Tournament modus sugestion :)

[Force]

Pool of 16 Teams. Top 8 nations are seeded in diffrent groups.

First Round: 4 Groups of 4, round robin - results are carried over.
1,2,3 advance to the second round.
(3 Games per Team)

Second Round: 2 Groups of 6, round robin - first round results stand.
1,2,3,4 advance to the playoffs.
(3 Games per Team)

Playoffs: QF, SF, Gold Final, Bronze Final.
(3 Games per Finalist)

Makes a maximum total of 9 games for top teams. Every game is important since results are carried over from the first to the second round.


Example:

First Round:
Group A: FIN, SUI, GER, DEN
Group B: SWE, USA, KAZ, AUT
Group C: CAN, SLV, ITA, NOR
Group D: RUS, CZE, LAT, FRA

Second Round:
Group A: FIN, SWE, USA, SUI, KAZ, GER
Group B: CAN, SLV, RUS, CZE, LAT, ITA

Quarterfinals:
FIN, SUI, SWE, USA, CAN, SLV, RUS, CZE
Semifinals:
FIN, SWE, RUS, CZE

Gold Final:
FIN, SWE
Bronze Final:
RUS, CZE

Click to read more...

 

[Jazz]

Is this for the Olympic tournament or a possible World Cup?

If you are talking about the Olympics:
The NHL is on record (yesterday) saying that it cannot afford to take a longer than 15 day break in the season to accomodate the Olympics. Thus allowing 1 travel day on each side, we only have time for a 13 day Olympic tournament.

Besides what you described is the World Champsionship format, which itself takes over 2 1/2 weeks (ie, longer than the Olympics itself)

 

[Shoalzie]

I like the idea of a 16 team field but I'd go right to the medal round instead of a second tier of round robin. 4 groups of 4 and each team only has to play 3 round robin games. Take the 4 group winners and the next 4 best teams based on points to go to the medal round. Single elimination and the 4 teams that play for the medals play 6 games total instead of the 8 games in this year's tournament. Less wear and tear on the players and more teams are involved. The round robin could be done in 6 days...alternate days, two groups play per day. The medal round, play every other day with the bronze medal and the gold medal game played on the same day. This tournament could be completed in 12 days.