IIHF WC.

[BlackCat]

Looks like four. Here's the team :

http://landshold.ishockey.dk/Hold.aspx?teamid=4067

[Kitschum]

It seems like Per Bäckman, Tomas Jonsson and Stefan Ladhe have been doing a pretty good job with Denmark!

What do you need to go to the next round? Points off Belarus?

[BlackCat]

We have six now and that could be enough. Though, one or two more would be nice - not exactly fun to meet the canucks in next round.

Well, as it has been, we probably beat russia and loses to belarus.

[Flubber]

We have six now and that could be enough. Though, one or two more would be nice - not exactly fun to meet the canucks in next round.

I thought the format was

-16 teams in 4 groups
-3 advance from each group and form 2 6 team groups
- Prior results carry over against the advancing teams and everyone plays the 3 teams not yet played

-Top 4 advance to quarters in crossover playdowns

Its a long and painful process

[Pekka]

I thought the format was

-16 teams in 4 groups
-3 advance from each group and form 2 6 team groups
- Prior results carry over against the advancing teams and everyone plays the 3 teams not yet played

-Top 4 advance to quarters in crossover playdowns

Its a long and painful process

This format is way too long. I mean think about it. For the best players, it's only consolation prize for not winning the Stanley Cup, and you have to jump into it from a jet lag... instead of just going on a vacation that you'd probably need anyway. So, you're shortening your summer vacation with 3 weeks if unfortunate enough, and risk getting injured by some unknown bastard.

Is it worth it? There are players who always want to play for the national team, so for them, probably. For others? Not really. Personally? I'd take the vacation and show my loyalty to my original team that pays my salary and fans, and not get injured in games that are not worthy of getting injured for.

[Pekka]

That said, Russia does have a good team in these games and they seem to be playing interesting hockey. That's about it.

[BlackCat]

I thought the format was

-16 teams in 4 groups
-3 advance from each group and form 2 6 team groups
- Prior results carry over against the advancing teams and everyone plays the 3 teams not yet played

-Top 4 advance to quarters in crossover playdowns

Its a long and painful process

That's how it goes. When I wrote "next round" I meant the qarters. If we end up fourth in our group, we'll meet #1 in the other group - probably canada - that I'd prefer to save for the final .

[BlackCat]

Pekka, most sports people will sell their mother to slavery for a place on a national team wether it's a WC or the olympics. If it's wasn't because NHL WC collides, there would be many more participating in WC.

PS. Good to see you again

[Pekka]

Good to be back

Yeah, most people would be eager to join but usually those people ready to sell their mothers are not in the position to join anyway.

I think for "smaller hockey countries" it's a bit different. They're more motivated and try harder. I'm glad Denmark is doing well in this games. I like it when smaller hockey countries do well because it raises their level in terms of people getting more into the sport and all that stuff, so we get better future junior players in the future.

But I disagree when it comes to more experienced teams. It depends though. Russia seems to get some decent players joining their teams these days. But for example Sweden and Finland is already seeing some inflation, people are turning down the opportunity. This was rare let's say 10 years ago, but now they just are not that interested anymore. By this I mean seasoned NHL players. National series and other players are eager to join. Don't know about this mother slavery thing though. I have no experience in that and it does not seem sexy to me.

[Kitschum]

Is it worth it? There are players who always want to play for the national team, so for them, probably. For others? Not really. Personally? I'd take the vacation and show my loyalty to my original team that pays my salary and fans, and not get injured in games that are not worthy of getting injured for.

That's dangerously close to a mercenary attitude. I can accept that somebody (like Lidström in Sweden) who has paid his dues more than enough in the national colors turns down yet another WC, but younger players doing the same is much harder to swallow. Flubber and notyoueither hinted at a convenient solution. Holding the torunament less often, like once every other instead would alleviate both player and fan fatigue.

That said accomodating the NHL as such might not be fruitful. Modern sports is all about the money, and big clubs in any sport would rather minimize the chances of their investments going off somewhere to tire themselves out or get hurt. Soccer is no different. In practice it means that for instance, clubs hesitate to sign too many Africans because Africa holds its championship in the middle of the European season. But I'm hardly exaggerating that if it were up to the top clubs they'd rather discontinue all national team competitions, including the World Cup.

[Pekka]

That's dangerously close to a mercenary attitude. I can accept that somebody (like Lidström in Sweden) who has paid his dues more than enough in the national colors turns down yet another WC, but younger players doing the same is much harder to swallow. Flubber and notyoueither hinted at a convenient solution. Holding the torunament less often, like once every other instead would alleviate both player and fan fatigue.

That said accomodating the NHL as such might not be fruitful. Modern sports is all about the money, and big clubs in any sport would rather minimize the chances of their investments going off somewhere to tire themselves out or get hurt. Soccer is no different. In practice it means that for instance, clubs hesitate to sign too many Africans because Africa holds its championship in the middle of the European season. But I'm hardly exaggerating that if it were up to the top clubs they'd rather discontinue all national team competitions, including the World Cup.

Yes. Good players don't turn world cup or olympics down. Everyone wants to play because everyone brings their BEST national team there. So it means something. When you're playing against country's like 5th tier team, it just loses lots of meaning. I don't understand why IIHF insists having this tournament right after olympics as well. Just makes no sense at all.

As for mercenary attitude, I don't agree because I think IIHF is not a good organization, it's mostly bunch of fat corrupted old men who take bribes and photos of each others peepees in sauna sessions. If the tournament is good, the players will come. I don't see how players should be joining their national team eagerly to play some weird euro tourney game that means nothing, or practice games. I mean good players, who are already busy playing NHL as it is. For young guys, of course. But they do join the team eagerly as far as I understand. But I think it's a different thing for them than for older players who have other obligations.

