What is the better Elite competition to expand hockey, in the Olympics, or World Cup?

[God Bless Canada]

Well said. I would add that the Olympics would be better for fans, and the World Cup would be better for NHL owners.

P.S. Guys, enjoy this Torino Olympic hockey to the fullest because there is a good possibility that we won't see NHLers in 2010....

Actually, I can guarantee you we will see NHLers in 2010. It's in Vancouver. Do you honestly think the NHL won't send its players to the Olympics, when it's held in one of their markets, and they have the opportunity to get prime-time TV slots in North America. It would be a disaster for all sides - the NHL, the IIHF and especially the Vancouver organizing committee - if NHLers weren't playing in 2010.

After 2010? That's a whole different story.

 

[katodelder]

I, for one, have a great appetite for international hockey tourneys. I like it the way it is now.

Not only would I not want to do away with the World Cup, but I'd expand the number of countries participating. Perhaps chosing a single nation as host would be a good idea. But the current multi-nation setup is also interesting. I find it neat that the Olympics provide a platorm for the world's best on the large ice surfaces while the World Cup provides one for the smaller surfaces. I wouldn't change the World Championships either.

Concerns over travel & injuries will always be there. Hopefully they won't be enough to cause the abandonment of any international touneys and can be worked out through better scheduling or other more innovative ideas that will apease all involved, from NHL owners to players to fans.

 

[Firsov99]

Actually, I can guarantee you we will see NHLers in 2010. It's in Vancouver. Do you honestly think the NHL won't send its players to the Olympics, when it's held in one of their markets, and they have the opportunity to get prime-time TV slots in North America. It would be a disaster for all sides - the NHL, the IIHF and especially the Vancouver organizing committee - if NHLers weren't playing in 2010.

After 2010? That's a whole different story.

I completely forgot that the next Olympics will be held in Canada. Then you are, probably, right: this will be a great opportunity for NHL to make money and for the fans to enjoy yeat another hockey feast.

It's interesting that this is coming up. Soccer and basketball both send their best to the Olympics, and have a World Cup (World Championship) during the in-between year.

It's a little off top for the hockey board, but the best soccer players won't participate in the Olympics in the near future.

 

[MentalPowerHouse]

NHL players don't belong in the Italy or any other Olympics. When all the countries are marched in during the opening ceremony did you see the hockey players? No, they were still playing in the NHL. They flown in days later. That alone tells me they probably don't belong, and when combined with all the conflicts of interests between Olympics and NHL teams that have prevented several players from playing, its clear they don't belong. In most olympic sports they train for the Olympics, not for club play. So a guy like Kipursof would be playing.

World Cup every 4 years before the NHL season is what we need. Actually every other year would be better

 

[Jazz]

NHL players don't belong in the Italy or any other Olympics. When all the countries are marched in during the opening ceremony did you see the hockey players? No, they were still playing in the NHL. They flown in days later. That alone tells me they probably don't belong, and when combined with all the conflicts of interests between Olympics and NHL teams that have prevented several players from playing, its clear they don't belong. In most olympic sports they train for the Olympics, not for club play. So a guy like Kipursof would be playing.

World Cup every 4 years before the NHL season is what we need. Actually every other year would be better

I'm sorry, but this makes no sense - many athletes do NOT participate in the opening ceremonies...Eg, in the Summer Games, many track athletes are not there since the Athletics don't start until the 2nd week...

 

[Jazz]

I want both. Canada, Russia, Sweden, the Czech rep. - all top 7 nationalteams are so great. I want to see them as much as possible.

Both for me is great as well, but it seems that the players are getting a bit weary of having an elite tournament every 2 years.

So, if I had to choose between the 2, then it's the Olymipics - it serves the hockey world better...

 

[Cawz]

Both for me is great as well, but it seems that the players are getting a bit weary of having an elite tournament every 2 years.

So, if I had to choose between the 2, then it's the Olymipics - it serves the hockey world better...

Ya, I agree.

It would be great to have both, but it has to be hard having an huge international tournament along with a full season every other year.

The choice of 'both' shouldnt even be there. Apparently, the players want one or the other. They just have to mesh the olympics with the season better in 2010.

 

[Slitty]

If you have too much top-tier international hockey, it becomes less special. None of the Europeans think the World Cup is important or prestigious so teams (like Russia) end up icing weakened teams with Bryzgalov as their starter. Many more people watch the Olympics, and hockey players tend to be way more excited for the Olympics.

We already have a 2nd rate tournament running every year in the World Championships, no need for the World Cup... either get rid of it or make it less frequent.

 

[JVR]

The world cup should be for the pros, the Olympics should be for the kids.

So what should germany do then. There is no college-hockey in Germany. So only 17-year olds and 3rd league players should compete for us?

 

[Canuck21t]

If you have too much top-tier international hockey, it becomes less special. None of the Europeans think the World Cup is important or prestigious so teams (like Russia) end up icing weakened teams with Bryzgalov as their starter. Many more people watch the Olympics, and hockey players tend to be way more excited for the Olympics.

