World Cup Boycott

[Canuckistani]

So, if it is U23 vs Canada in the semi's, the Canadian members of the U23 team are just going to go through the motions?

Who the hell wants to eliminate their own country? What sort of pathetic garbage tournament would ever put a player in that situation?

And who in their right mind would cheer on such a monstrosity of an event?

 

[Canuckistani]

Why does hockey need it to be in the Olympics?

Because the NHL has made it clear (ia the two Frankenstein teams) that they have no idea how to stage a legitimate best-on-best event.

If we have the best players from Canada, the best players from the US, the best players from Russia, Sweden, Finland, etc., that is all that should matter.

Yes, but we don't have that, do we? Canada and USA aren't allowed to field all of their best players at this pathetic "world cup." Team USA especially will be weakened by the stupid U-24 rule.

What other sport has such a ridiculous situation for its premier event?

 

[Lacaar]

Because the NHL has made it clear (ia the two Frankenstein teams) that they have no idea how to stage a legitimate best-on-best event.



Yes, but we don't have that, do we? Canada and USA aren't allowed to field all of their best players at this pathetic "world cup." Team USA especially will be weakened by the stupid U-24 rule.

What other sport has such a ridiculous situation for its premier event?

You mean the other sports that have countries that give a crap about the sport?

Perhaps you'd be better suited to tell the Czech's and Slovaks to make better hockey players and pay attention to the game more. They're getting worse as the years go on. Which is kind of depressing.

Fact is Europe doesn't give two ***** about this game. Sweden and Finland being the exception. And it's still a second tier sport there.

International hockey is so pathetic as it is it doesn't matter if you have mixed teams. Like could it possibly be worse?

A hockey game might break out?

This years WHC has been the worst thing i've ever seen on ice. Teams getting butchered everywhere. Absolutely the least entertaining thing I've ever witnessed.

You complain about U.S.A playing U.S.A players? I'll take that any day over that absolute Monstrosity abomination they're making of the sport over there in Russia for the WHC.

Imagine someone watching that crap for the first time. No wonder no one watches hockey over there.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Who the hell wants to eliminate their own country? What sort of pathetic garbage tournament would ever put a player in that situation?

And who in their right mind would cheer on such a monstrosity of an event?

That wasn't the question.

 

[Canuckistani]

That wasn't the question.

Who wants to eliminate their own country? NO ONE.

So why would you expect a 100% effort from players put in that laughable situation?

 

[patnyrnyg]

Because the NHL has made it clear (ia the two Frankenstein teams) that they have no idea how to stage a legitimate best-on-best event.

1996 and 2004 say hello and send their regards. They certainly do know how to put on a best-on-best. However, they are simply trying something different. Just because they are trying this, this time, doesn't mean they will do so forever. IF they pull out of the Olympics and continue with these mixed or special teams it will be a different story.

Yes, but we don't have that, do we? Canada and USA aren't allowed to field all of their best players at this pathetic "world cup." Team USA especially will be weakened by the stupid U-24 rule.

What other sport has such a ridiculous situation for its premier event?

No, but my comment was regard into the poster who claimed the best-on-best could only be done at the Olympics while he was pointing out 3 other sports that do not have their best-on-best international event at the Olympics. I was simply pointing out that hockey doesn't need the Olympics and can have a best-on-best without the Olympics.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Who wants to eliminate their own country? NO ONE.

So why would you expect a 100% effort from players put in that laughable situation?

So, is your answer, "Yes, I think the Canadian players of the U23 team in that situation will just go through the motions."?

 

[Jablkon]

So, if all these other sports have a World Cup instead of the Olympics for their International Best on Best Championship, why can't hockey? Why does hockey need it to be in the Olympics? How do you know this wasn't set up with the intention if the NHL Olympic participation ends, they have they will begin working on a World Cup like they have in these other sports? Why does it matter if it is the IIHF, IOC, or NHL running the tournament? If we have the best players from Canada, the best players from the US, the best players from Russia, Sweden, Finland, etc., that is all that should matter. NOT where the money is going or holds the broadcast rights. Oh, and please don't give me "tradition" as a reason. The Olympics being the place for best-on-best is not even 20 years old, so please do not talk about tradition or talk about how the Soccer World Cup goes back to 1930 (or whatever the exact year they started), yet the World Cup of hockey does not go back that far or had the consistency. Has to start somewhere and why not here?


