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WC: TEAM CANADA 2023

Hamilton Bulldogs said:
I think Hockey Canada needs to be more firmer.

If you're asked to play and aren't hurt or in a contract year, you must play at least 2 tournaments before being considered for best on best. There is no reason why Canada should be bowing down to these guys, Canada could lose 10 players in best on best and still be a gold medal fav. The Mitch Marners of the world should be here but they won't be. Then I say you don't play for Canada when the entire world's watching either.
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How many people in Canada would accept reducing Canada's chances at a best on best even a tiny percent just to get better teams at this tournament? A fringe of a fringe minority?
 
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JackSlater said:
How many people in Canada would accept reducing Canada's chances at a best on best even a tiny percent just to get better teams at this tournament? A fringe of a fringe minority?
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99 percent of the people wouldn't notice. If McDavid, Makar, Mackinnon or Crosby are missing, its a story. If Evander Kane is playing and Mitch Marner isn't, I doubt many would even care.

These tournaments will always be around and should be of a higher priority, if the entire point of your organization is to only play in that rare olympic that allows NHL players, then you're wasting everyone time. The best on best days are like 15-20 tournaments every 100 years, surely this team should focus for more than that.
 
Hamilton Bulldogs said:
99 percent of the people wouldn't notice. If McDavid, Makar, Mackinnon or Crosby are missing, its a story. If Evander Kane is playing and Mitch Marner isn't, I doubt many would even care.

These tournaments will always be around and should be of a higher priority, if the entire point of your organization is to only play in that rare olympic that allows NHL players, then you're wasting everyone time. The best on best days are like 15-20 tournaments every 100 years, surely this team should focus for more than that.
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Inevitably you'd end up with Hockey Canada either omitting one of the top players or breaking its own rules and allowing the player in. Players who make or don't make team Canada at the best on best level is a huge story - even the secondary positions are hotly debated. It would not be as simple as you are claiming. And honestly it shouldn't be - people would be right to be angry.

As for this tournament, the IIHF can organize a tournament and call the world championship but that doesn't mean that Canada, or any other country, is obligated to go all out to win it on a yearly basis. It makes no sense to reduce Canada's chances at the tournaments that everyone cares about just to improve chances at a tournament few people care about.
 
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JackSlater said:
Inevitably you'd end up with Hockey Canada either omitting one of the top players or breaking its own rules and allowing the player in. Players who make or don't make team Canada at the best on best level is a huge story - even the secondary positions are hotly debated. It would not be as simple as you are claiming. And honestly it shouldn't be - people would be right to be angry.

As for this tournament, the IIHF can organize a tournament and call the world championship but that doesn't mean that Canada, or any other country, is obligated to go all out to win it on a yearly basis. It makes no sense to reduce Canada's chances at the tournaments that everyone cares about just to improve chances at a tournament few people care about.
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How many players are going to miss the worlds if there was a rule in place like that though? and who would want a player who cared so little about the national team? Even change it to 1 every four years. You have to do something because this tournament is important and canada should be so much better. Is it unreasonable to ask the players to take 2-3 weeks every 4 years to play at the worlds? Canada can't pick and choose which tournaments are important and than claim to be the best because they win best on best under 21 thats hosted in Canada every year and a best on best from 10 years ago.
 
jj cale said:
I will grant you that at this point it is probably seriously time to look into abandoning this tournament as an annual event. It's just not wanted by the players enough anymore
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Yes, while I enjoy watching this tournament it is getting clear it is losing its luster among players. Also when I talk with casuals, they complain that it is every year. Having it more seldom would make it more of an event. If you could somehow make the NHL make room for it in its schedule, that would make it perfect, but I am not holding my breath for that.

I think a good setup would be every for years, so that we have a big tournament every 2 years (WC or Olympics). I would do away with the division system and hold qualification tournaments for lower ranked countries in the off years
 
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JackSlater said:
How many people in Canada would accept reducing Canada's chances at a best on best even a tiny percent just to get better teams at this tournament? A fringe of a fringe minority?
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certainly not I. says me. :)

I'd like better players to show up on a somewhat more consistent basis. Not every year, but it would be nice if a few more players had the R. O'Reilly T Chabot approach to this tourney.

Prague Powerhouse incoming for next year. I'm going to positive vibe it into reality. It's happening.
 
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Hamilton Bulldogs said:
How many players are going to miss the worlds if there was a rule in place like that though? and who would want a player who cared so little about the national team? Even change it to 1 every four years. You have to do something because this tournament is important and canada should be so much better. Is it unreasonable to ask the players to take 2-3 weeks every 4 years to play at the worlds? Canada can't pick and choose which tournaments are important and than claim to be the best because they win best on best under 21 thats hosted in Canada every year and a best on best from 10 years ago.
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I don't know how many would miss if there was such a rule in place, but I do know that they would never put such a rule in place because nearly everyone in the country would be against it. The first time an obvious player to make a best on best team didn't make it because they skipped a much lesser tournament you would have widespread demands for heads to roll to Hockey Canada.

I disagree with the whole basis of your premise. This tournament isn't really important just because it happens to exist and Canadians, like everyone else, can claim whatever they want as it isn't provable either way. It makes no sense to sacrifice, even a little, something that people do care about for something that they generally don't care about. I imagine that roster quality will improve in this tournament beyond the abysmal state it's been in, but if it doesn't that should change nothing about how Canada approaches much more significant tournaments.
 
