Who would make Team Europe is the World Cup of Hockey (2016 format) were held this year?

[WarriorofTime]

The defending Silver Medalists would likely look a lot different due to changes over the last 7 years. Last time the roster makeup was:

Germany - 6
Slovakia - 6
Switzerland - 4
Denmark - 3
Austria - 1
France - 1
Norway - 1
Slovenia - 1

Current numbers of NHL players (min. 1 GP in 2022-23 season)

Switzerland - 12
Slovakia - 9
Germany - 8
Denmark - 6
Latvia - 5
Belarus - 3
Austria - 1
Australia - 1
Slovenia - 1
Norway - 1
Netherlands - 1
France - 1

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[Crosby2010]

Not to rain on the parade, but I sincerely hope the NHL learned its lesson from 2016 and there is never another mess like the gimmick teams.

 

[Boonk]

Forwards (13):
Oliver Bjorkstrand
Mats Zuccarello
Adam Ruzicka
Lukas Reichel
Leon Draisaitl
Nikolai Ehlers
Nico Hischier
Anze Kopitar
Tomas Tatar
Tim Stutzle
Timo Meier
Kevin Fiala
JJ Peterka

Defensemen (7):
Jonas Siegenthaler
Martin Fehervary
Simon Nemec
Moritz Seider
Janis Moser
Roman Josi
Erik Cernak

Goaltenders (3):
Frederik Andersen
Philipp Grubauer
Jaroslav Halak

 

[centipede2233]

Forwards (13):
Oliver Bjorkstrand
Mats Zuccarello
Adam Ruzicka
Lukas Reichel
Leon Draisaitl
Nikolai Ehlers
Nico Hischier
Anze Kopitar
Tomas Tatar
Tim Stutzle
Timo Meier
Kevin Fiala
JJ Peterka

Defensemen (7):
Jonas Siegenthaler
Martin Fehervary
Simon Nemec
Moritz Seider
Janis Moser
Roman Josi
Erik Cernak

Goaltenders (3):
Frederik Andersen
Philipp Grubauer
Jaroslav Halak

It’s a good team, they’re defence is their strength. The bottom 6 forwards is the weakness and goaltending is questionable at best. I might even have soogard as one of the 3 goalies

 

[Goodman68]

Undignified atmosphere in the finale like in a theater.. Never again, please

 

[jcbio11]

I love watching the highlights of that team just cutting through that tournament. Tortorella watching as the US got beat 0 - 3. That 2 on 0 Rush . Tatar, Chara, Gabby and Halak all on one team. A bit of a shame it was the team of my continent and not my country. Yeah that format was dumb and may the NHL never repeat it.

 

[Czechboy]

I love watching the highlights of that team just cutting through that tournament. Tortorella watching as the US got beat 0 - 3. That 2 on 0 Rush . Tatar, Chara, Gabby and Halak all on one team. A bit of a shame it was the team of my continent and not my country. Yeah that format was dumb and may the NHL never repeat it.

I was honestly hoping, at the time, that the federations for Team Europe would boycott the tourney to send a message to the NHL.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I loved team Europe , why were people so against it?

 

[Albatros]

I loved team Europe , why were people so against it?

Because Team Leftovers is not very appealing regardless of whether you care about "best-on-best" or not. If they want Team Europe then at least do it properly like the Ryder Cup.

 

[Zine]

I loved team Europe , why were people so against it?

Because the gimmick teams deviated from every norm of international hockey in the hopes they would garner more attention ($$).

Yea the level of play was a little higher, but Bettman failed to realize international hockey is driven by tradition and emotional investment more than anything.

 

[Czechboy]

I loved team Europe , why were people so against it?

I loved that they made the finals and killed ratings and destroyed the concept. MVPs!

 

[WarriorofTime]

A Europe-North America summit series would be somewhat interesting, imo, but even calling it "Team Europe" is 2016 was disingenuous, because it was really "Team Everywhere Else That Didn't Get Their Own Team Meshed Into One", as there were "Europeans" playing for their countries that weren't on 'Team Europe'

 

[Goodman68]

With its format, the last World Cup killed everything that the past brought to ice hockey competition in history. I want to say good job to everyone who came up with this for their own stupidity Only a complete fool would want to continue doing the same.

