What: An NHL-managed international competition featuring most of the big hockey nations, plus some All Star-type teams.
Why: The NHL and the owners – well, most, anyway – have long been unhappy about their players participating in the Olympics. This despite players and fans loving the tournament, and despite the incredible exposure for the game that an Olympic tournament, and particularly a successful one for America, brings to a sport that, let’s face it, isn’t the most visible across most of the United States.
A cynical views is this: the World Cup of Hockey is a way for the NHL to control revenue, which they cannot do at the Olympics, where the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) runs the show and gets the cash. It’s also a golden way for the NHL to force their way into European markets, and if the tournament is even halfway successful, you’re going to see some big cities over on the continent throwing squillions at the NHL for the right to host the event.
When: The tournament will run through September and October of 2016
Who: The NHL announced that Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States will all field national teams. There will also be a Team Europe squad, made up of the best players outside of the European nations who will have their own teams, and a North American ‘Young Stars’ team, featuring only players 23 and under.
Each team will be made up of twenty-three players: twenty skaters and three goalies. Teams must announce at least sixteen of their roster selections before March 1, 2016, and the rest before June 1, 2016.
The League also confirmed that, yes, non-NHL players will be eligible to play in this tournament, so you can expect to see a bunch of KHL players on the Russian squad, which has been the Russian Federation’s want – for better or worse – during the last few Olympic tournaments. Other counties, such as the Czechs, have been known to dip into some local league talent, too.
Even so, the NHL estimate that somewhere around 90% of players will be NHL regulars.
Where: Despite early talk about playing games in a number of Canadian cities, it was announced today that Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, home of the country’s most scrutinised franchise, the Maple Leafs, will host the entire tournament. We can only hope that the atmosphere in the building will be far more raucous than it is for your regular Leafs games.
Format: Eight teams will be divided into two groups of four. A round-robin format sees each team play three games within their group. Then, we’ll see the top two from each group earn head into the semi-finals, where they’ll meet an opponent from the other group.
How does the Young Stars concept work? As I detailed above, this is an intriguing squad, to be made up of players 23 and under at the cut-off date, which is rumoured – but not yet confirmed – to be 1 September 2016. The NHL indicated that players in this team don’t necessarily have to be playing in the NHL, as long as they are North American-born.
As far as off-the-ice operations, Hockey Canada and Hockey USA will combine talent for coaches, general managers and those other important front-office gigs. That’s right, the US and Canada combining. That will be an interesting mix of talent, without even touching on the playing roster.
How does the European team concept work? This team will be stocked by players who aren’t born in either the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia or Sweden. That means we’re likely to see (mostly) NHLers from Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Denmark, Norway, Latvia, Belarus…and pretty much any other European nation who breeds hockey players.
It’s an intriguing idea, which will allow players from smaller nations to play in this tournament, on what strikes me as being a pretty good team, but you wonder how much emotion these guys would have, playing for an All-Star outfit, as opposed to actually representing your country. We shall see.
What About the NHL season? Well, there’s bound to be some sort of overlap, given that the new Collective Bargaining Agreement says that camps need to run 20 days, and the season generally opens in early October. Some players will likely miss out on some days at training camp, but if they’ve played nigh on a month’s worth of top-flight hockey, they’re going to be coming into camp late, yes, but definitely raring to go, and fitter than perhaps they would normally be at that time of the year.
All in all, it might be more of a blessing than a disguise for teams.
What Does This Mean for NHL Olympic participation? Well, whilst nothing has been announced, it can’t be good. There’s been persistent rumour since the middle of the Sochi 2014 tournament that the NHL is frustrated by the situation – as I said above – and owners don’t like their star players going to play, fearing that an injury in the Olympic will wreck their franchise’s season.
My guess is that the owners’ concerns about that are secondary as far as the NHL is concerned. The League wants the cash that the IIHF get hold of at the moment, and they want to do things on their terms. Which, of course, is exactly what’s going on here with the World Cup of Hockey.
