Why would the NHL care? It’s not like minor league players would play in the WHC.The World Championships aren't going to take place every four years, that wouldn't be compatible with the lower levels of competition in particular.
Why would the NHL care? It’s not like minor league players would play in the WHC.
You're making a strong argument why the NHL should avoid Europe with such a tournament.
Nobody in North America is gonna pay money to see team Germany get smashed.
Quality on ice product is a top concern for the NHL.
I'd argue, watching a team getting smashed is more of a gimmick as there's zero intention of watching competitive hockey.
Again you're conflating team north America with team Europe etc. Not having McDavid and Crosby together defeated the whole purpose of the thing.
Do you think anyone cares if team Germany shows up, people are not gonna buy tickets to a 1 sided match. Team Europe was at worst pointless, at best top tier talent. Team germany is automatically bottom tier talent. Not to mention the issue of having non union members beating up NHL stars.
A world cup is a hard thing to promote, it takes time to build up tradition, but the payoff is massive.
Sweden is way to good to play a qualifier against Latvia.
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.
Or best of best Canada getting knocked out by swiss in 2006...You mean like Sweden was way too good to play against Belarus in the 2002 best-on-best Olympics?
You mean like Sweden was way too good to play against Belarus in the 2002 best-on-best Olympics?
Or best of best Canada getting knocked out by swiss in 2006...
Six teams (CAN,USA,FIN,SWE,RUS,CZE).
Everyone plays each other once, top two teams have a best of 3 game final
Host city of Stockholm
I think that's a bit disrespectful to Team Germany. Just having one of the best centers (Draisaitl) AND defenders (Seider) in the literal World disqualifies them from being bottom tier talent. Yeah, they lack the depth of the top countries, and they'd most likely lose, but it wouldn't automatically be a blowout. Have people forgotten that Switzerland has beaten Canada in a best on best tournament? Upsets might happen, and that is one of the most exciting things about sports to me. In general, I feel like people underrate what Germany and Switzerland can bring in a best on best, with good coaching and a lot of effort they are able to pull of upsets or at least hard fought close games.
In a one game elimination tournament not all the teams need to be of equal level on paper to make it exciting. Nobody cares about a Team Europe, but the Swiss care a lot about their NT etc.
My takeaway - they haven't even talked to the IIHF yet.lol
Absolutely no gimmick teams otherwise it’ll be even less watchable than the NHL less Olympics.
That 2016 edition was a complete disaster and just a circus act of a tournament, I’d rather watch the Spengler than a best of 3 with “leftover Europe”.
Do you watch hockey...I can do without nhlers playing internationally. Not even a speck of loss.
You really found the 2016 World Cup worse hockey than the last two Olympics.?
I hated the gimmicks but it was VERY good and watchable hockey. These Olympics have been absolute trash hockey.
I don't think Toronto does. Its the NHL. It makes me sick to say nice things about Toronto but they are the biggest hockey city in the world. Big ticket revenue in Toronto. They could support 3 or 4 NHL teams.would love that. Not sure why Toronto thinks they get to host it in their city all the time.
I've said it should be top 8 by ranking... Czechs and Germans just got blown out of Olympics... they might not be Top 8 anymore after the Olympics.