World Cup of Hockey to Return (Feb 2024)

[Sentinel]

There's never been more parity in international hockey than today so it would be nice to have all the top teams present.

I'd say, the late 90s had more parity.

 

[jj cale]

In Canada the peculiarity seems to be the role of the national team serving as a compensation to a painful lack of Canadian team success in the NHL which makes fans and the hockey culture as a whole permanently more insecure than in other countries. The Leafs are never going to win but at least Hockey Canada still is kind of thing. The Americans despite nowadays abundant talent haven't had any great victories since 1996 and before that only in 1980, but to be honest their hockey fans seemingly feel much more at ease with it whereas in Canada everything hockey always comes with great nervosity.

This is the best youve got? well, considering the results of both teams in these post nagano years I suppose there couldn't possibly be much to draw from the well. Understandable.................she's bone dry.


The jealousy is painfully obvious here, I sympathize with your plight, it can't be easy just hoping you can produce enough players to be semi competitive.

Oh for the glory days eh? It afforded guys like you with such better material to work with.

 

[jj cale]

Sweden and Russia probably miss the good old days the most. I guess the Czechs to an extend as well. For Finland the history is filled with a lot of disappointments.

The past is the past, I doubt anyone in Finland is complaining about results lately.

 

[JackSlater]

Sure they do, but there are hardcore hockey fans south of the border as well. Measured in registered players it's almost even between the two countries. It's not like Canadian success is a bad thing or the American lack of it something to cherish, but the Canadians definitely are not at much ease with their particular situation regardless of what way it's trending. It's a bipolar world between arrogance and denial.

So you're doubling down on one bizarre theory with an even more bizarre claim. No, Americans in general do not care about hockey as much as Canadians do. It isn't even close to the point that the claim is ridiculous. Obviously there are hardcore fans and millions of fans overall in the United States but clearly Americans are not going to be as invested in international results in hockey, and it isn't because of NHL results. Hockey has a smaller place in the sports landscape there. As for the original bizarre claim, while it is a media story every playoffs and some people lament the results of Canadian teams in the playoffs, it has nothing to do with Canada's international performances. Flip a few Stanley Cup final results like 2004, 2006, and 2011 and the pressure on team Canada at the best on best level would have been exactly what it was in reality, or like it was when Montreal dominated in the 70s and Edmonton dominated in the 80s.

 

[ORRFForever]

I'd say, the late 90s had more parity.

There was an article before the 2002 Olympics in Sports Illustrated. The article said (paraphrasing), "In Hockey, Canada pulls ahead and the rest of the world catches up. Then Canada pulls ahead, again."

In the 90's, the rest of the world caught up, then Canada pulled ahead - thank you to the greatest generation.

20 years later. the rest of the world has caught up and, hopefully, the upcoming drafts will allow us to pull ahead, again.

 

[Lepardi]

I wouldn't trade places with you, lol, regardless of how "humiliating" you think that loss was. We historically get angry with those losses and come back determined to right the ship and we always do, we aren't flash in the pans in hockey. We never have to cling to "time periods"

That's what winning programs do, and we are a winning program across all generations.

There are two countries in the world where hockey is king. One of them has 38.5 million people and the other one has 5.5 million. This being the case, it's pretty darn natural that the country with a population of 38.5 million dominates international hockey. It doesn't exactly take a genius to build a program to make this happen.

 

[Czechboy]

Sure they do, but there are hardcore hockey fans south of the border as well. Measured in registered players it's almost even between the two countries. It's not like Canadian success is a bad thing or the American lack of it something to cherish, but the Canadians definitely are not at much ease with their particular situation regardless of what way it's trending. It's a bipolar world between arrogance and denial.

That's true BUT US population is a LOT bigger than Canadas... 10x almost. I think it's 'fair' to say only maybe 10 states care about hockey while 40 do not.

Also, I 'think', most Canadians realize that while the NHL teams there don't win the Cup the winning team is usually very heavily loaded with Canadian players... Makar, Mackinnon, Kadri, Kuemper, Toews all come to mind.

 

[Lepardi]

Flip a few Stanley Cup final results like 2004, 2006, and 2011 and the pressure on team Canada at the best on best level would have been exactly what it was in reality, or like it was when Montreal dominated in the 70s and Edmonton dominated in the 80s.

I believe the pressure on Team Canada was bigger in the 1970s and 1980s than it's been ever since. The political ramifications were far greater and they had an equal opponent. If there is a World Cup in 2024, Team Canada doesn't have to deliberately take out Auston Matthews like they did to Valeri Kharlamov in 1972.

 

[jj cale]

There are two countries in the world where hockey is king. One of them has 38.5 million people and the other one has 5.5 million. This being the case, it's pretty darn natural that the country with a population of 38.5 million dominates international hockey. It doesn't exactly take a genius to build a program to make this happen.

is an apology required for this?

