Next World Cup

[jonlin]

Since in North America people speak English, Canada and the US should also have one team.

We could do just four teams:

North America (us, canada)
Scandinavia (fins, sweds, norway and dnmk)
Eastern Europe (slovaks, czech n russia)
Western Europe (austrians, swiss, germans)

Can we please have a Quebec-French team also?

 

[Silky Johnson]

Hopefully, never ever.

The real "World Cup" is happening right now, these days. It's called the World Championships, you know.

And once the NHL stops sabotaging it, and joins every single other top-level hockey league from around the world to accommodate this annual tournament with an esteemed tradition of decades, we will have a proper best-on-best event every single year.

Preferably around mid-February, as befits a winter sport. Of course, it would be skipped every fourth year, in favor of the Olympics.

Very simple, isn't it? No need for silly travesties called "World Cup".

Naturally, a proper World Championships tournament would take place in North America just as frequently as it would in Europe. This is already a given in the junior tier, so the "adult" tier simply needs to follow suit.

f*** the world Championships.

They are terrible and during the playoffs of the best & only relevant league in the world.

The IIHF like the IOC is a feckless and boring organisation. They have 0 leverage and are useless.

Best on best is the only thing that matters and the NHL/NHLPA control the best.

You can pretend otherwise but you would be wrong.

 

[EK47]

Sweden - Finland was basically the same country for some 600yrs and the culture is the same. Hey also language - I`m a swedish speaking Finn myself. Here is our lineup:

Landeskog - Barkov - Rantanen
Hintz - Pettersson - Nylander
Laine - Aho - Forsberg
Zibanejad - Lindholm - Burakovsky

Heiskanen - Dahlin
Karlsson - Hedman
Lindholm - Ekholm/Andersson

Saros
Ullmark

This is the run and gun lineup. If they wanna shut the other teams down completely bring on Eriksson Ek, William Karlsson and Backlund as forwards. Larsson, Andersson and Lindell on defense. Also Bratt is better than Burakovsky. Both defensively and offensively.

 

[Albatros]

f*** the world Championships.

They are terrible and during the playoffs of the best & only relevant league in the world.

The IIHF like the IOC is a feckless and boring organisation. They have 0 leverage and are useless.

Best on best is the only thing that matters and the NHL/NHLPA control the best.

You can pretend otherwise but you would be wrong.

In Finland now during the IIHF World Championships more people watched an episode of Griff's Canadian Adventure (Tuesday 8 PM) than the Conference Final between Vegas and Dallas (Sunday 10 PM) on the same channel. That's how relevant the NHL playoffs are internationally.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Since in North America people speak English, Canada and the US should also have one team.

We could do just four teams:

North America (us, canada)
Scandinavia (fins, sweds, norway and dnmk)
Eastern Europe (slovaks, czech n russia)
Western Europe (austrians, swiss, germans)

Rather than restrict players to teams based on nationality, let’s just form teams that can assemble players from anywhere in the world. To make it fair, new players coming in from amateurs will be allocated via a draft and all teams will be subject to a salary cap. They can hold an annual best-on-best competition to determine the ultimate champion of hockey.

 

[Hostile Offer]

f*** the world Championships.

They are terrible and during the playoffs of the best & only relevant league in the world.

The IIHF like the IOC is a feckless and boring organisation. They have 0 leverage and are useless.

Best on best is the only thing that matters and the NHL/NHLPA control the best.

You can pretend otherwise but you would be wrong.

While I do agree that the World Champs in their current format are a casual hockey vacation trip at best, this right here is the issue with the whole international hockey. The IIHF and IOC might dwell in corruption but the NHL having all the leverage has completely broken international hockey. They have this mindset that they "own" hockey and don't need to cooperate with the international organizations unless it's financially beneficial for them. This might be just fine for NA fans as that's just how team sports work in there but having no relevant international competition is alienating European fans.

Hockey is just in a weird spot as it has a big 4 league in NA but also has a credible international competition, which can't be said for any other sport. It makes the relationship between the NHL, the international organizations, the players and the fans kind of awkward.

