Reason for Team North America?

[JackSlater]

Two INTER-national teams. They represent MULTIPLE nations. They are more international than national teams are.

Okay, so intercontinental if you want to get TECHNICAL. I'd imagine that final would also get more viewers globally than just two national teams competing.

Yes, intercontinental would be the term for it. As for viewers, while I'm certain that Canada vs any nation would get more viewers, I would definitely like to see the audience for such an intercontinental affair.

 

[Ben White]

Yes, intercontinental would be the term for it. As for viewers, while I'm certain that Canada vs any nation would get more viewers, I would definitely like to see the audience for such an intercontinental affair.

Nobody would care about that game since those teams don't represent anybody

 

[TLeafsFan]

Ok, so the NHL is basically an "international league" since every team has players from various countries? Great logic

Ummmm, it is an international league there sport.

 

[rojac]

So when they get traded or resign, you will think of them as Blue Jacket, Oiler, and Lightning bolt (or whatever the hell they are). Does this make any sense? A player is who he is. Who cares which team drafted him, traded for him, or resigned him? All this changes in a flash. But one's country cannot be changed (with some exceptions). This is where TRUE allegiances lie.

Sure, I will think of them as what NHL team they play for. What country they come from means nothing to me. All of this nonsense about national teams strikes me as silly as Leafs fans who think that Toronto area players should return home to play there.

But as I've said before, the 1972 Summit Series had some meaning -- it sought the answer to a long asked question. But since then, I've seen little point to the NHL's international endeavours -- especially these days when it seems they're doing something international everytime you turn around. Maybe if they did something international ever 10 or 20 years, I might enjoy it.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

We know that USA literally asked for Eichel, so that is the baseline. Lombardi talked about asking for at least one or two guys, and that is before the rosters needed to be finalized. Mike Babcock of all people thinks that "other people" would be on team Canada without the Young Gunz team.

Riddle solved

 

[Sam Spade]

The worst thing is....
An Europe - U23NA Semi-Final is very distinct possibility at this point.

Won't happen, but damn that would be awesome.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

I think it's the opposite of what is said in the OP.

Team North America hurts Team US significantly more than it hurts Team Canada. Aside from injury relief, it is plausible that McDavid might be the only Team NA player to make Team Canada, and even then he might not have been given top minutes.

The NHL needs Canada to win this tournament in order to legitimize the tournament in the minds of Canadians as being on par with the Olympics. They need to exploit Canadian's hockey related patriotism for marketing reasons, and if the Canadians lose, the average Canadian will be far too butt hurt to admit they lost a best on best type tournament and as a defense mechanism will push the "well its not actually important like the Olympics" narrative that some people have already had about this tournament.

The NHL needs the big moment of Canada winning on home soil in order to solidify the tournament as legitimate and a big deal in the mind of Canadians for marketing reasons. Team NA increases the odds of this happening since it weakens the US.

On the flipside, McDavid is pegged to be the league's biggest star since Crosby and having a Team North America gives the NHL the ability to market an entire team around McDavid in the tournament when he otherwise might have only been a bit player on a crowded Canadian team.

 

[Big Phil]

I think it's the opposite of what is said in the OP.

Team North America hurts Team US significantly more than it hurts Team Canada. Aside from injury relief, it is plausible that McDavid might be the only Team NA player to make Team Canada, and even then he might not have been given top minutes.

The NHL needs Canada to win this tournament in order to legitimize the tournament in the minds of Canadians as being on par with the Olympics. They need to exploit Canadian's hockey related patriotism for marketing reasons, and if the Canadians lose, the average Canadian will be far too butt hurt to admit they lost a best on best type tournament and as a defense mechanism will push the "well its not actually important like the Olympics" narrative that some people have already had about this tournament.

The NHL needs the big moment of Canada winning on home soil in order to solidify the tournament as legitimate and a big deal in the mind of Canadians for marketing reasons. Team NA increases the odds of this happening since it weakens the US.

