IIHF wants Stanley Cup champions to play European Champions

[Roughneck]

European clubs wouldn't be interested in playing against AHL teams.

I think that idea would have to be tried to test the competetivness of the European teams. I don't think they'd be too keen on getting embarassed.

 

[Lard_Lad]

I don't really see the point in the best team in the world playing the 31st-best team.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Let's be honest here folks. In order for any such series be competitive, it should be the AHL champs. A series to decide the best team outside of the NHL.

The Red Army team was great back in the day, because it contained most of the best Soviet players of the day. Now the equivalent to those players play on NHL teams.

 

[futurcorerock]

Isnt the NHL already decidedly the best league in the world. We already have the IIHF's players, d

 

[Hagar]

http://www.slamsports.com/Slam040617/hky_iihf-cp.html



Interesting idea...not sure how well it would work though. I don't watch any European club teams but would they really be competitive with the Stanley Cup champs? Fasel draws the comparison between the CSKA-Habs games in the 70's, but back then most European players stayed in Europe so I imagine the club teams were stronger. Now that the vast majority of skilled European players are in the NHL, I'm not sure if it would be much of a contest.

Let the euros have 2 spots out of the 16 sc teams and make them play 4 series like the other teams to win the CUP.

I bet they would not take the invitation!

A rested team vs a team that has won four grueling rounds, all beat up, with nothing else to give is the way the euros want it!

Hagar

 

[BCCHL inactive]

you mean this year? or next? ... If it was this years... Tampa Bay would win because over half is canadian.
Its like Canada vs. Europe
Canada always wins

Come on...don't make your fellow Canadians look bad.

 

[heatley15]

That's good, not bad.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

That's good, not bad.

No, your cockiness makes us look bad.

Canada doesn't always win.

 

[MaV]

What would be the idea of this game? Well, not to see which team/league is the best, that is obvious already. The thing is that IIHF has new Euro Super Six tournament, and if they get Stanley Cup champion to Europe to play against the Super Six Champ they could maybe get teams more interested in the Super Six. Better Super Six would generate more revenues to IIHF, as would the game against the Stanley Cup Champ. Also it could be seen as a reward for the Super Six winning team and their players: they'd get a chance to play against the best. Same goes with their fans. I guess this game could be something IIHF might be asking when the new transfer agreement is negotiated. And it wouldn't even be a big thing for NHL teams. They have played in Europe on preseason every now and then (Winnipeg, Colorado, Toronto).

 

[me2]

I'd love to see it, but I think it would have to be scheduled like an exhibition game in the pre-season, as the Cup winner wouldn't want to cut into their recovery time in the off-season.

Bingo. Exactly what I was thinking.

Played in the preseason the NHL has nothing to lose.

Its players are just warming up for the year.
Probably see lots of rookies/minor league players on NHL teams
Doesn't alter the NHL schedule
Isn't competing with the Stanley Cup (ie is some meaningless token preseason games)
No one is going to take a preseason loss with a team riddled with AHL talent seriously, so there is no pressure​

3 game series, play the games in Europe to promote the hockey. Maybe extend it to the top 4 teams v the european top 4.

 

[TORRUS]

I don't really see the point in the best team in the world playing the 31st-best team.

I wouldn't agree on that one. I think that Omsk, Jokerit, Lokomotiv, and maybe some other, are better then 31st in the world. I believe they could compete with clubs ranked 20-30 in NHL. That also means that it isn't impossible for them to beat the top NHL teams just like Columbus, Atlanta, Pittsburgh had succes with Detroit, Philadelphia, Colorado...

 

[Phanuthier*]

Don't you think also that they might not want to do it because it takes away from the Stanley Cup. The Stanley Cup is well regarded as one of the best trophies. There's history and everyone wants the cup. It's not like the NBA where half the people don't even know the name of the trophy. As such the way it is right now the Stanley Cup is a great marketing tool.

If this goes down then the ultimate winner can still lose. I may be out to lunch a little bit and I don't know if I even buy all of what I"m saying but I thought I'd throw that theory out there.

In response to your post, the Stanley Cup isn't even living up to Lord Stanley's wishes anyways since the Cup hasn't touched base in what, 13 years?

In response the thread... the idea is a litle out there, but logical. For those that say European teams arn't good enough... well, if Lidstrom, Salo, Naslund and Renburg all end up going to Modo as expected, still think they arn't worthy? Of the final 4, only Tampa would likely be able to skate the Swedes stride for stride.

After the CBA, I'd be willing to bet alot of the Euro's playing in the NHL might just stay at home after going to Europe during the lockout. Especially with the expected cutback on salaries, there's no reason to be here.

 

[Zine]

I wouldn't agree on that one. I think that Omsk, Jokerit, Lokomotiv, and maybe some other, are better then 31st in the world. I believe they could compete with clubs ranked 20-30 in NHL. That also means that it isn't impossible for them to beat the top NHL teams just like Columbus, Atlanta, Pittsburgh had succes with Detroit, Philadelphia, Colorado...

I agree but it would have to be on the big international ice.

I don't think the European teams would fare too well physically against an NHL team on the smaller ice.
But on the bigger ice, I see no reason why an Omsk, Jokerit, etc. couldn't beat a lower ranked NHL club. Particularly seeing that many 3rd and 4th line NHL "grinders" would be out of their element.

 

[The Flash]

The 92 US olympic basketball team's match-ups were more evenly matched than this would be.

How do you figure?

The 92 US Olympic team had a team of All Time Greats playing against teams like Angola and other squads that were lucky to be there. If the 80s teams like Edmonton and the Islanders were around I could agree with you. But not in the current NHL.

