Bring back the Canada Cup/Reform World Cup.

[Seanconn*]

since, the world cup of Hockey seems to be such a joke, and occurs so infrequently.

What if Russia, USA, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia, other countries willing and with the resources, to hold a world tournament... hold it in the summer every year, or every 2 years, between Olympic play.

I think it would be sweet to bring back the Canada Cup, followed by all the other big hockey nations bringing out Cups or trophies of their own and just hosting the world cup of hockey in their country like a mini olympic tournament. Russia could start us off in 2013, or 2015

I think the USA could just inheret the current World Cup trophy since Gary Bettman probably designed the thing

I think this would make it a lot more like a "world cup" of Hockey, and not just something the NHL organizes whenever it feels like. I think switching over to host countries each tournament would make it a lot more legit, and popular, and actually feel like a cohesive event... like the soccer world cup.

If the current scattered across the world format worked so well, We'd have at least had 3 already, if not 4 of them by this upcoming one in 2011. I think individual hosts is the best way to have tournament more often, regardless of replacing the trophy with new ones from each country, which is not necessary, but could be very cool in my opinion.

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[wjhl2009fan]

I don't think every year or every 2 years would go over well unless the nhl schedule is shorter.

 

[Seanconn*]

I don't think every year or every 2 years would go over well unless the nhl schedule is shorter.

every 2-3 years then?

 

[Zine]

It's unlikely as long as there's olympic participation; and I don't see that changing....it means too much to players.
No matter what the NHL says, I don't think they can pull out of the olympics now. Bettman opened the proverbial 'olympic pandoras box' and there's no going back. The NHLPA would not stand for it.

Considering as such, the only way the NHL would release its players for a WC/CC is if it receives a LARGE chunk of the profits; which, for all intents and purposes, ensures all finals/important games/etc be played on North American soil -- which eliminates any notion of a fair rotating 'global' tournament.

 

[Mayor Bee]

Ideally, here's what I'd like to see.

2011 - IIHF World Championships
2012 - World Cup
2013 - IIHF World Championships
2014 - Olympics
2015 - IIHF World Championships
2016 - World Cup
....and so on.

However, I'd like to see the World Cup as a 24-team tournament. Go with eight pools of three teams each; each one plays the other twice. This initial round would be hosted by the highest-ranked team in the pool. After the four initial games, the bottom team in each pool is eliminated. Then re-seed the remaining sixteen teams into a single-elimination tournament.

What could make it interesting would be tying the whole event into the IIHF overall standings, so that multiple teams could make the jump from Division 1 into the highest strata. And it would also serve to prod players on the fence to play for their country, knowing that a poor showing could get a traditional power relegated down a level. This would both boost the overall caliber of play and also make for some extremely compelling matchups. In addition, it could jump-start bigger development pushes in the smaller countries, with younger players perhaps more likely to take up the sport and continue with it.

By the way, the top 24 ranked teams are:
Russia
Canada
Sweden
Finland
Czech Republic
United States
Switzerland
Slovakia
Germany
Belarus
Norway
Latvia
Denmark
Austria
France
Italy
Kazakhstan
Ukraine
Slovenia
Hungary
Japan
Poland
Great Britain
Lithuania

 

[Slapshooter]

AFAIK the IIHF does not like World/Canada Cups. Especially they don't want to replace the lackluster "World Championships" with World Cup as they don't get any money nor fame from it. In addition of that president of IIHF, René Fasel, apparently hates physical hockey (well NHL is sadly not that physical anymore, but that's another discussion).

It's been said many times: IIHF needs "World Championships" every year because of the money.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

If the NHL doesn't return to the Olympics in Sochi in 2014 bring back the World Cup that year or the year after. I want to see the best players in the world represent their countries darnit.

 

[Big Phil]

AFAIK the IIHF does not like World/Canada Cups. Especially they don't want to replace the lackluster "World Championships" with World Cup as they don't get any money nor fame from it. In addition of that president of IIHF, René Fasel, apparently hates physical hockey (well NHL is sadly not that physical anymore, but that's another discussion).

It's been said many times: IIHF needs "World Championships" every year because of the money.

Yeah Fasel is a clown, utterly useless. A guy like him would like the soft hockey product. However, if you've witnessed the last couple of weeks in the NHL it is anything but soft. It all goes in cycles.

Last time I checked, there was a World Cup scheduled for the Fall of 2012

 

[VMBM]

IF the NHL players will be playing in the Winter Olympics also in the future, I'm not dying to see a Canada/World Cup. And if Russia can redeem themselves at some point (2014?) and maybe even embarrass Canada, I'd rather see a 7-8 game "Super series" between the two countries. Hmmm, there was a thread about it in some other forum (which I couldn't for the life of me find).

 

[tony d]

I like that idea of a 24-team World Cup. Do it the way they used to do in soccer. Would give lesser hockey countries a chance to shine on the international level.

 

[optimus2861]

However, I'd like to see the World Cup as a 24-team tournament. Go with eight pools of three teams each; each one plays the other twice. This initial round would be hosted by the highest-ranked team in the pool. After the four initial games, the bottom team in each pool is eliminated. Then re-seed the remaining sixteen teams into a single-elimination tournament.