Hamilton Bulldogs said:
99 percent of the people wouldn't notice. If McDavid, Makar, Mackinnon or Crosby are missing, its a story. If Evander Kane is playing and Mitch Marner isn't, I doubt many would even care.

These tournaments will always be around and should be of a higher priority, if the entire point of your organization is to only play in that rare olympic that allows NHL players, then you're wasting everyone time. The best on best days are like 15-20 tournaments every 100 years, surely this team should focus for more than that.
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tbh I think injuries play a decent part as well as the kind of "power of one" and the location.

Kane is injured. Draisaitl is likely nursing several injuries (I guess you saw the axe chop). Drai came in 2017 (albeit to his hometown) immediately after getting bounced by Anaheim. Maybe Marner is injured?

"power of one" is kind of like if 1 star or group of good pros from 1 team came it would have a domino effect. Crosby nor any other star or group really committed this year, it's a wasteland.

Location
Look at the 2017 Roster (&/or USA) . This was in Cologne, Germany & Paris, France. Much more populous and prestigious cities in the heart of Europe.
Oh yeah, there also wasn't a war nearby in those days. Latvia and Finland border Russia. This is no small thing.
 
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Hamilton Bulldogs said:
I think Hockey Canada needs to be more firmer.

If you're asked to play and aren't hurt or in a contract year, you must play at least 2 tournaments before being considered for best on best. There is no reason why Canada should be bowing down to these guys, Canada could lose 10 players in best on best and still be a gold medal fav. The Mitch Marners of the world should be here but they won't be. Then I say you don't play for Canada when the entire world's watching either.
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Hockey Canada or any other federation might have more leverage if there was a true "best on best" tournament firmly established. As it is, the NHL at the Olympics or a World Cup appears to be a pipedream. Besides, do you really think the federations are going to tell one of their stars to take a hike if they don't play at the Worlds?
 
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If Levi never goes back I wouldn’t blame him. Flew over to watch that bum play ahead of him and get beat by Norway. Way to make players want to come back.
 
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I understand the frustration but he's not a bum, he backstopped us to WJC gold one year and played fine in doing so.

I am surprised they are trying to have him be our number 2 guy with Levi here, I think it's because of Tourigny believing in him due to that WJC where he was one of the coaches.
 
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jj cale said:
He didn't look good there, sure he would love to have those back.
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Sorry, but gotta ask! How does Fantilli look? LOL. I guess that Chester Numbnuts guy was wrong and I was right. as I most always am. Bedard would be leading this tournament in scoring. But all good. Another year in college for Fantilli and another World Juniors should be his priority on his 2023-24 schedule.

Bedard can lead the tournament in scoring next year.
 
Hamilton Bulldogs said:
I think Hockey Canada needs to be more firmer.

If you're asked to play and aren't hurt or in a contract year, you must play at least 2 tournaments before being considered for best on best. There is no reason why Canada should be bowing down to these guys, Canada could lose 10 players in best on best and still be a gold medal fav. The Mitch Marners of the world should be here but they won't be. Then I say you don't play for Canada when the entire world's watching either.
Click to expand...
Fans will revolt if Canada doesn't bring its best players to an NHL player Olympics because Hockey Canada decided that someone knick and knack wasn't a good enough reason to go to the 2023 World Championships.
 
Hey guys are any current players retired from your NT? Tryna make best possible team CANADA in NHL23
 
Gold Standard said:
Sorry, but gotta ask! How does Fantilli look? LOL. I guess that Chester Numbnuts guy was wrong and I was right. as I most always am. Bedard would be leading this tournament in scoring. But all good. Another year in college for Fantilli and another World Juniors should be his priority on his 2023-24 schedule.

Bedard can lead the tournament in scoring next year.
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He was pretty much in line with just about every player today, he didn't get much accomplished.
 
Tough tournament this year. Nondescript roster to start, Veleno sent home in disgrace, Fantilli- the only prospective A level talent- suspended. Disapointing they haven't found a way to use his skills better.
Tempting to forfeit the next game, close down a bar somewhere and fly the boys home. But I believe we've backed into the QF so need to tough it out. Unless things improve, we may stagger into the QF on an 0-3 run.
 
Mainiac said:
Tough tournament this year. Nondescript roster to start, Veleno sent home in disgrace, Fantilli- the only prospective A level talent- suspended. Disapointing they haven't found a way to use his skills better.
Tempting to forfeit the next game, close down a bar somewhere and fly the boys home. But I believe we've backed into the QF so need to tough it out. Unless things improve, we may stagger into the QF on an 0-3 run.
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Gold is probably a pipe dream but there is still a way to salvage something out of it and that is beating the Finnboys and send them packing with a very short drive to their very own house to moan and bitch like they always do after a loss, no airports required.

And if not I'll even be more then satisfied if the U.S can put another licking on them and kick their ass out. In fact any old team will do.

Those guys gotta go, this year and in their backyard.
 
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Fat Ass said:
Life used to be a struggle, especially on the farm. Now it’s mostly city kids coming playing the game. Not nearly so tough as the farm boys.
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This speaks to a larger issue on a societal level. I don't think it is necessarily rural/urban. I think it is about privilege, class and wealth.

Hockey in general has moved from working class to so-called elite class. When you used to see the parents of these players they were grizzled old men and stocky women who had tears in their eyes for their boy being chosen.

Now the parents look like Ken and Barbie, dressed in designer clothes while they complain when their son doesn't get enough ice time or when the coach is mean to them.
 
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Fantili has seemed a little overwhelmed in my opinion. Lots of unforced errors and poor decisions. Probably good for him in the long run.
 
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