NHL international hockey tournament?

[Seanconn*]

The Olympic tournament this year was one of the best ones ever. Wouldn't it be nice if we saw competitions like this more than every 4 years, or at the world cup whenever they feel like having one...


Personally, I'd like to see the Allstar break scrapped for a single season in between the Olympic games years. and move the world championship to when then All star break would take place. Obviously, this couldn't happen every year, and a lot of people will be scared about injuries. The season went on fine this year with the olympics, so I definitely think this would be possible.. yet the Bettman would so not let this happen.

So if moving the world championship every now and then to the place of the Allstar game is asking for too much.. can't the NHL work out some sort of mini Intl-tournament of their own to take place of the All Star game ever now and then?

All-star game is entertaining and all, but I think a mini INTL tournament in the middle of the year would be freaking awesome. How many of you guys in the states saw overnight hockey fans appear during the winter games this year? Americans LOVE to cheer on team USA when ever possible so maybe this could be the solution to spurring more interest in hockey in places where the NHL is about as popular as professional bowling

It might look like the Canada/World Cup tournament, but with a less games. with team Canada, Russia, USA, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, and maybe an international team for the lesser represented nations?

I dunno, something like this would sure be a change, but I think it would be a change for the better. we don't get enough chances to cheer on our respective national teams... sure the World Championships are every year, but they are largely overshadowed by the playoffs.

whatchu guys think?

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[jekoh]

It might look like the Canada/World Cup tournament, but with a less games. with team Canada, Russia, USA, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, and maybe an international team for the lesser represented nations?

An international team for the lesser represented nations is a really stupid idea which completely beats the purpose of international competition. International competitions should not be organised by the NHL anyway.

 

[Dfire]

with team Canada, Russia, USA, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, and maybe an international team for the lesser represented nations?

Do you really think there is going to be a fanbase for this best of the rest team? creating such a team is pure arrogance and the idea is just like everything else that comes from the NHL: one-sided.

 

[Seanconn*]

okay, I agree the international team for the countries with less players is kind of dumb... but I felt that some European players not from the big hockey nations might feel left out if such a competition were to take place instead of the all-star game.

I guess the 8th team could be team Switzerland... I just figured a team of the best players from all the other nations outside of the top 7 would have a better chance of not getting completely blown out like a team of just Swiss NHL'ers likely would.

"Team everyone-else" aside, would you guys be open to a competition like this taking place instead of the all-star game roughly every 4 years? just one season in between Winter Olympic games, and hopefully not the same year of a World Cup.

It would basically be as long as the mens Olympic hockey competition, and would take just over a week from start to finish. and it could take place in NHL arenas all over Canada and the US, like the Canada Cup did.

It would definitely extend the break a bit longer, but i think it would be about 10 times as entertaining as the All-Star game and competition. A lot of players don't get to play in the world championship because they are in the playoffs, a small competition like this could make up for that somewhat.

Yes, of course there is still the Olympics and World Cup, but they don't happen often enough (especially the world cup... If the world cup was held more regularly I wouldn't have made this thread. )

I dunno, the owners would probably never want this, but I think most fans and a lot of players would prefer this over the all-star game every 4 years or so. waiting for the Olympics and World Cup is just too long of a wait!

 

[Brodie]

A "Best of the Rest" team would pretty much be Kopitar and Huet.

 

[jekoh]

I guess the 8th team could be team Switzerland... I just figured a team of the best players from all the other nations outside of the top 7 would have a better chance of not getting completely blown out like a team of just Swiss NHL'ers likely would.

There is not enough Swiss NHLers for there to be a team of just Swiss NHLers. Probably not enough Slovaks either and barely enough Russians.