On the flipside, McDavid is pegged to be the league's biggest star since Crosby and having a Team North America gives the NHL the ability to market an entire team around McDavid in the tournament when he otherwise might have only been a bit player on a crowded Canadian team.

I am trying very hard to block out Team North America. Then maybe I might enjoy some games. But when I remember the idea that the NHL turned this once great tournament into a gimmick, then yeah, it angers me. They didn't have to have that "change for the sake of change" mentality. It ruined it. Yes, still if Canada wins. I don't feel the same about this as I did the old Canada Cups or any Olympics or World Cups. I don't. I can't. It is too "store bought".

Yes I am cheering for Canada and hoping they win. Yes I'll be happy. But tomorrow the Americans are almost certainly going to be eliminated. All because they lost to a "Rest of Europe" team and their own team was handicapped by the Under 24 team. That's not fair, and that doesn't make it legitimate. Maybe 75-80% legitimate. So basically this tournament is ahead of the 2005 World Championships but behind every best on best otherwise. Sad.

 

[Soundwave]

Marketing reasons primarily if we're honest. Two of the big sponsors of this event are Canadian Tire and Rogers, and guess which 19-year-old happens to have big marketing deals with both of those companies.

NHL wanted McDavid and Eichel in the tournament, that wouldn't happen if Canada/US picked their roster the way they do.

I see more kids rocking that black no.97 McDavid NA jersey than Canadian no. 87 jerseys too.

This is an event to make money and showcase NHL talent, and to that extent I can't say the NHL was wrong here even if it does rub hockey purists the wrong way. Kids (as in fans) love Team NA.

 

[Big Phil]

Marketing reasons primarily if we're honest.

NHL wanted McDavid, Matthews, Eichel, etc. in the tournament, that wouldn't happen if Canada/US picked their roster the way they do. Primarily McDavid I think, I think that was the genesis of the Team NA concept, they wanted McDavid in the tournament but knew there was a high chance he was too young to be chosen for Canada. And then from there it was "well hey, why don't we have a kids team? We can put Eichel and MacKinnon, etc. in there too".

I see more kids rocking that black no.97 McDavid NA jersey than Canadian no. 87 jerseys too.

This is an event to make money and showcase NHL talent, and to that extent I can't say the NHL was wrong here even if it does rub hockey purists the wrong way. Kids (as in fans) love Team NA.

This is why I have gotten a lot more disdain for not only the NHL - we expect this clown show from them - but the NHLPA. Donald Fehr could care less about the history of hockey, after all he ruined baseball, organized work stoppages time after time, turned a blind eye to steroid use which in turn illegitimately broke the most hallowed records in sports. So I don't expect them to care.

I did expect Crosby, Toews, Price, Stamkos, Doughty, Weber, etc. to care. I expected even the young McDavid to care. This is what should have happened. They should have done what Ovechkin did for 2014. He pushed the NHL to go to the Olympics. The players were nothing but puppets standing idly by. No one spoke up. This is what they should have said:

Crosby - "I want to play, but I don't want to use up part of my valuable summer time to play in a tournament where we can be matched against our own countrymen. The NHL ought to change the format."

McDavid - "I don't want to play in a tournament where I can't represent my country."

Kane - "We are going to be missing some star players with this format. If this sticks I don't think I will choose to play."


Those statements right there and I guarantee we would have a legitimate tournament right now as we speak.

 

[Crosbyfan]

This is why I have gotten a lot more disdain for not only the NHL - we expect this clown show from them - but the NHLPA. Donald Fehr could care less about the history of hockey, after all he ruined baseball, organized work stoppages time after time, turned a blind eye to steroid use which in turn illegitimately broke the most hallowed records in sports. So I don't expect them to care.

I did expect Crosby, Toews, Price, Stamkos, Doughty, Weber, etc. to care. I expected even the young McDavid to care. This is what should have happened. They should have done what Ovechkin did for 2014. He pushed the NHL to go to the Olympics. The players were nothing but puppets standing idly by. No one spoke up. This is what they should have said:

Crosby - "I want to play, but I don't want to use up part of my valuable summer time to play in a tournament where we can be matched against our own countrymen. The NHL ought to change the format."

