Would you be fine with a World Cup Instead?

[coolasprICE]

world cup should replace olympics

The players seemed drained and maybe all the commotion of the Olympics didn't help.

Maybe a world cup of hockey every 4 years will produce more excitement than the hockey we've seen Sochi.

Olympic hockey was really underwhelming.

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[Bardown warrior]

There has been talk that the NHL want's to bring back the World Cup. Assuming NHL players do not participate in 2018 (which it seems like they arent) Would you be fine if with a World Cup of Hockey to satisfy your hockey needs for a best on best tournament?

Personally, i would rather have a world cup that starts in August/September, maybe right before training camp. That way we really get to see the best players face each other, without injuries given the summer to heal up.

 

[SquishtheBoudreau]

Sure, sign me up.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

I'd prefer a World Cup taking place off-season, on NHL sized ice, with a better tournament format than this.

 

[Suiteness]

Damn straight. It would also allow more time for teams to practice and establish chemistry and no need to stupidly shut down the NHL for two weeks mid-season and it's a no brainer.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Yes. I love the best of three final as opposed to the single game elimination where a single bad bounce can kill you.

 

[JoeCool16]

On NHL-sized ice? 3 game series like the Canada Cup? Yeah, it'd have potential for better hockey, but the stakes wouldn't feel the same.

 

[Hubie]

No thanks, unless they change a lot of things starting with the timing. In the past it just felt like a pointless pre-season exhibition tournament that's slanted to favour NA teams.

 

[Reds4Life]

No.

Olympics are just on another level. I don't think anyone in Europe cares about World Cup (or Canada Cup).

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

I dunno, my biggest priority is to get best on best and the World Cup comes without a laundry list of player injuries. That being said, it likely would not be as intense due to the likely timing of it.

 

[Luigi Habs]

As a hockey fan yes, but the olympics give much much more visibility to hockey. I'd stick with the olympics.

 

[ak90210]

Olympics are a bush league tourney, would much rather have world cup.

 

[coolasprICE]

No thanks, unless they change a lot of things starting with the timing. In the past it just felt like a pointless pre-season exhibition tournament that's slanted to favour NA teams.

Unless the Olympics are in North America, we can say it's slanted to favour other countries with the rink size..

 

[RusskiyHockey]

No. Not the same thing at all. The 1996 and 2004 World Cups were forgettable events, other than to North American fans. 2004 especially was dull and pointless. It's not the same when the NHL organizes it, games scattered all over the place. Hockey should always remain part of the Olympics, with the best players playing. It adds the cherry to the Olympics and the players get to be part of a special atmosphere.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Now that pros go to the Olympics it is almost the same thing.

The only thing I preferred about the World Cup is that the finals weren't single elimination.

 

[StittsvilleJames]

I'd watch, but it would be different, and not nearly as meaningful to me.

 

[Boom King]

One or the other but not both in the same year as that would be a grueling long season for the players. The Olympics is the bigger international stage though.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

No. Not the same thing at all. The 1996 and 2004 World Cups were forgettable events, other than to North American fans. 2004 especially was dull and pointless. It's not the same when the NHL organizes it, games scattered all over the place. Hockey should always remain part of the Olympics, with the best players playing. It adds the cherry to the Olympics and the players get to be part of a special atmosphere.

But 1984 and 1987 were two of the best tournaments in the history of hockey.

I think the shine is off, but it would still be a lot of fun to watch.

 

[dan1el]

In a perfect world, I want a best-on-best tournament with more teams, more parity, in the NHL offseason, NHL-ice, NO SHOOTOUT, a few more games to watch, and best of 3 series in the semis and finals. THAT would be interesting.

If a few more countries develop their hockey prowess, and we could potentially have a 20-team tournament with 4 groups of 5 where the top two in each division advance to the quarters, and not with only 4 or 5 teams posing a threat to win, we could have an awesome World cup.

 

[saintflannel]

Is there one scheduled?

 

[dan1el]

No. Not the same thing at all. The 1996 and 2004 World Cups were forgettable events, other than to North American fans. 2004 especially was dull and pointless. It's not the same when the NHL organizes it, games scattered all over the place. Hockey should always remain part of the Olympics, with the best players playing. It adds the cherry to the Olympics and the players get to be part of a special atmosphere.

This is a good point.

 

[Faltorvo]

There has been talk that the NHL want's to bring back the World Cup. Assuming NHL players do not participate in 2018 (which it seems like they arent) Would you be fine if with a World Cup of Hockey to satisfy your hockey needs for a best on best tournament?

Personally, i would rather have a world cup that starts in August/September, maybe right before training camp. That way we really get to see the best players face each other, without injuries given the summer to heal up.

Oh heck no ,AINEC.

1) You won't see the players in full season form, like we get now.

2) I guaranty you that Olympic medals mean way way more to the players from all hockey nations then any other nation vs nation H tourney. More passion, more commitment=better hockey.

Heck ,I'm old enough to remember when players used to bow out of these kind of tourneys for hang nails. Cut their summer vaca short so owners can make more cake?

The big O will pale anything we try to create.

 

[m4tt145]

If they decide to remove NHL players from the Olympics im fine with World Cup, there gotta be some best on best tournament. However id rather keep it the way it is.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Unless the Olympics are in North America, we can say it's slanted to favour other countries with the rink size..

Rink size could be somewhere between international and NHL. World Cup should be at the beginning of the december IMO if no olympics.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I hope someone smashed this abomination into a million pieces.

Poor Mario. He looks like someone just handed him a dead fish.