Olympics: 2014 Olympics to be played on international sized rinks

[Dolemite]

http://thenhlhotlist.azvibe.com/201...ey-to-be-played-on-international-sized-rinks/

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[RusskiyHockey]

Good. While I think the Finnish rinks are the optimal size for any type of hockey competition, this is the right decision. The conversion of all hockey (including international and even European leagues) to the smaller rink would be a mistake, IMO. Hopefully this decision by the IIHF won't be used as argument for the NHL not to go. That would be very childish.

 

[Mathradio]

Good. While I think the Finnish rinks are the optimal size for any type of hockey competition, this is the right decision. The conversion of all hockey (including international and even European leagues) to the smaller rink would be a mistake, IMO. Hopefully this decision by the IIHF won't be used as argument for the NHL not to go. That would be very childish.

While it shouldn't be much of a factor in the NHL debate of going in the Olympics or not, that would (hopefully!) force Canada and the U.S. to consider including European major-league players into their rosters.

If not, they should build their teams with speedy players.

 

[Roughneck]

While it shouldn't be much of a factor in the NHL debate of going in the Olympics or not, that would (hopefully!) force Canada and the U.S. to consider including European major-league players into their rosters.

If not, they should build their teams with speedy players.

There isn't a Canadian player in Europe who's a better choice for the Olympics than a player from the NHL. There's a reason that Euro-based players are just token additions to even the World Championships roster.

Seriously, why would you hope for Euro-based players when the best players would be invited?

 

[Mathradio]

There isn't a Canadian player in Europe who's a better choice for the Olympics than a player from the NHL. There's a reason that Euro-based players are just token additions to even the World Championships roster.

Seriously, why would you hope for Euro-based players when the best players would be invited?

There are NHL rejects that tore it up in the European leagues; these players could play well on international rinks. The best of these Canadian/American NHL rejects play like the Euro-based players European teams play with at the Olympics. (For the record, even when the Olympics were played on NHL-sized rinks, every European team had at least one Euro-based player on their roster, even Sweden or Finland)

The vast majority of the players on the Canadian and U.S. teams will still be NHL players, that much I'll grant you.

 

[Roughneck]

There are NHL rejects that tore it up in the European leagues; these players could play well on international rinks. The best of these Canadian/American NHL rejects play like the Euro-based players European teams play with at the Olympics. (For the record, even when the Olympics were played on NHL-sized rinks, every European team had at least one Euro-based player on their roster, even Sweden or Finland)

There are different reasons why an NHL calibre player from Europe will stay in Europe. If a Canadian goes over its because they couldn't earn a regular NHL paycheck and aren't as good as at least the 50 guys on the "shortlist". There's a reason Hnat Dommenicelli plays for Switzerland instead of Canada and it has nothing to do with ice size.

But I'm sure the stalwarts of Canada's European talent pool like Brendan Bell and Yannick Lehoux will be able to edge out Canada's bubble players because they're used to the big ice

The vast majority of the players on the Canadian and U.S. teams will still be NHL players, that much I'll grant you.

No, every player would be an NHL player on Canada and the U.S.

 

[JackSlater]

I would be pretty disappointed if Olympic hockey was played in Russia on North American sized ice. The European teams have come to North America for best on best tournaments and played on North American sized ice a disproportionate amount of times.

 

[Tomas W]

While it shouldn't be much of a factor in the NHL debate of going in the Olympics or not, that would (hopefully!) force Canada and the U.S. to consider including European major-league players into their rosters.

If not, they should build their teams with speedy players.

Team Canada if not team USA has proven several times that the can handle a larger ice quite well, so I dont think that will be a factor when desiding who's going to play.

 

[JackSlater]

Team Canada if not team USA has proven several times that the can handle a larger ice quite well, so I dont think that will be a factor when desiding who's going to play.

I think they will consider it, but mainly just that they will give preference to players that are strong skaters provided their overall games are basically equal. I would be shocked if either team was crazy enough to pick a player who plays in Europe.

 

[Tomas W]

I think they will consider it, but mainly just that they will give preference to players that are strong skaters provided their overall games are basically equal. I would be shocked if either team was crazy enough to pick a player who plays in Europe.

yeah well, maybe. The defenders need to be prepared to cover more ice.

 

[Jussi]

Good. While I think the Finnish rinks are the optimal size for any type of hockey competition, this is the right decision.

Not every rink in Finland is narrower than 30 m. Majority are international size. Though I think for best-on-best tournaments 28 X 60 rink should be considered as a rule.