Has U20 WJC turned from a development tournament into a national pride one?

[Kshahdoo]

I mean, hockey federations and fans now see WJC as an important tournament to win. For Canadians it's even more important, than WHC.

Not sure, if it's good or bad.

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[alko]

Here in Slovakia it has his name. Maybe 20 years ago, or even when we had Czechoslovakia, it wasnt such important tournament. All was focused to seniors and how to beat Soviets.

At this time, we see it as you mentioned more like development tournament. Because there isnt such quality to beat the best ones.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Just speaking for me....I consider the WJC the most important tournament. Way more than the Worlds. I measure the growth of USA hockey by this tourney.

 

[jj cale]

It has always been about national pride, at least in Canada it always has been.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I think USA Hockey views success in this tournament as a strong indicator of how the U.S. has progressed as a hockey playing country. That said, it's also supposed to be a stepping stone to success in senior events which has been more elusive.

 

[JackSlater]

For Canada, since at least 1982 anyway, it's always been more about pride than about development. Of course people consider results and either boast about or bemoan the state of development in Canada, but they also consider that several players are missing pretty much every year. I don't know if any of that is good or bad. It's an entertaining tournament though, and that's good enough for me and most others.

 

[JiggsNY]

For me at least, the only international tournament I value more is the Olympics, and in the absent of that yes WJC is a huge national pride tournament

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I wish it wasn't always held in Canada.

 

[Zine]

National pride? Sort of for Russia.

The results will make headline news if we win. But otherwise it's not a popular tournament. Unfortunately.

 

[Urbanskog]

Here the turning point was the 2014 tournament. Prior to that it had always been a niche tournament that most people didn't know when it was played. Today it's a fairly popular tournament and a source of national pride.

 

[tony d]

It's one of my favorite international hockey tournaments. Always enjoy watching it.

 

[ijuka]

It is an important tournament and I certainly enjoy watching it. Still... it's weird how much more prestigeous it's considered to be than the u18 consider despite the fact that oftentimes, the very best aren't going to play in the u20 tournament either.

 

[Friar85]

Love, love, love this tourney. I've coached so many Canadian kids over the years, more than a couple the sons/daughters of NHL players, Canadian diplomats or just emigres looking for better weather. Almost without exception, the kids are polite, hard working and love the game and the parents are reasonable and supportive. And even with all that being said, I love when we beat you guys in this tourney. It is a great source of pride for us in the USAH community when we do. This tourney seems to be how we measure our development as a hockey nation.

 

[ChurchOfAlfie]

Why can't it be both?

 

[Joe Zanussi]

I wish it wasn't always held in Canada.

It isn't

 

[Joe Zanussi]

For Canada, since at least 1982 anyway, it's always been more about pride than about development. Of course people consider results and either boast about or bemoan the state of development in Canada, but they also consider that several players are missing pretty much every year. I don't know if any of that is good or bad. It's an entertaining tournament though, and that's good enough for me and most others.

In a weird way, I like that players are missing. It adds an interesting element to the build up: will pulja be available? Whats up with Mete? Etc....

Then, afterwards we get to wonder what would've happened if player x was there. It makes it fun. I always root for the US guys to stick in the NHL, but I enjoy the uncertainty.

 

[Atas2000]

I mean, hockey federations and fans now see WJC as an important tournament to win. For Canadians it's even more important, than WHC.

Not sure, if it's good or bad.

The entertainment factor pushed the popularity, so it's understandable people started to get more and more emotionally attached.

Actually every international event carries a bit of the national pride thing. And it is a good thing.

With the WJC popularity people start to forget it's a juniors tournament though and overrate results and players. They forget for example that some WJC 4th liners might never pan out as pros let alone become national team players for the actual national team. They are the best of basically one birth year with some talented underagers after all, not the best a whole nation has to offer.

The tournament is good for evaluating young talent development in different countries though. You can invest some national pride here too if you please.

What I would point out is why the tournament became so popular. Maybe it's because WJC hockey is more entertaining than the bland systems bound modern hockey on the grown ups level.

 

[JackSlater]

In a weird way, I like that players are missing. It adds an interesting element to the build up: will pulja be available? Whats up with Mete? Etc....

Then, afterwards we get to wonder what would've happened if player x was there. It makes it fun. I always root for the US guys to stick in the NHL, but I enjoy the uncertainty.

