What happened to WJC discussion here?

[ClarkBolzano]

no Russian team makes this a boring tourney. prob the TC sex scandal also played a role in the lack of interest

Yes, Russia would make It much more interesting. Russia ist the only Nation that could compete with canada this year. And i think a Lot of people would Like to see Michkov vs Bedard.

 

[Vagrant]

more nhl teams are electing to promote their top talent to the league rather than develop them in the CHL. the CHL has become a place where you want to get your prospects away from at this point at 18 or older. some first round picks would play in the WJC 3 times, but most talent now only plays their draft year and it's not even close to a meaningful sample of the best 20 year old or under players in the country. plus, it seems like the kids don't get as juiced about it as they used to and the team element and country pride has kind of fallen off. it's just not a big deal anymore. it's a talent showcase of B class prospects if they're 19 or older. the nhl not going to the olympics has also had an impact on it, because you can't see the same talent matriculate there. it's no more important than traverse city or something now.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

more nhl teams are electing to promote their top talent to the league rather than develop them in the CHL. the CHL has become a place where you want to get your prospects away from at this point at 18 or older. some first round picks would play in the WJC 3 times, but most talent now only plays their draft year and it's not even close to a meaningful sample of the best 20 year old or under players in the country. plus, it seems like the kids don't get as juiced about it as they used to and the team element and country pride has kind of fallen off. it's just not a big deal anymore. it's a talent showcase of B class prospects if they're 19 or older. the nhl not going to the olympics has also had an impact on it, because you can't see the same talent matriculate there. it's no more important than traverse city or something now.

I mean I don't think this is true in like a tangible way. There isn't like noticeably less prospects made available for this tournament then there was 15-20 years ago. Every year varies in hard numbers slightly but there hasn't been some over arching trend of keeping prospects out of the CHL in general or this tournament specifically. You are just wrong about that.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Fwiw: I just got home from Moncton. I was REALLY impressed w how the Canada fans support the tourney (I’m from Boston). Every game I went to had a great crowd of Canada fans. Seems like a lot of folks are still invested. Kudos to Canada.

 

[JackSlater]

more nhl teams are electing to promote their top talent to the league rather than develop them in the CHL. the CHL has become a place where you want to get your prospects away from at this point at 18 or older. some first round picks would play in the WJC 3 times, but most talent now only plays their draft year and it's not even close to a meaningful sample of the best 20 year old or under players in the country. plus, it seems like the kids don't get as juiced about it as they used to and the team element and country pride has kind of fallen off. it's just not a big deal anymore. it's a talent showcase of B class prospects if they're 19 or older. the nhl not going to the olympics has also had an impact on it, because you can't see the same talent matriculate there. it's no more important than traverse city or something now.

There are only four players missing this tournament due to the NHL. That's well below normal. There used to be times there would be 20+ players missing from this tournament. There were 17 missing due to the NHL as recently as 2017. At least pick a reasonable theory to rant about.

 

[Hanji]

It's a perfect storm of circumstances making the tourney redundant and a little boring, imo

-The previous WJC was only 5 months ago.
-Canada is hosting again (4th time in 6 years)
-The absence of Russia thins the competition ; especially given their immensely talented 2003-2004 age groups.
-Down year in talent for both Sweden and Finland.

I dunno, apart from the Bedard show, this year's edition is lacking excitement and compelling storylines.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

There are only four players missing this tournament due to the NHL. That's well below normal. There used to be times there would be 20+ players missing from this tournament. There were 17 missing due to the NHL as recently as 2017. At least pick a reasonable theory to rant about.

I’ve been wondering about that. Who are the 4?

 

[Jaska]

Yes, Russia would make It much more interesting. Russia ist the only Nation that could compete with canada this year. And i think a Lot of people would Like to see Michkov vs Bedard.

With Russia in the tournament at least Finland and Sweden would sit out. Maybe also Chechia, Swiss...

 

[JackSlater]

I’ve been wondering about that. Who are the 4?

Slafkovsky for Slovakia, McTavish, Sillinger, and Johnston for Canada. Edvinsson and Kasper opted not to play for Sweden and Austria respectively but they are not in the NHL.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

It is interesting the people saying they aren't watching the tournament because it is "less competitive" without Russia have missed an incredibly competitive tournament that has featured multiple upsets of top teams.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Slafkovsky for Slovakia, McTavish, Sillinger, and Johnston for Canada. Edvinsson and Kasper opted not to play for Sweden and Austria respectively but they are not in the NHL.

Thx

 

[rt]

I'm not sure if this subject is permitted on this forum, but surely this would be the best place for it.

