Only difference between a World Cup/Canada Cup is fewer people watching and a few more months to maybe heal if when you get hurt. If you get a serious injury you and your team will be just as screwed as in the Olympics.
- noffsin6

But the NHL controls it and makes all the revenue

I've seen them from the plane flying into Edmonton.
- Canada Cup

I have done it as well. Can be actually pretty fun in the right conditions.

How much does that NHL make off the Olympics ? How much could they make off a World Cup ? It's no brainer what the owners want.

for the sake of selling the product you fool the NBA would have never had a chance coming into existence against MLB. You play soccer out doors on grass in shorts - its a summer sport. you play basketball on ashphalt in shorts - its a summer sport.
you play hockey on skates, on ice, in winter.

its a winter sport.

frikkin americans....
- gzatron

I thought we were talking about professional athletes here? Do they play NBA games on asphalt? Do they play all NFL games outdoors on grass? Do they play all soccer games outdoors on grass? Do they play all tennis matches outdoors on grass? Do they play all hockey games in Alberta when it's -10 outside?

I thought we were talking about professional athletes here? Do they play NBA games on asphalt? Do they play all NFL games outdoors on grass? Do they play all soccer games outdoors on grass? Do they play all tennis matches outdoors on grass? Do they play all hockey games in Alberta when it's -10 outside?
- sambarugh

(frank) off and shut up you moron

If you are in Miami I guess its technically never winter and the sport ceases to exist - now shut up
- gzatron

Basketball ceases to exist in Miami? OK now I'm confused.

But the NHL controls it and makes all the revenue
- gzatron

That's great for the owners, but it's not like they would share it with the players so why would they care?

Try playing basketball on an outdoor court in the winter.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I have, many a time. What's the issue?

That's great for the owners, but it's not like they would share it with the players so why would they care?
- noffsin6

Why did they ever? National pride I guess, but player salaries had just stated to get out of hand around the time they stopped doing the "World Cup". Hard to say how the current economics, sports agents etc would influence the players who did choose to go. May be closer to a Spengler cup roster....

Here's an alternate Engineers comparison Ek. It's more like what if Apple's best Engineers were tapped every 4 years to design and build stuff for the Interantional space station and further science and the future of mankind for no pay. Then when they came back Apple gets to say that their Engineers were the same selfless heros designing the future of space travel. And now they are working on the new Iphone. How's that help sales? Now if one or two of them got hurt and could no longer engineer yeah that's tough. But that is normally a temporary thing and does not hurt the NHL or Apple as a whole. Just the individual project teams. In the end, it brings in more to the sport and the NHL.

Winter sports are sports that are designed to be played in a cold environment. Summer sports are designed to be played in warm environments. Are of this BS about how you can play them regardless of weather/seasons by artificially creating warm or cold environments is just silly.

I'm playing hockey tonight...its summer. Therefore, its an ALL SEASON sport.

we pay their salaries. we want Olympic hockey.
wold cup hockey isn't nearly as good.
its off season so theyre not in peak form. it'll be cutting into there off time, so you're either gonna have a few guys half assing it some nights or just refuse to come.

I have, many a time. What's the issue?
- jmatchett383

Yeah but your from New Jersey. Yinz ain't normal people.

Winter sports are sports that are designed to be played in a cold environment. Summer sports are designed to be played in warm environments. Are of this BS about how you can play them regardless of weather/seasons by artificially creating warm or cold environments is just silly.
- Antilles

thank you for logic

NHL and Olympic revenue related deals aside
Heres what i think...

If the NHL Players are not allowed to represent their country during the Olympics. Hockey organizations will set up a world cup tournament anyways every 4 years. I truly believe either way there will be a tournament on the world stage in order to watch hockey.

The only problem with the world cup stage is the fact that only one city gets to host this event. Lets say Canada for arguments sake. The issue with this is Every Canada game will be sold out, but every other game (Italy vs China) will be as empty as a Gary Bettman fan club meeting.

At least during the Olympics you have other athletes from all the countries in one place! If i was in Korea for the Olympics your damn right im going to see Canada play hockey. If the world cup was held in Korea alone...i probably wouldn't make the trip.

simply put, more ticket sales during the olympics for all games vs just home team country games.

Yeah but your from New Jersey. Yinz ain't normal people.
- cranktheradio

Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the info.
- jmatchett383

Anytime.

Worst decision ever if the NHL doesn't go to the Olympics!

Wouldn't mind the return of the world cup.

Especially if the finals is a best of 3 series

Hey you're the one that referenced the NBA. They play NBA games inside last time I checked so the weather is irrelevant.
- sambarugh

Let's agree to disagree and drink beer together.

thank you for logic
- gzatron

The part your narrow mind isn't getting is that hockey could be moved to the Summer Games without any issue so as not to interfere with the regular season. The same goes for the IIHF WC which could be easily moved to the summer and played then also.

Let's agree to disagree and drink beer together.
- Not_Yan

That works.

Think about it. Say you are a company like Apple Computers. You are paying your engineers very well to produce for you, but every four years they get to do the same thing for free and you risk they could be unable to return to work. Engineers getting 100k a year wouldn't be allowed to do what hockey players making millions get to do.

What? Since when do employers get to dictate what their employees get to do in their free time?

This analogy is ridiculous, because they only way the NHL can "block" its players from playing in the Olympics is by not allowing a break in the schedule for it. They have no right to forbid their players to play in it, and any player may, in theory, take an unpaid leave of absence to go play, regardless of whether the schedule allows or not (subject to team discipline of course).

they play the games in the winter but that doesn't mean it's a winter sport. can you play basketball outside in the winter?
- DoubleDown

So all the brilliant explanations about winter and summer sports of course only think in Northern Hemisphere terms as does the olympics. As a world wide event what would say in the southern hemisphere. I guess they ski in Chile in the summer by this thinking.