I didn't understand loving a sport should be held against us, the IIHF might want to look into stripping us of our golds.

I don't see Finnish fans ever having to defend themselves about being better then Latvia due to it being the most popular sport there and having a population of 5.5 million while Latvia has a population of only 1.8.

I'm sorry, we have loved hockey for over a century and our population now stands at 38 million, happy now?

so we love hockey..........my god, what a sin!!

Why on earth did it take me 52 years to realize liking a sport a lot is a terrible thing and such a negative?

 

[deprw]

Note: this thread will be locked soon if it continues to be about genocide, war and atrocities. This is what a post on rosters looks like and potential world cup talk.

Just off the top of my head.lol

Will respect this and don't want to distract this any further. It's just our neighboring country doing those things and as hockey lover I have been anticipating best of the best tournament for years. We won Olympic gold and nothing takes it away, but it was bummer it wasn't best of the best with the NHL players (which was natural under the circumstances).

Those Daly's comment just hit the air out of me, because they lack respect towards humanity, which is value over any sports or gold medal of any sort.

Would love to speculate how the best Finnish hockey team will be constructed, since we have best crop of young players playing in the NHL at the moment, but have lost my motivation to do this, because of Daly. Will do it hopefully later on, because while I agree on some degree it's better to keep politics out of sports on some degree. This is just too big to turn blind eye on and it haven't really worked with Russia. They always use sports as a tool of politics.

Just hope situation at 2024 is better for our team (more youngsters broke trough) and there is real peace in the world.

 

[JackSlater]

I believe the pressure on Team Canada was bigger in the 1970s and 1980s than it's been ever since. The political ramifications were far greater and they had an equal opponent. If there is a World Cup in 2024, Team Canada doesn't have to deliberately take out Auston Matthews like they did to Valeri Kharlamov in 1972.

To some degree yes. The Summit Series team definitely had the most pressure, and USSR (not to be confused with Russia) was Canada's rival in a way that no other country has been. Losing one or two best on best tournaments did heap pressure on to teams like Canada 2002 and 2010 in a massive way however that it probably comparable to what the team experienced in the 80s, with "the field" substituting for USSR in a hockey sense if not political.

 

[Czechboy]

Will respect this and don't want to distract this any further. It's just our neighboring country doing those things and as hockey lover I have been anticipating best of the best tournament for years. We won Olympic gold and nothing takes it away, but it was bummer it wasn't best of the best with the NHL players (which was natural under the circumstances).

Those Daly's comment just hit the air out of me, because they lack respect towards humanity, which is value over any sports or gold medal of any sort.

Would love to speculate how the best Finnish hockey team will be constructed, since we have best crop of young players playing in the NHL at the moment, but have lost my motivation to do this, because of Daly. Will do it hopefully later on, because while I agree on some degree it's better to keep politics out of sports on some degree. This is just too big to turn blind eye on and it haven't really worked with Russia. They always use sports as a tool of politics.

Just hope situation at 2024 is better for our team (more youngsters broke trough) and there is real peace in the world.

Finns are in a tough spot... you clearly have U18's, U20's and Worlds figured out and are a legit threat every time.

Winning a best on best is a totally different animal and since you peaked, you haven't had a chance to play one. Eg. my Czechs are currently struggling so no best on best isn't awful because we are not a gold medal contender. You are! But you have to win it and have not had a chance to play in one since you've started racking up so many gold medals with your elite coach.

I want best on best badly. Hope no gimmick teams... worried they'll play in Europe... worried they'll bring in players from other nations to fill out rosters. Hope I'm wrong and this looks like a legit World Cup. Skeptical.

Congrats on Olympic Gold btw.. you stopped a very good team in the final. I feel like the biggest rivarly in hockey is Finland vs Canada right now!

 

[Czechboy]

Will respect this and don't want to distract this any further. It's just our neighboring country doing those things and as hockey lover I have been anticipating best of the best tournament for years. We won Olympic gold and nothing takes it away, but it was bummer it wasn't best of the best with the NHL players (which was natural under the circumstances).

Those Daly's comment just hit the air out of me, because they lack respect towards humanity, which is value over any sports or gold medal of any sort.

Would love to speculate how the best Finnish hockey team will be constructed, since we have best crop of young players playing in the NHL at the moment, but have lost my motivation to do this, because of Daly. Will do it hopefully later on, because while I agree on some degree it's better to keep politics out of sports on some degree. This is just too big to turn blind eye on and it haven't really worked with Russia. They always use sports as a tool of politics.

Just hope situation at 2024 is better for our team (more youngsters broke trough) and there is real peace in the world.

Also, you have that 16 or 17 year old Dman.... I think he might be a 1OV in 2 years (maybe 3).. kid is awesome!

