Olympics: Olympics 2018 rosters (without NHL players)

[MaxV]

that would not happen. russia does not dominate in EHT.

EHT rosters are often times experimental.

No question Russia would be the favorite. No guarantee of winning, of course.

 

[MaxV]

I think that Canada would just field players from various leagues all over the world, AHL, KHL, SEL, etc, find the best players. No different than how the Spengler Cup team is made up, except they wouldn`t be playing against other Canadians.

In regards to if Canadians would care, probably about the same as the Spengler cup. Some people love watching it because it`s a cool tournament, but only really dedicated fans would know any of the players from any of the teams, and losing it wouldn't faze anyone because honestly, it would be a tournament of nobodies.

Yeah, I strongly disagree with this. It's the Olympics. People care about the Olympics. Why? Because it's friggin' Olympics.

Probably none of us watch swimming world championships, but the vast majority tune in to swimming during the Olympics. Why? Because it's friggin' Olympics.

They could assemble rosters from accounting firms and people would still watch.

 

[Xokkeu]

Russia
Canada
Sweden
Finland
Czech
USA
Slovakia
Switzerland

That's how I'd rank the teams

 

[JackSlater]

Yeah, I strongly disagree with this. It's the Olympics. People care about the Olympics. Why? Because it's friggin' Olympics.

Probably none of us watch swimming world championships, but the vast majority tune in to swimming during the Olympics. Why? Because it's friggin' Olympics.

They could assemble rosters from accounting firms and people would still watch.

Projecting your thoughts regarding the Olympics onto Canadians doesn't really work. Best case scenario for an Olympic tournament without NHLers in Canada, in terms of how much people care, is probably the World Championships. Much less than a best on best tournament or the WJC or the NHL playoffs in terms of interest, but still a few million viewers. That's my guess. Certainly almost no one will seriously invest in the tournament or its results, but some will still check it out just like pre-1998 tournaments. It may get less interest than those pre-1998 tournaments though since it will be such a huge step down from the level of the previous five editions of the tournament.

 

[Eye of Ra]

A kind of like the idea with no NHL-players in olympics, atleast just for 1 time, its kind of exotic. The players would play with great energy, this would be the biggest thing in their life. And the players are not bad. The level of hockey in Euro, KHL, AHL etc is not bad, its good.

Team Sweden:

Linus Omark - Andreas Engqvist - André Petersson
Oscar Möller - Johan Sundström - Joakim Lindström
Linus Klasen - Johan Ryno - Fredrik Pettersson
Robert Nilsson - Mattias Sjögren - Richard Gynge
John Norman, Oscar Lindblom

Jonas Junland - Oscar Fantenberg
Erik Gustafsson - Jonas Ahnelöv
Staffan Kronwall - David Rundblad
Henrik Tömmernäs - Simon Bertilsson

Henrik Karlsson
Viktor Fasth
Markus Svensson

Only Russia is better than this team. But we always give Russia a good fight. Gold-canidate. Some players on my roster have decline to play for Team Sweden, but no way they would not accept to play in Olympics.

 

[MaxV]

Projecting your thoughts regarding the Olympics onto Canadians doesn't really work. Best case scenario for an Olympic tournament without NHLers in Canada, in terms of how much people care, is probably the World Championships. Much less than a best on best tournament or the WJC or the NHL playoffs in terms of interest, but still a few million viewers. That's my guess. Certainly almost no one will seriously invest in the tournament or its results, but some will still check it out just like pre-1998 tournaments. It may get less interest than those pre-1998 tournaments though since it will be such a huge step down from the level of the previous five editions of the tournament.

Fans of Olympics and fans of NHL aren't the same people. They overlap, but there are far more of the former.

Everyone watches the Olympics. People who couldn't care less about sports watch the Olympics. Grandmas who saw sweaters that their teenage grandkids hate watch the Olympics.

Sure NHL fans would consider it an inferior event, but many more would tune in.

 

[JackSlater]

Fans of Olympics and fans of NHL aren't the same people. They overlap, but there are far more of the former.

Everyone watches the Olympics. People who couldn't care less about sports watch the Olympics. Grandmas who saw sweaters that their teenage grandkids hate watch the Olympics.

Sure NHL fans would consider it an inferior event, but many more would tune in.