 

[Miro4Norris]

Straight out of my mind:

Stutzle-Drai-Ehlers
Fiala-Nico-Timo
Bjorkstrand-Kopitar-Zuccarello
Nino-Eller-Peterka

Josi-Seider
Fehervary-Cernak
Siegenthaler-Nemec

Freddy
Elvis
Gru


Feels like it's way more interesting than 2016 team

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Because the gimmick teams deviated from every norm of international hockey in the hopes they would garner more attention ($$).

Yea the level of play was a little higher, but Bettman failed to realize international hockey is driven by tradition and emotional investment more than anything.

I don't know I thought it was awesome , I would never tune into a germany canada game with only NHL players for instance. Also it would be impossible for all of these great smaller country euro players to be in the tournament.
Makes the entire tournament much more interesting , as long as people don't get too patriotic about it I don't see the issue. The issue is trying to replace the Olympics with it. If you see it from a pure entertainment standpoint and not the end all be all for nationality ice hockey superiority its really not a big deal.

 

[Lartsaman]

Straight out of my mind:

Stutzle-Drai-Ehlers
Fiala-Nico-Timo
Bjorkstrand-Kopitar-Zuccarello
Nino-Eller-Peterka

Josi-Seider
Fehervary-Cernak
Siegenthaler-Nemec

Freddy
Elvis
Gru


Feels like it's way more interesting than 2016 team

Would be stronger IMO. Also this time Latvia would probably get one of their own to the team(Merzlikins), which wasn´t the case in 2016. This time there would be no french or austrian players. I would also add Tatar or Reichel as an extra forward and Janis Jerome Moser as 7th defender.

 

[Maverick41]

I don't know I thought it was awesome , I would never tune into a germany canada game with only NHL players for instance. Also it would be impossible for all of these great smaller country euro players to be in the tournament.
Makes the entire tournament much more interesting , as long as people don't get too patriotic about it I don't see the issue. The issue is trying to replace the Olympics with it. If you see it from a pure entertainment standpoint and not the end all be all for nationality ice hockey superiority its really not a big deal.

To me, the second you create a team like "Rest of Europe" this becomes an All-Star tournament. Why would Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Czechia or Russia (if they are allowed to play) get their teams to represent their countries?
If it is supposed to be an international tournament, you cannot have gimmick teams, but if it just about entertainment and patriotism and national pride should not matter, you might as well just name 8 managers and set up a draft, where they can draft their own teams from all NHL players.

But that is of course just my perspective, I can see why for some it would have a certain appeal to combine these "best of the rest" type players into their own team. But from my point of view I can say, that I did not watch a single game of "Team Europe" in 2016 and I would not watch a single game of such a team at any point in the future. However, I would try to watch every game of a German team if they got to compete in a World Cup, if they ever actually manage to have another one of those.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

To me, the second you create a team like "Rest of Europe" this becomes an All-Star tournament. Why would Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Czechia or Russia (if they are allowed to play) get their teams to represent their countries?
If it is supposed to be an international tournament, you cannot have gimmick teams, but if it just about entertainment and patriotism and national pride should not matter, you might as well just name 8 managers and set up a draft, where they can draft their own teams from all NHL players.

But that is of course just my perspective, I can see why for some it would have a certain appeal to combine these "best of the rest" type players into their own team. But from my point of view I can say, that I did not watch a single game of "Team Europe" in 2016 and I would not watch a single game of such a team at any point in the future. However, I would try to watch every game of a German team if they got to compete in a World Cup, if they ever actually manage to have another one of those.

Sure but there's the olympics for that. Like I said as long as you see the tourny as NHL entertainment I don't see the issue.

Watching Canada slam germany or slovakia 6-1 is not very interesting to me personally.

And yes personally i see the entire tournament as an all star NHL tournament , not sure how you can see it as anything else

 

[Albatros]

Well, Slovakia had to play in the North American group in 1996 and were leading against Canada going into the final period before they turned it around to 3:2. Canada was never going to lose the quarterfinal against Germany on home ice, but also it was "only" 4:1 in the end. In 2004 the Slovaks didn't have a good tournament but Germany could very well have won their quarterfinal against Finland (2:1) who eventually made the finals and only barely lost to Canada there.

