Terrible world cup ideas

[Mr Kanadensisk]

I'm not watching it with those teams involved. Too ridiculous.

I'm also against some sort of Canada/USA series. If Canada wins, big whoop. If Canada loses, everyone freaks out. I would have been interested in it in the late 90s, but not now.



The hockey may be entertaining, and the joke teams will be more talented than the alternative options, but this is still supposed to be an international tournament and to me that clearly implies competition between nations. Switzerland and Slovakia are not going to go into a tournament like this and be favourites, but they are respectable hockey nations. Key word being nations. Ever since the format was announced I've talked about how terrible it is, so I'm not going to do that up until next September and then sit down and be part of the viewing audience.

In my mind it won't be an international best on best tournament, I'd say it will be somewhere half way between a real best on best and NHL league play. I kind of wish they didn't call it the World Cup though, since '96 and '04 were legit b on b tournaments.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Yes, I agree that the Sochi Olympics was not as entertaining as the Vancouver edition. I felt the arenas was not filled with real Hockey fans. The past World Championships in Prague is proof that an excellent tournament can be held outside North America (games were played on the big ice). The arenas were filled with passionate hockey fans. The reason why there were more passionate fans creating an entertaining product was because of time. Time to plan for fans and organizers. The NHL is at a fault for fans and organizers limited time to prepare. The NHL gave their permission only months before. If the NHL had committed earlier (like immediately after Crosby's Gold Medal goal). Fans would of been planning trips to Sochi. Organizers could of presented something special for the thousands of NHL fans flocking to sochi. Not just North American NHL fans but European fans also. Instead nobody knew what was going on. This is bad leadership. And i know this sounds like another Bettman bash. However, this is just the truth. The NHL should commit, endorse, and promote. Every NHL team should of been planning packages for the USA and Canada games. With Thousands of NHL fans in Sochi the arenas would of been electric like in Vancouver. Four years of hype and build-up. But all we got was another year of should the players go to the Olympics?

I was only referring to the quality of the hockey, not the atmosphere in the arena and village. A big factor with the atmosphere is that cities like Vancouver and Prague are much more attractive tourist destinations than anywhere in Russia these days.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Because playing a best of 3 serious sereis for nothing but bragging rights increases injury risks for star players of most teams exponentially for close to zero reward. There's little point in such a series for the NHL.

I think the NA fans and players would take it very seriously and thus there would be a lot of upside for the league.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Would we? Like I said, what's the incentive there, for the league and the players? I think it's just internet fantasy hockey talk to think sucha series would have any meaning or major media interest(outside Canada).

You might be right but I think Canadian posters probably know better about what appeals to North Americans than you do.

 

[BayStreetBully]

You might be right but I think Canadian posters probably know better about what appeals to North Americans than you do.

The 2016 World Cup held in Toronto and any possible Canada-USA series appeals to me as much as the 2015 Toronto Pan-Am Games does: Zip. Nada. Zilch.

My city will be filled with a bunch of useless events over the next year.

 

[sandysan]

Would we? Like I said, what's the incentive there, for the league and the players? I think it's just internet fantasy hockey talk to think sucha series would have any meaning or major media interest(outside Canada).

Is this a serious question? The leagues benefit us obvious, it gets to showcase it's talents without having to cut in the lecherous iihf/ioc who do NOTHING but cash checks.

The players incentive is that it's competitive, and although it's not 100 % best on best ( when some of those best's are nothing but cannon fodder), it's WAY closer than anything not named the olympics. And by iteration #2 the distinction between the world cup or the nhl invitational or the " best on best tourney formerly known as the olympics" or whatever they want to call it.

If your not interested in the tourney because some teams won't be offered up as a sacrificial offering, then don't watch. The demand for this is largely untested but in NA the demand for things far greater than the world shampionships is immense and clearly sufficient to be self sustaining.

There is absolutely zero reason that the nhl, as a PRIVATE company should need to genuflect to the largely ineffective and wholly corrupt iihf/ioc when the LEAGUE holds all of the leverage.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Is this a serious question? The leagues benefit us obvious, it gets to showcase it's talents without having to cut in the lecherous iihf/ioc who do NOTHING but cash checks.