This may be very true for some people, but it isn't so for Canadians. I don't know why you are trying to describe Canadians when you seemingly don't know what you are talking about. Most Canadians didn't take the Olympic tournament very seriously before NHL participation, and if NHL participation is removed then the event will descend right back into irrelevancy in Canada. If the best players aren't there, Canadians aren't going to care that much regardless of whether the medals are given out by the IOC. As I said you would still likely get a few million viewers, as pretty much any hockey in Canada does, but nothing as big as recent Olympic tournaments or even the WJC.

 

[MaxV]

This may be very true for some people, but it isn't so for Canadians. I don't know why you are trying to describe Canadians when you seemingly don't know what you are talking about. Most Canadians didn't take the Olympic tournament very seriously before NHL participation, and if NHL participation is removed then the event will descend right back into irrelevancy in Canada. If the best players aren't there, Canadians aren't going to care that much regardless of whether the medals are given out by the IOC. As I said you would still likely get a few million viewers, as pretty much any hockey in Canada does, but nothing as big as recent Olympic tournaments or even the WJC.

Read the original post that I replied to.

 

[JackSlater]

Read the original post that I replied to.

That is what I am replying to. This year the Spengler Cup peaked at 700,000 viewers for one game in Canada. Close to the World Championships. That's the ballpark for the audience for a non-NHL Olympics in Canada.

 

[Xokkeu]

I think Canada is the only place where ratings will noticeably suffer.

 

[holyprime]

Just out of curiousity, what makes you guys so sure that canadians will prefer a regular season game out of 80+ than Team Canada in quarter or semifinals at the Olympics? Knowing a few canadians myself, i highly doubt the NHL winning that draw.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Just out of curiousity, what makes you guys so sure that canadians will prefer a regular season game out of 80+ than Team Canada in quarter or semifinals at the Olympics? Knowing a few canadians myself, i highly doubt the NHL winning that draw.

That's not the question.

The question is interest level for NHL Olympics v Non-NHL Olympics. And the answer is a Non-NHL Olympics gets far less attention. Will it draw more viewers than a Pittsburgh v Ny. Islanders game in February. Most likely. Will it draw more than a Toronto-Montreal game in February. maybe - maybe not.

personally, a Spengler cup style Team Canada at the Olympics gets very little interest from me. I wish them well and if they make the final, depending on the start time, I may tune in to watch. or I just may decide to catch up on my sleep.

 

[MaxV]

That's not the question.

The question is interest level for NHL Olympics v Non-NHL Olympics. And the answer is a Non-NHL Olympics gets far less attention. Will it draw more viewers than a Pittsburgh v Ny. Islanders game in February. Most likely. Will it draw more than a Toronto-Montreal game in February. maybe - maybe not.

personally, a Spengler cup style Team Canada at the Olympics gets very little interest from me. I wish them well and if they make the final, depending on the start time, I may tune in to watch. or I just may decide to catch up on my sleep.

That's absolutely not where the discussion originated.

I have never stated that non-NHL participation would draw similar interest as recent Olympics, obviously not.

The statement that I disagree with is that Canadian fans would be as interested in this as Spengler Cup or WHC.

 

[JackSlater]

Just out of curiousity, what makes you guys so sure that canadians will prefer a regular season game out of 80+ than Team Canada in quarter or semifinals at the Olympics? Knowing a few canadians myself, i highly doubt the NHL winning that draw.

Because the team representing Canada at the Olympics, where people expect the best athletes to be showcased, would feature literally none of Canada's best or even anywhere close to Canada's best and would play at terribly inconvenient times. A semi final or a gold medal game would probably outdraw a typical NHL game, just like a big game at the much maligned World Championship can.

 

[1Gold Standard]

That's absolutely not where the discussion originated.

I have never stated that non-NHL participation would draw similar interest as recent Olympics, obviously not.

The statement that I disagree with is that Canadian fans would be as interested in this as Spengler Cup or WHC.

Ys, and so what? If a non-NHL Olympics draws an average of 1,5 million viewers in Canada more than a Spengler Cup or a WHC, it still doesn't make it a valid tournament. Just like all those Olympic tournaments prior to '98. I'll file it under the who cares folder.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Because the team representing Canada at the Olympics, where people expect the best athletes to be showcased, would feature literally none of Canada's best or even anywhere close to Canada's best and would play at terribly inconvenient times. A semi final or a gold medal game would probably outdraw a typical NHL game, just like a big game at the much maligned World Championship can.

hey Jack, if all people seem to be interested in just some random guys flying around on the ice wearing your country's national team jersey, howbout my beer league team challenge your beer league team to a best of 7 series. I don't know about you, but my preference is to wear Team Canada White jerseys. but we can flip a coin for it. We can perhaps sell the broadcasting rights to CBC and make a few bucks.

just a warning though, one of my beer league guys played NCAA way back in the day, but still has a howitzer from the blueline.

