2016 World Cup of Hockey Thread, HFNucks Edition.

[Cupless44]

I guess Team Sweden agreed with Benning. They chose Markstrom over Lack also.

 

[Powder]

I guess Team Sweden agreed with Benning. They chose Markstrom over Lack also.

Pretty easy to do when Lack has a bad goaltending coach ruining his game. The only reason he's been better of late is because he said himself that he's going back to playing the style he did in Vancouver.

 

[pdefenestrator]

It's rather disappointing that the "rebuilding" Canucks don't have a single player on the U23 squad--certainly doesn't bode well for the future, I wouldn't think.

 

[MS]

People actually care about this joke of a tournament?

 

[Powder]

It's rather disappointing that the "rebuilding" Canucks don't have a single player on the U23 squad--certainly doesn't bode well for the future, I wouldn't think.

We're too early in it for our young guys to be considered among the best. Horvat had a chance I think if he had a better start to this year. Also think maybe Hutton could've been worth a look if Gostisbehere didn't break out. I say that because there are very few young LDs out there beyond Murray and Reilly and if they value having defencemen play on their proper side, I think Hutton would've fit the style of their team.

People actually care about this joke of a tournament?

I'm too much of a hockey fan to not watch a hockey tournament in September. I know at that point I'll be itching to watch some hockey. So as fabricated as this is, I think I'll still enjoy it. It's not the Olympics but it's hockey. Why not try to enjoy it?

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

People actually care about this joke of a tournament?

After the caliber of hockey I've gotten to watch from the Canucks this year, I don't know if I could label this tournament a joke.

Perhaps a lark, or a jest?

 

[Seattle Totems]

How can you call it the World Cup if it's only NHL players and there's an under 23 team? Calling this team Canada or Team Russia when those federations have zero involvement is a little distasteful. This is just a big cash grab for the NHL and Adidas.

 

[Powder]

How can you call it the World Cup if it's only NHL players and there's an under 23 team? Calling this team Canada or Team Russia when those federations have zero involvement is a little distasteful. This is just a big cash grab for the NHL and Adidas.

It's not just NHL players. There are a couple of KHL players for the Czechs already so I figure any player from any league can be named to a team, not just an NHL player.

 

[Seattle Totems]

Well I stand corrected. I thought it was just NHL players. I still don't like the format with team Europe and young stars etc.

 

[GPNuck]

Ben Hutton for North America?

 

[Ernie]

I'll likely watch this tournament, but I won't be getting my friends together to watch it with me. If I miss a game here and there because of other engagements, NBD. That's the difference between this and the Olympics.

And I'm probably more emotionally attached to Team Sweden than I am to Team Canada or whatever that stupid U23 team is. If they have this again in 4 years under the same format, Connor McDavid, who will likely be the best player in the world, will again play for the U23 team and not Team Canada. That's stupidity.

What I would like to see is a team comprised of players over 35 from all over the world. I'd easily watch every game that team played. Maybe cause I'm in that age range myself.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Ben Hutton for North America?

He plays in the west, no media attention. Very unlikely

 

[Jarko2004]

How can you call it the World Cup if it's only NHL players and there's an under 23 team? Calling this team Canada or Team Russia when those federations have zero involvement is a little distasteful. This is just a big cash grab for the NHL and Adidas.

Not news. There are ZERO hockey fans on the NHL Board of Governors and a hockey apologist in Gary Bettman (but...but...we play in football stadiums sometimes). The reason they don't want to participate in the Olympics (besides the fact the US hasn't faired well lately) is they are only interested in hockey they control. This way, none of them have to watch the winter Olympics. There's hockey and other sports in it, so why would they?

There's another obvious bit of cleverness here. A Canadian team will never be allowed to win the Stanley Cup, whether it takes ridiculous suspension calls or just suddenly not calling the rulebook correctly on the ice. In the NHLs mind, they are throwing Canadian (especially Toronto) hockey fans a bone to keep interest flowing and the money coming in. Since Canadians are always an afterthought, don't expect too much thought to be put into the tournament. Oh...you can also expect the USA team to overachieve.