The players incentive is that it's competitive, and although it's not 100 % best on best ( when some of those best's are nothing but cannon fodder), it's WAY closer than anything not named the olympics. And by iteration #2 the distinction between the world cup or the nhl invitational or the " best on best tourney formerly known as the olympics" or whatever they want to call it.

If your not interested in the tourney because some teams won't be offered up as a sacrificial offering, then don't watch. The demand for this is largely untested but in NA the demand for things far greater than the world shampionships is immense and clearly sufficient to be self sustaining.

There is absolutely zero reason that the nhl, as a PRIVATE company should need to genuflect to the largely ineffective and wholly corrupt iihf/ioc when the LEAGUE holds all of the leverage.

There is no demand in North America for the World Cup. There wasn't even a demand in 2004. What need does the World Cup fill? Nothing. A best on best every 4 years is plenty, especially in an era where Canada has virtually no competition. The roster in 2016 will be identical to 2014. This is an all-star game. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[JackSlater]

In my opinion one of the entertainment value killers is having too many teams that can't compete other than playing deadly boring defensive hockey in order to make up for their deficiency in talent. In that respect at least the next W Cup format will eliminate those teams.

Euro Leftovers and NA Young Gunz have no chance to win without those tactics. They might not care enough to even bother implementing them, but there is no other way they could conceivably win.

 

[Jussi]

I couldn't care any less if a series between Canada and the U.S. garnered any interest outside North America. But wait, fans in Europe are eagerly anticipating this NHL gimmicky World Cup in North America?

The NHL could get a Canadian broadcasting company to overpay for it (just like we always do) and the ratings would be good in Canada. The 3 or 4 games in the U.S. (Chicago/New York) would be sellouts and draw average to decent T.V. ratings in U.S. markets.

And the 7 games (I'm assuming it would go 7) would be highly competitive and entertaining hockey.

There wouldn't be any point for such a series from the owners perspective. Why would they risk having only their biggest NA players palying? It would givea huge advantage to teams having international players. US - Canada series is really only in the minds of internet fantasies, not in the minds of anyone with actual power in the matter. Thus discussion about such a series in fruitless.

 

[Jussi]

I think the NA fans and players would take it very seriously and thus there would be a lot of upside for the league.

And you'd be wrong.

 

[ForumNamePending]

I dunno, I like when some of the 'smaller' nations are given a shot. They get crushed sometimes, but they have also proven capable of giving the 'big' nations a tight game as well. To me there's something compelling about a minnow giving its opponent, with a far greater hockey infrastructure, a run for its money. Sure it might not always be the most attractive hockey to watch but neither was, among others in Sochi, Canada vs. Sweden... Maybe the NHL should tell Sweden to stay home.

As far as the single game elimination vs. series debate goes... I'm fine with the single game elimination as it offers something different from what we usually see in hockey. I get that a series reduces the chances of the better team losing but upsets are fun. I mean people don't actually look at these tournaments as a way of determining the 'planet's ultimate hockey nation!" do they?

The Olympics is like any other tournament in that whether or not the hockey is entertaining seems to be pretty random.

Agreed, even beyond the Olympics when it comes to international hockey the entertainment value doesn't seem to have much to do with things like ice size, if 'smaller' nations are allowed to compete or who's running the tournament... Sometimes things 'click' and sometimes they don't. We also see it in the SC Playoffs (where the parameters are much more consistent)... Some years it's great ('14) and others it feels like an endless slog ('12).

 

[Jussi]

In my opinion one of the entertainment value killers is having too many teams that can't compete other than playing deadly boring defensive hockey in order to make up for their deficiency in talent. In that respect at least the next W Cup format will eliminate those teams.

Any team will play defensively, if they think that's their best plan for success. Czechs, Swedes, Finns, Russians. And defending in the smaller rink is even easier.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

The 2016 World Cup held in Toronto and any possible Canada-USA series appeals to me as much as the 2015 Toronto Pan-Am Games does: Zip. Nada. Zilch.

My city will be filled with a bunch of useless events over the next year.

Are you a fan of the NHL ASG?

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

There wouldn't be any point for such a series from the owners perspective. Why would they risk having only their biggest NA players palying? It would givea huge advantage to teams having international players. US - Canada series is really only in the minds of internet fantasies, not in the minds of anyone with actual power in the matter. Thus discussion about such a series in fruitless.

