Mackcanuck Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Although details of the event are not yet official, it has leaked out that the format will include national teams from Canada, USA, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic and Russia. The seventh team will be an All-Star team from leftover countries such as Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, etc. The eighth team will be an under-23 North American team. That team could be formidable with the likes of Anze Kopitar (Slovenia), Zdeno Chara (Slovakia), Roman Josi (Switzerland), Frans Nielsen (Denmark) and Christian Ehrhoff (Germany) among others. Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, a Canadian, said he'd be fine playing on a team with Americans. "You have a lot of guys you are friends with anyways, so it makes it pretty easy," he said. "Usually, whatever team you're on, it doesn't matter who you're playing with. It matters who're playing against." And no one is quite sure what to make of the under-23 North American team. It would seem possible that a young goalie like Anaheim's John Gibson, playing for that team, could get hot and take down Canada or the USA. read more here http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/allstar/2015/01/23/world-cup-hockey-nhl-all-star-reactions/22232527/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Barzal Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Spitting in the face of the rest of those countries basically. Pathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuxfanabroad Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I really like the under-23 thing. Innovative & interesting. How 'bout a #9 'Washed-up' collection? An assortment of blokes either over 37 yrs, or have had substance abuse, excessive fines/suspensions, and/or other various run-ins with societal positions of authority? A modern-times "Slap Shot" AS collection... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycho_Path Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 How is that spitting in their face? This isn't the olympics, and they sure haven't solidified themselves as being as good as those countries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avelanch Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 i think the national teams would get filled first, and then the under 23 would get filled with the remainder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goal:thecup Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Ekblad: "Whatever team you're on, it doesn't matter who you're playing with. It matters who you're playing against." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatedkid666 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Makes it harder for the other countries to grow their game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I think the Olympics should be an under 23 tournament WC should be interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pears Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 If it would just be easier why not just have a best-of-7 series between all-North American and all-European teams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kakanucks Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 not really sure I like the "Mix-Match of countries" team format. That would be like Euro cup having the usual favourites of like spain/england/france/germany/italy/portugal/netherlands vs "mix match of croatia+czech+denmark+switzerland+belgium etc" can you imagine coming up with a jersey design to accommodate all the countries included?? LOL seems weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlayStation Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Question is, do these teams only consist of NHL and related leagues? Or does the KHL, Swedish, Finnish etc leagues come in as well? Does the KHL want its players to go play in the NHL's tournament? Will future events be held overseas in Russia or other countries outside of NA? Because if its only NHL and so, then it makes sense not to include Germany etc. But if it includes other leagues, what in the world is the point of the Olympics anymore? Same thing really.I think the Olympics should be an under 23 tournament WC should be interesting I'd rather watch the best of the best. The Olympics means a whole lot to other countries, who aren't going to be in favour of not sending players just because the NHL chooses not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCNeil Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Seems like they just want to have 8 teams, as the math works out better for a tournament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazmanian Devil Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Vanek - Kopitar - Gaborik Boedker - Nielsen - Hossa Zuccarello - Grabovski - Niederreiter Roussel - Girgensons - Zubrus Chara - Seidenberg Josi - Ehrhoff Streit - Sekera Halak Khudobin Not bad. I tried to include as many countries as possible, Zubrus and Roussel obviously shouldn't make it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Strange having an U-23 team for this tourney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronalds.Kenins41 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoneypuckOverlord Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 whhhaaaa? Ekblad will probably make team Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 whhhaaaa? Ekblad will probably make team Canada. He needs to bump out one of Weber, Doughty, Pietrangelo or Subban Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-AJ- Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Dumb. It sounds kinda neat at first, until you realize that this sort of thing is supposed to be about national pride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Korea Bob.Loblaw Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Dumb. It sounds kinda neat at first, until you realize that this sort of thing is supposed to be about national pride. The World Cup would become nothing but a gimmick, just like the all-star game. And unlike the all-star game, people don't even have to make injury excuses to bail out. They can just choose not to play, which is what will probably happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuxfanabroad Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Could just make a fair haired team. Blonds, gingers etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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