If the NHL played against the European squad, I am sure that the European team would have some sort of system in place to at least neutralize some of the skills belong to the Stanley Cup champions. They could employ a neutral zone trap, a left wing lock and with a hot goaltender they could even make it close or take a few games. And if you look further down the road with some of these players from Sweeden returning back home, I think a top team from one of those leagues could give the NHL team a go, whereas the other teams had no hope against the 92 team. There was just no way to defend a player like Jordan one on one, then have to deal with Magic, Larry, Karl, Barkley, cutting towards the basket. In hockey the game is different. It is possible for these teams to stand a chance.

 

[joe_shannon_1983*]

What would be the idea of this game? Well, not to see which team/league is the best, that is obvious already. The thing is that IIHF has new Euro Super Six tournament, and if they get Stanley Cup champion to Europe to play against the Super Six Champ they could maybe get teams more interested in the Super Six. Better Super Six would generate more revenues to IIHF, as would the game against the Stanley Cup Champ. Also it could be seen as a reward for the Super Six winning team and their players: they'd get a chance to play against the best. Same goes with their fans. I guess this game could be something IIHF might be asking when the new transfer agreement is negotiated. And it wouldn't even be a big thing for NHL teams. They have played in Europe on preseason every now and then (Winnipeg, Colorado, Toronto).

Yes. But all the things you mention serve to benfit the IIHF.

What is the benefit of this idea to the NHL?

And why would the NHL do something that is of absolutely no benefit to them?

 

[ktownhockey]

Let's get real here

Honestly , I m sure its great hockey over in the Europe but we send a group of AHLers over for the Spengler cup every year and do alright.

These teams would not stand a chance.... maybe against the caps lol
however i think it would create alot of money for the league and it woul benfit the game world wide.

and even if Modo has Renberg , Naslund and the Sedins... 25 teams in the NHL could match those names with relative ease.

 

[The Flash]

Honestly , I m sure its great hockey over in the Europe but we send a group of AHLers over for the Spengler cup every year and do alright.

These teams would not stand a chance.... maybe against the caps lol
however i think it would create alot of money for the league and it woul benfit the game world wide.

and even if Modo has Renberg , Naslund and the Sedins... 25 teams in the NHL could match those names with relative ease.

Add in Forsberg then too, Tommy Salo could be there and Lidstrom wants to go back also. If you had a team like that, they aren't so easy to beat. But, I doubt that they would all play on the same team.

But a team with Naslund, Salo and Forsberg could compete with alot of teams.

 

[MaV]

Yes. But all the things you mention serve to benfit the IIHF.

What is the benefit of this idea to the NHL?

And why would the NHL do something that is of absolutely no benefit to them?

Increse interest to NHL in Europe. They get to sell the TV rights with better contracts and they can maybe gets people to buy more fan products. Also if seeing NHL stars make young kids more interested in hockey there is chance that they will try to sport. After the expansion big number of the players come from Europe, and it is important to take some care of the area's interest in the game. Of course just one game might not have a huge factor on these things mentioned, but then again the cost isn't high either.

Also, as I mentioned before this is something IIHF might be asking in the transfer agreement negotiations. Instead of paying more hard cash NHL would let IIHF generate the reveus itself with this arrangement.

And last, but not least, the trip to Europe wouldn't really hurt the team either I think. It could be a nice way to start the camp for some veterans and rookies. That's what many Europeans teams do anyway, travel to other contires in preseason to play against different kind of teams and to build up the team spirit.

 

[f1nn]

The European team would never do this.... the teams are higher caliber than the AHL and they don't want to be calssified as the same caliber as the NHL farm teams...

 

[f1nn]

Honestly , I m sure its great hockey over in the Europe but we send a group of AHLers over for the Spengler cup every year and do alright.

These teams would not stand a chance.... maybe against the caps lol
however i think it would create alot of money for the league and it woul benfit the game world wide.

and even if Modo has Renberg , Naslund and the Sedins... 25 teams in the NHL could match those names with relative ease.

How about next years TPS if there's no NHL?? I believe TPS stated somewhere that so many players from the NHL want to come play ofr them next season that they would not be able to take all of them....

 

[guinness]

The European team would never do this.... the teams are higher caliber than the AHL and they don't want to be calssified as the same caliber as the NHL farm teams...

I would have to agree that the European leagues are probably closer to AHL caliber, most of the best players already play in the NHL. Maybe a little better than AHL, but not the same league as the NHL.

 

[Gabriel Knight]

Just to put the difference between NHL and European teams into perspective, the difference isn't as big as most of the North American people think. The Jokerit - Toronto game that was played last year ended 3-5 I think.

 

[ALF AmericanLionsFan]

Just to put the difference between NHL and European teams into perspective, the difference isn't as big as most of the North American people think. The Jokerit - Toronto game that was played last year ended 3-5 I think.

I agree that the European leagues are better than people give credit for,but I'm not sure how hard the Leafs were playing in an exhibition game that was at the beginning of thier camp.

 

[Ola]

If you consider the talent pool some of the AHL teams aren´t far behind the top european teams but the AHL is not a throughout "competetive league", its a farm league.

Thoose "World Final games" would no doubt be played in the preseason and probably atleast 2 out of 3 in Europe so maybe the top European team could win a game every other year, but not because they would be the better team.(NHL teams have lost games against european teams before, because for them its a exhebition game) Hockey is always hockey and as a swede I know that anything is possible, and the difference in talent between the top european team and the SC winner is not as big as the difference between Sweden and Belarus...

 

[Shoalzie]

This would be a very cool idea. Play a best-of-3 series and alternate each year between playing in Europe and North America at the team's home rink.