 

[BMacLeafs]

A Europe-North America summit series would be somewhat interesting, imo, but even calling it "Team Europe" is 2016 was disingenuous, because it was really "Team Everywhere Else That Didn't Get Their Own Team Meshed Into One", as there were "Europeans" playing for their countries that weren't on 'Team Europe'

Barring the return of the World Cup of Hockey, I agree that a North America vs. Europe series would be amazing.

It's also sickening that this has never been thought of outside of HFBoards.

 

[Czechboy]

Well, Slovakia had to play in the North American group in 1996 and were leading against Canada going into the final period before they turned it around to 3:2. Canada was never going to lose the quarterfinal against Germany on home ice, but also it was "only" 4:1 in the end. In 2004 the Slovaks didn't have a good tournament but Germany could very well have won their quarterfinal against Finland (2:1) who eventually made the finals and only barely lost to Canada there.

A LOT of posters come on here with knowledge of the World Jrs. So they assume Canada beats everyone 10-0 at the senior level too. No matter how many examples of losses and close games at the adult level you show (Latvia, Swiss, Slovaks) they will always think that Canada is a 6-0 winner against everyone but the US. It's amazing to me. Then when you show historical proof of this you'll be told 'those players are retired and that's not relevant'.lol

Eg. 2014 Olympics:


6-0 against Austria (there is your 6-0 score that posters think is normal)
3-1 over Norway
2-1 in OT against Finland

2-1 against Latvia in the quarters
1-0 against the US in the semis
3-0 against the Swedes (missing their 1C)

 

[Zero Pucks Given]

A LOT of posters come on here with knowledge of the World Jrs. So they assume Canada beats everyone 10-0 at the senior level too. No matter how many examples of losses and close games at the adult level you show (Latvia, Swiss, Slovaks) they will always think that Canada is a 6-0 winner against everyone but the US. It's amazing to me. Then when you show historical proof of this you'll be told 'those players are retired and that's not relevant'.lol

Eg. 2014 Olympics:


6-0 against Austria (there is your 6-0 score that posters think is normal)
3-1 over Norway
2-1 in OT against Finland

2-1 against Latvia in the quarters
1-0 against the US in the semis
3-0 against the Swedes (missing their 1C)

You may have a point but anyone who watched those Sochi games can tell you Canada was very much in control of them despite what those scores might suggest.

 

[Czechboy]

You may have a point but anyone who watched those Sochi games can tell you Canada was very much in control of them despite what those scores might suggest.

Absolutely they were.... but I cannot find one senior tournament where Canada is scoring touchdowns like they do at the World Jrs or Hlinka's sometimes. Yet, there is always a poster telling us that is what will happen. Closest I can think of is the Skodas in Prague where Canada went all '2005 Junior team' on the field. Never a best on best.

 

[Boonk]

Absolutely they were.... but I cannot find one senior tournament where Canada is scoring touchdowns like they do at the World Jrs or Hlinka's sometimes. Yet, there is always a poster telling us that is what will happen. Closest I can think of is the Skodas in Prague where Canada went all '2005 Junior team' on the field. Never a best on best.

Occasionally they beat up on the minnow teams at the mens worlds. The only time Canada really beat up on everyone in a single mens tourney was in 2015, and even then there was a game where they only beat France 4-3.

 

[Czechboy]

Occasionally they beat up on the minnow teams at the mens worlds. The only time Canada really beat up on everyone in a single mens tourney was in 2015, and even then there was a game where they only beat France 4-3.

And I think the Czechs gave them a good Semi (2-0).. we were robbed on a bad call dammit!lol

But yes, that's the one. They were amazing there. After the round robin they were 49 GF and 14 GA for a plus 35.lol

Then the playoffs, they one the quarter 9-0, beat us 2-0 and final was 6-1 for 17 GF and 2 GA in the playoffs.

Overall they had 56 goals for and 16 against. AMAZING.

But, that's the only one and nothing like that at a best on best.