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

[CristianoRonaldo]

Can you define ”staged”?

"Nobody got killed, they should have used at least a knife to show that it's not staged"

 

[Beerz]

Why does the most anticipated game of this tournament have to start with a series of staged fights is beyond my understanding. If they felt they had to fight right from the start, they could have sorted it out in the corridors or somewhere, ffs. This is "fun" on a WWE level.

Why would anyone want to try anything other than missionary vibes.

 

[HHHH]

I had no interest at all and had not been paying any attention to the first round of games, but the first nine seconds of the US - Canada game showed that this was not going to be a low intensity All Star game pace. I am definitely old school so I appreciated the physicality of the opening seconds, but the rest of the game was fun to watch as well.

I should eat a big plate of crow...

 

[Nogatco Rd]

The game tomorrow is becoming a game that is more than just hockey. It’s about pride.

I guess that’s why none of the Staal brothers participated?

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Sure. Fights are the outcome of the game. Hockey, like other sports, is emotional, and it's fine if, during a game, a fight breaks out. But having to watch a fight BEFORE a game begins? You mean the players were completely fine and civilized during the opening ceremonies, but suddenly they feel the urge to fight? What is next, waiting for a commercial break to be over, and then starting to fight? I don't think that's how emotions work in real life. Actually, I am fairly sure.

It would make some sense, if this was a carry-over from an earlier match, a revenge for a previous game - but this American team and this Canadian team have literally never met before.

That's what I mean by staged. Staged and artificial. But I mean - have it your way. I'm well aware (like another poster observed) that I am in the minority here.

When do players dressed in national sweaters fight? Almost never considering they're not playing by NHL rules every other time. Even if it was "staged", why not appreciate the purely exceptional nature of the event? Why is it so irksome to anyone as if it "ruins" something? The game was incredible. Did the fight have a negative effect of some sort that I just missed?

 

[Greatzsky 99]

Well the brothers maybe planned it, but they probably not planned it WITH the Canadian
players and the outcome of it.

 

[hirawl]

Strange, in Sweden its talked about a lot, and is headline news in all major papers and TV stations, every credible mainstream media has their own staff in place, its all over the place.

Yeah the guy is talking out of his ass. Everyone is talking about it. All the click bait tabloids are also full of it as usual. Pun intended.

 

[Fishy McScales]

As an Oilers fan I've been enjoying it, but despite not being Finnish I kind of hope they win in regulation today so McDavid, Ekholm and Arvidsson get a few extra days to rest up before the stretch run and playoffs.

 

[ahmedou]

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

This thread aged worse than a Dylan cozens contract or a “checks crystal ball” the upcoming rantanen contract.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

I feel bad for the folks who were determined to have a bad time or didn't even watch out of protest or whatever. The games have been excellent, especially compared to the typical all star week atrocities

 

[strattonius]

If you don't like the hockey I'm not sure you like hockey at all. Probably just fantasize about jfresh cards or something.

 

[NVious]

Why does the most anticipated game of this tournament have to start with a series of staged fights is beyond my understanding. If they felt they had to fight right from the start, they could have sorted it out in the corridors or somewhere, ffs. This is "fun" on a WWE level.

They should just cancel the tournament, I had to friggin explain to my wife's son why they did that, one of the hardest conversations of my life. #Cancel4Nations

 

[Eternal Leaf]

I know they can't host it every season but man the all-star game next time is going to be brutal to watch after this.

 

[Faterson]

... while all the other nations are miserable.

(Still haven't watched a single minute of this, and don't intend to. Just like I boycotted the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. You prevent other nations from fairly participating in an event – then keep it to yourself & don't shove it down our throats.)

 

[wetcoast]

... while all the other nations are miserable.

(Still haven't watched a single minute of this, and don't intend to. Just like I boycotted the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. You prevent other nations from fairly participating in an event – then keep it to yourself & don't shove it down our throats.)

How is holding an event shoving it down your throat, you don't wanna watch that's fine but if you really didn't care you wouldn't post here about it right?

 

[ORRFForever]

I have to admit it, the tournament has been terrific.

I would have loved a pair of semi final games (1vs4, 2vs3) but...

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I have to admit it, the tournament has been terrific.

I would have loved a pair of semi final games (1vs4, 2vs3) but...

Cheapest seat for Thursday on ticketbastard is $1215. Plus fees of course

 

[La Bamba]

This went from useless tournament to must-watch hockey for me quickly lol. This shows how valuable international best on best hockey is.. NHL dropped the ball the last decade

 

[red devil]

I know they can't host it every season but man the all-star game next time is going to be brutal to watch after this.

Next year will be the Olympics but in 2027 they will go back to the Allstar game. The World Cup with at least 8 Nations will be in 2028.

 

[Faterson]

I know they can't host it every season

They absolutely can – the NHL just prefers to sabotage international hockey, that's all.

There's the annual World Championships, you know, instead of this gimmick tournament.

The World Championships could absolutely be moved from May to February, so that we could have true best-on-best hockey every February like this. (The World Championships would not take place in Olympic years, obviously, as was usual in the past.)

The only entity that is an obstacle to this solution is the NHL, of course – no one else. The entire rest of the hockey world including the IIHF would welcome it with open arms.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

They absolutely can – the NHL just prefers to sabotage international hockey, that's all.

There's the annual World Championships, you know, instead of this gimmick tournament.

The World Championships could absolutely be moved from May to February, so that we could have true best-on-best hockey every February like this. (The World Championships would not take place in Olympic years, obviously, as was usual in the past.)

The only entity that is an obstacle to this solution is the NHL, of course – no one else. The entire rest of the hockey world including the IIHF would welcome it with open arms.

the World Championships take like 3 weeks to complete
no way they shut down the league for that long
and that doesn't even include if it's held in Europe

 

[Bixby Snyder]

Still on the fence, I'll let you know after Thursday's game.

 

[koyvoo]

Still on the fence, I'll let you know after Thursday's game.

Make no mistake. Regardless of whether this was a good tournament or not, the fans of whoever loses the final will immediately devalue this as not being a true best on best, and fans of whoever wins will claim it to be the greatest international tournament of all time…here on HFboards.

 

[Faterson]

the World Championships take like 3 weeks to complete
no way they shut down the league for that long
and that doesn't even include if it's held in Europe

Of course the World Championships would be reduced to fit within the Olympic/current gimmick tournament's time frame. No problem at all! Everyone would be fully on board with that! The only obstacle in the way, for decades now, is the NHL.

(By the way, the current format of the World Championships is not three weeks, either. It's two weeks plus the preceding Friday to Sunday. Those days can easily be scrapped, and the number of participating teams reduced to the Olympic format, or even fewer. The crucial thing is: every national team from around the world would get a chance to qualify among those top 8, 10, or 12 teams to square off against McDavid and the Hughes brothers. Unlike the current gimmick tournament with its four "chosen nations".)