World Cup: NHL/NHLPA discussing 2024 World Cup

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

No

Alright enjoy watching beer league quality teams get run over by elite professionals while other elite professionals sit at home

 

[Boonk]

Alright enjoy watching beer league quality teams get run over by elite professionals while other elite professionals sit at home

It's not even going to be 12-16 teams, it would be either 6 or 8 teams, plenty enough for a best on best competition. Having 2 gimmick all star teams is terrible and takes away any merit of this being a legitimate international tournament for hockey.

 

[JackSlater]

This is my hope as well.

And why would the NHL/NHLPA want teams made up of non-NHLers participating anyway? Simultaneously excluding stars like Kopitar just because their national teams aren't competitive.

Probably because they are ostensibly putting on an international tournament, not an NHL all star tournament. There's also the obvious issue of the gimmick teams rendering the tournament a joke. As far as some great players missing, in addition to sports not being based on everyone getting to participate at all times, the NHL is clearly fine with that given how many great players miss the NHL playoff each year.

 

[Czechboy]

impossible to ignore Germany

This isn't a Homer take by a Czech fan and I know it will be perceived that way so bear with me.

6 teams makes sense because the Czechs can send an all NHL team - 3 NHL goalies, an all NHL D and an all NHL Forward group.

Germany and Switzerland cannot. Currently there are only 4 full time NHL Germans:

and Grubauer.. in 2024 that will go up a little as Peterka and Reichel should be full time. Greiss is retired from National team so doesn't count.

For the Swiss it's similar:

With NO NHL goalies and non on the horizon either. Mason McTavish also doesn't play for Switzerland.lol Hoffman not in NHL anymore.

Before someone rips my head off.. in NO WAY do I think the Czechs are better than them. Not my argument (I want top 8 by IIHF rankings but that leaves out a nation I like no matter what) but if it is an NHLPA tourney to celebrate NHL players then there are only 6 countries that can do that in 2024.

30 Czechs have played in NHL today and 7 Czech goalies. No Jagr's or Plekanec's left as we are transitioned into mostly younger guys (and fringe NHL players who got ice time because of taxi squads and such). Soon to be 38 as Vrana is returning soon.

 

[Czechboy]

They would have to get buy in from other leagues. how many teams are made exclusively of NHLers?
Canada
US
Sweden
Finland
Maybe Russia
Other countries all need to draw players from elsewhere.

Russia has 45 guys that played in the NHL this season along with 10 goalies with at least 1 game played.

They'll be fine.

Czechs are at 30 and 7 goalies.

At worst, they'd bring in 1 or 2 guys from Europe (that are probably former NHLer's or very high draft picks like Jiricek or Michkov if they aren't already in the NHL by 2024 which is possible due to position and SKA contract).

So the answer is 6 teams can be made exclusively of NHLers (with maybe 4 players being needed or wanted from Europe).

 

[SotasicA]

Yeah, 6 teams makes sense.

Just like in the good old days when the tournament was called the Canada Cup. Those were true top class tournaments with zero filler games.

Make it a round robin, every team plays 5 games. Then a final between the two top teams (I don't like championships being decided by a contender dropping a point against a last place team, after they already beat their biggest rival, or something similar). You have to win gold by beating your biggest rival. It's hard enough to finish in top 2 that every game matters.

And I hate tournaments that have these elite international teams assembled, AND THEN THEY DON'T PLAY EVERY TEAM, like we miss out on a chance of having Canada play Russia or Finland doesn't play USA or anything. Those teams are there, let them all play each other. It's a unique situation, no reason to not have every team face each other.

Having extra teams might bring in groups and groups sucks because then we miss out on elite matchups. And we get games nobody watches, like Slovakia vs Switzerland, or Belarus vs USA or Sweden vs Poland. 1,500 people in an arena that holds 19,000. It's not worth it to shorten the NHL season to have games like that. SIX TEAMS. Germany is out, sorry.