We already have a 2nd rate tournament running every year in the World Championships, no need for the World Cup... either get rid of it or make it less frequent.

Uh... Finns seems to take the World Cup seriously. Anyway, I do agree that the Olympics are the best. I love international hockey, especially best on best tournaments but if we can't have two, then the Olympics should be THE tournament.

 

[Metallian*]

The world cup should be for the pros, the Olympics should be for the kids.

they already have the Frozen Four for non-pro's

 

[Metallian*]

they better get rid of the WC
it has made these Olympics mean so much less...

big tournaments like this should be once every 4 years. if they had a World Cup for football every 2 years it wouldnt nearly be as insanely popular, but the wait makes us all want it more and appreciate it more

its a useless tournament that came in handy with the lockout, but now its just useless and should be put on the shelf unless another emergency comes along (ie. no NHL after 2010)

 

[jepjepjoo]

Yeah... Olympics and thats it. I don't think anyone even saw/cared about the last world cup. I know I'm in no mood to see hockey in August with a bunch of out of shape players. During the Olympics, ever player is in shape and ready to go.

bah. I was in the army here in Finland at the time of last World Cup. It was still basic training period so we had lights out at 10pm and woke up 5:30am, but the whole brigade was woken up for the Canada - Finland final at 2am(??).

 

[jekoh]

Plus, it's held in Canada.

It doesn't have to.

The Olympics is a more legitimate tournament. It's not invitational, it's not always played in the same country, it has more teams, it's not organized by one of many leagues but by the international governing body...

 

[yarre]

I like them both but the Olympics feels x100 tims more fun and important to win.

 

[Borlag]

I have to agree that while I like watching both and can never really get too much good hockey. It is a bit too much to have a tournament of this size every 2 years. If World Cup would be changed to every 6 years, it wouldn't really make it any better and at worst you'd have both the Olympics and the World Cup in the same year. Makes no sense whatsoever.

Olympics in my opinion advertize hockey more than World Cup ever could. For one, the Olympics are being arranged all over the world and thus it's bound to gather some interest from the countries not that familiar with hockey. On top of this, in there you have more spectators potentially from the people waiting for "their sport" to begin. Who knows how many people get interested in hockey after those. Compare that to the World Cup which basically has only prior hockey fans to begin with and which is always arranged in N.America where hockey does have a stand already even if it's not in the top 3 sports in USA.

 

[TK79]

It's interesting that this is coming up. Soccer and basketball both send their best to the Olympics, and have a World Cup (World Championship) during the in-between year.

In terms of growing the game, the Olympics is the better way to grow. You're going to attract more people, more viewers. There's also much more history behind Olympic gold than that bizarre trophy the NHL had designed for the World Cup. (Someone actually paid money for that?)

I think there is a place for the World Cup, if it's done right. I think it might be best to alternate locations, like the World Cup of Soccer, if we could guarantee that the fans in the host country would turn out for all the games, not just the medal round games and contests involving the host team. It also has to be presented as a tournament that means something, by making the players care about it. (Gretzky did an excellent job of that for Canada in the last World Cup, because players knew that a strong performance would cinch their spot on the 2006 Olympic team).

Soccer doesn't send it's best to the Olympics by the way..

 

[Petey21]

Hockey can never get boring, the more the merrier.

But I rank the Olympics higher than the World Cup, because it gives a bigger audience around the world a chance to watch world class hockey. But there's room for both of these tournaments, true hockey fans don't say "less is more".

 

[Sampe]

I find it neat that the Olympics provide a platorm for the world's best on the large ice surfaces while the World Cup provides one for the smaller surfaces.

I agree that both surfaces should be featured in hockey, but the NHL already provides the platform for smaller rinks. I wouldn't mind international hockey being played on them, but I would personally drop the World Cup format and keep the World Championships roughly as it is except for making it a tournament for all the best players each country can offer. Keeping it as it is includes rotating the hosts and, well, it's easier and more cost effective to have the tournament on larger ice surfaces. The majority of the potential hosts are running their leagues on them.

And as for having no international tournament but the Olympics, that would make hockey just about the only team sport of its size to not have a world championship. That should tell us something about how important international competition is. People complain about the frequency of these tournaments, but I don't see anyone complaining that there are 1290-1335 NHL games each season. Many of us European fans consider international hockey more important than the NHL (me included) so I suggest others try and think about this from our point of view, too.

 

[edd1e]

It would be really sad if Olympics where an amateur ice hockey tournament, but NHL owners are greedy and they show it by this ridiculous schedule. Really sad..

 

[Legionnaire]

Room for them both. More competive hockey the better I say.

 

[Ola]

Uh... Finns seems to take the World Cup seriously. Anyway, I do agree that the Olympics are the best. I love international hockey, especially best on best tournaments but if we can't have two, then the Olympics should be THE tournament.

Swedes defenitly do too. Though the markets you want are USA and Germany.