Who else has very little interest in the Four Nations tournament?

[Reality Czech]

Some American fans.

Fair point.

 

[MNRube]

If you want to toss quotes around pertaining to this “tournament”, here’s another that fits…

“If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” — Chinese Proverb

This tournament, shutting down the NHL mid season and not all of its stars having an opportunity to participate, is being done far from right/correctly.

To the second bolded statement, that would be an improvement towards getting the best players involved, but they didn’t do that and that’s why the 4 team tourney is a joke. Good old NHL and its half baked ideas.

I’d rather watch players shoot meat pucks at alligators.

If you can’t enjoy watching 75% of the best players on the planet playing for their country, what’s the point of being a hockey fan? It’s far from a perfect scenario but there is still plenty to like.

MacKinnon, McDavid, Makar finally playing together

US with its best team ever. Stacked at every position.

Both Scandinavian countries absolutely loaded with talent and capable of winning.

 

[macbowes]

What about the whole “sports is outside politics” thing ?

Not sure that's really a thing.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

This is in the middle of the season? Why would the players try hard for this mid season....

If you can’t enjoy watching 75% of the best players on the planet playing for their country, what’s the point of being a hockey fan? It’s far from a perfect scenario but there is still plenty to like.

MacKinnon, McDavid, Makar finally playing together

US with its best team ever. Stacked at every position.

Both Scandinavian countries absolutely loaded with talent and capable of winning.

Will they play hard like its the olympics though?

 

[End on a Hinote]

What about the whole “sports is outside politics” thing ?

It's not.

Some of the most famous/infamous moments in international North American sports (Miracle on Ice, '72 Summit Series, USA vs. USSR '72 basketball) all had political connotations.

And let's not forget how frequently reminded we are of how oh so irrelevant Canada is whenever team Canada wins an international hockey tournament.

 

[BB79]

What about the whole “sports is outside politics” thing ?

The same thing that happened to no tolerance on talk about politics on here, apparently

 

[Rabid Ranger]

It's not the best international hockey event imaginable, but it's something, and the players seem to care as well as the hockey federations that are involved. It will be great as an American to see so many great U.S. players on the same team at the same time since forever. At the very least it will be a nice precursor to the Olympics where the stakes will be much higher.

 

[ViD]

I wonder how players are going to treat this.

A meaningless tournament in the middle of the season, not sure they will be going 100% risking injuries

 

[swissdude]

"Could not care less" = You care, btw.

not according to dictionary in UK

I couldn't care less​

used to emphasize rudely that you are not interested in or worried about something or someone:

 

[brentashton]

If you can’t enjoy watching 75% of the best players on the planet playing for their country, what’s the point of being a hockey fan? It’s far from a perfect scenario but there is still plenty to like.

MacKinnon, McDavid, Makar finally playing together

US with its best team ever. Stacked at every position.

Both Scandinavian countries absolutely loaded with talent and capable of winning.

Meh. It’s a half assed attempt at a world class tournament . If I casually see a game or 2 that will be the max but I doubt I will watch even that. That’s ok, you enjoy. We’re humans we can all appreciate different things.

 

[ACC1224]

Looking forward to it, think it's going to be great.

 

[Skullz]

I doubt I will watch.

 

[Ghost of Murph]

The players are foolish if they go all out and risk injury in a tournament that is completely meaningless, as well as dumb to begin with given who has been excluded. Actual NHL games are what I care about.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Russia and Sweden are basically neck and neck for third best country.

Kucherov, Panarin, Kaprizov are all marquee forwards. Malkin and Ovechkin still kicking. Buchnevich, Kuzmenko, Svechnikov, Tarasenko, Barbashev, Nichushkin (maybe), Chinakhov, Kuznetsov, Marchenko, possibly even Michkov. There's a lot of solid options throughout a potential lineup.

On Defense, there's Sergachev, Provorov, Zadorov, Gavrikov, Romanov, Orlov, Mintyukov, Kulikov, Lyubushkin, Zub, Nikishin. Not exactly top tier but good enough to hold its own.

Best goaltending options in the world with Shesterkin, Vasilevskiy, Bobrovksy.

Russia would not be the favorite but could win on any given day.

So their C depth, the most important position in hockey, is Malkin, Kuznetsov… Barbashev?

The Defense, the second most important position in hockey, is a bunch of guys who wouldn’t make the Canadian or US team.

They’re not true contenders

You serious?

See above.

 

[Bard Marchand]

"Could not care less" = You care, btw.

Not sure if you are trying to dunk on me here or if you are illiterate or what... what is this?

 

[WarriorofTime]

So their C depth, the most important position in hockey, is Malkin, Kuznetsov… Barbashev?

The Defense, the second most important position in hockey, is a bunch of guys who wouldn’t make the Canadian or US team.

They’re not true contenders


See above.

There is nothing magical about center spot when you have wingers who are great playmakers. Yes I suppose faceoffs would be a hypothetical concern.

 

[nbwingsfan]

There is nothing magical about center spot when you have wingers who are great playmakers. Yes I suppose faceoffs would be a hypothetical concern.

There is 100% more importance to C than wingers. This has literally always been true,

In fact, you were just in another thread saying the Wings will never be good because they don’t have good Cs

 

[WarriorofTime]

There is 100% more importance to C than wingers. This has literally always been true,

In fact, you were just in another thread saying the Wings will never be good because they don’t have good Cs

No, it's not. Just 40 some years ago, Canada started putting all the best kids on Center with Wingers being a demotion, and since they are the most prolific hockey nation, that created a perception that good players only play center.

No, I didn't say that, maybe you have me confused.