This makes absolutely no sense. If it was successful the owners would make lots of money. That's all the incentive they need.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

And you'd be wrong.

Maybe, but when it comes to North Americans your advice is not one I would seek.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Euro Leftovers and NA Young Gunz have no chance to win without those tactics. They might not care enough to even bother implementing them, but there is no other way they could conceivably win.

Both teams would have much stronger rosters on paper than any of the 8-16 ranked hockey nations that you see at the Olympics (assuming full participation) and the Canada O24 roster would be weaker than what we bring to the OG, so the talent gap isn't nearly as bad.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Are you a fan of the NHL ASG?

Yes, I enjoy it for what it's worth: a weekend for the league's stars to fool around.

 

[K1984]

I'd love it if a team's management didn't release a player that was named to the stupid U23 team. If I'm Peter Chiarelli, why would I want to risk McDavid or RNH's health playing for some made up team? I'd love if he told the NHL to shove it unless they are playing for Team Canada.

 

[JackSlater]

Both teams would have much stronger rosters on paper than any of the 8-16 ranked hockey nations that you see at the Olympics (assuming full participation) and the Canada O24 roster would be weaker than what we bring to the OG, so the talent gap isn't nearly as bad.

They aren't replacing an 8-16 team, they're replacing a 6-7 team. The Young Gunz will have more talent than a team like Switzerland, but they won't have nearly as much experience and they will lack cohesion. The leaders on that team will be guys like RNH and Hamilton. That's asking for trouble when against the elite teams.

 

[sandysan]

I'd love it if a team's management didn't release a player that was named to the stupid U23 team. If I'm Peter Chiarelli, why would I want to risk McDavid or RNH's health playing for some made up team? I'd love if he told the NHL to shove it unless they are playing for Team Canada.

You think that chirelli's reticence is somehow dependent on the crest on McDavid jersey? If he's released the risk is there, it's not like the full maple leaf acts like superman's crest and protects all who wear it.

And pc still answers to someone, someone who will agree to release players under contract for the first time where they assume all of the risk but also finally have a chance to reap the rewards.

I'm convinced that a lot of people who are against the world cup of so for fear of it going off well means to the world shampionships and the Olympic games.

You think that Olympic hockey sidles in behind figure skating with what amounts to ahl rejects and college kids? A bunch of prospects and never were's?

 

[GKJ]

Rosters to be announced by February 2016? Why in the world?

I think it makes some sense, but still better off to wait until the summer. Don't want it to be hanging over the heads of players and managers during the playoffs.

Does anyone know the cutoff date for the U-23 team?

 

[yukoner88]

The 2016 World Cup held in Toronto and any possible Canada-USA series appeals to me as much as the 2015 Toronto Pan-Am Games does: Zip. Nada. Zilch.

My city will be filled with a bunch of useless events over the next year.

Seriously? Talk about spoiled brat syndrome. So much happens throughout the year there, every time I've visited Toronto there`s some sort of function, event or festival going on. The city attracts some big ticket events and all you can say everything is boring and useless? Why not step back a bit and look at how much there is to do there and maybe a appreciate what you have there instead of complaining about it.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

Yes, I enjoy it for what it's worth: a weekend for the league's stars to fool around.

I personally would rather see a CAN-USA mini series over that weekend.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

They aren't replacing an 8-16 team, they're replacing a 6-7 team. The Young Gunz will have more talent than a team like Switzerland, but they won't have nearly as much experience and they will lack cohesion. The leaders on that team will be guys like RNH and Hamilton. That's asking for trouble when against the elite teams.

It could be a train wreck, we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[An Argument For]

World cup should have a format that makes it different from the Olympics and World Championships.

16 Teams. 4 Divisions of 4. Play everyone in your division once and the top two from each division move into the knock out stage.

That gives you three division games, quarter finals, semi finals, and finals. 6 games from start to finish for the winning team. You could do that in two weeks, you'd get all the marquee match-ups in the knockout stages and it would have been credible as a best on best tourney. The value it would place on the round robin games would be amazing, where a single upset or even forcing a OT game could make all the difference.