]

No one denies that the NHL is the best league of the world with most of the top players in the world playing in it.
So let's imagine that next year for some reason the whole top 50 regular season scoring leaders, the top 20 defensemen and the top 10 goalies go and play in the KHL. Should the KHL be granted of the right to organize a world cup?

Yes. The players are what matters, not the bureaucrats.

Or even better, should La Liga or the English Premier League organize the football World Cup instead of the FIFA?

No soccer league even approaches the NHL when it comes to percentage of the sport's best players. A much better comparable would be the NBA. Still though, if the Premiership or La Liga could get all of the best players to attend then the World Cup would be fine. I'm confident that they are not as corrupt as Fifa.

 

[The Bad Guy*]

absolutely, WJC popularity in Canada is 100% a TSN production. The IIHF did squat.

TSN aided by a pier 4 brawl in Piestany made that tournament into what it is...

For sure, it has nothing to do with the IIHF itself.

The IIHF is the beneficiary, not the reason.

 

[The Bad Guy*]

A world cup organized by the KHL would be interesting.

Wonder how that would turn out?

 

[Yakushev72]

Second place USA

Correct, which completes the ultimate dream of NHL marketing executives, who need to pump hockey interest in the USA. .

 

[jekoh]

And maybe the soccer WC would be less corrupt if it were organized by some league.

Professional sports leagues are ripe with bribery.

Money would still change hands and Qatar would get the WC but it would be the hosting fee and not bribes.

In other words, it would make no difference.

 

[Yakushev72]

Uh, sorry, but without Rinne, one of the best NHL goaltenders, Finland would bot be in the finals, I'm pretty confident to say that.

At the 2013 World Championships, USA beat Russia 8-3 in the QF's, where the USA had the team of NHL players only (except for Stapleton), Russia with mainly KHL players.

From those 4 teams that played the finals at the last two olympics (Canada 2010, USA 2010, Canada 2014, Sweden 2014), there were only two non-NHL players I believe.

I'm not sure I get your point here, but the fact is that Russia, Finland, the Czechs and Slovaks all had substantial numbers of KHL'ers on their Olympic roster. By 2016, there could very well be more. And the KHL has absolutely zero incentive to cooperate with this.

 

[Yakushev72]

Given the two-pool format, at least two European teams have had to play in North America. So far it's always been Russia and Slovakia along with Canada and USA, with Finland, Sweden, Czechs and Germany (Switzerland next time?) in Europe.

Hopefully they'll change things next time, maybe so that it's Canada/USA/Switzerland/Slovakia over here and Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech each getting home games over there.

But then, when the games really count, its going to be Montreal and Buffalo, or some other American city on the Canadian border, hosting the playoffs.

 

[Yakushev72]

True, but that is due far more to TSN and the passion of Canadian fans then the IIHF.

The IIHF is just cashing in, HockeyCanada could organize each and every WJC and it would be just as popular here.

Canada could not organize a World Junior tournament without IIHF sanction. It would just be an exhibition that would likely only include teams from Canada and the United States. I agree that what NA fans are most interested in seeing is Canada vs. the US. But even that would fizzle quickly if the US didn't do well.

 

[The Bad Guy*]

But then, when the games really count, its going to be Montreal and Buffalo, or some other American city on the Canadian border, hosting the playoffs.

So?

Canada played in Russia for all it's games this past olympics and won didn't they? They didn't drop a game.



I would think a 2 day acclimatization period before playing would be fine.

 

[Yakushev72]

So?

Canada played in Russia for all it's games this past olympics and won didn't they? They didn't drop a game.



I would think a 2 day acclimatization period before playing would be fine.

I have to believe that you are aware that the host of the Olympics rotates every 4 years. The host of a proposed World Cup would not.

 

[The Bad Guy*]

I have to believe that you are aware that the host of the Olympics rotates every 4 years. The host of a proposed World Cup would not.

I am aware of that.

I still do not see where that has anything to do with a team being able to win away from home.

 

[Canuckistani]

But then, when the games really count, its going to be Montreal and Buffalo, or some other American city on the Canadian border, hosting the playoffs.

