Next World Cup

[Voight]

It'll be laughable if the NHL tries to call this a World Cup

 

[Mathieukferland]

It'll be laughable if the NHL tries to call this a World Cup

They aren’t calling it a World Cup. I have no idea what it will be called but it seems like a world exhibition or showcase of some sort

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Probably the best option since the elephant in the room.

I know this will be an unpopular opinion but I'm fine with no Germany, Swiss, Norway etc... have those programs gotten better? Sure would those teams have any chance of actually winning? No...they just have a chance of playing spoiler and ruin any chance of good hockey

 

[namttebih]

I don't think any Germans, Swiss, Czechs or Slovaks will like that.

I don't disagree. As you can see though, even with combined teams, there's a big-time drop off in talent after the top 6 and if we're being completely honest here first pairing - for both teams.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Probably the best option since the elephant in the room.

I know this will be an unpopular opinion but I'm fine with no Germany, Swiss, Norway etc... have those programs gotten better? Sure would those teams have any chance of actually winning? No...they just have a chance of playing spoiler and ruin any chance of good hockey

Germany is ahead 0f Sweden and Czechs 0n iihf rankning

 

[namttebih]

Germany is ahead 0f Sweden and Czechs 0n iihf rankning

C'mon, that's a bit disingenuous. Those rankings are only because of the last Olympics.

Best on best Germany doesn't stand up against Sweden. NHL Swedes vs NHL Germans isn't even close.

 

[namttebih]

Round robin of:

Canada
Finland
Germany/Switzerland

USA
Sweden
Czech/Slovakia

Top two teams in each division advance.

Alternatively 5 games of qualifying with top 4 teams advancing

 

[jj cale]

They aren’t calling it a World Cup. I have no idea what it will be called but it seems like a world exhibition or showcase of some sort

If that is what it is going to be they shouldn't even bother.

 

[THE JAM]

Best on best Germany doesn't stand up against Sweden. NHL Swedes vs NHL Germans isn't even close.

Why do you say that?
NHL-swedes (absolutely all their stars were there) lost to a belarus noname-team in the 2002 Olympics QF.

 

[Czechboy]

I hate to say it, but if the NHL is planning on only using NA based players, the Czech, Slovak, German and Swiss teams would be pretty weak on their own.

I know that everyone hates this, but I created Czech/Slovak and German/Swiss teams. Both could contend, but neither would be favorites IMO.

Kubalik - Necas - Pastrnak
Faska - Hertl - Zacha
Palat - Kampf - Zadina
Slafkovsky - Dvorsky - Mesar

Zboril - Cernak
Fehervary - Gudas
Simek - Nemec

Vanacek
Vejmalka

Fiala - Draisaitl - Meier
Stutzle - Hischier - Niederreiter
Peterka - Sturm - Reichel
Lutz - Kurashev - Plante

Josi - Seider
Siegenthaler - Moser
Panocha- Gawanke

Grubauer
Waeber

Probably missing someone. All of the above should be playing on this side of the pond when the tournament starts.

That makes 6 teams.

Hronek?

The only 2 Slovaks that improve us are fehervary and cernak today.

Jiricek today is in the NHL so temporarily he is ahead of Nemec IMO.

Rutta is on NHL so ahead of Simek and Zboril.

Chytil would be a lock.

I hate the combined teams but us and Germany would be a much better combo... Stutzl, drai and seider make the Czechs a legit threat.

 

[namttebih]

Why do you say that?
NHL-swedes (absolutely all their stars were there) lost to a belarus noname-team in the 2002 Olympics QF.

An anomaly that happened 21 years ago? I'm convinced. It was literally labeled a miracle.

These things happen. Same 2 teams in a 7 game series probably ends 4-0 9 times out of 10.

 

[THE JAM]

An anomaly that happened 21 years ago?

You do realize that there hasn't been so many best-on-best tournaments after that? When was the last one?
Germany could very well upset Sweden in a single playoff game, best-on-best...

 

[Lambo]

I don't disagree. As you can see though, even with combined teams, there's a big-time drop off in talent after the top 6 and if we're being completely honest here first pairing - for both teams.

Then you can better add Team Europe again and e.g. Team NHL(Best of the rest ).

 

[namttebih]

Hronek?

The only 2 Slovaks that improve us are fehervary and cernak today.

Jiricek today is in the NHL so temporarily he is ahead of Nemec IMO.

Rutta is on NHL so ahead of Simek and Zboril.

Chytil would be a lock.

I hate the combined teams but us and Germany would be a much better combo... Stutzl, drai and seider make the Czechs a legit threat.

