2021 World Cup of Hockey

[LadyStanley]

Paywall. The Athletic has their ideas of what the tournament might look like.


What's yours?

# of teams? Format (# of games, groups, preliminary, QFs, SFs, Final)?

Click to read more...

 

[JETZZZ]

-Top 6 countries, ONLY BECAUSE the top 6 countries can be fielded by 100% NHL players. The NHL is not going to want to split profits with other leagues or the IIHF for that matter, so best to just keep it their own guys. Plaster the uniforms, ice, boards, everything with as many ads as possible to make the NHL as much money as possible.

-Hold it EVERY February (except Olympic years) in North America.

-Keep it a very short, 7 day tournament. No exhibition games either. Right to games that count.

-Start off with at short Group stage. Group A, which will always have a Canadian city for a host, will have team Canada, and 2 other teams. Group B will always have an American city for a host, will have team USA, and the other 2 teams. These 2 groups play 3 round robin games, the worst team in each group are eliminated.

-Then the remaining 4 play in 2 semi final games. The top team in Group A plays the 2nd place team in Group B, the top team in Group B plays the 2nd place in Group A.

-Then the 2 winners play in a 1 game final for the World Cup. Done.

Here's an example:

Day1: Canada - Sweden, USA - Russia
Day2: Sweden - Finland, Russia -Czech Rep
Day3: Finland - Canada, Czech Rep - USA
Day4: day off
Day5: semi-final 1 , semi-final 2
Day6: day off
Day7: final

-A real best on best world cup would be the best for the fans, but that's not in the NHL's best interest. Instead, this idea is tolerable and a big step up to the All Star Game. (move that to preseason)

-The most important part is to get Olympic participation back. perhaps the NHLPA can negotiate to get it back if they agree to an international schedule for the NHL like this one:

2021 - NHL World Cup
2022- Olympics
2023- NHL World Cup
2024- NHL World Cup
and repeat

 

[jkrdevil]

3-team single game round robin groups don’t work. You have a high likelihood that all three teams could finish 1-1 and need to reliance on a goal difference tie breaker, which would severely hamper strategy for the individual games themselves

 

[JETZZZ]

3-team single game round robin groups don’t work. You have a high likelihood that all three teams could finish 1-1 and need to reliance on a goal difference tie breaker, which would severely hamper strategy for the individual games themselves

goal differential, iihf ranking, whatever works for a tie breaker. as long as the teams know what to expect before game 1, they can plan for it.

 

[Pilky01]

All I know is it will be stupid, inconsistent, and a complete failure.

 

[joelef]

i much rather have

-Top 6 countries, ONLY BECAUSE the top 6 countries can be fielded by 100% NHL players. The NHL is not going to want to split profits with other leagues or the IIHF for that matter, so best to just keep it their own guys. Plaster the uniforms, ice, boards, everything with as many ads as possible to make the NHL as much money as possible.

-Hold it EVERY February (except Olympic years) in North America.

-Keep it a very short, 7 day tournament. No exhibition games either. Right to games that count.

-Start off with at short Group stage. Group A, which will always have a Canadian city for a host, will have team Canada, and 2 other teams. Group B will always have an American city for a host, will have team USA, and the other 2 teams. These 2 groups play 3 round robin games, the worst team in each group are eliminated.

-Then the remaining 4 play in 2 semi final games. The top team in Group A plays the 2nd place team in Group B, the top team in Group B plays the 2nd place in Group A.

-Then the 2 winners play in a 1 game final for the World Cup. Done.

Here's an example:

Day1: Canada - Sweden, USA - Russia
Day2: Sweden - Finland, Russia -Czech Rep
Day3: Finland - Canada, Czech Rep - USA
Day4: day off
Day5: semi-final 1 , semi-final 2
Day6: day off
Day7: final

-A real best on best world cup would be the best for the fans, but that's not in the NHL's best interest. Instead, this idea is tolerable and a big step up to the All Star Game. (move that to preseason)

-The most important part is to get Olympic participation back. perhaps the NHLPA can negotiate to get it back if they agree to an international schedule for the NHL like this one:

2021 - NHL World Cup
2022- Olympics
2023- NHL World Cup
2024- NHL World Cup
and repeat

then they should just go WBC. Have a team Italy full of canadians with Italian descent etc..