McDavid - "I don't want to play in a tournament where I can't represent my country."

Kane - "We are going to be missing some star players with this format. If this sticks I don't think I will choose to play."


Those statements right there and I guarantee we would have a legitimate tournament right now as we speak.

Bottom line is these guys are too competitive to say this or do this.

 

[Soundwave]

This is why I have gotten a lot more disdain for not only the NHL - we expect this clown show from them - but the NHLPA. Donald Fehr could care less about the history of hockey, after all he ruined baseball, organized work stoppages time after time, turned a blind eye to steroid use which in turn illegitimately broke the most hallowed records in sports. So I don't expect them to care.

I did expect Crosby, Toews, Price, Stamkos, Doughty, Weber, etc. to care. I expected even the young McDavid to care. This is what should have happened. They should have done what Ovechkin did for 2014. He pushed the NHL to go to the Olympics. The players were nothing but puppets standing idly by. No one spoke up. This is what they should have said:

Crosby - "I want to play, but I don't want to use up part of my valuable summer time to play in a tournament where we can be matched against our own countrymen. The NHL ought to change the format."

McDavid - "I don't want to play in a tournament where I can't represent my country."

Kane - "We are going to be missing some star players with this format. If this sticks I don't think I will choose to play."


Those statements right there and I guarantee we would have a legitimate tournament right now as we speak.

To be honest I don't really mind that much.

This was never going to be some "global event" like the Olympics. It's just some random tournament in September. As a fan I'm quite happy to have something to watch in September.

I don't think anyone expected Team North America to be this good either, lol. It was supposed to be the regular Canada/USA/Russia/Sweden show and with the "aw, aren't they cute? They think they can play against grown ups" kids team as a throw in.

For guys like McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, etc. this is great for their development to be put against other competition like this, so them saying no wasn't going to happen.

 

[Big Easy]

All I know is watching team Europe and NA is far more entertaining then watching two of Germany, Denmark,Latvia, Switzerland etc play a trap game in an effort to compete, and basically fail every time.

 

[Canuckistani]

The NHL needs Canada to win this tournament in order to legitimize the tournament in the minds of Canadians as being on par with the Olympics. They need to exploit Canadian's hockey related patriotism for marketing reasons, and if the Canadians lose, the average Canadian will be far too butt hurt to admit they lost a best on best type tournament and as a defense mechanism will push the "well its not actually important like the Olympics" narrative that some people have already had about this tournament.

If Canada over-24 loses this thing they will not have lost a best on best and if they win they will not have won one either.

 

[Big Phil]

To be honest I don't really mind that much.

This was never going to be some "global event" like the Olympics. It's just some random tournament in September. As a fan I'm quite happy to have something to watch in September.

I don't think anyone expected Team North America to be this good either, lol. It was supposed to be the regular Canada/USA/Russia/Sweden show and with the "aw, aren't they cute? They think they can play against grown ups" kids team as a throw in.

For guys like McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, etc. this is great for their development to be put against other competition like this, so them saying no wasn't going to happen.

No, that's not true. The World/Canada Cup was ALWAYS just more than a random tournament. Before 1998 this was the Olympics in a nutshell. Since 1998 it has co-existed with the Olympics fully expecting to be a best on best. Until this year, and now all of the sudden people are accepting of it. It's a little maddening. As a Canadian I am reduced to cheering for Russia tonight because the thought of the Under 24 team succeeding makes this a mockery more and more.

Bottom line is these guys are too competitive to say this or do this.

That's exactly why they should have said something. Do they want to be known for beating Ovechkin, Malkin and the rival Russians? Or do they want to be known for beating a bunch of kids who come from their own country? Remember the days when we just said for a fantasy that it would be neat if Canada had two teams? It was just pure fiction because to a man we all said "Yeah, well what happens if they play each other, that can't work." We've "progressed" since then haven't we? Now look at us, people are on a honeymoon with the Under 24 team.

