Team Europe should be like Team NA but the rest of the world

[Kamiccolo]

I think it would make a lot more sense and be more interesting. Think about it, all players under 24 (I believe that is the NA limit). Think of all the young talent that the rest of the world has. The roster would be stacked, and IMO make the games that much more engaging to the fans.

The NA vs World game would basically be the worlds on steroids, and both teams might have a chance of winning this.

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[ijuka]

Finland's national team defense would be a sight to behold.

Well, I guess none of them would make it to that team anyway.

 

[DJJones]

It was made so Kopitar had a team to play on.

I don't think Russia and the Nordic countries would like that either. They don't have the depth. America doesn't really have the depth even.

 

[Canuckistani]

We have now entered the gimmick era.

 

[oljimmy]

I'm sure someone has said this already, but back in the day (say 1987) you knew that the Czechs or the Swedes had only an outside chance at best, but you tuned in and occasionally secretly rooted for them anyway, because they were underdogs. Remember when Belarus upset Sweden? Magical. That's the stuff that makes tourneys interesting. This "Europe" team, on the other hand, is a joke.

If they must gimmick, why not just have a World under-23 team, call it the Youth Team or something. Gimmick yes, but an interesting one.

 

[Canuckistani]

I'm sure someone has said this already, but back in the day (say 1987) you knew that the Czechs or the Swedes had only an outside chance at best, but you tuned in and occasionally secretly rooted for them anyway, because they were underdogs. Remember when Belarus upset Sweden? Magical. That's the stuff that makes tourneys interesting. This "Europe" team, on the other hand, is a joke.

Apparently the whole idea of underdogs winning (like that pointless little "Miracle on Ice" thingy) are just annoying events that get in the way of parity.

 

[AtNightWeFly]

Huh?

 

[Canuckistani]

BTW, shutting down a season to send pros to play in the Olympics that is supposed to be for amateurs is also a gimmick to make the league money. But let's not dwell on that too much for your rant

Did you just define the term gimmick as including the best players competing for their national teams at the Olympics?

 

[DonskoiDonscored]

Did you just define the term gimmick as including the best players competing for their national teams at the Olympics?

The Olympics were originally created for amateur athletes. In fact, I think football (soccer) is the only sport that is still (mostly) amateur at the Olympics.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I'm sure someone has said this already, but back in the day (say 1987) you knew that the Czechs or the Swedes had only an outside chance at best, but you tuned in and occasionally secretly rooted for them anyway, because they were underdogs. Remember when Belarus upset Sweden? Magical. That's the stuff that makes tourneys interesting. This "Europe" team, on the other hand, is a joke.

If they must gimmick, why not just have a World under-23 team, call it the Youth Team or something. Gimmick yes, but an interesting one.

LOL magical. interesting. Fluke goal, fluke win resulting in Canada pummelling Belarus in the semis instead of a competitive Canada/Sweden battle. The nature hockey is such that every once in a while, you will get a huge upset like this but there's nothing magical about it, and there was nothing interesting about the resulting Canada/Belarus game.

 

[Past Considerations]

Lets do this as soon as Canadians are fine with combining Canada and USA (U23+).

 

[Nordic*]

I think it would make a lot more sense and be more interesting. Think about it, all players under 24 (I believe that is the NA limit). Think of all the young talent that the rest of the world has. The roster would be stacked, and IMO make the games that much more engaging to the fans.

The NA vs World game would basically be the worlds on steroids, and both teams might have a chance of winning this.

World?

How many of those players are NOT from Europe?

 

[xxxx]

LOL magical. interesting. Fluke goal, fluke win resulting in Canada pummelling Belarus in the semis instead of a competitive Canada/Sweden battle. The nature hockey is such that every once in a while, you will get a huge upset like this but there's nothing magical about it, and there was nothing interesting about the resulting Canada/Belarus game.

The olympics are the olympics. The World Cup of hockey is a different thing. Simple as that. No need for Sweden-Belarus situation here when you have the olympics.

 

[Brock Radunske]

I'd be interested to see how much noise the under-23 team would make if it was just Canada.
Who would replace Eichel, Matthews, Trouba, Jones, Gibson, Larkin, Miller, Gaudreau?
I think they're all replaceable, no? Losing Gaudreau would hurt a bit, though.

 

[Elvs]

The olympics are the olympics. The World Cup of hockey is a different thing. Simple as that. No need for Sweden-Belarus situation here when you have the olympics.

What's wrong with a Sweden-Belarus situation? Because it makes the NHL look bad? Belarus won fair and square and deserved to be in the semfinal. The best team on paper doesn't always win, get over it.