 

[Czechboy]

To some degree yes. The Summit Series team definitely had the most pressure, and USSR (not to be confused with Russia) was Canada's rival in a way that no other country has been. Losing one or two best on best tournaments did heap pressure on to teams like Canada 2002 and 2010 in a massive way however that it probably comparable to what the team experienced in the 80s, with "the field" substituting for USSR in a hockey sense if not political.

I liked the quote from, I think, Orrf... Canada laps the field, the field catches up, Canada laps it again.

When Canada loses they come back stronger. It's amazing to watch to be honest.

Nothing will rival a cold war and a summit series type environment.. that went well beyond hockey!

You're probably right.. it's Canada vs US/Finland/Sweden right now! Usually they win pool and get an easier quarter (eg. Czechs) and then it gets suspenseful!

 

[ORRFForever]

I liked the quote from, I think, Orrf... Canada laps the field, the field catches up, Canada laps it again.

When Canada loses they come back stronger. It's amazing to watch to be honest.

Nothing will rival a cold war and a summit series type environment.. that went well beyond hockey!

You're probably right.. it's Canada vs US/Finland/Sweden right now! Usually they win pool and get an easier quarter (eg. Czechs) and then it gets suspenseful!

It was me !!!!

Team Canada doesn't have to deliberately take out Auston Matthews like they did to Valeri Kharlamov in 1972.

No, but we're gonna do it, anyway !!!!

 

[Jussi]

Will respect this and don't want to distract this any further. It's just our neighboring country doing those things and as hockey lover I have been anticipating best of the best tournament for years. We won Olympic gold and nothing takes it away, but it was bummer it wasn't best of the best with the NHL players (which was natural under the circumstances).

Those Daly's comment just hit the air out of me, because they lack respect towards humanity, which is value over any sports or gold medal of any sort.

Would love to speculate how the best Finnish hockey team will be constructed, since we have best crop of young players playing in the NHL at the moment, but have lost my motivation to do this, because of Daly. Will do it hopefully later on, because while I agree on some degree it's better to keep politics out of sports on some degree. This is just too big to turn blind eye on and it haven't really worked with Russia. They always use sports as a tool of politics.

Just hope situation at 2024 is better for our team (more youngsters broke trough) and there is real peace in the world.

World Cup of Hockey to Return (Feb 2024)

My only thoughts on this are: 1. A lot can, and will change, over the next year-and-a-half with respect to the Russia/Ukraine situation (and the situation within Russia itself). 2. If the organizing bodies insist on Russian players participating in the tournament, even under a non-Russian...

forums.hfboards.com

People seem to be ignoring Daly's comments for Dailyfaceoff.

 

[JackSlater]

I liked the quote from, I think, Orrf... Canada laps the field, the field catches up, Canada laps it again.

When Canada loses they come back stronger. It's amazing to watch to be honest.

Nothing will rival a cold war and a summit series type environment.. that went well beyond hockey!

You're probably right.. it's Canada vs US/Finland/Sweden right now! Usually they win pool and get an easier quarter (eg. Czechs) and then it gets suspenseful!

It's a strength that I don't think remains to nearly the same degree. Canada had a summit to fix Canadian hockey development because Canada's development was poor despite winning 7/8 WJC shortly before the summit. Losing even two best on best tournaments in a row, even with fairly close margins, was not acceptable. A sense of complacency has crept in though where things like Canada's very poor production of goaltenders remains unfixed, to say nothing of the somewhat uninspiring skaters. Part of the benefit of an actual best on best is that the team either wins, or if it loses it will open up some eyes. No one is going to care all that much if Canada goes on a very long IIHF world championship or U18 or Hlinka drought and even a winless streak at the WJC won't mean nearly as much.

I'm interested to see how teams look after such a gap at the very top level. I see Sweden and Canada as two countries where there was a missed opportunity for the previous generation to show the way to the current generation over what should have been the last several best on best tournaments.

 

[Henkka]

I'd take Team Russia away, and replace them with Two Canada's (OHL area & WHL area) + Quebec.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

I could see Russia playing under a non-russia banner, similar to 2018 Olympics. It would understandably be tough for the league to exclude stars Ovechkin, Kaprizov & Vasilevsky. We'll see what happens.

Anyways I'm really looking forward to the tournament, doing it in-season will make it was better imo

 

[Albatros]

I could see Russia playing under a non-russia banner, similar to 2018 Olympics.

That experiment ended with the Russians screaming their anthem over the Olympic hymn, already that alone would be a complete PR disaster in the current situation.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

That experiment ended with the Russians screaming their anthem over the Olympic hymn, already that alone would be a complete PR disaster in the current situation.

Yeah fair enough

 

[Czechboy]

I'd take Team Russia away, and replace them with Two Canada's (OHL area & WHL area) + Quebec.