 

[JackSlater]

That's exactly why they should have said something. Do they want to be known for beating Ovechkin, Malkin and the rival Russians? Or do they want to be known for beating a bunch of kids who come from their own country? Remember the days when we just said for a fantasy that it would be neat if Canada had two teams? It was just pure fiction because to a man we all said "Yeah, well what happens if they play each other, that can't work." We've "progressed" since then haven't we? Now look at us, people are on a honeymoon with the Under 24 team.

They want an all star exhibition as opposed to an international tournament. While that is fine, it's unfortunate that the NHL had to ruin the original best on best to provide said all star exhibition.

 

[Ben White]

Omg Team NA, but... they've been succesfull against teams with weak Ds, Europe, Finland and Russia were all questioned for their D-corps going into this. The Czechs played a tight game and beat m'. Sweden's D could man handle this group of young speedsters and get'm frustrated... Predicting 2-1 Sweden. EK on PP, McDavid on the ruch and finally Sedinery in the third once again on PP.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

If Canada over-24 loses this thing they will not have lost a best on best and if they win they will not have won one either.

That doesn't really matter. It is close enough to best on best and assuming they win, Canada's victory is going to be pushed by NHL and Rogers as a huge deal throughout future NHL broadcasts and put over as the modern pinnacle of Canadian hockey achievement in order to further establish the tournament as a big deal. If Canada loses, Canadians will be far too hurt and it will hurt their ability to have them accept the tournament as the pinnacle of best on best competition. If Canada wins, Canadians will mostly accept it because accepting it will validate their home teams victory.

Your average Canadian will be a huge homer and will choose to validate the tournament as legit if Canada wins which gets the ball rolling for NHL and Rogers for future editions of the WCOH. Canada winning this one and USA winning the next one with Auston Matthews at the helm of the team is probably the best case scenario marketing wise.

I don't resent this tournament, I am happy to have good hockey to watch. I think players are stupid for going to the Olympics without being compensated when their services are valuable and worth something. Specifically for established NHLers it seems like it is a huge scam because there's nothing noble or great about the modern day Olympics and they don't get paid when they are generating significant revenue. It is a giant marketing event. No different than any other sports leagues, yet players are foolish enough to go and play for free. I really don't get fans defending the Olympics over the WCOH. The Olympics is more often than not boring hockey played at unwatchable times. Great....

With that established I want Team Europe to win the WCOH because I think it'd be a hilarious worst case scenario.

 

[Osprey]

Wow... All those hours spent thinking and writing this huge post, when I could've explained it to you in two words: Connor McDavid.

The next time that I have a thought cross my mind while watching games or consider posting something on these boards, I'll run it by you first. You seem to have all of the answers.

I do find it funny that a number of people have presumed to tell me the answer, as though it's obvious and I needn't have even asked... yet their answers are different.

I think it's the opposite of what is said in the OP.

Team North America hurts Team US significantly more than it hurts Team Canada.

That's exactly what I said in the OP. Now, I also said that I believed that hurting USA more was unintentionally shooting itself in the foot, while you seem to think that it was intentional to help Canada, so I guess that we have opposite opinions there.

 

[Preisst*]

Probably just wishful thinking on my part.....but maybe it was to showcase the 'new' NHL? A way to re-brand the NHL as more focused on skills, speed and enthusiasm? A changing of the guard and the beginning of the purge of old school hockey thinking?

Old school hockey thinking did focus on speed, skill and enthusiasm.

 

[Xokkeu]

The next time that I have a thought cross my mind while watching games or consider posting something on these boards, I'll run it by you first. You seem to have all of the answers.

I do find it funny that a number of people have presumed to tell me the answer, as though it's obvious and I needn't have even asked... yet their answers are different.



That's exactly what I said in the OP. Now, I also said that I believed that hurting USA more was unintentionally shooting itself in the foot, while you seem to think that it was intentional to help Canada, so I guess that we have opposite opinions there.

It was definitely not intentional. Crippling team USA was just the NHL execs not really paying attention to the player pool. Having USA suck is not in their interest