Whether the NHL’s television deal with NBC, who also paid a fortune to televise the Olympics for a long time to come, will figure into Olympic participation, who knows? I’d like to see both. Some players world, too, I’m sure – especially those who won’t be representing their country, but a Euro All-Star squad. The Olympics are about the only chance these pros get to play for their birth nation, given that the yearly IIHF World Championships falls during NHL playoffs.
My Verdict: I’m still not sold on the concept. I’d prefer the Olympics. I don’t like the idea of these All-Star teams – Euro and Young Stars – against guys actually playing for the country. I wonder if the guys not wearing their flag or national colours on the ice will be as motivated as, say, the Russians or Canadians?
Lots of water to flow under the bridge yet. I guess we’ll see.
unlikelysportsfan
Roar Rookie
If I was Gary Bettman, I would get rid of the All-Star Game and replace it with an annual USA vs Canada full-strength game, playing NHL rules. Imagines this concept, the TV ratings, the national pride for the players and fans of both countries, it would be awesome. It would be just like Rugby League's State of Origin, imagine this happening.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
The most talked-about hockey events in the last 5 years are thus: 1. USA vs. Canada on Super Sunday in Vancouver 2. USA vs. Canada Gold Medal Game in Vancouver 3. USA vs. Russia when TJ Oshie went nits in the shootout Hockey penetrated the US national psyche then, and ratings were up for the NHL in the weeks thereafter. The League is kidding themselves if they think a World Cup is going to do the same thing. Especially not during football season. Like I've said many times, I don't think we'll see NHLers playing at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Brian M
Guest
Nobody cares about hockey in August/September in North America. Only hardcore fans will watch. The much ballyhooed casual fan won't give a rat's patooty that time of year.
Brian M
Guest
I really don't think the league would be that short sighted. The idea of publicity for the sport and the league is not lost on everyone at league HQ. Perhaps they will use it as leverage to threaten not to participate if they don't get a better deal from the IOC.
Brian M
Guest
The fairness is the publicity for the league and the sport generated by the Olympics. I think its pretty well established that ratings for the NHL in the US go up in years when there's an Olympics. In case you hadn't noticed, the NHL is still a marginal sport vis-a-vis other major American leagues, and internationally as well. Its always clinging to the edge of being a major sport. The publicity from the Olympics clearly outweighs some minimal risk of injury to players, IMO. The compensation is the form of advertising for the sport and the league.
perfumed genius
Guest
Unfortunate, but you can't please all the people all of the time, I would draw a comparison with footballers Geroge Best (Northern Ireland) or Ryan Giggs (Wales), both hugely talented (and flawed!) but neither of them ever graced the world cup finals. Can't help it if your world class but the rest of your countries players aren't, pretty sure Lucic is probably in the same boat his country not being a world ice hockey power, would he or the Bruins want to play in a european all stars team? or importantly would any fan want to watch a european all star team? might work in golf, not in hockey.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
The IIHF World Championships are at the wrong time, and happen far too often for them to be taken too seriously. In the same vein, you might say, as tri-series one day cricket here in Australia. The IIHF would be much better off waiting until AFTER the Stanley Cup Final is concluded before launching their championships or there'll always be an asterisk next to the names of each country who wins the World Championships. It's mostly a second-rate tournament, which is a shame. As soon as I heard whispers about the return of the World Cup of Hockey, I pretty much set myself up to deal with the idea that we won't see NHLers at the Olympics anymore.
Johnno
Guest
Andrew Good points, but the point about soccer is they have a meaningful world cup. Ice hockey world championships has never had too much focus,now the (IIHF) are getting serious about creating and promoting a top level world cup of it's own. Basketball has done with there re-naming the wchampionships to a world cup, and expanding the teams to 32, and haveing qualifiers etc. Maybe that's the move forward, the governing body of specific sports are sick of being ripped of the IOC, and want a larger profit share and greater say of when to host tournaments usually in the off-season. The NBA i believe are trying to get a profit share out of the next basketball world cup. But the injury factor is a worry and the IOC like it or not will have to i reckon come to the bargaining table with the NHL. Imagine if sydney crosby or wayne gretsky type gets injured at the Olympics, the NHL owner of the team of stars like that would be livid on so many levels,especially if no financial compensation is given by the IOC.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
I can somewhat understand the owners' position. They spend so much money on their franchise and it's franchise players, and to have a very good player injured - and, let's face it, talking about the Olympics, it's always going to be a very good player - in February, just before a playoff run, can be catastrophic on so many levels. That said, I feel the game almost has a duty to send it's best players to the Olympics. Are they not, the Olympics, after all, supposed to be the best of the best? I think soccer at the Olympics has suffered without the presence of so many top-flight players.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
Guys like Anze Kopitar would probably approve of the European All Star idea, given his nation isn't exactly a hockey power.
