POLL: Are you excited about 4 Nations Cup?

[GoonieFace]

Not going out of my way to watch it. Might be a good time to catch up on some series

 

[freshwind]

Lame.

if you are going to comment "lame" ... give some rationale - I'm a leaf fan, i don't want to see one of our 3 participants hurt ... tell me what the benefit of this tournament is... any opinion or just a negative comment on someone else's opinion?

 

[Leaf Fans]

Not really. I am still going to watch though.

 

[Obo]

I voted no. For whatever reason it hasn't caught my imagination at all. I won't know for sure how I feel until it starts but right now I don't expect to watch any of it.

Mainly hoping that everyone (not just Leafs) comes out of it uninjured and ready for the stretch run.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

I'm interested to see if Matthews pulls the plug on USA like he did on the Leafs.

 

[Racer88]

It is a total money grab. There is no meaning to it.
Best on best is a joke when there is only 4 teams involved.

I'm interested to see if Matthews pulls the plug on USA like he did on the Leafs.

I doubt he he will. The us is everything to him and the Leafs are only a pay cheque

 

[Suntouchable13]

I am indifferent. Not like regular season games in February are that much more compelling. When do the NHL playoffs start again? Now that's something to get excited about, not this pointless tourny.

 

[bax]

Best on best is always fun.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Don't really care tbh

 

[bax]

It is a total money grab. There is no meaning to it.
Best on best is a joke when there is only 4 teams involved.


I doubt he he will. The us is everything to him and the Leafs are only a pay cheque

I'll take it over the all star game. It might only be 4 teams but if the players involved take it seriously it could be some fantastic hockey.

 

[garce]

I enjoy best on best very much, tainted by the absence of the Russians. Justified or not still not best on best.

 

[Evilhomer]

Dumbest thing in the history of dumb things. I never thought I would prefer an all-star game, but here we are. Two wasted weeks with this nonsense.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Yes I like watching best on best.
Only negative is there are no games at SBA.

You're not watching best on best given that Russian, German, and Czech players aren't invited.

 

[LastOne2100]

I'd rather the NHL season not be interrupted.

But I'll watch because there's no other hockey to watch.

 

[Brown Dog]

Not at all interested. And wish it didn't coincide with the NFL season ending.

 

[ACC1224]

I'll take it over the all star game. It might only be 4 teams but if the players involved take it seriously it could be some fantastic hockey.

Canada US Saturday night and potentially again in the final are going to be played at such a high level.
How people can’t get excited for best on best is a little puzzling. I’m sure their minds will change after watching.

 

[Racer88]

I'll take it over the all star game. It might only be 4 teams but if the players involved take it seriously it could be some fantastic hockey.

It’s right in the middle of the stretch run for teams trying to make the play offs and the Leafs trying to not drop to 3rd like usual

I am indifferent. Not like regular season games in February are that much more compelling. When do the NHL playoffs start again? Now that's something to get excited about, not this pointless tourny.

We are in a play off battle right now. Not to make them but to have a reasonable position instead of third place like usual.
The wolfs at our heels are closing in

 

[Voodoo Child]

Indifferent really.

A best on best tournament, okay cool!

Where's Ovechkin, Shesterkin, Draisaitl, Josi, Kopitar and Kucherov?

 

[ACC1224]

Indifferent really.

A best on best tournament, okay cool!

Where's Ovechkin, Shesterkin, Draisaitl, Josi, Kopitar and Kucherov?

Their countries weren’t included.
The 4 countries that are playing all will ice their best lineups.

 

[wingman75]

Looking forward to it. Excited to see all the best (available) players from Canada playing together for the first time since 2014. It's been way too long.

Good preview for the next Olympics.

Will also be nice to be able to cheer fully for certain players that I generally do not cheer for during the season.

It's better than the meaningless 3-on-3 all-star mini-tourney. These games will take centre stage for us.

Going on record right now about my hate for 8pm start times and the 1pm start time on a Monday (I know it is a holiday for most... but not all).

 

[Smif]

if you are going to comment "lame" ... give some rationale - I'm a leaf fan, i don't want to see one of our 3 participants hurt ... tell me what the benefit of this tournament is... any opinion or just a negative comment on someone else's opinion?

Hockey is entertainment. This tournament is entertainment at the highest level. Just enjoy it and stop worrying about the what-ifs.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

If the players try, yes. If not, no.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Indifferent.

On one hand, who gives a crap about this tournament. It's gimmicky, there's no history, God knows what there is to this in comparison to the Olympics or even the lame World Cup they try and put together, and it's certainly not something that makes me feel patriotic or will be celebrating a Canada win like I did downtown for the 2002 Olympic gold.

On the other hand, I will never look down on players who look forward to representing their country. Also, it is about time we get to finally get to see McDavid and Crosby and MacKinnon play together for Canada.

Will I go out of my way to watch this? Not really. Will I care? Slim to no chance. Is it cheapened that it is only four teams and we are missing out on some other really great talents? Absolutely.

Bring on the Olympics from a year from now!

 

[Leafs98]

Will the Swedes free Willy ?

 

[ITM]

Other: Mildly curious.

It may be the amount of work I've had the last number of years, but it feels like there hasn't been a build up like in years past, or perhaps there has, but with every other competing interest in an expanded market, it doesn't feel special.

I'm not excited. I'm not disinterested. I'm more curious than anything else, but to a lesser degree than I can remember.

I'm most focused on our club in an anticipatory fashion. Some are probably sick of me posting the date, July 1, 2025, and repeating that that's the event I'm waiting for...and if there's a playoffs surprise or two, I'll gladly accept it.

It could be a combination of a previous constant satisfaction with our 1st round draft picks hitting one bullseye after the other and the subsequent aggregate of the dread from constant 1st round exits (and one glimmer of a ROR led entry into the second round) that has left me calloused to the sort of enthusiasm I had around the game and all its extracurricular events.

It feels -- and it is -- incomplete not having Russia there, or the other four or so countries that should be there to make this a truly best on best competition.

And as if by extension that this is kind of an unattached, frivolous exercise, and the by-product of which is a mild curiosity, I'm a Canadian living in the US and I don't want Team Canada or Team USA to win -- I want Willy to light it up and be the star of the "tournament" and win because he's my favourite Leaf the last five or so years and seeing him win feels more right than seeing anyone else win given all the elements of this enterprise.

By extension, I'm so exhausted from the politicization of everything that ascribing national affiliation in this day and age feels antiquated. And that bothers me because I see that as the logical outcome of any number of efforts being made to make so many things, hauntingly unfamiliar.

I remember Canada Cups, the Olympics, I have Team Canada's greatest moments on hard copy, and maybe I'll tune in to more than just Tre Kroner games if I tune in and not watch highlights on The Youtubes.

But I think its an ill-timed, meaningless interruption to a very important season for this club, and the idea that this could be the most emotional we see some of our star players bothers me as much as the possibility of injury.

I'm thankful our goalies aren't going. Actually, I'm relieved they aren't going.

Edit: Other: Mildly curious and relieved.