NHL cautiously optimistic about 2021 World Cup.

[Jussi]

Ha, I'll be okay, I just hope you can learn to love a World Cup controlled completely by the NHL, because if the IIHF and its European members don't figure out how to reform themselves then it is likely the closest thing to best on hockey you are going to see for a very long time.

There is zero need for them to reform themselves.

Man, I wish Bobby Mac would come here one last time and give his legendary comment to you after laying out some facts.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Uh oh, did little Andorra hurt your feelings?

I know, it's surprising that there are leagues outside of the NHL and that the IIHF has to accommodate them as well. If the NHL actually cared about the game outside the US and Canadian borders, it could shorten its season or start it earlier. The NHL has shown no effort whatsoever to work with any international entity, including the world governing body.

Um, well they put their season on hold five times so their players could attend the Olympics. Clearly that wasn't appreciated and they'd be right never to do it again. I hope you enjoy NHL organized World Cups.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

There is zero need for them to reform themselves.

Man, I wish Bobby Mac would come here one last time and give his legendary comment to you after laying out some facts.

I think a much more fair system would be if the voting power of each IIHF member was based on the number of registered players in each country. The IIHF could lay down some criteria for what constituted a registered player so that everyone was playing by the same rules, maybe do some audits once and a while and all would be good. I know that Finns and some others would hate something like this because they are used to having a disproportionate say in these organizations, but it would be a much more fair system and lead to a much more productive IIHF.

 

[Jussi]

I think a much more fair system would be if the voting power of each IIHF member was based on the number of registered players in each country. The IIHF could lay down some criteria for what constituted a registered player so that everyone was playing by the same rules, maybe do some audits once and a while and all would be good. I know that Finns and some others would hate something like this because they are used to having a disproportionate say in these organizations, but it would be a much more fair system and lead to a much more productive IIHF.

IIHF mandate isn't to adhere to wishes of the biggest hockey nations, it's to govern the sports and help it's growth. You clearly don't understand it.

Your proposal is also pretty much the equivalent of an electoral college. You neighbors down south have proven that's not a working system in 2019. Plus there's also the whole system changing from a democracy into one that favors your country while turning all the other hockey nations into bit players, so if your intention was to not paint yourself as a selfish child who would rather ruin everyone else's fun because they won't do as you want them to, you failed miserably.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

IIHF mandate isn't to adhere to wishes of the biggest hockey nations, it's to govern the sports and help it's growth. You clearly don't understand it.

It's got nothing to do with adhering to anyone's wishes, it should be about fairly and equally representing the world's hockey players. If they did that then they would be much more effective at governing and growing the game. Under the IIHF's watch we have pretty much lost Czech and Slovakia as serious hockey nations and in the mean time the NHL has made great strides at growing the game in the US. Real growth is happening despite of the IIHF. To the IIHF growth means scratching together 25 players in a country that will never in a million years embrace the sport, just so they can say the number of countries which play hockey has increased.

 

[Jussi]

It's got nothing to do with adhering to anyone's wishes, it should be about fairly and equally representing the world's hockey players. If they did that then they would be much more effective at governing and growing the game. Under the IIHF's watch we have pretty much lost Czech and Slovakia as serious hockey nations and in the mean time the NHL has made great strides at growing the game in the US. Real growth is happening despite of the IIHF. To the IIHF growth means scratching together 25 players in a country that will never in a million years embrace the sport, just so they can say the number of countries which play hockey has increased.

It's exactly like that right now, everyone has one vote just like biggest team sport in the world at FIFA and UEFA.

IIHF doesn't watch or control existing top hockey nations's development system, especially when the reason for the declines are beyond their control (global and domestic economy).

 

[Zine]

Ha, I'll be okay, I just hope you can learn to love a World Cup controlled completely by the NHL, because if the IIHF and its European members don't figure out how to reform themselves then it is likely the closest thing to best on hockey you are going to see for a very long time.

What does the World Cup gotta do with anything? Were we not discussing the lack of World Championships in North America? I guess you don't wanna go there anymore.

But in regards to a best v best, or lack thereof, your vitriol should be aimed at the NHL.
With complete power and means to implement a best-v-best, Bettman and co. have squandered it. Totally. Team Leftovers and Young Guns? Sweet 'effin Jesus.
But, of course, the real reason our sport currently lacks a legitimate best v best tournament is because of the Euro members of the IIHF. Yep, sounds about right.