Johnno
Guest
Brian M Your an owner who only owns a NHL team to make money, and you have to watch your players get injured during the season maybe in the Olympics, with no compensation given by the IOC, where is the fairness in that? What for the betterment of the sport long term BS, which is highly debatable anyway now with modern tv, the NHL doesn't need the Olympics for exposure of ice hockey anymore,like the NBA doesn't need the Olympics. Petty short sighted greed maybe, but as owner you live in the now, not 20 years away, you have to put food on the table, not care about the so-called good of the game long term bs. If the IOC truly cared about ice hockey and not be greedy they would give the NHL clubs some money some profit shareing, or compensation if players get injured. Sweden had a stack of injuries at Sochi last year. The NHL owners are not a charity, there only into ice hockey to make money,
Brian M
Guest
NHL owners are showing their petty short-sighted greed, if they refuse to allow their players to participate in the Olympics. I hope that's not the reason for this tournament. Do both, fine, but to pull out of the Olympics is short sighted and stupid in the extreme. Many hockey fans first became interested in the game by watching the Olympics.
Brian M
Guest
The Olympic rules say that sports on snow and ice must be in the Winter Olympics. Also, during the Winter Olympics, hockey is the only real team sport, at the Summer Olympics, it would be an afterthought (just like I'm afraid rugby 7's will be).
perfumed genius
Guest
Bad idea to have composite teams, with composite teams you can't class this as an international tournemount. My idea, forget the all star conept, at the NHL break make it USA vs Canada and the europeans can do their own thing (finand vs Sweden, Czech vs Russia etc). This takes it out of exhibition mode more into sporting mode.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
They probably would be more competitive. Offensively, at least. I mean, look at the talent the Canadians and Americans ice every year at the World Juniors!
roosters14
Guest
My question is would that under 23 skde be any more competitive than say belarus, switzerland, Slovenia, slovakia etc....? If a team is going to get slaughtered why not just put in a proper international side to at least give their domestic players experience and exposure
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
How many players under 23 are starting goalies in the NHL? Answer: not that many. So, the YoungStars team is at a disadvantage there, if nowhere else at all. You're gonna see these guys bleed goals.
Andrew Kitchener
Roar Guru
The CBA works against that. Nice idea, but I think the sport would lose some of it's lustre in the summer. Besides, keeping the ice at a reasonable temperature would be hard. Ever seen the ice at MSG during the playoffs? Eek.
roosters14
Guest
Also not a fan of the all stars teams in involvement and the combined north american side leaves a particular bad taste. Rather annoying that competing interests are holding the sport back internationally and i hope to god the nhl talent does not disappear from the Olympics
Johnno
Guest
I reckon Ice hockey should move to the summer Olympics, as it means all the NHL players could play no problem. It's in the off-season, so no problems with availability or pressure from clubs. But this is a good move, taking the Ice hockey World cup or championhips seriously. I prefer NHL rules to international rules, smaller rink, and more physical, and fights and shoulder charges allowed. I reckon there'd be no problem in the modern era playing ice hockey at a summer games, it's been taked about for years, it will help get a massive tv deal, if both the NBA/NHL players are there in a cross-over promo.Imagine if at 1992 Olympics at Barcelona, both Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky were there. It would be a good move to look at switching. If not maybe go a under-23 tournament. As like the NBA, the NHL will run out of patience of haveing injured players comeing back middle of the season after the Olympics injured and burnt out.