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Screw it, 8 teams single elimination. 3 games max for anyone. No dealing with tiebreakers, etc.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

Screw it, 8 teams single elimination. 3 games max for anyone. No dealing with tiebreakers, etc.

That’s the only way I would accept this with a host city having all the games. I wish it was a real World Cup in late July-early August with countries other than US and Canada hosting the games.

 

[jkrdevil]

Screw it, 8 teams single elimination. 3 games max for anyone. No dealing with tiebreakers, etc.

This is the likely scenario. Add Slovakia in place of Team NA and still have a joint Europe team (sans slovakian players).

Play it was 4 games max each team, an exhibition game on Tuesday as a warm up, quarter finals on Thursday, semis on Saturday and a final on Sunday. If you want you can select all-stars for a skills comp on the Friday off day.

Hold it in NY/NJ where you have access to to multiple NHL venues (MSG & Prudential Center) to hold the game, but have no in tournament travel.

 

[Vegan Knight]

Top 6 countries and two of Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany and two groups of 4, three group games, top team in the group plays the runner up in the other group in semifinals, winning teams play in the finals, possibly a best of three. One host city.

Five to seven games, maybe two exhibition games as warm ups against team in other group. Two and a half week total all games, more time before for players to practice. Probably held in August once every four to six years in an odd numbered year.

 

[Rob]

Not a good sign for NHL participation in the Olympics.

 

[Dave is a killer]

Not a good sign for NHL participation in the Olympics.

Fine with me

 

[Lions67]

Can’t have any gimmick teams. The last WC was joke because of it.
Has to be 8 teams. I know I know. 2 of those teams are gonna get wrecked, but that just the way it is.
There was nothing wrong with the old Canada Cup format and it was compelling hockey every year it was held.
So go back to that format, bring in Germany and Switzerland to round off the teams and let’s get this going!

 

[Nino33]

Can’t have any gimmick teams. The last WC was joke because of it.
Has to be 8 teams. I know I know. 2 of those teams are gonna get wrecked, but that just the way it is.

I don't think two of those teams will get "wrecked"
The Olympics had such teams 1998-2014 and the result was boring, slow paced, defensive, low scoring hockey (I didn't look but it wouldn't surprise me if "weak teams" got wrecked about as often as they won in an upset)

8 teams with a 7 game round robin (everyone plays everyone at least once) and then playoffs would be great; any kind of group play is a problem to me

What I think is really important in best-on-best is the top teams play each other at least once every tournament

There was nothing wrong with the old Canada Cup format and it was compelling hockey every year it was held.

I agree totally! Watched them all at the time and have watched them again over the years too.....and each Canada Cup was a 6 team tournament with a round robin where everyone played everyone once and then playoffs



P.S. As an example of why I don't like group play and prefer the Canada Cup format...1976-1991 Canada/Russia played 10 games against each other over 15 years - in six Olympics over 20 years (1998-2018) Canada/Russia have played each other twice

 

[Icedog2735]

I would like to see an 8 team tournament as many have mentioned above. US, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Czech Republic automatically get in. The other 2 spots could be given out based on W-L record at the World Championships since the last World Cup. I would do a full round robin right before training camp with the top 4 advancing to the semis but not hold the semis and final until the All Star Break. Maybe the two semi final games could be played Thursday and Friday nights, the league could still hold a skill competition on Saturday, and then the final played Sunday night. The final 4 teams would be allowed to reshape their roster by a mid-January deadline. It could add interesting debate during the season if a player who wasn't on the preliminary round roster plays well enough to warrant a spot on the team. The players will be in top form for when the playoff rounds are and it would make the all star break have a little intrigue.

 

[JiggsNY]

The Athletic article talks about how much of a headache it is to fit an entire tournament in the mid-season break. I keep saying, play the round robin before the season, teams get seeded, its a nice way to start the hockey year, and we get to anticipate the upcoming matchups for months. Then come mid-season instead of the all Star game we get the knockout stages. 3 rounds can be done much quicker and easier than an entire tournament.

