Olympics: Your Preferred Ice Size For Future Olympic Tournaments

[Starbuds]

Assuming NHL players continue participation.

Personally, I'd go with hybrid. Best of both worlds and not totally different foreign to either side. NHL sized would unfairly cater to the NHL players. International has its problems, like unfamiliarity to the top players(that includes Euro NHL players who haven't played on international sizes rinks consistently for over years) and well all the "problems" you saw just recently (like overly system based play, huge lack of physicality, etc).

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[tmg]

International hockey tournaments should be played under international hockey rules whenever feasible. Smaller-than-full-size rinks are a compromise point when the events need to be held in facilities that are either pre-existing and could not accommodate the larger ice size, or are being built for the Games but still need to be a usable profitable venue afterwards (and likewise could not feasibly accommodate a full width surface).

 

[Guardian17]

Team Canada's preliminary games were boring.

I don't blame Norway, Austria or Finland for sitting back as it gave them the best chance to win.

Unfortunately, it made the games almost unwatchable.

NHL ice for me.

 

[Pominville Knows]

Funny thing is that before this tournament a slight majority was pro-international ice. I dont necessarily blame this Games for that, but rather ignorance and a the exotic factor for north american voters.

 

[Kharkov]

Hybrid.

 

[Statsy]

Unlike most people I talked to that were drooling over the prospect of big international ice, I was well aware of the pitfalls that come with adding more periphery to a game that is at its best when played closer to the net. Seems like a lot of people have had their eyes opened to that fact as well now.

 

[Astoria]

Hybrid

 

[Toffu]

Hybrid is the best option for everyone.

 

[smurfyeah19]

Yeah I won't lie a hybrid would be perfect

 

[tape to tape]

What exactly is the benefit of hybrid over nhl?

 

[CpatainCanuck]

What exactly is the benefit of hybrid over nhl?

The ice is wider.

 

[tape to tape]

The ice is wider.

I realise that, but how is that a benefit?

 

[hammerwielder]

NHL regulation size. The world's best players play on it every day all day long. The de facto standard for best on best.

International rink is tailor-made for trapping and neutralizing top-end skill. Fewer blowouts but frustrating to watch. The only fun thing about it is watching goalies' eyes widen as d-men fire rockets at them from a much-closer point.

 

[Crosbyfan]

International size for me...but move the blue lines to where they are on NHL ice.

 

[park rangers]

Is there a picture of a hybrid rink? Do these exist or are you suggesting the IOC build/create one?

 

[xxxx]

NHL.


Actually, it's one of the reason I want World Cup back. It's crazy to me that 99 % of the players playing the best hockey in the world play in the NHL, on NHL ice, but the olympics are on big ice. It's not only that I find that more attractive and it's just a better hockey to me, but mainly the best players in the world play on that ice for years and....it's just seem pretty logical to me that the best-of-best international tournament should be played on NHL sized ice. That should be a no-brainer.

 

[llwyd]

No mad human ping-pong, please. Hybrid might work.

 

[htpwn]

I'd like to see Finnish size tried out with the best players in the world, so hybrid.

An easy adjustment to the international ice, though, would be to make the neutral zone smaller. Even though the IIHF rink is both wider and longer than the NHL one, the offensive and defensive zones are smaller (IIRC).

 

[LiveeviL]

I want:
1) A singular ice size for hockey, no matter what.
2) A bigger ice than in NHL (mostly because the sports has changed, the athletes are not as they were before, injuries etc).

I can go with hybrid or international size, preferably the latter. I do not think the eye test of boring international ice games is just. If we had SC games on international ice we would see exciting games because the teams are good, no matter the ice.

 

[jekoh]

International ice is better.

 

[Kiwiknightz]

For me it's NHL ice. I really enjoyed the Vancouver Olympic Hockey but The Sochi Hockey not so much, found the games slower in comparison to the Vancouver games. As I have no allegiance to any team/ country at the Olympics I could watch it purely as a spectacle. So for what it's worth I didn't enjoy the Sochi Games as much as the Vancouver games from a hockey perspective.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

I think the term "International" size is outdated. There is NA size and Euro size and these days the IIHF uses either. People are often surprised top hear that roughly 70% of the world's ice rinks are the NA size.

 

[Shrimper]

NHL. Olympic was dull.

 

[Benttheknee]

After watching the Olympics, we can see that teams are rewarded for keeping in the game and hoping to get a lucky bounce to grab an upset.

The larger ice benefits teams that are less talented.

 

[1Gold Standard]

NHL ice would be the best option, but I can live with a hybrid.