 

[jonlin]

This is the run and gun lineup. If they wanna shut the other teams down completely bring on Eriksson Ek, William Karlsson and Backlund as forwards. Larsson, Andersson and Lindell on defense. Also Bratt is better than Burakovsky. Both defensively and offensively.

If we go that way, Lehkonen would also be on the team. We just run`n gun through the defense.

 

[nyrmetros]

The NHL has destroyed the integrity of the IIHF World Cup of Hockey. The IIHF wasn't even a partner during the last bastardized event that was held. Fake teams representing fake countries. Fake jerseys that are not representing the actual federation or national teams. A far cry from the 96 and 2004 IIHF WCs.

 

[Silky Johnson]

In Finland now during the IIHF World Championships more people watched an episode of Griff's Canadian Adventure (Tuesday 8 PM) than the Conference Final between Vegas and Dallas (Sunday 10 PM) on the same channel. That's how relevant the NHL playoffs are internationally.

And I care why?

I get to watch the best players in the world, inclusive the best Finns, 82+ games a year. If I get a best on best every once in a while all the better. But like I said...

f*** the World Championships.

 

[Albatros]

And I care why?

I get to watch the best players in the world, inclusive the best Finns, 82+ games a year. If I get a best on best every once in a while all the better. But like I said...

f*** the World Championships.

You do you. But I'd argue today's IIHF games were more exciting hockey than pretty much any out of those 82.

 

[Silky Johnson]

While I do agree that the World Champs in their current format are a casual hockey vacation trip at best, this right here is the issue with the whole international hockey. The IIHF and IOC might dwell in corruption but the NHL having all the leverage has completely broken international hockey. They have this mindset that they "own" hockey and don't need to cooperate with the international organizations unless it's financially beneficial for them. This might be just fine for NA fans as that's just how team sports work in there but having no relevant international competition is alienating European fans.

Hockey is just in a weird spot as it has a big 4 league in NA but also has a credible international competition, which can't be said for any other sport. It makes the relationship between the NHL, the international organizations, the players and the fans kind of awkward.

They do "own" hockey. The NHL & NHLPA give us the best hockey product in the world. That is their job and they do it well.

FIFA can get it done. FIBA can get it done. Hell, even the IBA does better than the IIHF. They are useless.

Baseball & Basketball both have other credible leagues that are comparable to Euro Hockey and are part of the Big 4. IIHF just plain sucks.

If they just accepted their junior status and tried to work with the NHL they might actually get something interesting done.

You do you. But I'd argue today's IIHF games were more exciting hockey than pretty much any out of those 82.

You can argue all you want but you would be wrong.

There is a reason the NHL has all the best players in the world...they have the best product by a mile.

 

[Shocker]

Any combination team vomit or an event fully ran by NHL alone, i couldn't care less.

Should be a joint thing, but that will never happen, just hoping for Olympics with the best players.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Hockey is just in a weird spot as it has a big 4 league in NA but also has a credible international competition, which can't be said for any other sport. It makes the relationship between the NHL, the international organizations, the players and the fans kind of awkward.

That's not true. FIBA Basketball is very prominent. Across men and women, senior and youth. They are just fortunate that the Summer Olympics occurs during the NBA offseason so players are available without pausing a season in a multi-billion dollar professional sporting league.

Even Baseball has the World Baseball Classic now which is sanctioned by the world governing body of baseball, and in partnership with Major League baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Of course nothing in American Football, but that makes sense as other countries don't play it in large numbers (and the sport has way too many injuries even if it did, as every game multiple players can be counted on to get hurt per team).

It's the NHL and IIHF that can't manage to see eye to eye.

 

[Hostile Offer]

That's not true. FIBA Basketball is very prominent. Across men and women, senior and youth. They are just fortunate that the Summer Olympics occurs during the NBA offseason so players are available without pausing a season in a multi-billion dollar professional sporting league.

