So, Lets Discuss this "World Cup" Nonsense for a Second...

[FLYLine27*]

Why...in what world, would ANY NHL team want their core and/or star players going to play in a tournament literally the week before the NHL season starts?

Why, would any NHL team allow players to miss training camp and the entire preseason(or 80%?), and not get used to playing with new players/systems etc to play in this tournament?

Why, would any NHL allow players to play in this silly tournament and potentially of one of their players suffer a serious injury, right before the season starts up?

WHY?

It's not even the damn Olympics which at least can be understandable.

Am I missing something here? And I'm literally not even excited for it the slightest. Come September I'm pumped up for the NHL season to start up again soon, not a worthless tournament.

Am I alone on these questions and opinion of the thing?

Click to read more...

 

[Inkling]

Money? They've sold tickets and broadcast rights. Unlike the Olympics, they get to keep all the money.

It's not like it's a new thing either, it's been done before. I'm not enamoured by it particularly but it's not surprising. If they did it right it might be good marketing for the league, perhaps someday.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Money? They've sold tickets and broadcast rights. Unlike the Olympics, they get to keep all the money.

It's not like it's a new thing either, it's been done before. I'm not enamoured by it particularly but it's not surprising. If they did it right it might be good marketing for the league, perhaps someday.

Each NHL team is getting a cut of the profits?

 

[LeafFever]

The World Cup is a joke. It's just randomly held every decade or so. Now with the Olympics it makes no sense.

 

[Halakitlikethat]

Why would they stop the season for 3 weeks for the Olympics? If they want a best on best tournament this makes more sense from the leagues standpoint

 

[Inkling]

Each NHL team is getting a cut of the profits?

Yes, and the NHLPA too.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl-nhlpa-project-windfall-profit-for-world-cup-of-hockey-1.363970

The article is a bit out of date as I recall that they were unable to sell advertising rights on the uniform, so it's not quite the windfall that they are expecting.

The expenses are pretty minimal though, so they should make a profit even if it doesn't turn out to be nearly as popular as they expected.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Why would they stop the season for 3 weeks for the Olympics? If they want a best on best tournament this makes more sense from the leagues standpoint

Cause the olympics means something and it attracts non NHL fans. Non hockey fans are not going to be watching the world crap, sorry i mean cup.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Yes, and the NHLPA too.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl-nhlpa-project-windfall-profit-for-world-cup-of-hockey-1.363970

The article is a bit out of date as I recall that they were unable to sell advertising rights on the uniform, so it's not quite the windfall that they are expecting.

The expenses are pretty minimal though, so they should make a profit even if it doesn't turn out to be nearly as popular as they expected.

Ah thanks.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Will not be watching most likely

 

[ThatGuy22]

Each NHL team is getting a cut of the profits?

Yes, you're missing the biggest point of the tournament. It's not the NHL allowing it's players in the tournament.

Its the NHL in conjunction with the NHLPA putting on a tournament. It's a money making oppurtunity for the league, it's teams and the players that play in it.

 

[The Bored Man]

I want a legitimate best-versus-best international hockey tournament every four years. I don't care about this IIHF/IOC/NHL squabbling. Any organization can run it. But no stupid gimmicks and no exclusion of NHL players. Just a genuine championship.

This alleged "World Cup" is therefore not what I'm looking for. And I'm terrified of a McDavid injury in a meaningless tournament.

 

[Oscar Acosta]

I just don't know how anyone on the Team North America can go all out and play against their own country.

 

[sandysan]

Cause the olympics means something and it attracts non NHL fans. Non hockey fans are not going to be watching the world crap, sorry i mean cup.

And people who dont know any better will watch a bunch of has beens and never will be's and assume that this is the pinnacle of hockey. As someone who does know better if I wanted to watch a best of the rest tourney, I'd watch the world shampionships.

its not the olympics, sure. I can tell because the players and the teams that have the world's best players under contract, actually get paid for their efforts.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I just don't know how anyone on the Team North America can go all out and play against their own country.

You can't see a bunch of young, unproven studs looking to stick it to their elder statesmen?

I honestly see them trying the hardest of anyone.