 

[JackSlater]

hey Jack, if all people seem to be interested in just some random guys flying around on the ice wearing your country's national team jersey, howbout my beer league team challenge your beer league team to a best of 7 series. I don't know about you, but my preference is to wear Team Canada White jerseys. but we can flip a coin for it. We can perhaps sell the broadcasting rights to CBC and make a few bucks.

just a warning though, one of my beer league guys played NCAA way back in the day, but still has a howitzer from the blueline.

Now that would be some laundry worth cheering for.

 

[gwh]

Russia
Sweden
Finland
Canada
Czech
USA
Switzerland
Slovakia


That's how I'd rank the teams

I d think more like this. Changes with bold.

 

[sandysan]

Just out of curiousity, what makes you guys so sure that canadians will prefer a regular season game out of 80+ than Team Canada in quarter or semifinals at the Olympics? Knowing a few canadians myself, i highly doubt the NHL winning that draw.

I'd like it if a brewery hard lined a tap into my house plumbing, me wanting it doesn't mean they will do it for free.

This is on the owners, not the players not the fans. The owners say no, the players won't go ( most of them anyways).

People are interested in seeing best on best, for example the world shampionships are considered a best of the rest tournament. Will some watch? Sure. Will many? Probably not.

I suspect that if the NHL wants to use the stick with their "partners" they hold out this time and sees what happens. If it's a dumpster fire the NHL has leverage for concessions in China and beyond. If the "once every four year lookie loos" save it, the iihf won't bend and the NHL will walk.

If there is no benefit to the NHL from going to Korea, but it sets the table for the future then why WOULDNT th NHL pass? The IOC clearly sees benefit from NHL participation as the rewrote their mandate to include pros.

The one wild card is NBC who is partnered with both and clearly wants the NHL to participate. The question is, if the IOC won't open their wallets, would NBC pay for broadcast rights AND the NHL to participate? Unless they know what the consequences are for no NHL participation, my guess is no.

 

[Yakushev72]

Projecting your thoughts regarding the Olympics onto Canadians doesn't really work. Best case scenario for an Olympic tournament without NHLers in Canada, in terms of how much people care, is probably the World Championships. Much less than a best on best tournament or the WJC or the NHL playoffs in terms of interest, but still a few million viewers. That's my guess. Certainly almost no one will seriously invest in the tournament or its results, but some will still check it out just like pre-1998 tournaments. It may get less interest than those pre-1998 tournaments though since it will be such a huge step down from the level of the previous five editions of the tournament.

I'll admit that Canada is somewhat of an isolated place on the northern edge of civilization, but I can't believe that you won't admit the obvious, which is that it's the friggin' Olympics. No one has ever suggested that the World stops while the eyes of the human race are focused on Northern Europe in May for the World Championships of hockey. But the eyes of humanity are riveted on the Olympic Games, Summer and Winter, every 4 years. Olympic Gold is the premium commodity in every sport in the eyes of the World.

Don't tell me that the NHL, unlike any other North American pro sports organization, starting in 1998, shut its season down in mid-season for 3 whole weeks to go halfway around the World for any reason other than its the friggin' Olympics. You can say that Canadians are too isolated, removed and estranged from the World - you know more about that than we do - but the Olympics are the most celebrated and watched sporting event throughout the World, rivaled only by the World Cup of Soccer. You have been the loudest of the Canadian advocates on this board who have pushed the premise that there is only one valid measure of hockey in the World, and that is Olympic Gold. Don't abandon your position now.

 

[JackSlater]

I'll admit that Canada is somewhat of an isolated place on the northern edge of civilization, but I can't believe that you won't admit the obvious, which is that it's the friggin' Olympics. No one has ever suggested that the World stops while the eyes of the human race are focused on Northern Europe in May for the World Championships of hockey. But the eyes of humanity are riveted on the Olympic Games, Summer and Winter, every 4 years. Olympic Gold is the premium commodity in every sport in the eyes of the World.