 

[Zine]

It's got nothing to do with adhering to anyone's wishes, it should be about fairly and equally representing the world's hockey players. If they did that then they would be much more effective at governing and growing the game. Under the IIHF's watch we have pretty much lost Czech and Slovakia as serious hockey nations and in the mean time the NHL has made great strides at growing the game in the US. Real growth is happening despite of the IIHF. To the IIHF growth means scratching together 25 players in a country that will never in a million years embrace the sport, just so they can say the number of countries which play hockey has increased.

It's exactly like that right now, everyone has one vote just like biggest team sport in the world at FIFA and UEFA.

IIHF doesn't watch or control existing top hockey nations's development system, especially when the reason for the declines are beyond their control (global and domestic economy).

There are no major international governing bodies who allocate votes based on number of players; at least not that I'm aware of.

FIFA, FIVB, ICC, FIBA all operate similar to the IIHF. The ITF awards different votes to members, but it's based on performance and contribution to ITF infrastructure; same for World Rugby.

There's nothing unfair about the IIHF. The IIHF is in compliance and adherence with the democratic standards of all global sporting institutions.

 

[Phrazer]

Make me another one who will be on board if there are the no-gimmick teams involved, but otherwise I won't be paying attention.

For me one of the key aspects of interest I had previously with former best on best national tournaments like the olympics, was the near complete dropping you had of segregation among hockey fans in communities.

Growing up in Canada, while there would always be a dominant NHL team that every area would support. There is always a mix. The family whose parents cheered for an original six 6 team, and it has been passed down generationally. A girl who cheers for Pittsburgh because Lemieux was the most dynamic player when she started to follow the sport as a kid. Or the guy who cheers for the the biggest local rival purely to rebel against other members of his family. Whatever it might be there was almost always some division at schools/pubs/workplaces etc. But a big part of the national supporting experience was always a near complete dropping of any seperation between local hockey fans. When the olympics would come around we would all be on Team Canada, and I loved that.

The inclusion of the young blood team introduces a new side, a new division, a lack of local solidarity. And with that. I lose interest.

 

[Ratatoskr]

Make me another one who will be on board if there are the no-gimmick teams involved, but otherwise I won't be paying attention.

FWIW, I really liked the inclusion of Team Europe and thought it made a lot of sense. Team North America though, that was a gimmick team. The split among the North American teams was an irritating distraction.

 

[Maverick41]

The inclusion of any gimmick teams does not really affect my enjoyment of the hockey played at the tournament it would immediately negate any emotional investment in the tournament. The last World Cup had some fun hockey games, but for me it was nothing more than a bunch of slightly more competitive All Star games. And I have already forgotten who won it, because the results meant nothing to me.

I think it would be great if the NHL could and would create a real tournament with all national teams, but if that is not what they are looking for then that is ok. I can still enjoy the hockey that's being played without really caring about the results.
Although it would also affect the way I watch the World Cup:

World Cup with gimmick teams:
I'll watch highlights and maybe, if available, some full games the next day.

World Cup with all national teams:
In addition to the above I would try to watch at least a few games live (even in the middle of the night). Even if Germany was not part of the tournament I would still get involved rooting for my next favourite coutries Finland and (if they are included) Switzerland.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

It's exactly like that right now, everyone has one vote just like biggest team sport in the world at FIFA and UEFA.

IIHF doesn't watch or control existing top hockey nations's development system, especially when the reason for the declines are beyond their control (global and domestic economy).

Yawn, if you can't differentiate between a person and a country then I don't think there's much more to talk about.

 

[Yakushev72]

Um, well they put their season on hold five times so their players could attend the Olympics. Clearly that wasn't appreciated and they'd be right never to do it again. I hope you enjoy NHL organized World Cups.

Another consideration is that the NHL wasn't so much seeking gratitude as they were finding a way to draw attention to their brand and expand their financial bottom line, which was considerably less grandiose in 1998 than it was in 2018. My guess is that they decided to drop out of the Olympics not because their feelings were hurt over the lack of expressed gratitude, but rather because they didn't see an adequate value for their bottom corporate line.

 

[Zine]

Exactly. The NHL didn't treat the IOC as a charity case for the 'good of the game'. To believe as such is asinine.
The NHL went to the OG out of self-interest in order to to promote its brand. Unfortunately, the benefits haven't outweighed the investment.
It sucks but I can't blame them for pulling out.

 

[Jussi]

Yawn, if you can't differentiate between a person and a country then I don't think there's much more to talk about.

Says the person who after almost a decade of being told that IIHF World Championship can only be hosted by applying and that neither US nor Canada has done so, still blames the IIHF for not hosting it in NA.