 

[Dog]

Why don't they just have a u23 tournament

 

[JackSlater]

I'd be interested to see how much noise the under-23 team would make if it was just Canada.
Who would replace Eichel, Matthews, Trouba, Jones, Gibson, Larkin, Miller, Gaudreau?
I think they're all replaceable, no? Losing Gaudreau would hurt a bit, though.

I would think that, on paper at least, the team would be significantly worse. Those young American players are elite. Canada would probably be adding players like Strome, Reinhart, Horvat, Bennett and Domi on offence and Hamilton and Ceci on defence.

Thinking a little bit more, the defence wouldn't be significantly worse. The offence would be though.

 

[BruinLVGA]

I think it would make a lot more sense and be more interesting. Think about it, all players under 24 (I believe that is the NA limit). Think of all the young talent that the rest of the world has. The roster would be stacked, and IMO make the games that much more engaging to the fans.

The NA vs World game would basically be the worlds on steroids, and both teams might have a chance of winning this.

Better idea: make the World Cup a best of 51 games' series between Team North America and Team Whatever (= everybody else). Play 5 periods instead of 3, use 6 lines (including 6 pairs of defensemen, obviously), make it mandatory that there has to be a different goalie for each period, play the 4th period 4 on 4 and the 5th period 3 on 3. Each time a goal is scored, the scorer gets to shoot in the stands 10 of his jerseys.

Let's forget the concept of teams / nations representing something real (cities/states/nations), let's make up teams on the fly with whatever criteria, because as long as I see the top players all under one roof at the same time, nothing else matters: let's be done with the old boring hockey, this is what the fans want and deserve!

 

[Kamiccolo]

Better idea: make the World Cup a best of 51 games' series between Team North America and Team Whatever (= everybody else). Play 5 periods instead of 3, use 6 lines (including 6 pairs of defensemen, obviously), make it mandatory that there has to be a different goalie for each period, play the 4th period 4 on 4 and the 5th period 3 on 3. Each time a goal is scored, the scorer gets to shoot in the stands 10 of his jerseys.

Let's forget the concept of teams / nations representing something real (cities/states/nations), let's make up teams on the fly with whatever criteria, because as long as I see the top players all under one roof at the same time, nothing else matters: let's be done with the old boring hockey, this is what the fans want and deserve!

How do you take the concept of doing the SAME thing as team North America and turn it into something un recognizable this this? The only changes I have made is open it up to the world for them as I don't believe their u23 talent is good enough to be fair again team NA.

 

[ikyan]

That started a long time ago with the glow puck, and most recently, advanced stats.

BTW, shutting down a season to send pros to play in the Olympics that is supposed to be for amateurs is also a gimmick to make the league money. But let's not dwell on that too much for your rant

And the Stanley Cup was meant for amateur Canadians...

 

[BruinLVGA]

How do you take the concept of doing the SAME thing as team North America and turn it into something un recognizable this this? The only changes I have made is open it up to the world for them as I don't believe their u23 talent is good enough to be fair again team NA.

That was to show - by introducing a ridiculously exaggerated example of "evolution" for this tournament - that going further into gimmick territory isn't a smart thing to do. It is the wrong direction.

There shouldn't be teams made up only of kids vs teams of players of all ages or teams representing continents (example: team Europe) that play vs nations (example: team USA) or made up teams that play against their own national teams (like team North America vs team Canada for example). It should be a level playing field = nations vs nations, not ad hoc created gimmick teams.

Got it now?

 

[Paul4587]

Team Europe should be Slovakia. Team North America should be Switzerland. Then you would have an actual best on best international tournament.

 

[Channelcat]

It was made so Kopitar had a team to play on.

I don't think Russia and the Nordic countries would like that either. They don't have the depth. America doesn't really have the depth even.

Exactly. Can't have one the worlds best players be absent.

 

[JackSlater]

Exactly. Can't have one the worlds best players be absent.

They missed the boat by not making team snub so that Hall, Subban, Faulk etc. could play.

 

[Choralone]

That was to show - by introducing a ridiculously exaggerated example of "evolution" for this tournament - that going further into gimmick territory isn't a smart thing to do. It is the wrong direction.

There shouldn't be teams made up only of kids vs teams of players of all ages or teams representing continents (example: team Europe) that play vs nations (example: team USA) or made up teams that play against their own national teams (like team North America vs team Canada for example). It should be a level playing field = nations vs nations, not ad hoc created gimmick teams.

Got it now?

Why, of all things, are nations vs nations a "level playing field"? Level for whom? Making a Continental Europe team sounds like a great idea to level the field for where it matters - our entertainment. I like the "rookie" teams. The goal is entertainment.