What a great hockey!

[Kshahdoo]

What a great hockey these two games were, Russia vs USA and Canada vs Swiss. You won't see anything like this in the NHL. Yeah, NHL games probably look faster because of the ice size (I'd call them more headless, though), they are definitely more physical, they are probably better coached in most cases, but as to pure hockey skill and aesthetic they aren't even close to these WHC games.

Now imagine what are we losing without best vs best hockey tournaments...

Click to read more...

 

[geisterpanthers]

Totally agree, I'm bored of the NHL playoffs and glad it's WC.

Why in the world isn't the QF on 2 days though!? feels like a waste that you can only watch 2 of those 4 games live.

 

[jj cale]

There have been loads of great games in the n.h.l playoffs this year and far less absolute 8-0 blowouts(lot of fun this is), this is just European fan chest thumping that we hear every year at this tournament and it's boring to have to put up with each year.I am sorry, you are not gonna change our minds over here.

Some of you overrate the games at the WHC compared to the n.h.l ones, it's just all a lot of hot air.

 

[Jakk123]

There have been loads of great games in the n.h.l playoffs this year and far less absolute 8-0 blowouts(lot of fun this is), this is just European fan chest thumping that we hear every year at this tournament and it's boring to have to put up with each year.I am sorry, you are not gonna change our minds over here.

Some of you overrate the games at the WHC compared to the n.h.l ones, it's just all a lot of hot air.

I agree. Those QF games were great, but I wouldn't say you can't see anything like that in the NHL. However, I must say I miss best-on-best international hockey.

 

[jj cale]

I agree. Those QF games were great, but I wouldn't say you can't see anything like that in the NHL. However, I must say I miss best-on-best international hockey.

I miss it too, although that doesn't even guarantee fantastic action, look at Sochi 2014 as a case in point.

 

[LateSleeper]

There have been loads of great games in the n.h.l playoffs this year and far less absolute 8-0 blowouts(lot of fun this is), this is just European fan chest thumping that we hear every year at this tournament and it's boring to have to put up with each year.I am sorry, you are not gonna change our minds over here.

Some of you overrate the games at the WHC compared to the n.h.l ones, it's just all a lot of hot air.

^^^ Denial.

 

[jj cale]

^^^ Denial.

No really, I'm not, fans like you are.

There is always real good games at both the WHC and the NHL playoffs, take your preference but this attitude of one is clearly better is just fans bias hot air.

I watch tons of games of both so I'm not fooled, sorry.

One big difference is that fans over here don't make threads pushing their bias of the N.H.L over the WHC, that is your guys yearly schtick.

And it's a bore and waste of thread space.

 

[LateSleeper]

No really, I'm not, fans like you are.

There is always real good games at both the WHC and the NHL playoffs, take your preference but this attitude of one is clearly better is just fans bias hot air.

I watch tons of games of both so I'm not fooled, sorry.

One big difference is that fans over here don't make threads pushing their bias of the N.H.L over the WHC, that is your guys yearly schtick.

And it's a bore and waste of thread space.

^^^ Whining.

 

[Kshahdoo]

No really, I'm not, fans like you are.

There is always real good games at both the WHC and the NHL playoffs, take your preference but this attitude of one is clearly better is just fans bias hot air.

I watch tons of games of both so I'm not fooled, sorry.

One big difference is that fans over here don't make threads pushing their bias of the N.H.L over the WHC, that is your guys yearly schtick.

And it's a bore and waste of thread space.

NHL has a lot of great games... in NHL/NA manner. I.e. a lot of speed, hits and that south/north hockey. The league has alway had those great games, even legendary ones. But when you ask people, what hockey games were the best ever, a lot of experts and hardcore hockey fans call Canada Cup 87 final series between Canada and USSR. Not just because of great superstars, that played in that series, but because of beauty of the games. Those games were state-of-the-art of hockey.

That's what the best international games bring to hockey, aesthetic you won't see in the NHL.

 

[garbageteam]

The NHL playoffs and the WHCs are very different games. The intensity, emotions, headgames and all the stuff that happens off the ice in between games is gripping in the NHL. At the WHCs it's random, sporadic, the rivalries aren't as entrenched. Following a series of 7 games brings you on an emotional roller-coaster ride that's hard to replicate at the WHCs. As well, I do like the pace and aggression that's more inherent and obvious in a NHL playoff game more than the open ice.

That said, I can never get behind really caring about an NHL game that doesn't involve my team, and I don't really understand those who do. It's sort of like watching the PGA tour for me, or watching another Golden State NBA series. Irrelevant background sports at a bar. There is nothing gripping me to be emotionally invested in the SCFs even if a game goes into quadruple OT that would make me make a passing glance at it. If someone didn't forcibly tell me and I wasn't looking for which players Canada could still add to their roster, I wouldn't even know who's still left in the playoffs.

Following Team Canada has far more importance to me no matter who's putting on the jerseys and representing our country than a professional business that doesn't represent any part of my identity or geography.

 

[jj cale]

NHL has a lot of great games... in NHL/NA manner. I.e. a lot of speed, hits and that south/north hockey. The league has alway had those great games, even legendary ones. But when you ask people, what hockey games were the best ever, a lot of experts and hardcore hockey fans call Canada Cup 87 final series between Canada and USSR. Not just because of great superstars, that played in that series, but because of beauty of the games.

That's what the best international games bring to hockey, aesthetic you won't see in the NHL.