In 2004 there were two quarterfinal games in Europe so I imagine it will be the same in 2016.

The Semis and final would be in North America but at least Europe gets some games.

As far as I know the World Cup is the only hockey tournament to be played on two different continents.

 

[Kalzu]

Some people are complaining about the WC taking place in the pre-season but look at when the basketball WC and Olympics take place. The long playoffs mean the gap between the regular season and a post-season tournament would be too long.

A world cup organized by the KHL would be interesting.

Wonder how that would turn out?

Ain't gonna happen. If the NHL and the KHL start having rivalling WCs, then for sure they won't let their players play in the rivalling one, diluting the WC's purpose. Plus as long as the Olympics are a best-on-best event, there can be only one best-on-best event between the Olympics. And if an NHL-sanctioned WC can't happen, then I don't NHL accepting any other best-on-best event.

In other words, it would make no difference.

At least more transparency.

 

[The Bad Guy*]

In 2004 there were two quarterfinal games in Europe so I imagine it will be the same in 2016.

The Semis and final would be in North America but at least Europe gets some games.

As far as I know the World Cup is the only hockey tournament to be played on two different continents.

That is what I don't get with all the protests from the European fans.There is a so called world championship of hockey every single year and all games every year are almost exclusively in europe and no fan from there bats an eye or gives it a second thought. It's all fine and dandy!!


But a world cup held in North America? Oh no, can't have that!!

Wouldn't be fair they say.

These guys want it all to themselves.

 

[Kalzu]

In 2004 there were two quarterfinal games in Europe so I imagine it will be the same in 2016.

The Semis and final would be in North America but at least Europe gets some games.

As far as I know the World Cup is the only hockey tournament to be played on two different continents.

Even as a European, I'd be happy without those QFs. QFs withing the group dilute the round robin. I'd have directly semis and use those saved days for best-of-three in semis and final.

 

[jekoh]

That is what I don't get with all the protests from the European fans.There is a so called world championship of hockey every single year and all games every year are almost exclusively in europe and no fan from there bats an eye or gives it a second thought. It's all fine and dandy!!

But a world cup held in North America? Oh no, can't have that!!

You might want to realise that "Europe" is not one country and that the WC is played in a different country every year, including Canada 5 years ago.

When several consecutive WCups are held outside of Canada, not just a few games but the entire tournament, then maybe you will have a point.

 

[The Bad Guy*]

You might want to realise that "Europe" is not one country and that the WC is played in a different country every year, including Canada 5 years ago.

When several consecutive WCups are held outside of Canada, not just a few games but the entire tournament, then maybe you will have a point.

So?

The issue seems to be is that the World Cup is never held in europe, well, the world championships are almost never held in North America either, what is your point I am not getting?

 

[Exarz]

So?

The issue seems to be is that the World Cup is never held in europe, well, the world championships are almost never held in North America either, what is your point I am not getting?

Well, Canada got the WHC on first bid in 2008, and they host the WJC almost every second year. What is the point you're not getting?

 

[The Bad Guy*]

Well, Canada got the WHC on first bid in 2008, and they host the WJC almost every second year. What is the point you're not getting?

Are the WJC's the world championship of senior mens hockey? in other words, the pinnacle of hockey played in the world?

If you can't see the difference here I don't know what to tell you.

Has Europe even made a bid to get a World cup of hockey if it is played?

why don't they try that instead of just hogging all the world championships every year for themselves.

 

[jekoh]

The issue seems to be is that the World Cup is never held in europe, well, the world championships are almost never held in North America either, what is your point I am not getting?

What you are not getting is that the issue is the World Cup, particularly the elimination round, is always held in Canada.

You cannot say the same for the World Championships : they are not held in the same country all the time. Indeed Canada hosted it 5 years ago.

Plus your comparing NA and Europe is ridiculous anyway: if a tournament is to be held in each of the participating countries alternatively, it's almost never going be held in NA (since there are more countries in Europe, plus NA never bids), and that's perfectly fine.