Anyway, it's not awfully long ago when this tournament was debated here in such a lively fashion - match threads were long and colourful and side subject threads were constantly opened and debated. Now, well, this... Anemic and lack lustre. I'm well aware that newer forms of social media have led to a partial demise of forums but this change here seems exceptionally sudden and steep. What could be the explanation? Less interest in Canada? Certainly also much less European fans here than there used to be. In any case quite unfortunate, this subforum for this tournament is a shadow of its old self.

Personally, I don’t have time to watch all the games live. I watch them recorded at night and it takes me a day or two extra to get caught up. So I’m not going to comment in game day thread conversations that are two days old.

 

[JackSlater]

It is interesting the people saying they aren't watching the tournament because it is "less competitive" without Russia have missed an incredibly competitive tournament that has featured multiple upsets of top teams.

This is the most competitive that Slovakia and Czech country have looked in a long time. It would be a better quality tournament with Russia there along with everyone else, but competitiveness has not really been an issue. No team even won all four of its group games.

 

[ORRFForever]

Has anyone seen the WJR TV ratings? I'm just curious as to what they are.

 

[Czechboy]

This is the most competitive that Slovakia and Czech country have looked in a long time. It would be a better quality tournament with Russia there along with everyone else, but competitiveness has not really been an issue. No team even won all four of its group games.

I' think' and you'be a good to guy ask that posters think if Russia were here that Austria wouldn't be. Didn't they qualify for this and then the covid freezes? They would've been here. Belarus too so no Latvia and who else would fall?

I could be wrong on this but I thought Latvia got the 'no Russia' bump and not Austria.

 

[JackSlater]

I' think' and you'be a good to guy ask that posters think if Russia were here that Austria wouldn't be. Didn't they qualify for this and then the covid freezes? They would've been here. Belarus too so no Latvia and who else would fall?

I could be wrong on this but I thought Latvia got the 'no Russia' bump and not Austria.

Yes, Latvia is the team that got added due to Russia's invasion. Austria was saved due to the lack of relegation in the summer tournament.

 

[MXD]

Speaking of Russia, should they be reinstated in the IIHF, what happens with Norway?

 

[Czechboy]

Speaking of Russia, should they be reinstated in the IIHF, what happens with Norway?

I mean, Slovakia had to start in division C and really, all they did was get invaded by Russia.lol Not trying to be political.. that is what happened. Russia rolled in and took over Czechoslovakia.. they seperated and the Czechs were in A pool and Slovakia was tossed to the C pool (with players like Palffy, Bondra, Stastny kicking around). It was a f***en travesty!

I assume they'd put them in A pool though.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Not the same without Russia.

Let the boys play hockey and leave politics out of it.

 

[GX]

Not the same without Russia.

Let the boys play hockey and leave politics out of it.

Here are the draft groups for the 2024 WJC, if terroristic russia takes part. It's clear that Finland and Latvia pulls out. And very likely that Czechia, Slovakia and Sweden join them. (Don't know about other European nations, so let's assume they stay)

Group A:
russia
USA
Germany
belarus
France

Group B:
Canada
Switzerland
Austria
Norway
Kazakhstan

Looks like a real juicy competition there!

 

[Conbon]

What do you think Reddit has to offer members that hfboards doesn’t?

It is integrated into a site that everyone is already on

 

[I Hart Conor Garland]

It is integrated into a site that everyone is already on

What does this mean? I assume on Reddit you sign into a platform and then you were on there. On this site I sign onto this platform and I am here.

 

[Recipe Unlimited]

It's a perfect storm of circumstances making the tourney redundant and a little boring, imo

-The previous WJC was only 5 months ago.
-Canada is hosting again (4th time in 6 years)
-The absence of Russia thins the competition ; especially given their immensely talented 2003-2004 age groups.
-Down year in talent for both Sweden and Finland.

I dunno, apart from the Bedard show, this year's edition is lacking excitement and compelling storylines.

This, plus internet forums are a dying form of social media.

The average age on this site is probably 55.

 

[daver]

This, plus internet forums are a dying form of social media.

The average age on this site is probably 55.

Whatchu Talkin' 'Bout Recipe Unlimited? I pity the fool who uses Reddit.

 

[SaltNPeca]

Reddit discussions are usually awful though. It's mostly posters karma whoring, making the same jokes over and over again and if you say anything slightly against the hivemind you get downvoted into oblivion. All sports subreddits there are awful about this.

I find the upvote/downvote model of ranking threads and comments quite good in principle. I do enjoy some subreddits, none sports-related, which are well moderated with balanced viewpoints in the comments.

Problem is when the "community" & mods are highly biased, opinionated, and sometimes on the young/ignorant side. It is worse on Instagram.

storytime:

I've been blocked/banned on several platforms for posting facts which disturb the hivemind (or echo chamber). Best was probably being banned for "misinformation" from r/news for stating the Canadian Trucker Convoy was very large in response to a biased and wrong News article downplaying it's size and significance early on. I was later un-banned without comment, but unfollowed anyways.​