Don't tell me that the NHL, unlike any other North American pro sports organization, starting in 1998, shut its season down in mid-season for 3 whole weeks to go halfway around the World for any reason other than its the friggin' Olympics. You can say that Canadians are too isolated, removed and estranged from the World - you know more about that than we do - but the Olympics are the most celebrated and watched sporting event throughout the World, rivaled only by the World Cup of Soccer. You have been the loudest of the Canadian advocates on this board who have pushed the premise that there is only one valid measure of hockey in the World, and that is Olympic Gold. Don't abandon your position now.

While I admire your pontificating, this is just another attempt to apply a Russian/European viewpoint to Canadians. Canadians don't put a high intrinsic value on the Olympic gold medal in hockey. If the best players are there, then it is absolutely a very significant achievement to win it. Even in the past when the best Europeans were involved it was significant. When no one sends their best, then that significance is largely gone.

This isn't a very difficult concept to understand - Europeans apply it every four years to the soccer tournament at the summer Olympics. Most people, especially in Europe, don't take the results of that tournament too seriously, primarily because the best players are absent. Even if you don't accept it, which I am guessing is a strategic mechanism, you can at least understand it if you look at the soccer example.

My position is not quite what you make it to be. I value best on best competition in hockey far above all else. The Olympic tournaments from 1998 - 2014 are tremendous examples of that kind of hockey. Of course even if I did blindly value the Olympic gold medal above all others regardless of who competed for it, that wouldn't mean that the other Canadians did the same.

 

[sandysan]

I'll admit that Canada is somewhat of an isolated place on the northern edge of civilization, but I can't believe that you won't admit the obvious, which is that it's the friggin' Olympics. No one has ever suggested that the World stops while the eyes of the human race are focused on Northern Europe in May for the World Championships of hockey. But the eyes of humanity are riveted on the Olympic Games, Summer and Winter, every 4 years. Olympic Gold is the premium commodity in every sport in the eyes of the World.
.

So if this is true, and the level of competition does not affect the draw at all, why in the hell did the IOC change their mandate, abandon the canard of amateurism and accept full fledged professionals in hockey, basketball and other sports ?

I can see that for some people, the rings are THE appeal. I am sure that this is true for a lot of sports. But if the IOC can dupe EVERYONE that the chaff they are serving up sans pros is "good hockey" simply by being under the rings then its not a sporting event but a pageant.

if you want to support what would be generously described as a fifth rate tournament, that's your perogative. But winning a spengler cup under the five rings doesn't magically embibe it with meaning.

I don't know anyone who tunes in to see team has been play team never weres.

 

[MaxV]

The level of competition would only be relevant to NHL fans. You guys act like you represent the entire demographic of Canada.

Like I said, NHL fans and Olympic fans aren't the same people. Plus I'm certain plenty of NHL fans would watch with interest.

 

[JackSlater]

The level of competition would only be relevant to NHL fans. You guys act like you represent the entire demographic of Canada.

Like I said, NHL fans and Olympic fans aren't the same people. Plus I'm certain plenty of NHL fans would watch with interest.

I admire your ability to be certain, but I question that you know what you are talking about. I am not basing this on my own opinion about the value of the Olympic medal, but on actually living in Canada, knowing many Canadians and having experienced non-NHL Olympic hockey tournaments while in Canada. Also, the group of people you are describing is very small in Canada. I can understand Russia having many people who will care about the Olympic hockey tournament but not the NHL. That's not the case in Canada.

 

[MaxV]

I admire your ability to be certain, but I question that you know what you are talking about. I am not basing this on my own opinion about the value of the Olympic medal, but on actually living in Canada, knowing many Canadians and having experienced non-NHL Olympic hockey tournaments while in Canada. Also, the group of people you are describing is very small in Canada. I can understand Russia having many people who will care about the Olympic hockey tournament but not the NHL. That's not the case in Canada.

I'm live in Brooklyn.

And yes, people in the States won't care that NHLers aren't playing.

Plus, you are comparing apples to oranges as far as pre-90s Olympic Hockey to what would be if NHLers don't show up.

That was top pros vs amatures. This would be pros vs pros, far more competitive.

I actually think you guys, as well as NHL teams, underrate some of the NA players in Europe. I absolutely think some have improved their game to the point where they could help NHL teams.