You have direct evidence to show that it is the Olympics that have caused this growth? Yes, many of the US players from the mid-90s said the 80 Olympics made them want to play hockey. Anywhere else? Oh, and if your direct evidence is anything 1998 or later, that it would be naive to think the NHL didn't do crap. Besides, if the NHL "doesn't do crap" then why does it matter if they are in the Olympics or not?

Very few people in the US watch the World Cup of Rugby or Cricket. A nation of 300million and very little coverage. Why don't they make the Olympics THEIR championship when "everyone" is watching in an effort to grow the game? Why would they not want to do whatever they can to make inroads in a country as sports-mad as the US? A country where rights fees go for ridiculous amounts of money?

This is not a start by any means. There is no intention to built something big in int hockey. Its obviously the intention to eliminate all the risks for owners, make incomes and promote one league. With such a basis you will never built respectful int. event, not even talking about other world cups you mentioned here. And frankly - NHL does not even have resources to built something like this. Are they able to organize it outside NA? Prague, Moscow, Stockholm, Helsinky? How they are going to do it? Thats why its normally organized by international federations. So far NHL has been ruining the best hockey event which was ever built - i.e. OG.

 

[Canuckistani]

You mean the other sports that have countries that give a crap about the sport?

Perhaps you'd be better suited to tell the Czech's and Slovaks to make better hockey players and pay attention to the game more. They're getting worse as the years go on. Which is kind of depressing.

Fact is Europe doesn't give two ***** about this game. Sweden and Finland being the exception. And it's still a second tier sport there.

International hockey is so pathetic as it is it doesn't matter if you have mixed teams. Like could it possibly be worse?

A hockey game might break out?

This years WHC has been the worst thing i've ever seen on ice. Teams getting butchered everywhere. Absolutely the least entertaining thing I've ever witnessed.

You complain about U.S.A playing U.S.A players? I'll take that any day over that absolute Monstrosity abomination they're making of the sport over there in Russia for the WHC.

Imagine someone watching that crap for the first time. No wonder no one watches hockey over there.

What absolute nonsense. Hockey has never needed frankenstein teams and doesn't need them now.

The whole NHL argument, which you appear to have swallow whole, is that we need the two joke teams at the world cup to allow for competitive hockey, otherwise we would be looking at an endless stream of blowouts.

Back in the real world, Switzerland beat the Czechs in Sochi and lost 1-0 to the Swedes. Slovakia took the Russians to a shootout on their home ice. Latvia lost by one goal to Canada. At this year's WHC, Germany beat the USA, Latvia took Sweden and the first-place Czechs to OT.

Are there one-sided games in international hockey? Of course! What sport doesn't have one-sided games?

The only half-decent basketball nations are USA (by a country mile), followed by Spain, Serbia, Argentina, Lithuania, Canada. Notice that basketball has never felt the need to create an U-24 team, or a "Euro" team at the Olympics. I wonder why.

Baseball has USA, Japan, Cuba, Korea, Dominican Rep, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, and a bunch of other teams that fill up the schedule. Again, no Team World or U-24 North America.

Even soccer, the most popular sport on the planet, only fields a handful of teams that are realistically capable of winning the World Cup any given year. Brazil, Germany, Spain, Holland, Argentina, France, Uruguay, Italy...followed by the rest who are there to complete and maybe make the QFs if they're really lucky. Yet again we find FIFA never contemplating a "Team Africa" or "rest of Europe."

So why does hockey desperately need to see players compete against their own country but the rest of world's sports don't? Because only hockey is cursed with idiots like Bettman and a few casual fans who cheer the league on as they wreck the international game.

 

[Canuckistani]

So, is your answer, "Yes, I think the Canadian players of the U23 team in that situation will just go through the motions."?

At best they will not give 100%. Why would in that situation?

 

[Canuckistani]

1996 and 2004 say hello and send their regards. They certainly do know how to put on a best-on-best. However, they are simply trying something different. Just because they are trying this, this time, doesn't mean they will do so forever.

They absolutely will repeat this nonsense if enough fans swallow their garbage this time around.

