U-23 Tournament to Replace World Cup

[AmericanDream]

I think we can all agree, the World Cup was a joke with its gimmicks, yet could have been something special with all the talent that was there to play...so with another World Cup not on a radar, and the Olympics again in question...I am so pulling for a U-23 tournament!!

This will be held every 2 years End of August/early Sept to build up rivalries and gain bigger notoriety overall. NBC Sports will broadcast ALL Team USA Games/medal round games..TSN in Canada....You have to be 23 by the time the tournament starts so you can be 24 as long as it isn't prior to first exhibition game and it would feature 10 countries. Top country in each division receive a bye, and top 3 teams in each division move on to quarter finals. Teams play each other 1 time in their division.

I would so much rather see this than another World Cup at this point. The youth is coming up from everywhere, lets get a damn real best on best per country and showcase the passion and talent these kids would have. Yes we have a U-20 tournament already, but so many kids miss out on those as either making the NHL right away, or made it as a younger player then missed their final year as being in the NHL...We simply haven't see a pure best on best with this age group, and I am positive it would be some of the best hockey on the planet. Imagine seeing Laine, McDavid, Matthews, etc right now battling it out!!

I would have a North America group and a Europe group - North American games to be played in the following cities - Toronto, Chicago, Philadelphia, Winnipeg, and Montreal. European games played throughout Europe at host countries....this would allow the European division to play in front of home crowds and likely packed crowds instead of playing in front of maybe 1,000 people here in North America for their preliminary games. Medal Round will be held in Toronto and Chicago.

North American Divison

Canada
United States
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Denmark

European Divison

Sweden
Finland
Russia
Switzerland
Germany

I understand that Germany, Denmark, etc can't match up to the top teams, but they are starting to build programs and better younger players and should be included here...I always love the chance of an upset and I do not want to see 6 damn teams here...Also to make fair, Czech, Slovakia, and Denmark will rotate out with the bottom 3 teams in the European division the following tournament in 2 years to allow them to play in front of their home crowds...

I would love to see some U-23 rosters from all nations listed above...and if someone thinks there is a better country to list here over Germany or Denmark, please do so...just went off my gut and not really digging into it..

I just absolutely love this idea/concept- and if the NHL and IIHF is smart they would jump on this with the amount of young talent they have right now. IMO, it would be some of the most passionate and skilled hockey we have seen in a long long time.

Click to read more...

 

[AmericanDream]

My team USA as it stands today:


Kyle Connor - Auston Matthews - Clayton Keller
Alex DeBrincat - Jack Eichel - Brock Boeser
Matthew Tkachuk - Nick Schmaltz - Ryan Donato
Jake Guentzel - Dylan Larkin - Christian Dvorak
Kevin LaBanc

Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Noah Hanifin - Charlie McAvoy
Jaccob Slavin - Brandon Carlo
Will Butcher

Thatcher Demko
Alex Nedlejkovic
Tyler Parsons

extras - Alex Tuch, Christian Fischer, Vinnie Hinostroza, Brett Pesce

John Gibson/Connor Hellebuyck - both just turned 24, along with Johnny Gaudreau, Shayne Gostisbehere, Jacob Trouba, Vincent Trochek, Alex Galchenyuk, etc, etc..

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Doubt it would ever bring enough in sponsorship or revenues.

 

[JackSlater]

I would much rather an actual legitimate World Cup (basically any version from the past other than 2016) but this would at least be a very entertaining product.

 

[AmericanDream]

Doubt it would ever bring enough in sponsorship or revenues.

maybe, but many of the best players in the league right now are under 23...I am sure they could get enough to make it happen.

 

[AmericanDream]

I would much rather an actual legitimate World Cup (basically any version from the past other than 2016) but this would at least be a very entertaining product.

agreed, which is why I said I would much rather see this than another World Cup at this point as I think the idiots in charge will ruin it again with another team Europe/North America crap fest - I have no faith they could do that right - this, hard to f*** this up.

 

[Tomas W]

Just make a proper international world cup tournament without gimmicks, like every other sports, how hard can it it be?

That said I still think the last WC was kinda fun, but let the format be one for the history books.

 

[Eye of Ra]

yes, that would be awesome.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Sweden.