 

[rojac]

I'd prefer to see no international competition for NHL players. If you're an NHL player, you play for only your NHL team. No World Cup. No NHL players in Olympics or World Championships.

 

[jkrdevil]

You can’t use the old Canada Cup format because their are more competitor teams than that format allows now. First off one of those countries since then has split (Czechoslovakia). Second you have a couple other countries (like the Swiss) currently rising up as good secondary teams.

If you want the sport to grow internationally, those countries have to have an avenue to play in the big best in best tournament. Especially a country such as Germany, which is the largest economy in Europe and is critical to the sports international growth.

If you are going to to the proper tournament it needs to be at least 10-12 teams.

As for plodding games, that is more a result of playing on the larger ice surface and would not be a concern for a World Cup

 

[Nino33]

You can’t use the old Canada Cup format because their are more competitor teams than that format allows now. First off one of those countries since then has split (Czechoslovakia). Second you have a couple other countries (like the Swiss) currently rising up as good secondary teams.

If you want the sport to grow internationally, those countries have to have an avenue to play in the big best in best tournament. Especially a country such as Germany, which is the largest economy in Europe and is critical to the sports international growth.

There'd still be the Olympics and the Worlds to "grow the sport" wouldn't there? Plus the various leagues and tournaments

I hear all the time about how popular the Olympics and Worlds are in Europe, (and how unpopular the NHL and the Canada/World Cups are), so I don't see why growth there should be affected much (and wouldn't the teams/organizations in Europe be responsible to grow the game there?)

Do you think it was better for growth that Germany made it to the Olympic Final in 2018 with no NHLers, or would it have been better to have NHLers and have Germany almost certainly not do anywhere close to as good?


The idea that an international tournament with NHLers every 4 years make a big difference makes no sense to me


But alas based on what I've heard thus far in the media, it looks like we're not going to get anything even close to a decent best-on-best tournament (I've zero interest in any of the ideas I've heard proposed in the media)

 

[Voight]

Please no gimmick teams this time like U23 or Team Europe.

Big 6 hockey nations + 2 others, have them play a few games to decide who makes the last two spots.

Also if you have the World Cup almost every year it will lose its hype + appeal. Hence why nobody really cares too much about the IIHF World Championships, they happen every year and eventually you lose interest.

If you do it ever 4 or 5 you also have constant changing rosters, which is nice to spice things up.

 

[BOS358]

Please no gimmick teams this time like U23 or Team Europe.

But the gimmick teams are the only way to ensure that the best players are in the "best on best" tournament. You can't have a "best on best" tournament with "amateurs" from the DEL, right?

 

[Voight]

But the gimmick teams are the only way to ensure that the best players are in the "best on best" tournament. You can't have a "best on best" tournament with "amateurs" from the DEL, right?

Seems to work in the Olympics.

With two gimmick teams the WCH loses a lot of credibility, especially on the other side of the pond.

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

8 teams 2 week tourney. 3 game round robin week 1. Week 2 semi final crossover early followed by a best of 3 championship series. Do like they do in soccer with the WC and Euros where an international tourney is held every 2 years. Ex after 2021 WC, 2022 Olympics,2024 WC 2026 Olympics etc. Hold it in a city with 2 rinks ala, NYC area,Chicago, Toronto. Or in multiple cities but close to each other Like LA and Anaheim or Vancouver and Seattle. Also no gimmick teams. If its gonna be held in the winter, the previous summer hold a euro qualifier using 2 pools of 3 or 4 and use a double round robin like in soccer.

EX: USA,Canada,Russia,Czech Republic,Sweden,Finland automatic qualifiers.

Qualifying Round Germany,Slovakia, and 6 others maybe Latvia,Slovenia,Belarus,Kazakhstan,Norway, and Austria etc.

That's a real tournament IMO.

Anyway does anyone have the full article from the athletic???

 

[Pilky01]

The "World Cup Final" was rendered 100% meaningless as soon as they announced the fake teams.

The fact that one of them made it to the final was just the final nail in the coffin. It was a complete joke.

 

[Crayton]

European tourney pre-season. Finalists join Canada and America in 4-team mid-year tourney.