Even Baseball has the World Baseball Classic now which is sanctioned by the world governing body of baseball, and in partnership with Major League baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Of course nothing in American Football, but that makes sense as other countries don't play it in large numbers (and the sport has way too many injuries even if it did, as every game multiple players can be counted on to get hurt per team).

It's the NHL and IIHF that can't manage to see eye to eye.

Basketball being simultaneously a winter season sport and a summer Olympics sport is definitely another aspect but with a straight face can you tell me that the US aren't head and shoulders above any other country in basketball and baseball? FIBA tournaments are great but the NBA is absolutely untouchable when it comes to true best-on-best basketball, same for MLB with baseball. Hockey is way more competitive between the top countries.

They do "own" hockey. The NHL & NHLPA give us the best hockey product in the world. That is their job and they do it well.

FIFA can get it done. FIBA can get it done. Hell, even the IBA does better than the IIHF. They are useless.

Baseball & Basketball both have other credible leagues that are comparable to Euro Hockey and are part of the Big 4. IIHF just plain sucks.

If they just accepted their junior status and tried to work with the NHL they might actually get something interesting done.

You know there is an issue where a single league can do whatever they want and force everyone else to bow down before them. The NHL executives are as stubborn and greedy as they come. I'm not saying the international organizations are much better but it's not a healthy relationship and both parties are to be blamed on.

 

[vipera1960]

Just hold the World Championships (or whatever you want to call it) in late June/early July every 2 or 4 years and the players will be all over it. There is a reason soccer/football (also played in winter, but not necessarily a “winter sport”) plays the WC and Euros in the offseason.

 

[Faterson]

every four years (like the football World Cup of the Olympics) should work just fine. And did work for a while. But every year? No.

That's like saying, "Let's award the Stanley Cup every 4 years, or every 2 years at most. Why every year? Such a waste!"

In case you haven't noticed, the annual World Championships is a tradition of many decades – almost as many as the Stanley Cup/NHL itself.

International hockey certainly isn't going to cancel their tradition of many decades just to appease the NHL's egotism and bigotry.

f*** the world Championships.

They are terrible

Yes, because the NHL sabotages them. As the only top-level hockey league on this entire planet. So, you can repeat that phrase again, but to the mirror, or translate it properly:

f*** the NHL.

Just hold the World Championships (or whatever you want to call it) in late June/early July every 2 or 4 years and the players will be all over it.

Just continue the Stanley Cup play-offs in June and July – players will be all over it! Makes perfect sense for ice hockey, doesn't it?

There is a reason soccer/football (also played in winter, but not necessarily a “winter sport”) plays the WC and Euros in the offseason.

You're tragically mistaken. The "offseason" begins after the World Cup/Euro are concluded. They are THE climax of the season – as they well should be.

And it would work exactly the same for hockey if the NHL did not sabotage the World Championships every year.

The NHL simply refuses to end the Stanley Cup play-offs "on time", like every other hockey league, but insists on awarding the Stanley Cup in the summer (June).

Fine, then. April or May aren't ideal for a best-on-best hockey tournament anyway. That's why I'm saying, halt the regular season around the world every year in mid-February for 2 weeks. Issue solved.

Plus, as you may have observed, the most recent World Cup was played mid-season, and every single top-level football league on this planet halted their regular seasons for an entire month to facilitate the tournament. Not a single billionaire football club owner objected to that. And let me tell you, there are many more billions in world football (so-called soccer) than in North American hockey.

 

[Old Man Jags]

That's like saying, "Let's award the Stanley Cup every 4 years, or every 2 years at most. Why every year? Such a waste!"

In case you haven't noticed, the annual World Championships is a tradition of many decades – almost as many as the Stanley Cup/NHL itself.

International hockey certainly isn't going to cancel their tradition of many decades just to appease the NHL's egotism and bigotry.



Yes, because the NHL sabotages them. As the only top-level hockey league on this entire planet. So, you can repeat that phrase again, but to the mirror, or translate it properly:

f*** the NHL.