Do you grasp just how many massacres will occur in such a tournament? You've only got 6-8 top teams to spread around in those 8 pools, and maybe another 4-6 that can put up a decent fight. The rest get slaughtered, and when the lesser lights play each other, nobody's going to care. ("Next on TSN: Norway versus Great Britain!" )

There is no hole in international hockey for the Canada/World Cup to fill. We get all the best at the Olympics and a subset at the World Championships. Until/unless either of those two facts changes, the Cup is best left in the past.

 

[nutbar]

Do you grasp just how many massacres will occur in such a tournament? You've only got 6-8 top teams to spread around in those 8 pools, and maybe another 4-6 that can put up a decent fight. The rest get slaughtered, and when the lesser lights play each other, nobody's going to care. ("Next on TSN: Norway versus Great Britain!" )

There is no hole in international hockey for the Canada/World Cup to fill. We get all the best at the Olympics and a subset at the World Championships. Until/unless either of those two facts changes, the Cup is best left in the past.

Indeed. Lithuania in a world cup? Really?

 

[NorthernILHawksFan]

i would love to see the Canada Cup/World Cup come back. Just trash the pointless World Championships.

 

[blogofmike]

If the NHL doesn't want to do the Olymics, why not just hold the World Cup every 4 years when the Olympics are on? NHL players/owners get to make the rules (and money) and get some attention (albeit far less) by piggybacking the Olympics.

Of course NBC usually gets the Olympics and probably wouldn't like the NHL undercutting one of the most popular winter events...

 

[Dalton]

Canada Cup most definitely. Throw down the gauntlet. Come to Canada every four years or longer and just try and take it away from us on our turf.

Do it within the IIHF. Keep all the games in Canada. Do it between Olympic years prior to the regular season. Much better than the World cup. Less disruptive than the Olympics. It would make at least a magnitude higher of money than the World Juniors in Canada every year or two.

 

[Epsilon]

If the NHL doesn't want to do the Olymics, why not just hold the World Cup every 4 years when the Olympics are on? NHL players/owners get to make the rules (and money) and get some attention (albeit far less) by piggybacking the Olympics.

Of course NBC usually gets the Olympics and probably wouldn't like the NHL undercutting one of the most popular winter events...

That would guarantee that nobody outside of Canada would watch, and a lot of Canadians would probably skip all the non-Canada games and even possibly the non-elimination games period to watch the Olympics.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Now that there are pro players in the Olympics, there is no need for a World Cup or World Championships. That's the bottom line.

Holding a half-baked tournament every year, just for the sake of playing the games, is really pointless. The championship has no value.

 

[jekoh]

There is no hole in international hockey for the Canada/World Cup to fill. We get all the best at the Olympics and a subset at the World Championships. Until/unless either of those two facts changes, the Cup is best left in the past.

This. The World Cup does not serve any purpose.

No international tournament should be organised by pro leagues anyways.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

I'd like there to be a late summer/early fall World Cup every four years. But it shouldn't be exclusively North American. It should alternate between NA and Europe.

 

[Dalton]

I like the idea of playing on the European ice surfaces. I wish the NHL could switch to them. I understand it's impracticable. A phase in for new arenas could be an interesting possibility. I believe it might go a long way towards solving the scoring and physical injury plays that burden the league today. The game always looks better on the bigger rinks to me.

Maybe a Canada cup should be hosted in the country of the previous winner. Maybe the host country could be selected according to the best performing team not hosting the current event. Back and forth between NA and Europe or Asia if they can catch up.

These kinds of tournaments should operate under the umbrella of the IIHF in any event not the NHL.

 

[GummoMarx]

There will be a World Cup in 2011.

 

[Jussi]

AFAIK the IIHF does not like World/Canada Cups. Especially they don't want to replace the lackluster "World Championships" with World Cup as they don't get any money nor fame from it. In addition of that president of IIHF, René Fasel, apparently hates physical hockey (well NHL is sadly not that physical anymore, but that's another discussion).

It's been said many times: IIHF needs "World Championships" every year because of the money.

Source, link?

 

[Jussi]

There will be a World Cup in 2011.

No there won't. You really think they can arrange such a tournament in such a short notice? Good one.

 

[Jussi]

Now that there are pro players in the Olympics, there is no need for a World Cup or World Championships. That's the bottom line.

Holding a half-baked tournament every year, just for the sake of playing the games, is really pointless. The championship has no value.

You do realize that just because US/Canada doesn't care about the Worlds, doesn't meant the rest of the world doesn't? First of all, it's huge cash cow for the organizing country's federation, essentially covering their budget for several years. Second, are you aware there's lower divisions in international hockey? You need to hold annual World Championship in all level due to the relegation/promotion nature of the of these tournaments.

 

[tarheelhockey]

You do realize that just because US/Canada doesn't care about the Worlds, doesn't meant the rest of the world doesn't? First of all, it's huge cash cow for the organizing country's federation, essentially covering their budget for several years. Second, are you aware there's lower divisions in international hockey? You need to hold annual World Championship in all level due to the relegation/promotion nature of the of these tournaments.

In other words, it's a fundraiser for small-time programs.

Which is fine, and I have no objection to those programs getting a much needed boost. But to act like the World Championships mean anything beyond boosting the IIHF budget is silly. The Olympics is the clear-cut world championship of record.