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Welcome to another edition of the Hockeybuzz hotstove.
In this one we'll be looking at and sharing our thoughts on the new World Cup format, which will have Canada, USA, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic, a 'Rest of Europe' team, and an under-23 North American team.
Todd Cordell
First and foremost, I'm a fan of the World Cup coming back and any additional high-end hockey competition is good in my books.
At first I wasn't a big fan of the new format - mainly because of the U23 team - but I've warmed up to it a little, and I like the European mix team.
Realistically those final two teams would be made out of, let's say, the Swiss and Slovakia. That would leave out Anze Kopitar and Slovenia, Thomas Vanek and Austria, etc. This mix team will allow all of those top players to compete, and will ensure the best of the best are at this tournament.
This is reportedly just a one-time thing - there will be qualifying tournaments leading up to the 2020 World Cup - so I'm on board with this to help get the tournament on the map again.
Tim Chiasson
I don't like it because it's too much of a gimmick.
Everyone already knew it was nothing more than a money grab for the owners but not having 8 nations participating makes it more of a scam. They should just call it the NHL's Summer Showcase.
The Euro All-Stars/U23 NA Kids teams are there to make the tournament more competitive, to put it nicely. The reality is the NHL told every other nation outside of the big six that they're not cool enough to come to their party.
I like International tournaments that help the growth of the game. The smaller European hockey countries have been working hard to develop their game and compete on a better level for years and this does nothing to help that. Does it really matter if it's Euro All-Stars/NA Kids or Switzerland/Slovakia? Does anyone really expect the two All-Star teams to beat the USA or Canada? It's just a plug for the NHL's own players.
Oh well, while the NHL publicly craps on the smaller hockey market countries their owners will line their pockets with more green so I guess everything is fine.
Michael Stuart
Not really. I get why the NHL and NHLPA decided to go in this direction, but I’m not sure I’m sold on it quite yet.
I have to imagine that there’s something special about putting on your nation’s sweater as a player. For many European and North American players alike, that won’t be an option in the World Cup.
We all remember Team Latvia at the Olympics. There won’t be any storylines like that in this tournament. And what about U23 players? Players like Nathan MacKinnon who likely grew up cheering for Canada and idolizing that Canadian jersey are now going to have to play against their fellow Canadians in the “World” Cup? I’m just not sure I like it.
Regardless, I look forward to watching!
Adam French
I might be one of the few who does enjoy the new format. I suspect Tanner will voice a similar attitude since we talked about it once before when it first came up.
The fact is hockey is not football (soccer whatever), there simply isn't a wide enough appeal and parity in the world. There are tiers of teams and with tiers come ebs and flows of player development that the elite nations don't have. Look for example at Slovakia. The vast majority of their top players were all from the 90's/early 2000's. Chara, Hossa and Gaborik are all old guard and their replacements are...Tatar...Jurco?...Dano in 3 years? Slovakia has been on a terrible decline in prospect potential with only Dano going in the first round since 2005. Their top line centre was Handzus at the Olympics. Enough said, they're just their to fight for relegation or an upset. Team Europe would actually be formidable. They could probably snuff out the Czech Republic and threaten Finland and Russia.
Here is a potential Team Europe...tell me this isn't more exciting than watching Girgensons and the Dynamo Riga team play against elite NHL talent?
Tatar - Kopitar - Gaborik
Vanek - Nielsen - Hossa
Boedker - Grabovski - Niederreiter
Zuccarello - Girgensons - Grabner
Roussel
Eller/Rieder/Dano/Draisaitl/Fiala/Jurco/Ehlers depending on development
Chara - Seidenberg
Erhoff - Josi
Streit - Mueller
Halak
Andersen
That's a solid team.
As for the U23 North American squad, I love it. Team Canada left off Stamkos because he was "too young." What other nation leaves off a player of that caliber? There are so many high-end talented young players that might not make their respective countries due to seniority that we want to see compete. I would have preferred if it was all U23 players, but I understand that aside from Sweden if you're a standout player for any other nation in Europe, you're most likely on your own squad.
I love the gimmick and I don't really care about pride, patriotism and the 11-0 poopcanning of weak opponents while waiting for the "real" competition to start.
James Tanner
I absolutely love it.
Part of the reason these tournies are so bad - in my opinion - is the inclusion of horrible teams. OH BOY can I please watch Canada beat up the Slovaks 94-0 ?
That is a huge waste of time.
With two new teams it will be fun. Why do people hate fun? Both those teams will be competitive and exciting to watch. I'll probably end up cheering for the under 23 team.
The biggest complaint seems to be that "Kopitar (or whoever) didn't grow up hoping to play for the Eurpeaon Conglomerate team." But who cares?
Nationalism is an outdated concept that becomes more ridiculous by the year and this kind of mixed up concept - which will not only be more fun, but make the tournament better to watch and more competitive - is good if it helps people to realize that.
I am probably in the minority on this, but whatever. It seems to me people hate everything that is new, different or which challenges old ideas. If it's successful, maybe they could do the next one entirely of arbitrary teams - have an over 35 team, a team of vegetarians , whatever.
This will 100X better than the Olympics and I really look forward to it.
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