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HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Hotstove: Should There Be Another Young Guns Team At The Next World Cup?
- ToddCordellVAN


Better question would be: should there be another world cup of Hockey?

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I think most fans think its a gimmick, cannot compete with Olympics. But if we as fans want it to compete with Olympics, the NHL needs to take it seriously and keep putting the WC out there to grow. Have all countries represented, have qualifying games to weed out the teams like Olympics, (year/s in advance) and get rid of the most enjoyable part of the game, the under 23 team which is beyond stupid but the reason I at least watch the game's highlights.

Morally, the NHL has no business in the Olympics. Why not?

Financially, they have no business in the Oympics. Neither does any other sport in the Olympics. Obviously nowadays $$$ is a part of the Olympics, the point of it has always been the same. Represent your country and bring the sport more and more attention. Mens US Soccer is terrible, but thanks to the Olympics, the MLS has gone leaps and bounds here, to use an example.

That the Olympics somehow matter more than the exact teams playing each other under the title of something else is an illusion. Your opinion. It is no secret that a lot of the top NHL players LOVE representing their country to the fullest. NHL players don't just return to their countries during the off-season for family. They highly appreciate the gratitude that the fans give them.

There aren't enough good countries to make the tournament good. Most Olympic sports fit that criteria. Basketball, Baseball, Curling, Soccer, Snowboarding, Down Hill skiing. We can go on and on.

Canada is so dominant I can't even make myself care whether they win like they should or get unlucky and lose. Unless Canada lost, then the flood gate of excuses would come pouring out, and guess what? Canada will be even more on a mission than ever. Save the "we don't care" nonsense.

Countries themselves are just arbitrary points on a map. Living in Toronto, I have much more in common with people from the north-east United States than anyone west of Thuderbay. I mean, look at a map, we're about as Canadian, from a geographical standpoint, than Alaska is American. Thats because Toronto is close to the North-East lol. Humans are humans man. Toronto is less than an hour from NY barring customs/traffic, but a border isnt going to literally dictate interests and culture.

So I say, let's forget international rivalries, make two teams that are evenly matched and watch them play for seven games every four years. No. Especially if you will be picking the even teams. No offense.
- James_Tanner

High level hockey is high level hockey. If you call it the Olympics or the World Cup or the NHL...who cares? Why do we watch sports? To arbitrarily follow a team, usually picked because of proximity, and cheer for complete strangers playing a game? Or do we watch it to watch good, high level hockey?

High level hockey is high level hockey. If you call it the Olympics or the World Cup or the NHL...who cares? Why do we watch sports? To arbitrarily follow a team, usually picked because of proximity, and cheer for complete strangers playing a game? Or do we watch it to watch good, high level hockey?
- Blackstrom2

i watch minor hockey to scream obscenities at children.

NHL players are paid by their respective NHL teams. When players play in other tournaments/leagues, they're risking injury thereby risking their ability to work their ACTUAL job as an NHL player.

I'm aware being a pro athlete is not the same as a regular career, but how many other companies would just let their employee go work for another company where it could interfere with their job duties?

I also think it's unfair to NHL fans who pay good money to see their favorite players.

NHL players are paid by their respective NHL teams. When players play in other tournaments/leagues, they're risking injury thereby risking their ability to work their ACTUAL job as an NHL player.

I'm aware being a pro athlete is not the same as a regular career, but how many other companies would just let their employee go work for another company where it could interfere with their job duties?

I also think it's unfair to NHL fans who pay good money to see their favorite players.
- Rinosaur

All kinds. Companies have no say in what you do with your personal time. I like to play hockey in my spare time. If I got an eye taken out by a stick, it would impact my job. But the company I work for has no say in that.

NHL players are paid by their respective NHL teams. When players play in other tournaments/leagues, they're risking injury thereby risking their ability to work their ACTUAL job as an NHL player.

I'm aware being a pro athlete is not the same as a regular career, but how many other companies would just let their employee go work for another company where it could interfere with their job duties?

I also think it's unfair to NHL fans who pay good money to see their favorite players.
- Rinosaur

People who work a full time job are allowed to work an additional part time job or freelance job with no issues whatsoever assuming they continue to complete their full time job responsibilities effectively.

Also, the players do get paid for winning in the WCOH if I recall correctly.

Finally, the NBA, rugby, and soccer leagues in the world allow their players to participate in international tournaments.

All kinds. Companies have no say in what you do with your personal time. I like to play hockey in my spare time. If I got an eye taken out by a stick, it would impact my job. But the company I work for has no say in that.
- prock

No. It's one thing have a second or even a third job, it's another for the other job to affect your ability to do your current job. Companies will not tolerate another job getting in the way.

There are many jobs that have restrictions on external employment. Non compete clauses are standard. If you sell phones at a kiosk for one company you can not sell for another company.

Hot lawyers and business folk have theses clauses that extend fir many years after they leave a company.