At times yes, and then you can get sochi like tournaments too like I mentioned. That one was best on best but didn't have much drama and many great games, this N.H.L playoffs alone blows that tournament away.

It all depends.

 

[JackSlater]

I prefer the NHL playoffs for the most part, but there is no need to choose. The IIHF tournament is a different experience, held at different times and with, for the most part, a very different style. One plus for the IIHF tournament is that most fans by default have a team to support. I also somewhat enjoy the randomness of IIHF teams, where I really can't begin to guess which lines, pairings or even players a given team Canada will feature. I would rather see the best players, but there is a sort of enjoyment from seeing that Turris, McCann and Mantha randomly have good chemistry.

I do agree that best on best is missed. It doesn't necessarily translate to great hockey from an aesthetic perspective though. The 1996 World Cup and the 1998/2010 Olympics were extremely entertaining, for instance, while the 2004 World Cup and 2014 Olympics were pretty boring. The 1987 Canada Cup was also of course very entertaining, but that was when styles were very distinct. Also, when it comes to both the NHL and the IIHF world championship, the teams generally have more time together to gel and work on strategy than you see in best on best tournaments.

 

[geisterpanthers]

No really, I'm not, fans like you are.

There is always real good games at both the WHC and the NHL playoffs, take your preference but this attitude of one is clearly better is just fans bias hot air.

I watch tons of games of both so I'm not fooled, sorry.

One big difference is that fans over here don't make threads pushing their bias of the N.H.L over the WHC, that is your guys yearly schtick.

And it's a bore and waste of thread space.

My biggest gripe right now abt the NHL playoffs is how much the referees take influence on the outcome of games, blown calls are on thing, far worse imo is all those make up penalties being called all the time. If one team is playing dirty then let them have 5 more penalties than the other, but we will rarely see this in the NHL. They should call it like they do in the regular season, so we'd get a more modern brand of hockey also in the Playoffs.

 

[jj cale]

My biggest gripe right now abt the NHL playoffs is how much the referees take influence on the outcome of games, blown calls are on thing, far worse imo is all those make up penalties being called all the time. If one team is playing dirty then let them have 5 more penalties than the other, but we will rarely see this in the NHL. They should call it like they do in the regular season, so we'd get a more modern brand of hockey also in the Playoffs.

But they always groan endlessly about the reffing at the WHC here every single year too.

Whats the difference?

 

[QnebO]

It was stupid to put gimmick teams in world cup. "Team na" or random europeans with no common language won. No one gives a f***. National games have their own touch and emotion, bettman was able to make it worthless piece of money grab.

 

[Thedogo]

It was stupid to put gimmick teams in world cup. "Team na" or random europeans with no common language won. No one gives a ****. National games have their own touch and emotion, bettman was able to make it worthless piece of money grab.

Hopefully this time for the world cup they pick 2 REAL countries in those spots.

 

[Barkkonen]

Yeah world cup after NHL regular season and with no gimmick teams would be super... no way that happens unless NHL is prepared to postpone playoffs by 2weeks.

 

[jj cale]

^^^ Whining.

No, just being honest, something that you appear to be incapable of doing.

 

[Atas2000]

There have been loads of great games in the n.h.l playoffs this year and far less absolute 8-0 blowouts(lot of fun this is), this is just European fan chest thumping that we hear every year at this tournament and it's boring to have to put up with each year.I am sorry, you are not gonna change our minds over here.

Some of you overrate the games at the WHC compared to the n.h.l ones, it's just all a lot of hot air.

The NHL playoffs are a lot of hot air for at least three years now. They can't me watching.

P.S. We don't want to change your mind. Stay away if you please.

 

[jj cale]

The NHL playoffs are a lot of hot air for at least three years now. They can't me watching.

P.S. We don't want to change your mind. Stay away if you please.

I am not staying away, I like the WHC, I like and respect them both, unlike some of you guys.

 

[Jablkon]

Watch out we are comming to semis and it will be ....something different) Definetely not a SC playoff.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Totally agree, I'm bored of the NHL playoffs and glad it's WC.

Why in the world isn't the QF on 2 days though!? feels like a waste that you can only watch 2 of those 4 games live.

They used to stagger the start times (2012, for example).

 

[bert]

What a great hockey these two games were, Russia vs USA and Canada vs Swiss. You won't see anything like this in the NHL. Yeah, NHL games probably look faster because of the ice size (I'd call them more headless, though), they are definitely more physical, they are probably better coached in most cases, but as to pure hockey skill and aesthetic they aren't even close to these WHC games.

Now imagine what are we losing without best vs best hockey tournaments...

All you gotta do is watch Kyle Turris in an NHL playoff game then a World Championship game to prove you couldnt be more wrong. He literally couldnt keep up a month ago and now looks like a star.

 

[Name Nameless]

It was stupid to put gimmick teams in world cup. "Team na" or random europeans with no common language won. No one gives a ****. National games have their own touch and emotion, bettman was able to make it worthless piece of money grab.

I'm not so sure. The NHL world cup is a gimmick in itself. Here in Norway, it was still covered somewhat though, because Zuccarello was with it. There may have been a similar effect in other small hockey-countries. And we are nations in which hockey needs more coverage.

The gimmick was the U23-thingy. Top 7 nations and Team Europe could have created max interest, but Team Europe -with all-star NHL-ers - would still be potentially very strong.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Different styles, and both are a lot of fun.

One thing I would like in the international games is for the last couple of rounds to be at least two out of three.