 

[caymanmew]

Cause the olympics means something and it attracts non NHL fans. Non hockey fans are not going to be watching the world crap, sorry i mean cup.

Why would the NHL care about the Olympics though?
They make no money off it.
They have to stop their season for it.
They risk star players getting hurt a few months before the playoffs.

This tournament is was better for the NHL.

They make money off it.
They don't have to stop their season for it.
If players get hurt it is a full season away form playoffs.

I am sorry you don't like it but form the NHL pint of view this tournament makes sense and is a prefect replacement for Olyimpics. (as the best on best tournament)

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Why...in what world, would ANY NHL team want their core and/or star players going to play in a tournament literally the week before the NHL season starts?

Why, would any NHL team allow players to miss training camp and the entire preseason(or 80%?), and not get used to playing with new players/systems etc to play in this tournament?

Why, would any NHL allow players to play in this silly tournament and potentially of one of their players suffer a serious injury, right before the season starts up?

WHY?

It's not even the damn Olympics which at least can be understandable.

Am I missing something here? And I'm literally not even excited for it the slightest. Come September I'm pumped up for the NHL season to start up again soon, not a worthless tournament.

Am I alone on these questions and opinion of the thing?

$'s for HRR?

 

[Grant]

Why, would any NHL team allow players to miss training camp and the entire preseason(or 80%?), and not get used to playing with new players/systems etc to play in this tournament?

The star players often get rested for most of the preseason anyway. I think you could argue they'll be in better game shape from having played in this tourney rather than the preseason.

 

[TNT87]

It's going to suck for some team to lose a star player because of injury.

 

[Pyrophorus]

I do miss the Canada Cup.

BTW where is THAT trophy?

 

[shelf]

I just don't know how anyone on the Team North America can go all out and play against their own country.

They are all young guys still trying to prove themselves. Wouldnt be surprised if they play there best games against Canada/US.

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

Why...in what world, would ANY NHL team want their core and/or star players going to play in a tournament literally the week before the NHL season starts?

Why, would any NHL team allow players to miss training camp and the entire preseason(or 80%?), and not get used to playing with new players/systems etc to play in this tournament?

Why, would any NHL allow players to play in this silly tournament and potentially of one of their players suffer a serious injury, right before the season starts up?

Same risk every time they lace up the skates on any rink anywhere.

WHY?

It's not even the damn Olympics which at least can be understandable.

Am I missing something here? And I'm literally not even excited for it the slightest. Come September I'm pumped up for the NHL season to start up again soon, not a worthless tournament.

Am I alone on these questions and opinion of the thing?

Money is the easy answer but ignoring that the same risk comes with practice. If anything, some could argue that these players will be more prepared for the regular season because they are using this tournament to train and its much higher competition that the ahl "scrubs" they'd be playing against who wont make their respected NHL teams.

I am personally very excited for this tournament. A bucket list item of mine is to go to the Olympics, but until it is in a reasonable country, that may not happen. This tournament serves as a very very very high skilled tournament with stars all over the place. Yeah, team NA and Europe wont care as much as the other countries, but the real countries still will have a ton of pride to play for. The hunger to win wont be the same as the Olympics, but it wont be a pre-2016 All-Star game style tournament either.

Anyone going to skip watching USA vs. Canada because its a "dumb" tournament? I didnt think so.

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

People wondering 'why would x players try?' Have a fundamental misunderstanding of what makes pro athletes tick.

It's an honor to be named to this tournament. It means you're one of 150 of the best in the game.

Johnny Gaudreau is going to play with Connor McDavid. That's never going to happen again. Iron Man is fighting Hulk. Enjoy it for what it is.

 

[Alexanderthe89]

Yup. They would never play against their home country in the Olympics. But in this new format? I don't see it being a big issue.

 

[Inkling]

They're going to be wearing these kind of bizarre uniforms anyway. I don't think someone like McDavid is going to think he's sticking it to the 'real' Team Canada. It's more like an extended All Star Weekend.

 

[Guido Sarducci]

I hope this is a success and then the NHL tells the Olympics to go suck an egg.