If the best players were always available the tournament wouldn't be nearly as popular I expect. It would probably have been 85% Canadian wins or so, which would reduce the popularity in Canada and elsewhere. To be fair though USA is getting to the point where the players it misses are pretty similar to the players that Canada misses, and some countries have years that are at that level too.

What I would point out is why the tournament became so popular. Maybe it's because WJC hockey is more entertaining than the bland systems bound modern hockey on the grown ups level.

That is one factor. Timing is another big one. Coinciding with the Christmas season makes it very convenient for Canadians, and TSN took advantage and marketed the tournament very well. It seems to have spilled over to other nations.

 

[jj cale]

I wish it wasn't always held in Canada.

I've got good news for you then, it's not.

 

[Chainshot]

It's frequently held in Canada (or near Canada) because it is so well attended when it is in or near Canada.

It does seem like the national pride element has crept in as more and more fans get exposure to it. But that doesn't mean it isn't a great measuring stick for different nations and their development programs.

 

[LeftCoast]

It's both and more. It's also highly entertaining and very competitive.

From a development perspective, seeing how young players from different leagues fare against the very best of their age group is always eye opening. As a matter of national pride, the rivalries are intense. Team Canada enters every tournament expecting to be in the medals, and hoping for a CAN/USA final (sorry Russia - just not feeling it anymore. It's not you it's me ...). There is no geopolitical rivalry with Finland or Sweden, so it's also not the same.

 

[Atas2000]

If the best players were always available the tournament wouldn't be nearly as popular I expect. It would probably have been 85% Canadian wins or so, which would reduce the popularity in Canada and elsewhere. To be fair though USA is getting to the point where the players it misses are pretty similar to the players that Canada misses, and some countries have years that are at that level too.



That is one factor. Timing is another big one. Coinciding with the Christmas season makes it very convenient for Canadians, and TSN took advantage and marketed the tournament very well. It seems to have spilled over to other nations.

Here we go. An overly proud fan overrating his team by a parsek.

85%? The 3rd choice team on a bad day with 10 injuries, right?

Relax, Canada, would have the same trouble winning as always.

 

[JackSlater]

Here we go. An overly proud fan overrating his team by a parsek.

85%? The 3rd choice team on a bad day with 10 injuries, right?

Relax, Canada, would have the same trouble winning as always.

You can quibble about the number all you like. Whether it would be 85% of the tournaments that Canada won, 90%, 75% I don't know. Canada is by far the most successful team in this tournament since starting to send real teams in 1982, and that is despite over 200 instances of Canada missing players due to the NHL. Some years I doubt that those players would have made a difference, but in many years they would have. In any event, significantly improving Canada's dominance would have been detrimental to the popularity of the tournament, as I said.

 

[Atas2000]

You can quibble about the number all you like. Whether it would be 85% of the tournaments that Canada won, 90%, 75% I don't know. Canada is by far the most successful team in this tournament since starting to send real teams in 1982, and that is despite over 200 instances of Canada missing players due to the NHL. Some years I doubt that those players would have made a difference, but in many years they would have. In any event, significantly improving Canada's dominance would have been detrimental to the popularity of the tournament, as I said.

I shouldn't laugh so much, but I do. Exactly what I meant. People getting crazy illusions. Canada's dominance at WJC is fake news.

Since starting to send rel teams? What does that even mean? Every nation sends the team it wants to send. Oh, I get it, you want to fake out the soviet dominance in the tournament.

You can also claim that Canada was dominant before there was a tournament.

The tournament was dominated by Soviet Union. Then Canada gained becase there was no Soviet Union and Russia struggled altogether in the 90s. Recently Russia, USA and even Finland (winning two times in the last 4 tournaments) have a better record than Canada. Where is the dominance if there was any?

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Here in Slovakia it has his name. Maybe 20 years ago, or even when we had Czechoslovakia, it wasnt such important tournament. All was focused to seniors and how to beat Soviets.

At this time, we see it as you mentioned more like development tournament. Because there isnt such quality to beat the best ones.

I would say that the first big raise in popularity in Slovakia came with the 2009 WJC when it was televised for the first time and it also happened to be one of the few tournaments at any level where Slovakia made it to the top 4. I remember the numbers of viewers being quite high back then. 2015 WJC probably also helped a lot.

For the general population i n Slovakia WJC/Olympics still are a national pride tournament. For hockey fans in Slovakia the WJC became quite a tradition that many of us look forward to every year but as you say, it's more of a development thing rather than a national pride question.