Jonathan Dahlen - Elias Pettersson - William Nylander
Victor Olofsson - Lucas Wallmark - Oscar Lindblom
Victor Ejdsell - Adrian Kempe - Pierre Engvall
Joel Eriksson Ek - Lias Andersson - Axel Jonsson Fjällby

Gustav Forsling - Andreas Borgman
Sebastian Aho - Lawrence Pilut
Rasmus Dahlin - Rasmus Andersson

Söderström
F.Gustavson
Sandström

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Sigh...Czechoslovakia does not exist as country anymore. You even list Slovakia as well, that didn't strike you as odd? It's Czech Republic and Slovakia.

 

[MitchMurphy]

Sweden.

Jonathan Dahlen - Elias Pettersson - William Nylander
Victor Olofsson - Lucas Wallmark - Oscar Lindblom
Victor Ejdsell - Adrian Kempe - Pierre Engvall
Joel Eriksson Ek - Lias Andersson - Axel Jonsson Fjällby

Gustav Forsling - Andreas Borgman
Sebastian Aho - Lawrence Pilut
Rasmus Dahlin - Rasmus Andersson

Söderström
F.Gustavson
Sandström

Jesper Bratt?

 

[Spawn]

Can't help but think the players would have absolutely no interest in participating in this. At least not the top guys.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Jesper Bratt?

who?













just kidding i forgot him.

 

[AmericanDream]

Sigh...Czechoslovakia does not exist as country anymore. You even list Slovakia as well, that didn't strike you as odd? It's Czech Republic and Slovakia.

take it easy, it auto corrected it and didn't realize it...

 

[Big Phil]

No thanks. Reminds me too much of the debacle of 2016. The World Cup is one of those things that a monkey could have not screwed up..................and yet the NHL did just that with their format.

 

[AmericanDream]

Sweden.

Jonathan Dahlen - Elias Pettersson - William Nylander
Victor Olofsson - Lucas Wallmark - Oscar Lindblom
Victor Ejdsell - Adrian Kempe - Pierre Engvall
Joel Eriksson Ek - Lias Andersson - Axel Jonsson Fjällby

Gustav Forsling - Andreas Borgman
Sebastian Aho - Lawrence Pilut
Rasmus Dahlin - Rasmus Andersson

Söderström
F.Gustavson
Sandström

this would definitely be a rebuilding year for Sweden...lot of young kids here - I am surprised on that defense, just would have thought more NHL talent to be honest.

 

[1Gold Standard]

no thanks. If they are going to continue down this gimmicky road, I'd prefer this gimmick. 8 game summit series in 2022 to commemorate the 50th. anniversary of the original summit series; only this one is a Canada-USA series. because let's face it, Canada v USA games is where it's at and the only games worth watching.

Seattle Vancouver
Chicago Winnipeg
Detroit Toronto
New York Montreal.

hell, I'll even reverse the schedule and give the Americans the final home game if U.S. Broadcasters want to cough up more dough for broadcast rights.

Start the hype machine today.

 

[tony d]

Doubt this happens. The last World Cup wasn't that bad but I do think it'll be only national teams for the next World Cup.

 

[AmericanDream]

just give me something best on best for the love of God

 

[93LEAFS]

Because of how long goalie development takes, if they ever make a U-23 tournament, there should be an exemption to bring one u-27 goalie or something. I'd think having AHL level goaltending would hurt the tournament, and its not unheard of for U-23 events to have exemptions. Soccer at the Olympics I believe allows 3 players over 23 on the roster. I don't think I'd go to that extreme, but giving each team something close to NHL goaltending would be a good thing.

 

[AmericanDream]

Because of how long goalie development takes, if they ever make a U-23 tournament, there should be an exemption to bring one u-27 goalie or something. I'd think having AHL level goaltending would hurt the tournament, and its not unheard of for U-23 events to have exemptions. Soccer at the Olympics I believe allows 3 players over 23 on the roster. I don't think I'd go to that extreme, but giving each team something close to NHL goaltending would be a good thing.

I would be cool with goalies can be 25 and under!!

USA welcomes back John Gibson and Connor Hellebuyck!!

 

[Erikfromfin]

Posted already on another thread Finland 23 and under squad atm

Patrik Laine - Aleksander Barkov - Mikko Rantanen
Teuvo Teräväinen - Sebastian Aho - Eeli Tolvanen
Artturi Lehkonen - Henrik Borgström - Jesse Puljujärvi
Kristian Vesalainen - Roope Hintz - Kasperi Kapanen
Janne Kuokkanen - Aleksi Saarela

Olli Määttä - Rasmus Ristolainen
Esa Lindell - Julius Honka
Markus Nutivaara - Miro Heiskanen
Sami Niku - Olli Juolevi

Juuse Saros
Joonas Korpisalo
Ville Husso