IIHF World ChampionshipDiscuss International Tournaments like the WJC, Olympics, and World Cup, as they take place, or discuss past tournaments. performances.
The issue with Canada at World Hockey Championship?
Olympics > Stanley Cup > World Junior Tournament > World Championships > Spengler Cup
Any tournament poorly timed so that countries can't send their best players due to league commitments really doesn't get much credibility as a "top-tier" tournament.
Simple solution to Canadian problem: tell every player that if they don't come to WHC unless there's a very good reason they won't be invited to play at the Olympics
That won't work out. The majority of the players who show up year-to-year know they'll never make the Olympics, they just show up just in case.
You want to be the one to tell Sidney Crosby that he won't be considered for the Olympics if he'd rather take the extra few weeks for rest?
canada has won outside of NA lots, at all different levels, the fact is there has only been 2 b on b outside of na, so that's a pretty weak argument. The big biys did fairly well in europe in '72 if you might recall.
Yes but Canadians don't care about the World Championships remember!
Well, most Russians would rather watch Russia play Norway in QF rather than sleep. You sure Canada is still a hockey nation?
Face-off times for the Canada-Slovakia game in North America:
Atlantic time (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador): 7 AM
Eastern time (Quebec and Ontario): 6 AM
Central time (Saskatchewan and Manitoba): 5 AM
Mountain time (Alberta): 4 AM
Pacific time (Vancouver): 3 AM
Russia-Norway is a 12:45 start in Moscow. It's a 4:45 start in Kazan, and a 7:45 start in Omsk (and so on to 11:45 PM in Vladivostok). I dare say the Russia game is a little more accessible for Russians than the Canadian game was for Canadians. Canadians are going to work, while much of Russia (geographically speaking) is getting off work or settling in for the night.
Didn't Canada win the worlds in Russia in `07 and go to the finals against Russia in `09 and that's just the top of the heap. The problem isn't big ice surface. It may be in the immediate games, since the cohesion isn't there, but it's not the issue like most make it out to be.
Losing 5-4 (OT) and 2-1 in a gold medal game, isn't something to be that sad about either. So what, you lose, you lose.
A bigger issue is the a QF elimination.
Allstar team that has more star power than rest of 4 "elite" teams left in the playoffs combined and lose to slovakia that has 1 and even hes not playing that good..
Canada always has a great group of individuals in WHC tournaments. Even if they are missing a lot of their star players, they're still always among the top 3 in head to head roster comparisons every year. You can't expect to always win, but losing the first elimination game is clearly underachieving.
European countries have the advantage of having a full time national team coach and pre WHC practice tournaments (Euro Hockey Tour) throughout the year. They know the coach's system instantly and generally "care" more about this tournament because of history. In the Olympics all teams have the same preparation time.
Didn't Canada win the worlds in Russia in `07 and go to the finals against Russia in `09 and that's just the top of the heap. The problem isn't big ice surface. It may be in the immediate games, since the cohesion isn't there, but it's not the issue like most make it out to be.
Losing 5-4 (OT) and 2-1 in a gold medal game, isn't something to be that sad about either. So what, you lose, you lose.
A bigger issue is the a QF elimination.
It's the nature of a knock style short tournament. Upsets happen. If this were an 82 game league or even a 7 game series Canada would likely win quite often.
Face-off times for the Canada-Slovakia game in North America:
Atlantic time (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador): 7 AM
Eastern time (Quebec and Ontario): 6 AM
Central time (Saskatchewan and Manitoba): 5 AM
Mountain time (Alberta): 4 AM
Pacific time (Vancouver): 3 AM
Russia-Norway is a 12:45 start in Moscow. It's a 4:45 start in Kazan, and a 7:45 start in Omsk (and so on to 11:45 PM in Vladivostok). I dare say the Russia game is a little more accessible for Russians than the Canadian game was for Canadians. Canadians are going to work, while much of Russia (geographically speaking) is getting off work or settling in for the night.
Come on, I was watching world cup games in 2004 at 4 am
If this were an 82 game league or even a 7 game series Canada would likely win quite often.
Then we should treat it as such, and send the right players and team for the job. Not Schenn or Ward. Like someone suggested, pick some Canadian players in Europe. The World Cup isn't that short either, it's rather long 2 week campaign. The Olympics are short, just a few days before QF. You can't really compare a series best on best (82 game series) to a tournament. Tournaments are proof that you are the best. Like people say, "show up or bow out"
Come on, I was watching world cup games in 2004 at 4 am
We would watch the Stanley Cup at 4am, and we do watch the Olympics at 4am. WHC? Not so much...remember, we went to bet at around 1am after the playoff games
Then we should treat it as such, and send the right players and team for the job. Not Schenn or Ward. Like someone suggested, pick some Canadian players in Europe. The World Cup isn't that short either, it's rather long 2 week campaign. The Olympics are short, just a few days before QF. You can't really compare a series best on best (82 game series) to a tournament. Tournaments are proof that you are the best. Like people say, "show up or bow out"
I agree, but Canadian hockey fan attitudes are reflected in how the team is built and how the players treat it. It isn't considered important, so Hockey Canada can use it as a team building exercise. If you start demanding more, perhaps you will get more commitment, like with the U-20s. The U-20s used to be just like the U-18s, but now you have kids crying about not making the team.
Arrogance. It doesn't bode well when Getzlaf are your first center. Really? He's nowhere close to the humility of Zetterberg or Datsyuk for an example. He's just arrogant. And doesn't care anymore.
Well another quarter final loss. I think the main point by most Canadians is that:
"We don't have our best players," or "The better players are injured" or "We don't have enough heart for this tournament" Just to name a few reasons (excuses)
Well if you look at this tournaments history, lesser teams with lesser players have won. These teams usually consisted of experienced veterans, strong minded players who are hard workers.
The last time Canada won gold was in 2007 and in that year, the team consisted of lesser players. Yet, they still won gold. The following subsequent years, (2009 +) it seems that Canada has employed a youth campaign to prepare and foster Champions for the Olympics. This tournament being a stage ground for the Olympics, yet for some reason we still want to win this, with inexperience.
Why do we employ such lousy international coaches? Why do we pick lousy players who don't fit the international game or just aren't good enough. What's the real problem?
Your opinions.
My opinion is as simple as the politics that play out in Hockey Canada. Hard to believe that at this level it happens, I point to a WHL defenseman playing, nothing against Murray but really, if Lowe wanted to scout Murray, go spend time watching him during the WHL season. Does anyone for a minute believe this kid had it over an NHL dman, not likely. Leave Lowe and the rest of the Oiler loser brass home next time. When Hockey Canada start picking the best players AVAILABLE at the time, they will have better results. I am cetainly not blaming Murray for this result, however, not going with someone Lowe wants to see at a high level before the Oilers decide on thier draft selection would have been the way to go. Add another experienced dman and leave RNH home, bring some experienced vets (yes there are some who were not asked that were better choices).I also believe that other countries are catching up, which is great for the game and happy to see it.
Ok, fair enough. That's one tournament they won 31 years ago. The poster I quoted still sounds ridiculously incompetent though, seeing as how Russia's international hockey accomplishments pale in comparison to Canada's. The latter has won three best on best tournaments in the past decade. Russia? Not so much.
What the hell? are you serious?
