World Cup of Hockey returns in 2016

[puckhead]

so if either of the orphan teams win a game.. what song are they going to play?

 

[davnlaguna]

so if either of the orphan teams win a game.. what song are they going to play?

Europe has an official anthem

[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo_-KoBiBG0[/ame]

For the under 23 group
I suggest just play the Canadian National Anthem
USA kids will still be in school

 

[puckhead]

For the under 23 group
I suggest just play the Canadian National Anthem
USA kids will still be in school

 

[Cobiemonster]

Not sure what to make of the new format. I kind of like it but can see why a lot of hockey purists would not as it's a bit gimmicky. I guess where this tournament has never been a regular thing, I don't see the harm in trying it. But if it's true that they have no intentions of continuing with this format beyond 2016, then why bother with it? Is it just to guarantee that McDavid, Eichel, Jones, McKinnon etc. get to not only compete in the tournament but will all be teammates in meaningful games? My guess is that they want to see how this tournament goes before committing either way to continuing with this format. I'll be interested to see how both the Young Guns and the Euro-Misfits do. I'll likely be cheering for both to some extent. I can see Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, etc. putting together a pretty solid team.

I agree - I actually think it can be a positive because if you put the young guns against the veterans, it might give the veterans a run for their money because it's at the beginning of the season when some of the veterans might take a little longer to get into the swing of things

The only thing I really don't like is that guys like Mark Streit and Nino Niederrieter from the Swiss won't be able to participate and to me that's not fair - they should be included on the team where all the rest of the players not from the main four Euro countries are assembled - those two players are decent players who probably deserve to be on that team

 

[jstewismybastardson]

they need to change the name ... this isnt a world cup ... its an nhl cup ... wont have any of the cache or high stakes involved in the olympics of course but it doesnt even come close to the older world cup/canada cup incarnations

this sums it up

[ame="[MEDIA=twitter]559422031238664192[/MEDIA]"][/ame]

 

[Nasty_Magician]

It will look really bad if either the US or Canada lose to an under 23 team. That has to be a huge shot to their egos.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

It will look really bad if either the US or Canada lose to an under 23 team. That has to be a huge shot to their egos.

youre saying this as if they really cared lol

 

[Cobiemonster]

It will look really bad if either the US or Canada lose to an under 23 team. That has to be a huge shot to their egos.

That's why I think it has the potential to be really good - of course the young guns could fall flat on their face but it wouldn't be the biggest of surprises - I think it would really give the older players more incentive because they won't want to lose to young guns, imo

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

They have to submit rosters 5 months before the tournament?!

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

FTA:

Lame. If they want a best-on-best tournament, shouldn't they allow Team Canada and Team USA to take the best players available to them, instead of this stupid under-23 thing?

This U-23 nonsense is the most gimmicky shit I've ever heard.

 

[Cobiemonster]

They have to submit rosters 5 months before the tournament?!

It makes sense because a lot of things could change in the offseason and players will have plans in the offseason - plus the players won't be together in the offseason if the rosters have to be submitted in the summer so it's easier to do it at the end of the previous season than if it was done in the summer

 

[jstewismybastardson]

That's why I think it has the potential to be really good - of course the young guns could fall flat on their face but it wouldn't be the biggest of surprises - I think it would really give the older players more incentive because they won't want to lose to young guns, imo

hey why stop here ... why not have a team made up of retired guys too ... double the incentive not to lose

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

It makes sense because a lot of things could change in the offseason and players will have plans in the offseason - plus the players won't be together in the offseason if the rosters have to be submitted in the summer so it's easier to do it at the end of the previous season than if it was done in the summer

So much can change in that time, though - what if a guy is playing great during the season, then gets to the playoffs and pulls a Vanek?