I was simply pointing out that hockey doesn't need the Olympics and can have a best-on-best without the Olympics.

I fully agree. And I would have no problem if the world cup stuck to its roots instead of trying to fix something that isn't broken.

 

[Jablkon]

You mean the other sports that have countries that give a crap about the sport?

Perhaps you'd be better suited to tell the Czech's and Slovaks to make better hockey players and pay attention to the game more. They're getting worse as the years go on. Which is kind of depressing.

Fact is Europe doesn't give two ***** about this game. Sweden and Finland being the exception. And it's still a second tier sport there.

International hockey is so pathetic as it is it doesn't matter if you have mixed teams. Like could it possibly be worse?

A hockey game might break out?

This years WHC has been the worst thing i've ever seen on ice. Teams getting butchered everywhere. Absolutely the least entertaining thing I've ever witnessed.

You complain about U.S.A playing U.S.A players? I'll take that any day over that absolute Monstrosity abomination they're making of the sport over there in Russia for the WHC.

Imagine someone watching that crap for the first time. No wonder no one watches hockey over there.

I partly agreee here. Still when you watched last year one, you would have probably completely opposite opinion. It just depends on country....So as Torino and Sochi OGs werent probably the best advert for int hockey. They are better and worse tourneys, thats how it is. What I really don't like on this in hockey is NHL permanently testing something in int. hockey. Why should I be even patient with them? 40 years from first world cup and they still dont know what, when, how? Common, there is no excuse for such amateur attitude. Tell me about other sport which constatnly struggle in developing big event?

 

[Eisen]

Counter argument - why should the NHL continue to send their best players to play in locations that are determined solely by the IOC with no input from any of the sports federations (e.g., IIHF) or the professional leagues that pay the players (e.g., NHL)? The 2022 Winter Olympics bid process really pulled back the curtain on the IOC's rampant corruption and how they select locations based on how many of their exorbitant demands the host city/nation is willing to meet. Losing hockey at future Olympics is something the IOC is accomplishing quite well themselves, and why blame the NHL/NHLPA for looking at other potential options? The NHLPA's involvement should not be over-looked because they players are the ones who will ultimately decide the fate of international best-on-best hockey.

Because some things should just not be open for business.

 

[Eisen]

Why should the nhl take a break mid playoffs for the world championships? As seems to be the case with most complaints why should a business shut down its doors for 2 weeks olympics and 3-4 weeks for the world championships?

The fact that the nhl has done it for the olympics the past 4 events is a blessing already.

The NHL is the only league that doesn't comply. It comes with their schedule.

 

[TorstenFrings]

How do you know the players won't care? You don't think Ovechkin, Malkin, and Kovalchuk would kill to beat a REAL Team Canada, IN CANADA?

Re: Kovalchuk. What't the expectations on any non-NHL-players even playing in this anyway? The KHL usually starts early September-ish. Most other European leagues start a lot earlier than the NHL too. Why wouldn't this tournament have the same problems as the IIHF WC has now, but in reverse?

Has there been any word on agreements at least with the Russian, Finnish and Swedish leagues? As those countries are being granted teams.

This is an honest question as I have so far heard and read zip about this event and all my information now comes from this thread.

 

[FiLe]

Has there been any word on agreements at least with the Russian, Finnish and Swedish leagues? As those countries are being granted teams.

The latest word is that none of the leagues will break or retool their schedule, obviously, but any players who are invited are free to go.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Feel sorry for the European players.

You have to play a meaningless tournament where your not representing your country whatsoever.

No one anywhere in Hockey World cares and they have to still play.

Would love to see players refuse to play, but I suppose it's in their contracts or what not.

I wonder if they realize, there's not one soul on this planet buying a plane ticket to come to this cash grab.

Wait until World Championships 2017, Paris and Cologne, you'll see a real event where the WHOLE Hockey WORLD will gather.

Yes, it may be astonishing to believe, but Hockey exists outside 30 cities in North America.

 

[TorstenFrings]

The latest word is that none of the leagues will break or retool their schedule, obviously, but any players who are invited are free to go.

Thanks.

Might be a bit easier to do start of the season vs. end, but probably not many players if any going then.

