Maybe this is the subject of a seperate thread, but does anyone else find it frustrating that there are precious few tourneys that actually allow all nations to play with the same advantages / weaknesses.
The difference in rules and rink sizes is clearly the biggest problem, but with the IIHF determined to hold "World Championships" during junior and NHL playoffs, a lot of politics and stubborness exacerbate the situation.
Of course, the World / Canada Cup is open to criticism as it is played in NHL rinks (but is it so bad that one senior tourney is played that way?). The U-18 Cup could be a really good match-up, except that the Americans won't send their hothouse team (content, I imagine, with winning the U-18 worlds against a bunch of all-star teams).
THe WJHC stands out I suppose, because it follows the rules of the host country. I would suggest that Canada and the US have a slight disadvantage here as their really exceptional players are locked up by pro teams by the time they are 19(Crosby, Staal, Thornton, Nash, etc... -- is there actaully an American example?). But to bemoan that disadvantage would be to ignore that those two countries + Russia have owned that tournament for most of the last ten years (I know, I know my Czech friends. . . you get an honourable mention).
And the Olympics, well yah, maybe, but again European rules and (shudder) refs, and the last two Games have tilted towards the host country's continental brethren.
Any ideas?