WJC: Bob McKenzie's WJC Solution

[v-man]

All the talk of a format change is just stupid. If there are only four teams that can battle for a medal, then what's the point of the tournament in the fist place? What if two or three of the bottom five teams in McKenzies proposal are better than some in the first? A very plausible scenario. With the junior format a team that's bad one year can be dominant the next. Those that want to bring it back to 8 teams would still see games like Canada/Latvia. Latvia is the eight ranked team. And they played well under their potential yesterday. Had they played like they did that last two periods of the Slovakia game, the score would probably have been 4-2 instead of 16-0. They simply didn't show up and got **** goal tending from their starter. They're not actually THAT bad. They did beat Russia a few days earlier.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

All the talk of a format change is just stupid. If there are only four teams that can battle for a medal, then what's the point of the tournament in the fist place? What if two or three of the bottom five teams in McKenzies proposal are better than some in the first? A very plausible scenario. With the junior format a team that's bad one year can be dominant the next. Those that want to bring it back to 8 teams would still see games like Canada/Latvia. Latvia is the eight ranked team. And they played well under their potential yesterday. Had they played like they did that last two periods of the Slovakia game, the score would probably have been 4-2 instead of 16-0. They simply didn't show up and got **** goal tending from their starter. They're not actually THAT bad. They did beat Russia a few days earlier.

Though it´s not that hard to play against a team that is already 7 up and is somewhere in dream land.

But anyway, I agree that a change to the format is not that needed and not likely. Don´t you guys remember that the European federations actually want to have more teams in the WJC and the U18 as well, but Canada is against it? I don´t see a reason why the European federations would agree to this.

 

[justPlay]

As a hockey fan, I wouldn't buy a ticket to a game that I know is going to be a blowout. They are not entertaining.

I agree, games like these are boring.

 

[Ola]

Pointless just keep it the same. The Czechs got blown out by Sweden and they are considered to be the fifth best team. Plus we should be able to play the bottom teams so they have a measuring stick for there programs. Nothing wrong with the odd blow out and its made to much of a big deal anyways.

It wasn't long ago I saw the New York Rangers loose 10-1 to Dallas. NYR made the PO's and took the Capitals to 7 at least and Dallas didn't.

My point is, don't read to much into that reslut.

 

[BrodeursCups]

It wasn't long ago I saw the New York Rangers loose 10-1 to Dallas. NYR made the PO's and took the Capitals to 7 at least and Dallas didn't.

My point is, don't read to much into that reslut.

Lose*


3pts for Josefson tonight. Wait, I thought he was a "sorry excuse for a hockey player." Good call..

 

[GKJ]

Canada isn't that far ahead of everybody else. Russia, Sweden, USA and Finland (and up until a few years ago, the Czechs) are all capable of pulling off the upset, as long as their best players actually play and don't stay with their pro teams in Europe. Slovakia and Switzerland are usually good enough not to lose by 7 or more goals. Canada has had some damn close games during the last 5 years. Just look at last year's semi-final. Russia was 5 seconds away from knocking Canada off.

It's the games against Latvia, Austria, Germany, Ukraine, Kazakhstan (or whoever else might make it up for a year) that are utterly pointless. The call to contract the tournament back to 8 teams has been going on for a while from a lot of people.

They're pointless for Canada, but not for most of the other teams playing them. But I guess some of us are forgetting that the tournament is all about Canada and not the other 9 teams there.

 

[Natey]

So basically the teams 1-5 when the format is changed have a 0% chance of relegation? Got'cha Bobby Mac. I usually agree with you, but this is definitely not one of those times.

 

[jessebelanger]

Nope....16-0 games are so exciting!!

So the sole purpose of the tournament is to entertain you?

Or is there more to the tournament then that, perhaps?

 

[Barrie22]

i don't remember which coach it was, or which team it was but last year after 1 of the canadian teams blew his team out, the team was thankful that it happened and the canadian players never let up any.

because if you don't play the top teams, you will never know what you need to work on, to be better. hockey canada is always changing, always trying to improve. if teams figure out how to beat canada (on a regular basis), canada changes there mentality.

 

[drew1234]

Nope....16-0 games are so exciting!!

So FlyLine24 have you talked personally to the latvians and asked them how they feel?

I bet you they would say they want to play the Canadians.They dont care if they lose 16-0. They want to play the best.

If I asked you hey do you want to suit up your local club against a nhl team would you say no because you will be blown out. or would you be like "ya put me other there I want to see how I do against them". Losing 10-0 next time is a win for us..

Latvia was the best in Pool B. so They need better competition. Its the only way to get better. They can only get better if they play better opponents. They are not going into this saying omg this isnt fun. They are going on the ice and trying their best to compete and setting goals like "lets not let a goal in when we are on the ice".

Now, lets look at the olympics. Switzerland beat Canada last time. Belarus beat Sweden before. If you had your way these teams would never play Canada/Sweden/Russia. You think Belarus going into the game thought they were going to win or swiss? But as the game went on and they challenged and worked their ass off they got a chance to win and they pulled it off. Check out the celebrations.. It was huge for the country to take down Goliaths in the sport.

Getting those chances are huge. One day there will be another upset. It used to be Canada/Russia every year. Then Czech republic started to win. Finland you would see playing for bronze a lot of the time. Now Sweden is challenging Russia and Canada. It just shows the competition is getting better and better. And when they can play Canada its that more exciting for another country to get a chance to take on the goliaths.

 

[MeHateHe]

It's short sighted to try to 'fix' a tournament without trying to fix the underlying problem. The problem isn't the tournament: the problem is four or five countries (Canada, US, Russia, Sweden, Finland) have solid developmental programs and no one else does. The Czech and Slovak systems are in disarray and have not produced the wealth of talent we saw a generation ago. Germany, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and the former Soviet satellite states/republics are all producing some talent, but it's spotty and is doing little to bolster their overall talent base.

Bob's 'solution' is an attempt to improve a tournament which, although entertaining, is not the IIHF's chief tournament and one which is intended to be part of the overall development of the game. 'Fixing' the tournament would likely further mask the problem and do more damage to the long-term future of the sport - which is the prime mandate of the IIHF.

Ideally, the broader discussion of how to strengthen the development of the sport outside of the big five will take place. That will be the only 'fix' for the WJHC.