 

[Yakushev72]

Says the person who after almost a decade of being told that IIHF World Championship can only be hosted by applying and that neither US nor Canada has done so, still blames the IIHF for not hosting it in NA.

To paraphrase Jack Slater, Canada and the USA are far more interested in the Stanley Cup playoffs than the WC, and the NHL wants to keep it that way! Its about ka-ching!

 

[Zine]

To paraphrase Jack Slater, Canada and the USA are far more interested in the Stanley Cup playoffs than the WC, and the NHL wants to keep it that way! Its about ka-ching!

USA Hockey receives nearly $10 million yearly from the NHL. I wonder if that has anything to do with the U.S. never bidding on the Worlds. I don’t image the NHL would be too happy with the month-long IHWC in its own backyard during the Cup playoffs.

 

[BOS358]

I hope you enjoy NHL organized World Cups.

I have no more to add other than what the posters above me had to say, which I agree with 100%. As for enjoying the NHL organized "World Cups," I'll watch them as often as I watch their other All-Star events...which is never. Let's call the alleged 2021 "World Cup" what it is: the NHL All-Star Games with a tweaked late-1990's format.

 

[BOS358]

USA Hockey receives nearly $10 million yearly from the NHL. I wonder if that has anything to do with the U.S. not bidding on a World Championships. I can’t image the NHL being too happy with the month-long IHWC in its own backyard during the playoffs.

Probably not. The issue is that the IIHF has a set time-frame for the tournament and it conflicts with the NHL playoffs. I can't speak for every NHL market, but in Boston, there is the prominent attitude that if it's not the Bruins, it's not worth watching. National teams? Forget it. College hockey? Never heard of it. You get the picture. It's not love for sport, it is, as Jerry Seinfeld said, rooting for laundry.

 

[Rob]

If they have their World Cup in 2021 there is no way they’ll be in China for 2022.

This is so disappointing

 

[RandV]

Speaking of splitting team Canada into W-O-Q teams, could the same deal work with US hockey? Much too complicated for me to eyeball it with so many States, but with 3 CAN teams and 3 US teams you could combine that with the SWE-FIN-RUS and CZE-SUI-GER/SLO pull one from each to make 3 groups of 4.

If the NHL is going to run a North American-centric World Cup that's the format I'd personally like to see. Doesn't work on the broader international stage but Canada and the US are different than European countries, in that grossly oversimplifying it we're massive landmasses with distinct regions that are grouped together into two a mere two countries because of 'new world' colonialism. To me it's always felt like this regionalism has a bigger impact than it does in Europe.

 

[varsaku]

They should just do a summit series type of event and leave international tournaments to be the IIHF’s responsibility. NHL should not be getting involved in international tournaments. They could do one best of seven series each year with different countries. That will still allow them to generate more money and have a much more interesting format.

 

[Yakushev72]

It's got nothing to do with adhering to anyone's wishes, it should be about fairly and equally representing the world's hockey players. If they did that then they would be much more effective at governing and growing the game. Under the IIHF's watch we have pretty much lost Czech and Slovakia as serious hockey nations and in the mean time the NHL has made great strides at growing the game in the US. Real growth is happening despite of the IIHF. To the IIHF growth means scratching together 25 players in a country that will never in a million years embrace the sport, just so they can say the number of countries which play hockey has increased.

I don't know if Canadian newspapers covered this event back around 1990, but the former nation of Czechoslovakia, a prominent hockey power in that era, actually split into 2 distinct nations, one named Slovakia and the other called the Czech Republic. This move affected the power ranking of those 2 countries, much the same as it would be if Canada split into 2 separate countries, one East of Ottawa and the other West of Ottawa. You couldn't blame the IIHF for any negative consequences!

 

[Yakushev72]

They should just do a summit series type of event and leave international tournaments to be the IIHF’s responsibility. NHL should not be getting involved in international tournaments. They could do one best of seven series each year with different countries. That will still allow them to generate more money and have a much more interesting format.

Interest proposal! It might work.

 

[Zine]

They should just do a summit series type of event and leave international tournaments to be the IIHF’s responsibility. NHL should not be getting involved in international tournaments. They could do one best of seven series each year with different countries. That will still allow them to generate more money and have a much more interesting format.

Interest proposal! It might work.

Unfortunately, as it pertains to best-v-best, any international tournament will need approval, if not outright sponsorship from the NHL.
I don’t envision any realistic scenario whereby the IIHF could organize one by itself.