I'm legit at the point where I'd be fine with 2 team canadas... They do have the depth and the B team is stronger than the Czech A team. I actually think the B team could beat the A team. I could see both making the final and I'd find it compelling.

There is even a precedence.. the old Isvestia (spelled wrong for sure) in the USSR... they sent two soviet teams and met in the finals a few times!

NOTE: Looks the first one had 2 Czechoslovakia teams too!

 

[Czechboy]

It's a strength that I don't think remains to nearly the same degree. Canada had a summit to fix Canadian hockey development because Canada's development was poor despite winning 7/8 WJC shortly before the summit. Losing even two best on best tournaments in a row, even with fairly close margins, was not acceptable. A sense of complacency has crept in though where things like Canada's very poor production of goaltenders remains unfixed, to say nothing of the somewhat uninspiring skaters. Part of the benefit of an actual best on best is that the team either wins, or if it loses it will open up some eyes. No one is going to care all that much if Canada goes on a very long IIHF world championship or U18 or Hlinka drought and even a winless streak at the WJC won't mean nearly as much.

I'm interested to see how teams look after such a gap at the very top level. I see Sweden and Canada as two countries where there was a missed opportunity for the previous generation to show the way to the current generation over what should have been the last several best on best tournaments.

I'll disagree about World Jrs. The NHL hockey fans see it as Stanley Cup and then the Xmas Juniors. The casual non international fan swears by that tourney. Agree with the rest

Good point about Sweden.. not that I think they are weak now but they had a freakin all star team going for a while and never got many cracks at a best on best. Feel the same about Finn's today... I want to see it.

And, of course, 'The Americans are coming'... been hearing this since 1996 and haven't seen it which blows my mind because the talent pool is unbelievable.

Only Canadian flaws to my eye are a: the goalies (not that they are bad and there a LOT of them) and b: Still a white kid sport and Canada is a very multicultural nation. Look at the amazing tennis teams (both female or male) or soccer team (next 2 world cups)... that is what Canada looks like... Asians, Muslims, immigrants, POC's etc. If Canada had sent their best team to the Olympics there was zero diversity in that lineup. If they can get those communities playing hockey.. watch out!

 

[JackSlater]

I'll disagree about World Jrs. The NHL hockey fans see it as Stanley Cup and then the Xmas Juniors. The casual non international fan swears by that tourney. Agree with the rest

Good point about Sweden.. not that I think they are weak now but they had a freakin all star team going for a while and never got many cracks at a best on best. Feel the same about Finn's today... I want to see it.

And, of course, 'The Americans are coming'... been hearing this since 1996 and haven't seen it which blows my mind because the talent pool is unbelievable.

Only Canadian flaws to my eye are a: the goalies (not that they are bad and there a LOT of them) and b: Still a white kid sport and Canada is a very multicultural nation. Look at the amazing tennis teams (both female or male) or soccer team (next 2 world cups)... that is what Canada looks like... Asians, Muslims, immigrants, POC's etc. If Canada had sent their best team to the Olympics there was zero diversity in that lineup. If they can get those communities playing hockey.. watch out!

I couldn't care less about the ethnic diversity of the Canadian team, but the more participation the better and yes Canada can make big improvements in attracting kids who aren't white. The biggest thing is still cost and that is a huge hurdle. Most hockey greats throughout history grew up poor, and while Canadian society has gotten much wealthier it is still unnatural that so many elite hockey players come from wealthy backgrounds these days. Hockey, while less popular now than it was in the past, is still huge in Canadian media and is a fun game to pick up even if it is just starting with street hockey. If the economic barrier to entry is made low then all kinds of kids will play, and if it remains low many of those kids will progress up the ladder. The infrastructure is there to take advantage if tons of kids play.

That is how Canada can make a jump forward. The focus has been on getting a larger piece out of a shrinking pie. More effort needs to be made toward getting a bigger pie.

 

[Czechboy]

I couldn't care less about the ethnic diversity of the Canadian team, but the more participation the better and yes Canada can make big improvements in attracting kids who aren't white. The biggest thing is still cost and that is a huge hurdle. Most hockey greats throughout history grew up poor, and while Canadian society has gotten much wealthier it is still unnatural that so many elite hockey players come from wealthy backgrounds these days. Hockey, while less popular now than it was in the past, is still huge in Canadian media and is a fun game to pick up even if it is just starting with street hockey. If the economic barrier to entry is made low then all kinds of kids will play, and if it remains low many of those kids will progress up the ladder. The infrastructure is there to take advantage if tons of kids play.

That is how Canada can make a jump forward. The focus has been on getting a larger piece out of a shrinking pie. More effort needs to be made toward getting a bigger pie.

I'll just add that a lot of newcomers to Canada are wealthy coming in but they still don't go to hockey and choose vball, soccer, basketballs, skiing, swimming, tennis over hockey. Your larger piece of shrinking pie is a beautiful analogy.