Just continue the Stanley Cup play-offs in June and July – players will be all over it! Makes perfect sense for ice hockey, doesn't it?



You're tragically mistaken. The "offseason" begins after the World Cup/Euro are concluded. They are THE climax of the season – as they well should be.

And it would work exactly the same for hockey if the NHL did not sabotage the World Championships every year.

The NHL simply refuses to end the Stanley Cup play-offs "on time", like every other hockey league, but insists on awarding the Stanley Cup in the summer (June).

Fine, then. April or May aren't ideal for a best-on-best hockey tournament anyway. That's why I'm saying, halt the regular season around the world every year in mid-February for 2 weeks. Issue solved.

Plus, as you may have observed, the most recent World Cup was played mid-season, and every single top-level football league on this planet halted their regular seasons for an entire month to facilitate the tournament. Not a single billionaire football club owner objected to that. And let me tell you, there are many more billions in world football (so-called soccer) than in North American hockey.

The comparison with the Stanley Cup is obviously completely flawed. Playing in the NHL or in whatever league a player plays in is the day-to-day job. They are playing a regular season every year in any of their given sports, the way you and I work every year in our jobs. Events like the World Cup or world championships are on top of that, and it’s always a battle between the clubs – you know, the people who actually pay the hockey players for their regular job – and the national associations and the IIHF. Interrupting the club season every single year for a tournament and then continuing is obviously silly and not realistic. Look at how weird this season has been in world football because of the winter World Cup leading to interruptions of the season in every league. Absolutely no way any clubs would accept that sort of thing every year. And they shouldn’t, either. If the IIHF feels the need to do this every year, then obviously it will have to be in the off-season. August ice hockey world championships, here we come.

 

[Old Man Jags]

That's like saying, "Let's award the Stanley Cup every 4 years, or every 2 years at most. Why every year? Such a waste!"

In case you haven't noticed, the annual World Championships is a tradition of many decades – almost as many as the Stanley Cup/NHL itself.

International hockey certainly isn't going to cancel their tradition of many decades just to appease the NHL's egotism and bigotry.



Yes, because the NHL sabotages them. As the only top-level hockey league on this entire planet. So, you can repeat that phrase again, but to the mirror, or translate it properly:

f*** the NHL.



Just continue the Stanley Cup play-offs in June and July – players will be all over it! Makes perfect sense for ice hockey, doesn't it?



You're tragically mistaken. The "offseason" begins after the World Cup/Euro are concluded. They are THE climax of the season – as they well should be.

And it would work exactly the same for hockey if the NHL did not sabotage the World Championships every year.

The NHL simply refuses to end the Stanley Cup play-offs "on time", like every other hockey league, but insists on awarding the Stanley Cup in the summer (June).

Fine, then. April or May aren't ideal for a best-on-best hockey tournament anyway. That's why I'm saying, halt the regular season around the world every year in mid-February for 2 weeks. Issue solved.

Plus, as you may have observed, the most recent World Cup was played mid-season, and every single top-level football league on this planet halted their regular seasons for an entire month to facilitate the tournament. Not a single billionaire football club owner objected to that. And let me tell you, there are many more billions in world football (so-called soccer) than in North American hockey.

The world’s leagues were stopped for the mid season football World Cup because the World Cup only happens once every four years and in any event, FIFA had promised this was a one off. You may remember that when the completely corrupt World Cup awards happened to Qatar, the promise was that the World Cup could take place in summer. Only after Qatar was awarded the tournament, they had to switch it to the middle of the season because the summer in the Middle East was simply unrealistic. Absolutely no way football clubs would agree to a midseason pause every four years, and obviously most certainly not every year. I think the NHL should stop every four years for the Olympics, but that’s it.

 

[Albatros]

The world’s leagues were stopped for the mid season football World Cup because the World Cup only happens once every four years and in any event, FIFA had promised this was a one off.

A number of international breaks take part every year though, eight next year alone I believe (worth of over three months in total, albeit partially off-season more or less everywhere). During these international windows clubs must allow/invited players to join their national teams and players that do not join are suspended.