[Flubber]

I just looked up the team Canada roster

Goaltender
30 Chad Johnson L 6'3 200 06/10/1986 Calgary, Alta. New York Rangers/NHL PIT ’06 (5, 125)
40 Devan Dubnyk R 6'6 194 05/04/1986 Calgary, Alta. Edmonton Oilers/NHL EDM '04 (1, 14)
50 Chris Mason L 6'0 195 04/20/1976 Red Deer, Alta. St. Louis Blues/NHL NJ '95 (5, 122)


Defence
2 Kris Russell L 5'10 185 05/02/1987 Caroline, Alta. Columbus Blue Jackets/NHL CBJ '05 (3, 67)
4 Michael Del Zotto L 6'1 200 06/24/1990 Stouffville, Ont. New York Rangers/NHL NYR ’08 (1, 20)
5 Mark Giordano L 6'0 203 10/03/1983 Toronto, Ont. Calgary Flames/NHL Undrafted/Non-repêché
8 Brent Burns R 6'5 219 03/09/1985 Barrie, Ont. Minnesota Wild/NHL MIN '03 (1, 20)
18 Marc Staal L 6'4 202 01/13/1987 Thunder Bay, Ont. New York Rangers/NHL NYR '05 (1, 12)
22 François Beauchemin L 6'0 213 06/04/1980 Sorel, Que. Toronto Maple Leafs/NHL MON '98 (3, 75)
28 Kyle Cumiskey L 5'10 185 12/02/1986 Abbotsford, B.C. Colorado Avalanche/NHL COL ’05 (7, 222)
57 Tyler Myers R 6'8 222 02/01/1990 Dewinton, Alta. Buffalo Sabres/NHL BUF ’08 (1, 12)
Forward
9 Steve Downie R 6'0 200 04/03/1987 Queensville, Ont. Tampa Bay Lightning/NHL PHI '05 (1, 29)
10 Corey Perry R 6'3 209 05/16/1985 Peterborough, Ont. Anaheim Ducks/NHL ANA ’03 (1, 28)
11 Mason Raymond L 6'0 185 09/17/1985 Cochrane, Alta. Vancouver Canucks/NHL VAN '05 (2, 51)
13 Ray Whitney L 5'10 180 05/08/1972 Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. Carolina Hurricanes/NHL SJ '91 (2, 23)
14 Jordan Eberle R 5'10 187 05/15/1990 Regina, Sask. Regina /WHL EDM '08 (1, 22)
17 Rene Bourque L 6'2 213 12/10/1981 Lac La Biche, Alta. Calgary Flames/NHL Undrafted/Non-repêché
19 Evander Kane L 6'2 190 08/01/1991 Vancouver, B.C. Atlanta Thrashers/NHL ATL '09 (1, 4)
20 John Tavares L 6'0 203 09/20/1990 Oakville, Ont. New York Islanders /NHL NYI '09 (1, 1)
21 Brooks Laich L 6'2 200 06/23/1983 Wawota, Sask. Washington Capitals/NHL OTT ’01 (6, 193)
29 Steve Ott L 6'0 195 08/19/1982 Stoney Point, Ont. Dallas Stars/NHL DAL '00 (1, 25)
47 Rich Peverley R 6'0 200 07/08/1982 Guelph, Ont. Atlanta Thrashers/NHL Undrafted/Non-repêché
91 Steven Stamkos R 6'1 196 02/07/1990 Unionville, Ont. Tampa Bay Lightning/NHL TB '08 (1, 1)
92 Matthew Duchene L 5'11 200 01/16/1991 Hailburton, Ont. Colorado Avalanche/NHL COL ’09 (1, 3)
94 Ryan Smyth L 6'1 190 02/21/1976 Banff, Alta. Los Angeles Kings/NHL EDM ’94 (1, 6)

At least Mason was a #1 goalie on his own team . Johnson played all of 5 games for the Rangers and Dubnyk ?? wow-- 3rd stringer for the Oil?? I guess Curtis Macklebackup was busy

The rest of the roster-- Some fine players there but I count 1 Olympian and only a few guys that were on many of the "2nd team" that pundits predicted for the Olympics--

When Canada sends its best, its a threat to win any event its in. This event,meh? I hope they win but knowing that we don't have our best there and that lots of other teams don't have their best their either, its all meh

[Asher]

Russia has a stacked roster and Canada sent a bunch of 2nd/3rd stringers and kids. The difference is Russia needs to win this since they lost in the Olympics, Canada simply doesn't care.

[BlackCat]

Quarterfinals - check
Semifinals - check in a couple of days

[Kitschum]

As for mercenary attitude, I don't agree because I think IIHF is not a good organization, it's mostly bunch of fat corrupted old men who take bribes and photos of each others peepees in sauna sessions.If the tournament is good, the players will come. I don't see how players should be joining their national team eagerly to play some weird euro tourney game that means nothing, or practice games. I mean good players, who are already busy playing NHL as it is.

Aren't all sports federations and leagues for that matter run by fat corrupt old men? I can't think of one that isn't.

The weird euro tourneys are one thing. I don't care about them either, but I grew up with the hockey WC and I have a nostalgic attachment to it. I'd never go bathing in fountains like during a good soccer WC, but it was fun and excitement for the whole family. The Olympics are alright, but there's so much else going on at the same time that you're lucky to find a non-hockey fan who's seen a game. All the regular people have been watching skiing or women's curling. Nowadays of course the WC is a mere shadow of its former self, but the Olympics will never replace it. I realize there's no really fixing the WC either, but I'm not willing to just abandon it.