If it's more than six teams, might as well bring in gimmick teams like Quebec or North America. Because at least those are fun and everyone wants to see them play. Watching Team North America was like hockey porn, MacKinnon/Eichel/McDavid/Matthews/Gaudreau/Scheifele etc all on the same team? That was a blast. I haven't enjoyed international hockey that much since maybe '96 when they had a good World Cup with North American rinks and rules and referees and fighting and all. Before that, Canada Cup, during cold war. Olympic hockey doesn't compare. Never did, not even close.

 

[Goodman68]

Only a complete fool could approve of the use of trick teams. It completely devalued the last tournament and the final did not have an absolutely dignified atmosphere. It was a shame that once such a prestigious tournament experienced a final match, where the atmosphere resembled a theatrical performance. Never more..

 

[garbageteam]

More than happy with 6 but would prefer 8 with qualifying for the last 2 spots. Though if other leagues do not agree it might have to be Switzerland and Slovakia as if you scour enough of the North American junior and minor leagues you might cobble together 23 players. Much harder for Germany, Denmark etc. to do so.

The absolute worst thing about a gimmick team is seeing them play in a final. Totally destroys all the meaning of the tournament. It would be nearly the same as putting an all star team in an NHL finals just for laughs

 

[Albatros]

I don't see the point. The previous attempt wasn't only a weak excuse of a tournament, but not really worthwhile financially either.

 

[I Hart Conor Garland]

I can do without nhlers playing internationally. Not even a speck of loss.

 

[Kshahdoo]

There's every year the 16-team world championships where you can "grow the game".

Don't spoil a best on best-tournament by having too many too weak teams.

I would say six teams but unfortunately you can't not have Germany so make it eight teams.

Top8 are strong enough even if some teams won't be 100% NHLers. I mean let's take Swiss team. Yeah, they won't get full roster without NLAers, but it's still a very strong bunch of players. Germany will probably be the 8th.

As to Russia I'm pretty sure we'll have full NHL roster plus Michkov.

 

[kudla]

Closing this tournament to top 6 would be a great first step if you want to kill international hockey. Complete nonsense. 8 teams would be much better with the last 2 spots belonging to countries that qualify there

 

[member 305909]

Six is a preferable number also because then you can have a full round-robin which is five games per team and thst is not too long. With eight teams it is seven games and that is too long when as if you divide the teams into two groups of four then three games per team is too short.

One of the criticism of the world championships is that the group-stage with eight teams is too long. In February there's even less time to have a tournament than in late spring.

 

[wetcoast]

I hope team north America comes back.

most exciting team of the tournament and would be a much better choice than Denmark/Belarus/Austria/Latvia/Norway

I doubt that it will happen but it was exciting to say the least but purists will win the day and if there are enough teams (any of the 5 listed by you) in the tournament some of them will be cannon fodder.

 

[wetcoast]

Yeah, 6 teams makes sense.

Just like in the good old days when the tournament was called the Canada Cup. Those were true top class tournaments with zero filler games.

Make it a round robin, every team plays 5 games. Then a final between the two top teams (I don't like championships being decided by a contender dropping a point against a last place team, after they already beat their biggest rival, or something similar). You have to win gold by beating your biggest rival. It's hard enough to finish in top 2 that every game matters.

And I hate tournaments that have these elite international teams assembled, AND THEN THEY DON'T PLAY EVERY TEAM, like we miss out on a chance of having Canada play Russia or Finland doesn't play USA or anything. Those teams are there, let them all play each other. It's a unique situation, no reason to not have every team face each other.

Having extra teams might bring in groups and groups sucks because then we miss out on elite matchups. And we get games nobody watches, like Slovakia vs Switzerland, or Belarus vs USA or Sweden vs Poland. 1,500 people in an arena that holds 19,000. It's not worth it to shorten the NHL season to have games like that. SIX TEAMS. Germany is out, sorry.