 

[mattihp]

Just make it with a fantasy draft and every team named ofter a brand. Gimmick of a tournament that used up all of its credibility last time around.

 

[Old Man Jags]

A number of international breaks take part every year though, eight next year alone I believe (worth of over three months in total, albeit partially off-season more or less everywhere). During these international windows clubs must allow/invited players to join their national teams and players that do not join are suspended.

I hope you are not seriously comparing breaks for Euro / World qualifiers, etc. with interruptions for an actual tournament. How many games do you play if you go to the final at the world championships and how many games do you play in the international break? Also, look at how many game days there are in the NHL versus in the European football leagues. So in international breaks, how many game days do you lose in European football versus NHL game days lost? I think the idea that the NHL would take a break every single year in an 83 game season plus playoffs is complete fantasy and absolutely ludicrous. They would be insane to do it, and they will not do it.

 

[mattihp]

Since in North America people speak English, Canada and the US should also have one team.

We could do just four teams:

North America (us, canada)
Scandinavia (fins, sweds, norway and dnmk)
Eastern Europe (slovaks, czech n russia)
Western Europe (austrians, swiss, germans)

Finland should play with Western Europe as it is not in Scandinavia. Denmark being an edge case too as they're only kinda in Scandinavia but share lots of culture.

 

[Tuoppi]

There definetly should not be those combination teams. They battle against meaning of national teams. They were pretty great the last time but still they tarnish the image. Its odd to win some team Europe in final if you are in Canada jersey.

There should be 8 best national teams like in world cup 2004. Canada, Finland, (Russia if the they have stopped the war and let back in), Sweden, Czech, Usa, Switzerland, Germany and Slovakia.

Latvia is pretty good now. Even countries like Denmark, France and Slovenia have had good tournaments. You never know which country pulls a surprise.

 

[Edenjung]

FIBA tournaments are great but the NBA is absolutely untouchable when it comes to true best-on-best basketball, same for MLB with baseball.

While the NBA has more talent i would not go so far to say its the best basketball you can get.
Eurobasket and especially the Euroleague is awesome and in some regards better than the NBA.
And players like Giannis and Luka say that in Eurobasketball its harder to score and that its more of a challenge then the NBA.
That does not mean that the NBA is worse, or better than Eurobasketball but it means that they are different. The NBA is more of a Show, where scoring is more important and in europe the defense is tighter and play is more physical. While in the NBA the individual player and his talents are the focus in europe the team has priority.

But that is the sports side of things. The economic side is totally different. And i agree that the NBA is untouchable in that regard. But on the court itself? Thats harder to determine. It really depends on what you like as a fan. Do you like close hard fought games with lower scoring, but more intensity and an emphasis on teamwork?
Or do you like high-scoring games with great plays and showmanship as well as a focus on the individual achievements?


Personally i prefer Eurobasketball. But the occasional NBA game is also good.

It really depends what we understand when we say best-on-best. Everybody defines that differently.
Best example is the discussion about players themselfes and comparing them to each other.

 

[Shocker]

While the NBA has more talent i would not go so far to say its the best basketball you can get.
Eurobasket and especially the Euroleague is awesome and in some regards better than the NBA.
And players like Giannis and Luka say that in Eurobasketball its harder to score and that its more of a challenge then the NBA.
That does not mean that the NBA is worse, or better than Eurobasketball but it means that they are different. The NBA is more of a Show, where scoring is more important and in europe the defense is tighter and play is more physical. While in the NBA the individual player and his talents are the focus in europe the team has priority.

But that is the sports side of things. The economic side is totally different. And i agree that the NBA is untouchable in that regard. But on the court itself? Thats harder to determine. It really depends on what you like as a fan. Do you like close hard fought games with lower scoring, but more intensity and an emphasis on teamwork?
Or do you like high-scoring games with great plays and showmanship as well as a focus on the individual achievements?

Personally i prefer Eurobasketball. But the occasional NBA game is also good.

NBA is an abomination of basketball.