Wait until World Championships 2017, Paris and Cologne, you'll see a real event where the WHOLE Hockey WORLD will gather

2010 was so ****ing amazing. Germany made the semifinals and the atmosphere was insane. Nothing of those half sold out crap at all. I'll so be there for it next year and everyone else should be too. We'd love to have you. Come to Cologne!



Or Paris. Whatever. Can't go wrong.

 

[Inkling]

Who wants to eliminate their own country? NO ONE.

So why would you expect a 100% effort from players put in that laughable situation?

By definition, it's not going to be 'real' Team Canada. It's just a glorified extended All Star Weekend. They will want to eliminate their own country because they are professional athletes and are competitive by nature. They understand that if it were the real Team Canada (or real Team USA) they would at least have the opportunity to play for it and not forced into this U23 team.

 

[Jablkon]

By definition, it's not going to be 'real' Team Canada. It's just a glorified extended All Star Weekend. They will want to eliminate their own country because they are professional athletes and are competitive by nature. They understand that if it were the real Team Canada (or real Team USA) they would at least have the opportunity to play for it and not forced into this U23 team.

Even I dont understand that much to your point... So they convince themselfs that they are not playing against real national team but remain motivated enough to beat them? Universal soldiers!

 

[Section337]

Although I understand why it happened, I think the U23 team is the biggest miscue of the tournament. But as to knocking your nation out hooplah, doesn't it happen to Canadian players every year at the Spengler Cup.

Honestly think there is a bit of cake and eating it too arguments going on against this money grab. It can't both be meaningless and terrible insult to random nation states.

 

[patnyrnyg]

This is not a start by any means. There is no intention to built something big in int hockey. Its obviously the intention to eliminate all the risks for owners, make incomes and promote one league. With such a basis you will never built respectful int. event, not even talking about other world cups you mentioned here. And frankly - NHL does not even have resources to built something like this. Are they able to organize it outside NA? Prague, Moscow, Stockholm, Helsinky? How they are going to do it? Thats why its normally organized by international federations. So far NHL has been ruining the best hockey event which was ever built - i.e. OG.

The NHL has RUINED the Olympic Games? Interesting.

And yes, the NHL certainly does have the resources to put on a best on best event. They have the most important piece, THE PLAYERS. If they wanted to stage the tournament in Europe, they could easily contact arena management in Helsinki, Stockholm, Prague, and Moscow.

 

[patnyrnyg]

At best they will not give 100%. Why would in that situation?

I disagree. I think once the puck drops, it won't matter.

 

[patnyrnyg]

They absolutely will repeat this nonsense if enough fans swallow their garbage this time around.

If they pull out of the Olympics, then I think they will do away with the gimmick teams and go with what we had in 96, 04.

I fully agree. And I would have no problem if the world cup stuck to its roots instead of trying to fix something that isn't broken.

Again, I think the original intent of THIS year's tourney was to be more of a showcase, but with teams playing under the country's flag. They didn't want certain NHL'ers left out, so created the Eurostars. Wanted to showcase kids, so did the U23 team. With the Olympics being just two years ago, they may have figured another straight tournament would bore people. Don't recall if that was the attitude of most in 2004. Did many people see it as a warm-up for the real tournament in February 06? I know me personally, I was not nearly as into that tourney as I was in 96 or the Olympics in 2002, or 2006. 98 was hard to get into because of the start times. When it was first announced, I said they should call this the "NHL International Championship" instead of the World Cup/

 

[patnyrnyg]

Feel sorry for the European players.

You have to play a meaningless tournament where your not representing your country whatsoever.

No one anywhere in Hockey World cares and they have to still play.

Would love to see players refuse to play, but I suppose it's in their contracts or what not.

I wonder if they realize, there's not one soul on this planet buying a plane ticket to come to this cash grab.

Wait until World Championships 2017, Paris and Cologne, you'll see a real event where the WHOLE Hockey WORLD will gather.

Yes, it may be astonishing to believe, but Hockey exists outside 30 cities in North America.

Not a soul? So, you have proof of this? What exatly will the 2017 tournament prove? Why would people get excited for the Country winning a JV tournament? I get it, it is a fun "event". People come from all over to "share culture". They can call it the "World Championships" all they want. Nobody gives the actual tournament any consideration when they are thinking about which nation has the best national team.