Thanks for the input. I can make those changes. Do you think that Nemec will be the better option by the time that the tournament starts?

Also, what is the relationship between the two nations. Not necessarily in the hockey world, but in general. Is there animosity or is it closer to having cousins/good friends across the border. Generally curious as we don't hear a lot about life over there right now.

 

[Czechboy]

Thanks for the input. I can make those changes. Do you think that Nemec will be the better option by the time that the tournament starts?

Also, what is the relationship between the two nations. Not necessarily in the hockey world, but in general. Is there animosity or is it closer to having cousins/good friends across the border. Generally curious as we don't hear a lot about life over there right now.

My answer is cousins. I cheer for Slovakia whnlen not playing us.

I think, in a year, that Slovak D will be better than Czech D.

Rutta is a warm body. Gudas is aging.

We do have some decent guys developing though. Svozil and Spacek for instance.

Nemec and jiricek, I hope, will be very good Ds for a very long time.

 

[namttebih]

You do realize that there hasn't been so many best-on-best tournaments after that? When was the last one?
Germany could very well upset Sweden in a single playoff game, best-on-best...

There have been 3 Olympics and 1 true World Cup in 2004 since 2002.

With all due repect to Germany, they have been involved in 3 of the 4 tournaments and haven't won a game. They currently have a few game changers on their squad and the program has improved in leaps and bounds. It is not however on the level of the elite 5 teams at this time.

As you said yourself, they could very well upset Sweden in a single game, best on best...but it would be just that - an upset.

 

[namttebih]

My answer is cousins. I cheer for Slovakia whnlen not playing us.

I think, in a year, that Slovak D will be better than Czech D.

Rutta is a warm body. Gudas is aging.

We do have some decent guys developing though. Svozil and Spacek for instance.

Nemec and jiricek, I hope, will be very good Ds for a very long time.

When I was putting the teams together I noticed that both the Czechs and Slovaks have a ton of prospects still playing overseas - more than previous seasons.

I really hope that the Czechs can get up to their traditional status and that the Swiss, Germans and Slovaks continue to climb. I'd also love it if Latvia, Belarus, Denmark and Norway could take steps to get where the above teams are now. Having 14 or 15 teams that could compete would be fantastic for the game.

 

[Czechboy]

When I was putting the teams together I noticed that both the Czechs and Slovaks have a ton of prospects still playing overseas - more than previous seasons.

I really hope that the Czechs can get up to their traditional status and that the Swiss, Germans and Slovaks continue to climb. I'd also love it if Latvia, Belarus, Denmark and Norway could take steps to get where the above teams are now. Having 14 or 15 teams that could compete would be fantastic for the game.

I do too.. but, at the same time, we have a propsed 4 team best on best.lol It sucks. I do think Czechs and Slovaks are rising but hard to tell by how much.

 

[Albatros]

They aren’t calling it a World Cup. I have no idea what it will be called but it seems like a world exhibition or showcase of some sort

...and the IIHF would need to approve both national team participation as well as the World Cup (or similar) name, which are two largely separate issues.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Why do you say that?
NHL-swedes (absolutely all their stars were there) lost to a belarus noname-team in the 2002 Olympics QF.

Fluke that took away from some better hockey

 

[ES]

C'mon, that's a bit disingenuous. Those rankings are only because of the last Olympics.

Best on best Germany doesn't stand up against Sweden. NHL Swedes vs NHL Germans isn't even close.

In the last Olympics (only one that affects the ranking), Germany was 10th.

 

[namttebih]

In the last Olympics (only one that affects the ranking), Germany was 10th.

You're absolutely right. I had forgotten that it's been so long since we have had best on best.

 

[Eye of Ra]

You do realize that there hasn't been so many best-on-best tournaments after that? When was the last one?
Germany could very well upset Sweden in a single playoff game, best-on-best...

Sweden won silver in the last best of best in 2014 and finished 4th in Wcup in 2016, ahead of Finland. If Sweden should not be included then should not Finland aswell.

 

[Eye of Ra]

You do realize that there hasn't been so many best-on-best tournaments after that? When was the last one?
Germany could very well upset Sweden in a single playoff game, best-on-best...

Are you saying germany cant upset Finland? Draisaitl and stutzle is pretty good u know.

 

[moropanov]

Sweden won silver in the last best of best in 2014 and finished 4th in Wcup in 2016, ahead of Finland. If Sweden should not be included then should not Finland aswell.

Sweden was third in 2016 World Cup after Canada and Europe so Second best national team remember they were 1st in theyr group got 5 points beat FInland andRussia and 1 p vs NA and Russia got 4 points