World Cup of Hockey

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 09/20/2016 at 14:49 • Filed to: hockeylopnik

0

22

So, I’m finally getting around to watching the first game of the WCH on DVR. Team USA is getting spanked by Team Europe. Which makes me wonder, and maybe some of you Hockeylops can tell me, why did they make a Team Europe and a Team North America? Were there not enough national teams to have a tournament? Did they want to include all the popular players who got dissed by their own national team? Either way, should be a good tournament.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 09/20/2016 at 14:55

1

I enjoy watching hockey and soccer at my brother’s house. He’s expert at both and very patient at explaining what’s going on, why some player might want a penalty, et cetera.

jariten1781 > ttyymmnn 09/20/2016 at 14:56

0

I asked my cousin (who is actually into hockey) that same question. Team Europe is a 'rest of the world' team and is due to not having support either at the national level or the venue (he wasn't sure). Team North America is Canadians and Americans who are less than some age limit for some reason he wasn't sure.

Hopefully my non-helpful answer is as unenlightening as his was to me.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 09/20/2016 at 15:01

1

Team Europe is for those who don’t have national teams iirc.

Team NA... dunno, but I kind of want to see them take on Canada in the final.

And 8:00 tonight it is ON, baby. No matter how they fell short against Europe, Team USA was geared to one purpose, and that was to destroy Team Canada. It’s going to be fast and physical, may the best team win.

disgonbegud.gif

ttyymmnn > jariten1781 09/20/2016 at 15:02

0

It makes sense, and it’s more than I knew before.

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 09/20/2016 at 15:04

1

Denmark, Germany etc. all have national teams. They play in the Olympics. However, I think many of those players compete in leagues that are technically lower than the NHL or KHL. They may not have wanted to compete. Or there was no money from the gubmint to fund a team for this tournament.

Cé hé sin > ttyymmnn 09/20/2016 at 15:19

1

Well for one thing, if you’re on my side of the Atlantic this is hockey.

Ice hockey is a minority interest, or a complete no interest, in many countries, so getting different national teams of roughly equal ability to the USA would be a challenge.

ttyymmnn > Cé hé sin 09/20/2016 at 15:20

2

You're going to upset more than a few Canadians with that comment.

ttyymmnn > Cé hé sin 09/20/2016 at 15:21

1

Which also explains why it's called ice hockey across the pond, so as not to be confused with the other. Here, it's just hockey, and the other is field hockey.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > ttyymmnn 09/20/2016 at 15:25

1

The world cup, despite its name is an NHL property comprised of mostly NHL players or players who have nhl experience. They made team EU because there are a lot nhl players who would have been excluded had they gone with two more countries. Kopitar and Dreisitle for example wouldn’t have been able to play at all. Team north America is the future of the sport and the NHL wanted to show that off with teams Canada and USA being so stacked a lot of the team north America guys wouldn’t have gotten a second glance like Larkin or Seth Jones or even Saad. Personally that’s who I’m picking to win the whole shabang but really I’m just hoping the Blackhawks players stay healthy

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Cé hé sin 09/20/2016 at 15:26

1

Field hockey is a women’s sport

ttyymmnn > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 09/20/2016 at 15:34

0

Thanks. I hope the same thing! Of course, Kane gave the puck away for EU’s second goal. Interesting to know that this is an NHL show. I didn't know that, and it explains a lot.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn 09/20/2016 at 15:37

1

Damn right

ttyymmnn > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 09/20/2016 at 15:39

0

Not in Europe. Though I do watch the Olympics for the short skirts.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Cé hé sin 09/20/2016 at 16:01

0

Well for one thing, if you’re on my side of the Atlantic this is hockey.

Field hockey is a minority interest, or a complete no interest, in many countries, so getting different national teams of roughly equal ability to Belgium would be a challenge.

So, uh, you’re right? Totally regional. Though I find it interesting that there appear to be more variants of Ice Hockey than Field Hockey.

Ice Hockey:

Inline Roller Hockey - Direct derivative of IH.

Quad Roller Hockey - Arguable. Related to IRH but older, probably draws inspiration from both. Calling it under IH for now, because beyond the sticks it resembles IH more closely.

Sledge Hockey - Direct derivative of IH.

Street Hockey - Close to IRH, but without skates. Could be considered closer to FH due to the fact it’s played in shoes on dry land, but bearing in mind the geographical origin and the equipment used I lump it under IH.

Field Hockey:

Bandy - Pretty much the opposite of Street Hockey. You could argue this is in fact the ancestor of IH, but in fact is just FH with ice skates iirc.

And so it goes on. There are other variants, but they mostly fall under those covered here or are hockey in name only (foot hockey or air hockey).

Wacko > Cé hé sin 09/20/2016 at 16:18

1

you are now banned from Canada. you terrorist!

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Wacko 09/20/2016 at 16:25

0

Damn commie

Wacko > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 09/20/2016 at 16:29

0

Commies that control the world’s supply of maple syrup.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > ttyymmnn 09/20/2016 at 16:32

0

The reason for the NA team is because Bettman wants them to win so that he has a generation of marketable studs. “DAMN THEY’RE UNDER 23 AND ALREADY BETTER THAN CANADA AND THE US!!!!!111"

It’s all a hack job. It will influence the All-Star game in that if the NA vs. World thing gets enough interest we’ll see it again whenever they can trot it out.

If Canada pulls it off, “Best tournament ever!” says the all-important Nord-a-da-border group and sets up the next tournament.

If the US (which they won’t) pulls it off, “Rah Rah ‘Murica!”

If Czech, Russia, Finland or Sweden win (which they won’t) it’s “Holy crap it’s a miracle, tune in to watch the tournament MVP play for X team with X from [Canada, US, NA team]”

So thanks to Bettman really all this tourney is for is to see what players will be marketed all season.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Wacko 09/20/2016 at 16:32

1

No, not you/us...

DEM EUROS

(remember I’m Canuck too?)

ttyymmnn > PotbellyJoe and 42 others 09/20/2016 at 18:38

0

It’s amazing how roundly detested Gary Bettman is. I love watching the playoffs just to hear the crowds hoot and boo when he comes on the ice.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > ttyymmnn 09/20/2016 at 20:39

0

He is the Bernie Ecclestone of hockey.

ttyymmnn > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/20/2016 at 20:43

0

I think they’re both about the same height. Bettman was probably always the last one picked on the pond when he was a kid.