Olympics: Wouldn't it be cool to see other countries play in Sochi?
- Thread starter Eagle Eye Cherry
- Start date
Yea definetly would like to see other countries in the hockey world. But im not sure olympics is the right place but NHL players in olympics is. Theres no better way to market ice hockey as game when we have worlds best players in the Olympics. I dont know how a child in India is one day gonna turn on tv and watch NHL and start dreaming about Stanley Cup. But a kid from China or something might see these players in Olympics and would dream china to be there and win Olympic gold one day.
It takes just one Yao Ming hockey player and the continent enrupts into hockey frenzy. Getting that hockeys Yao ming is different story
It takes just one Yao Ming hockey player and the continent enrupts into hockey frenzy. Getting that hockeys Yao ming is different story
They had a player that scored own goal and started celebrating it before realising it was own goal.
zorz
Registered User
- Mar 8, 2010
- 4,029
- 4
I would have preferred a 16 team finals. Four groups of four with the top two in each progressing to a knock out stage.
It is a shame that Denmark in particular have been penalized for not being able to field NHL'ers in their qualification group. The coverage they would have received in Denmark would have boosted the sport's profile there.
Belarus, Germany are also missing. Hockey is slowly developing it's depth but it will be a long time before it is a truly worldwide sport if ever but the countries mentioned all have long traditions of playing the sport.
As GB we already have one gold medal from 1936.
It is a shame that Denmark in particular have been penalized for not being able to field NHL'ers in their qualification group. The coverage they would have received in Denmark would have boosted the sport's profile there.
Belarus, Germany are also missing. Hockey is slowly developing it's depth but it will be a long time before it is a truly worldwide sport if ever but the countries mentioned all have long traditions of playing the sport.
As GB we already have one gold medal from 1936.
South Korea is making a strong push for 2018, since they are hosting. They have started making connections in Finnish minor hockey and sending players here(though that has taken some unfortunate turns lately), as well as investing in developing Asian hockey leagues. 2018 could be big for Asian hockey 
.
In other fronts the KHL is looking to expand westward even more. They recently added a Croatian team, and I think they are looking into an Italian one in the near future. Maybe in a number of years expanding southeast will be viable for them as well. The European champions league or whatever it's called could also be used to gain some visibility if smaller market nations will be allowed into it.
In short, a lot of new possibilities are appearing for hockey. Hopefully at least some of them will materialise.
. In other fronts the KHL is looking to expand westward even more. They recently added a Croatian team, and I think they are looking into an Italian one in the near future. Maybe in a number of years expanding southeast will be viable for them as well. The European champions league or whatever it's called could also be used to gain some visibility if smaller market nations will be allowed into it.
In short, a lot of new possibilities are appearing for hockey. Hopefully at least some of them will materialise.
South Korea is making a strong push for 2018, since they are hosting. They have started making connections in Finnish minor hockey and sending players here(though that has taken some unfortunate turns lately), as well as investing in developing Asian hockey leagues. 2018 could be big for Asian hockey
In other fronts the KHL is looking to expand westward even more. They recently added a Croatian team, and I think they are looking into an Italian one in the near future. Maybe in a number of years expanding southeast will be viable for them as well. The European champions league or whatever it's called could also be used to gain some visibility if smaller market nations will be allowed into it.
In short, a lot of new possibilities are appearing for hockey. Hopefully at least some of them will materialise.
The best in-roads that Asian countries could make in hockey would be having local governments or a wealthy business man purchase and run a KHL team and create a development system based off of it. Having teams playing in the KHL, VHL/domestic league and a MHL or MHL-B team would be a huge benefit.
Canuck21t
Registered User
What I've always wondered is why countries like Sweden and Finland are good at hockey, but not their neighbours Norway and Denmark? It'll be good if those countries got better and also Germany and Austria would learn from the Swiss and why not the Netherlands that is usually so good in speed skating?
Nizar
Registered User
- Mar 4, 2013
- 550
- 16
They didn't belong there anyway. they were there, because they paid for the spot in WC. They were relegated, after that deal expired.
Things change over time. Denmark and Norway were far away from elite division ten years ago. Poland was once one of the best teams in the world (1960-1980) and so on.
joe89
#5
- Apr 30, 2009
- 20,315
- 177
Traditions live on. Handball is big in Denmark and Norway instead. I would make a difference between Norway and Denmark though due to their geographical positions. Norway, Finland, Sweden have rich winter sport traditions, Denmark does not. Low populations also make it hard support every team sport.
Netherlands play field hockey instead.
Hockey just have to accept other (bigger) sports and grow over time.
He is celebrating alright, not to mention that he scored in his net purposefully.
zorz
Registered User
- Mar 8, 2010
- 4,029
- 4
The Dutch are great speed skaters, does anyone know how come they've never really got into ice hockey (I guess football and field hockey being very popular is the obvious reason). Are speed skating rinks different to ice hockey rinks?
joe89
#5
- Apr 30, 2009
- 20,315
- 177
Speed skating oval is track & field size, so yeah.. Short-track(is that the name?) only needs a hockey rink.
Mathradio
Drive for 25
For all their speed skating prowess, the Netherlands are not a short-track speed skating major power, while several hockey powers are short-track powers, too. Said short course can fit within a NHL hockey rink.
Netherlands are very good at long-track speed skating, whose track is a lot bigger than a hockey rink. Then again, China and South Korea are major short-track powers and not that great in hockey. Canada is a major power in both short and long-track speed skating...
Siamese Dream
Registered User
Yeah, he really buried that one!
But no, it wasn't on purpose, and no, he wasn't celebrating. It looked like he was lifting his stick over his head in order to smash it, but when a teammate skated into his path, he smartly just dropped it. Japanese players may be poor in your estimation, but they are not so bad that they don't know which end is their own.
IIHFjerseycollector
Registered User
yes. but thats why theres the qualifying tournament.. italy almost made it this year but they gave up 2 quick goals to austria!
enjoy slovenia and austria this year. thats cool.
enjoy slovenia and austria this year. thats cool.
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As for other nations in regards to playing hockey. I would love nothing more than to see an expanded field if the competition warranted it, but sadly hockey is a niche sport due to the expense of it. Cold climate countries with the ability to have outdoor rinks will get the opportunity to develop at a grass roots level, but other countries just never will.
I'm interested in seeing olympic level hockey, not sure why it would be cool to include a bunch of teams that fall well below that talent level. Norway vs. the big boys is about as big of a David/Goliath match up as I can swallow, and even that's going to get tedious pretty quick.
Interesting, so they don't have a lot of rinks that can be used for hockey then.