There are many jobs that restrict your free time through drug and alcohol tests, criminal record checks, social media searches which could result in suspension our termination.

There are many jobs that have restrictions on external employment. Non compete clauses are standard. If you sell phones at a kiosk for one company you can not sell for another company.

Hot lawyers and business folk have theses clauses that extend fir many years after they leave a company.

There are many jobs that restrict your free time through drug and alcohol tests, criminal record checks, social media searches which could result in suspension our termination.
- Njuice

Okay but hockey doesn't have this so your point is irrelevant.

I think the teams should be Canada, USA, North America snubs, Europe, Russia, Finland, Sweden and Czech Republic.

From a complete "I don't give a (frank)" prospective nationally due to me being Australian, hockey is hockey & the sham that is called the 'World Cup', is interesting to me due to it being high level competitive hockey (especially when there's (frank) all else hockey being played ). Having a lot of the best players in the 1 comp that also has the Ruskies, then game on - just call it something else because it's clearly NOT a World Cup! The Bettman Beet, or The Bettman invitational. Something, anything other than the World Cup! Also, as mentioned earlier, it's not every year you'll get top level elite generational talent skating around in the NA team. Go back 2 years & what would that team look like?

Good idea, bad name, & if injury is incurred very bad luck.

Just for the record, love the Olympics with the NHL & KHL stars participation. Why can't/shouldn't they participate when every other pro athlete does? Doesn't Bettman get his cut??

Tell this to a player like Alexander Ovechkin who's threatening to retire from the NHL next season of the NHL doesn't allow Olympic participation.

Fact of the matter is most people are nationalist creatures and Olympic hockey panders to the sense of pride and country.
- Victoro311

Agreed 100 %

I don't need to tell you about American nationalism. It's pretty rampant.
- Victoro311

We noticed ...

From what I can tell on these boards, Canadians seem to be pretty damn nationalistic, at least about their hockey. The Canadians here are constantly teasing the Americans about being inferior on the ice, and that wouldn't happen if most Canadians didn't care about state boarders.
- Victoro311

Canadians are generally more reserved than Americans and we don't wave the flag every 2 minutes, it's just a cultural thing ... EXCEPT when hockey is involved. We invented the game and consider it our own personal jewel. In terms of population, we are a small country so we take pride in defending our supremacy in that sport against all other larger populated countries (US, Russia, Europe, etc). Hockey is just part of our culture ... we Canadians learn to skate before we can walk.

There's been countless polls ran in the EU of how people identify themselves and the people who identify themselves as Europeans first and their country second are always majorly in the minority. You can't discount nationalism just because you think it's for the birds.
- Victoro311

I'm not surprised ... it's been like this since the dawn of times ... tribalism.

As much as I (frank)ing loved Team NA, NA and Europe killed the whole idea of international competition, which is one of my favorite things in the world. Maybe a lot of it was that Team USA was a farce and I wanted to boycot them to begin with, but I think even if USA didn't (frank) everything up I still wouldn't have cared that much about American international success in this tournament. If the NHL decides to sit out the Olympics they owe it to the majority of the fanbase that loves that tournament to replace it as best they can with WCoH.

Now if the NHL stays in the Olympics, by all means keep rolling out Team NA. That was fantastic fun.
- Victoro311

My first choice is for the NHL to continue sending the players to the Olympic games ... most European players take much pride in representing their respective countries. It's the largest sport stage and I can't think a better venue to grow the game internationally.

Right now Canada is dominant but it's a cycle ... in my life time I have seen the Russians, the Americans, the Swedes, the Czechs, the Finns and us (Canada) win competitions.

Agreed 100 %



We noticed ...



Canadians are generally more reserved than Americans and we don't wave the flag every 2 minutes, it's just a cultural thing ... EXCEPT when hockey is involved. We invented the game and consider it our own personal jewel. In terms of population, we are a small country so we take pride in defending our supremacy in that sport against all other larger populated countries (US, Russia, Europe, etc). Hockey is just part of our culture ... we Canadians learn to skate before we can walk.



I'm not surprised ... it's been like this since the dawn of times ... tribalism.




My first choice is for the NHL to continue sending the players to the Olympic games ... most European players take much pride in representing their respective countries. It's the largest sport stage and I can't think a better venue to grow the game internationally.

Right now Canada is dominant but it's a cycle ... in my life time I have seen the Russians, the Americans, the Swedes, the Czechs, the Finns and us (Canada) win competitions.
- Garfield512

I don't think it's super cyclical. Hockey has always been dominated by the Canadians except for when communist Russia was able to exploit loopholes to send KHL players to the Olympics. But besides that it's been Canada with some anomalies sprinkled in. But we are starting to see some serious talent pop up that can maybe one day rival Canada, especially in the US as the NCAA starts pumping out more and more high end talent consistently like Eichel, Gaudreau, Gostisbehere, Conner, et all.