Why do NHL owners allow players to play this tournament?!

[Atas2000]

It is to North American hockey fans. If you are a Canadian or American hockey fan and you see one of your favourite players go down at a tournament that means (close to) zero to you, it really stings.

Seeing the tournament ruined by a self righteous league somewhere stings too.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

There should be no WC in an Olympic year.

 

[Hzzz]

Yeah, it is.
It is clearly a lower tier tournament that many players don't even care to participate in.

And there are also players who want to participate. I'm 100% sure they want to win gold. Like NHL-superstars Giroux, Stamkos, Perry, Getzlaf etc.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

You don't see the point. The point is there are other countries out there, other leagues, other hockey cultures. A lot of ppl here don't care about the NHL at all. To them NHL is just some overseas league they don't know or care much about. The NHL centric world can't claim to be the only one right and important.

I for my part don't care about who wins the Stanley Cup and I don't like the fact players can't paticipate in the WC because of some american league having playoffs.

That's fair.

 

[Atas2000]

Olympic Gold sure, but to say it's way more important is false. Equal footing perhaps but never above.

Why? Because you think so? Even if all North America thinks so, there are other countries and ppl.

Look, I will watch every game of my team in the WC. I haven't watched a single game of the last Stanley Cup finals. And I'm following NHL compared to other countrymen.

“But if you compare the Stanley Cup to the Olympics, I’ll take the Stanley Cup by far for sure. It’s a tougher tournament to win. You have to go through a hundred games to win it. Here, hot goalie, good power play, that’s all it takes. It’s different.â€

I think Henrik Sedin's quote best describes the situation.

It's one player playing in the NHL. Of course for him the Staley Cup is important.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Seeing the tournament ruined by a self righteous league somewhere stings too.

The tournament obviously means more to European players who grow up feeling its importance. I guarantee, if Hockey Canada or USA Hockey did not hound players, very few if any of the top NA kids would play.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Possible scenario...

Year 1 - Olympics
Year 2 - WC
Year 3 - World Cup
Year 4 - WC
Year 5 - Repeat

 

[Yakushev72]

The tournament obviously means more to European players who grow up feeling its importance. I guarantee, if Hockey Canada or USA Hockey did not hound players, very few if any of the top NA kids would play.

Why bother hounding players? If they don't want to play, why force them? The only legitimate consequence should be not to invite them back.

 

[Jussi]

Seeing the tournament ruined by a self righteous league somewhere stings too.

In the middle of your diatribe you conveniently neglect the KHL's desire to extend their season to overlap the Worlds as well.

 

[stayinalive]

I hate it when North Americans say the WC is meaningless. Clearly Malkin and Ovechkin think different.

 

[Jussi]

There should be no WC in an Olympic year.

Denmark and Latvia are competing for the host duties for the 2018 tournament so it won't happen before that.

 

[JackSlater]

If the player is still engaged in an NHL season, then absolutely the owner has a right to be involved in the player's decision. If their season is over, then the owner has very little right to interfere. A player could get injured at the WC, but that is the player's choice. Claude Giroux got injured last summer playing golf. The Flyer's don't have the right to ban their players from golfing.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Because the season doesn't start for another 5 months

Players get injured playing golf, you can't protect them from everything. I understand playing hockey is a greater risk but everything is a risk.

 

[3low5*]

You don't see the point. The point is there are other countries out there, other leagues, other hockey cultures. A lot of ppl here don't care about the NHL at all. To them NHL is just some overseas league they don't know or care much about. The NHL centric world can't claim to be the only one right and important.

I for my part don't care about who wins the Stanley Cup and I don't like the fact players can't paticipate in the WC because of some american league having playoffs.

No, you don't see the point. My point has nothing to do with the NHL. "World Championships" would give you the impression that these are the best players out there with the best teams these countries have to offer. Well, it's not even close to that. It's a low tier tournament, period.

And if you don't care about the NHL, wtf are you doing on this site?