 

[Cobiemonster]

hey why stop here ... why not have a team made up of retired guys too ... double the incentive not to lose

Look we get it, a lot of people absolutely fucking despise this World Cup tournament, but you know what, it's hockey and I will watch it no matter what and it will be interesting for me, maybe not for others, but it will be for me

All players have pride in it and I'm glad the league is doing the World Cup because I'd rather have that at the beginning of the season than to shut the season down for two and a half fucking weeks for a tournament that is relevant because of the "nostalgia" that everyone has for it and the fact that some players would probably rather win a gold medal than the Stanley Cup

 

[jstewismybastardson]

how about an under 5 foot 10 team ... oh yah ... this could get reeeeaaaaly good ...

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Look we get it, a lot of people absolutely fucking despise this World Cup tournament, but you know what, it's hockey and I will watch it no matter what and it will be interesting for me, maybe not for others, but it will be for me

All players have pride in it and I'm glad the league is doing the World Cup because I'd rather have that at the beginning of the season than to shut the season down for two and a half fucking weeks for a tournament that is relevant because of the "nostalgia" that everyone has for it and the fact that some players would probably rather win a gold medal than the Stanley Cup

just like the same pride of the all star game??

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Look we get it, a lot of people absolutely fucking despise this World Cup tournament, but you know what, it's hockey and I will watch it no matter what and it will be interesting for me, maybe not for others, but it will be for me

All players have pride in it and I'm glad the league is doing the World Cup because I'd rather have that at the beginning of the season than to shut the season down for two and a half fucking weeks for a tournament that is relevant because of the "nostalgia" that everyone has for it and the fact that some players would probably rather win a gold medal than the Stanley Cup

I despise the Olympic break as well, but I do feel as though this U-23/all star Euro team nonsense is going to make this tournament feel as though it's not worth the ice it's played on and make people pine for the Olympics.

I think at this point the world understands and is okay with hockey being a sport played at the highest level by 5 or 6 countries, and barely by the rest. Why fuck with that?

 

[jstewismybastardson]

All players have pride in it and I'm glad the league is doing the World Cup because I'd rather have that at the beginning of the season than to shut the season down for two and a half fucking weeks for a tournament that is relevant because of the "nostalgia" that everyone has for it and the fact that some players would probably rather win a gold medal than the Stanley Cup

I could be wrong but i think its relevant because its the best players in the world playing for their respective nations in a best on best competitive tournament

 

[Cobiemonster]

I despise the Olympic break as well, but I do feel as though this U-23/all star Euro team nonsense is going to make this tournament feel as though it's not worth the ice it's played on and make people pine for the Olympics.

I think at this point the world understands and is okay with hockey being a sport played at the highest level by 5 or 6 countries, and barely by the rest. Why fuck with that?

I don't even disagree with you, I think going forward they should probably change the U-23 thing because I think that can fluctuate every four years, you could have a really good U-23 one year and then four years later it's not very good

That being said, I think people need to realize that the league is as strong as it's ever been and you have to take the good with the bad when it comes to the different ideas the league is trying to do, who knows, the World Cup in 2016 might be a hit and fans might warm up to the whole thing?

 

[Cobiemonster]

I could be wrong but i think its relevant because its the best players in the world playing for their respective nations in a best on best competitive tournament

Yeah just so we can see Canada win the whole damn thing every four years

I've seen the same crap the last two tournaments - it hasn't been THAT exciting - everyone knows unless Canada totally shits the bed, they're going to win - USA has been perennial chokers in this event the last two years and I'm tired of seeing them built up as if it's "their year" just to see them go MIA against Canada every time - besides Slovenia making a really nice run and the Swiss looking good, they still didn't get to the Final and it's pretty much the same thing the last few tournaments - even with the USA having more talent than it's ever had, they will still not surpass Canada because Canada owns every frickin superstar forward and defenseman that they could field 2 or 3 teams and probably beat USA with each one

With the World Cup, I think the competition will be much better and with it being at the beginning of the season, I think it makes things a lot more fair for all the teams and players playing in the tournament