If it's more than six teams, might as well bring in gimmick teams like Quebec or North America. Because at least those are fun and everyone wants to see them play. Watching Team North America was like hockey porn, MacKinnon/Eichel/McDavid/Matthews/Gaudreau/Scheifele etc all on the same team? That was a blast. I haven't enjoyed international hockey that much since maybe '96 when they had a good World Cup with North American rinks and rules and referees and fighting and all. Before that, Canada Cup, during cold war. Olympic hockey doesn't compare. Never did, not even close.

Agree with a lot here but I doubt it will be capped at 6 teams, 8 might be perfect for both revenue and hockey reasons but they might go to 10 who knows.

Anything higher than 10 gets really problematic with really weak teams though.

 

[Eye of Ra]

the problem with 6 teams tournament is that good teams such as sweden ,switzerland and slovakia will not have a spot

 

[Goodman68]

the problem with 6 teams tournament is that good teams such as sweden ,switzerland and slovakia will not have a spot

 

[wetcoast]

the problem with 6 teams tournament is that good teams such as sweden ,switzerland and slovakia will not have a spot

You know that I have never thought about blocking anyone on here but your constant Sweden sucks takes really suck and have me thinking about changing my policy.

 

[swissdude]

if it's an NHL/NHLPA tournament with NHL players only then you have to limit it to 6 teams for obvious reasons. But I wouldn't consider that best on best or would an NHL only czech team really be the best that they could ice (I'd take Krejici, Kovar, Cervenka over some bottom 6 guys, but maybe the czechs fans see that differently)

 

[Arthur Morgan]

I dunno if I would care anymore than I do for the one they do at the end of the year.

I mean will we ever get as excited as people get for the World Cup of Soccer?

Just can't see it happening.

Ill take the Stanley Cup over Gold

 

[weklof]

Since it's held in the middle of the season, I guess the NHL wants it over pretty quickly, so I can't imagine there being more than 8 teams in the tournament. Having only 6 would leave Draisaitl out of the tournament, I don't think the NHL would want to leave out the potential Art Ross Trophy winner. In the 1996 and 2004 World Cups Germany and Slovakia were the two additional teams. I think Germany is a given due to Draisaitl, Switzerland is probably a bit stronger than Slovakia right now so they'd probably should get the last spot. No Team Europe please and thank you

 

[swissdude]

reply to Arthur Morgan: This discussion is going round in circles. You are one of those who put a SC above a gold medal (which is ok) so some have no problem with the gimmick teams because they don't care about national teams in general and some with absurd nationalism arguments. Others, however, especially Europeans, would like to see a best on best tournament where their NHL stars are on the national team. These are completely different interests and I fear that even with 200 more posts we will hardly reach a consensus here

 

[Czechboy]

if it's an NHL/NHLPA tournament with NHL players only then you have to limit it to 6 teams for obvious reasons. But I wouldn't consider that best on best or would an NHL only czech team really be the best that they could ice (I'd take Krejici, Kovar, Cervenka over some bottom 6 guys, but maybe the czechs fans see that differently)

If we are talking about February 2024...

Looking at Czechs that I think will still be NHL players in 2 years who are mostly in their 20s (gudas, francouz, Voracek and Palat being some older ones)... And very hard to predict but our 4 C's would come from: Hertl, Zacha, necas, chytil, faksa, Nosek and Kampf. Pick 4.

Wings would be a few of the C's above with Pastrnak, vrana, Palat, Voracek,Zadina, kubalik, Kase and outsiders like jenik, lauko, zohorna, kaut, mysak and Czech version of the Tasmania devil Adam raska. Kulich and sapovalec may go in round 1 as well... Maybe Pick 8

D would come from gudas, Hronek, kral, galvas, jiricek, Svozil, zboril and Hajek. Outsiders being simek and rutta. Pick 6.

Goalies would come from francouz, mrazek, vanecek, vlejmelka, dostal, skarek and vladar. Pick 3.

Its very hard to predict 2 years from now but I think we would have a decent team using just NHL players and doubt we would get slaughtered like we do at the juniors every xmas.

 

[JTD]

 

[Bures Elbow]

10 teams.

Top 10 in the world are competitive, World Junior like set up.