 

[Jesus Vitale]

from the CBA:

24.6
For the IIHF World Championships, the Clubs shall permit a Player to play for his National team provided:
(a) The Player's Club either did not qualify for the NHL Playoffs or was eliminated in
an early round of the Playoffs.
(b) No agent or representative of the Player's National team inquired as to whether
the Player would be willing to play for his National team until after his Club was eliminated
from the NHL Playoffs and any such inquiry was only made with simultaneous notice being
given to the General Manager of the Player's Club and the Player.
(c) The IIHF or the Player's National team agree to provide such insurance to cover
the remaining value of the Player's SPC.
(d) The IIHF or the Player's National team agree to provide such additional insurance
to cover the Player's loss of earning capacity as the Player may require

i'm no lawyer, but it looks like the owners can't actually stop a player from going. and if that's the case i'm glad it is. the owners own the teams, not the players. I say if they fulfill all of their obligations to their NHL team they should be able to play in the WHC if they want.

players have different levels of "patriotism". some players want to play for their countries every chance they get, some only want to sparingly. Either way, playing for your country is a major part of international sports. some players will never be good enough to play in the Olympics, but can play in the WHC. i like them.

 

[xxxx]

Seeing the tournament ruined by a self righteous league somewhere stings too.

I don't know what do you mean. But if you are - or whoever - angry because the players play the NHL playoffs, so they can't play for your country, then that is what I call arrogance. The players would rather win the play-off series than to win the world championship. Fans may wish that - for example - Detroit got eliminated, so Zetterberg, Kronwall and others would be able to join Team Sweden at the worlds. But that, to me, is a little bit selfish. I would bet my house that Zetterberg would - and so would Hertl, Nyquist, Ovechkin - rather win a Stanley Cup than a World Championship. Yes, if there is a possibility to play, they will play. But at expense of the biggest trophy in the world? Even Ovechkin would say no.

 

[3low5*]

And there are also players who want to participate. I'm 100% sure they want to win gold. Like NHL-superstars Giroux, Stamkos, Perry, Getzlaf etc.

A couple of star players doesn't make a TEAM.

Olympics are best on best. World Championships is not remotely close to that. I am not sure how you can debate that.
Many Canadian players(just as an example) are barely out of juniors and this is just a development tournament.

 

[Urbanskog]

And if you don't care about the NHL, wtf are you doing on this site?

As if the NHL was the only thing in the world of hockey.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Seeing the tournament ruined by a self righteous league somewhere stings too.

Do you really want your heart to break year after year if other countries also sent their best players. You should just enjoy it, Russia actually has a chance of winning these tournaments so you shouldn't complain.

This tournament is terrific because it gives the opportunities to others to play internationally whereas they would never get a chance, that what's makes it unique, no other sport could say that as there is rarely such a tournament every year, whether it's Football, Cricket , Rugby , etc.

 

[saskganesh]

Claude Giroux got injured last summer playing golf. The Flyer's don't have the right to ban their players from golfing.

Brent Sopel hurt his back picking up after his daughter. I think the NHL should ban children.

 

[Systemfel]

from the CBA:

24.6
For the IIHF World Championships, the Clubs shall permit a Player to play for his National team provided:
(a) The Player's Club either did not qualify for the NHL Playoffs or was eliminated in
an early round of the Playoffs.
(b) No agent or representative of the Player's National team inquired as to whether
the Player would be willing to play for his National team until after his Club was eliminated
from the NHL Playoffs and any such inquiry was only made with simultaneous notice being
given to the General Manager of the Player's Club and the Player.
(c) The IIHF or the Player's National team agree to provide such insurance to cover
the remaining value of the Player's SPC.
(d) The IIHF or the Player's National team agree to provide such additional insurance
to cover the Player's loss of earning capacity as the Player may require

i'm no lawyer, but it looks like the owners can't actually stop a player from going. and if that's the case i'm glad it is. the owners own the teams, not the players. I say if they fulfill all of their obligations to their NHL team they should be able to play in the WHC if they want.

Question answered. The owners don't have a choice.

Thread completed and closed.