2016 World Cup thread

[Commandant]

I guess you're talking about winter Olympic criteria but in Olympic soccer, teams are only allowed 3 players above the age of 23. Generally, I'd say people don't care about Olympic soccer as a result. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily the most popular Olympic sport. Basketball was the last event played this year.

I agree it will be different for hockey because I remember ouch kin saying that he would have returned to the KHL if the NHL didn't allow players to play in the Sochi Olympics. It does still happen though.

Soccer is only allowed 3 players above the age of 23 because that is a deal brokered between FIFA and the IOC. FIFA controls basically all soccer leagues. They could have prevented any pro players if they wanted to.

In the years before the allowing of pros into the olympics, FIFA went out and created their own tournament, the World Cup for pro players. It makes money out the wazzooo.

FIFA didn't want to diminish the world cup, and so they made the olympics into a secondary tournament. The IOC had to accept or they wouldn't have even got those players.

The NHL doesn't have the power to stop other leagues from sending their best players. They couldn't broker such a deal. They aren't controlling of European Leagues the way that FIFA ultimately oversees everything.

The IIHF is the closest thing hockey has. Then again its far, far less powerful than FIFA. The IIHF also doesn't have a tournament like the "FIFA World Cup" that they are protecting... the Olympics is the high point of the IIHF calendar. They want to be as good as it can possibly be, they have no interest in such a deal. Most of the member leagues/nations who are a part of the IIHF have no interest in making it an under 23 (or U20) tournament. The KHL is content to send KHL players and start winning gold medals again as most won't match up to them.

It'd be great to make the Olympics into an under 23 (or under 20) type scenario... but the politics involved makes it highly unlikely.

[DON]

To bring something back, it had to exist before.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

I think Ovechkin said about 2018 that if the NHL says no, him and a lot of other Russian players are still going.

[dlbalr]

I think Ovechkin said about 2018 that if the NHL says no, him and a lot of other Russian players are still going.

They can claim that all they want. It's extremely easy to stop from happening as they would be in violation of their contract and as a result, wouldn't be eligible to play in an IIHF-sanctioned competition such as the Olympics (they're run by the IOC but under IIHF guidelines). Unless the NHL team were to willingly loan them, they can't play no matter how much they publicly grandstand about it.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Yeah, the guy scores a lot...but he also took far too many nights off last season. Being streaky as fine if you are working hard in those games where you aren't scoring, but Max floated around lazily for the most part in those games. He was not the same guy who reliably backchecked hard and was a great penalty killer the season prior...and it really rubbed me the wrong way when he mailed it in so often. To me, that's not leadership...a leader works hard game in and game out..>ESPECIALLY when things are going badly for the team as a whole. If it's a one time thing, nothing to worry about. But if he's the same guy this season that he was last season...we have a problem, 30 goals or not.

He was a frigging disgrace when I saw him play in Sunrise after the year got flushed down the toilet.

I don't like the guy. I don't think it's a coincidence Subban's issues came to a head after he got named the Captain. Reports/rumors said he had a big problem moving on from not being named Captain, and why wouldn't he? Pacioretty has a lot to prove in big games (no, don't care he had a big night with the Habs up 3-0 vs Tampa) and as a leader. He's a management toady. A kissass type that gets promoted because he's buddies with the boss.

This tournament shows how close we are to Leafland in our appraisal of forwards. Guys like Pacioretty are supposed to be big stars in our eyes, and they can barely hang among the best.

[Link67]

He was a frigging disgrace when I saw him play in Sunrise after the year got flushed down the toilet.

I don't like the guy. I don't think it's a coincidence Subban's issues came to a head after he got named the Captain. Reports/rumors said he had a big problem moving on from not being named Captain, and why wouldn't he? Pacioretty has a lot to prove in big games (no, don't care he had a big night with the Habs up 3-0 vs Tampa) and as a leader. He's a management toady. A kissass type that gets promoted because he's buddies with the boss.

This tournament shows how close we are to Leafland in our appraisal of forwards. Guys like Pacioretty are supposed to be big stars in our eyes, and they can barely hang among the best.

Whole heartedly disagree with just about everything here.

Firstly, captain was voted by the players, Subban lost fair and square by a vote from his peers. Management romances played zero part in this.

Secondly am I to understand you are not a fan of 30+ goal scorers with a 4.5 million cap hit? The guy is trash based on a sub par road trip to florida you witnessed and 2 pre tournament games?

Thirdly, if we are really taking away goal importance based on what the score of the game is then we are headed for no mans land. This guy scores, he scores more than anyone else on this team, but its his bum play that bothers you? This is giving me nightmares of the 84 point Kovalev season. Where dispite his production people just kept dwelling on those pockets of games he would string together where he looked dormant. He was a floater, a lazy bum, who out scored everyone on the team though, but a bum no less. Little did we know it would remain the best production by anyone in the last decade on this club, but he was a bum. Were doin the same crap with Max now, he scores in clusters its because they don't mean anything, he slumps for 2 weeks its because he is lazy and a gutless captain. I wonder if in 10 years we are not all goin man I wish we had a guy who could score 30+ 4 or 5 years in a row like when we used to have patches...

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Whole heartedly disagree with just about everything here.

Firstly, captain was voted by the players, Subban lost fair and square by a vote from his peers. Management romances played zero part in this.

I have a really hard time believing that managers twenty, if not thirty year behind the times allowed the players to vote for Captain. Especially considering they lied to us about everything from Price's injury to shopping Subban.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

I have a really hard time believing that managers twenty, if not thirty year behind the times allowed the players to vote for Captain. Especially considering they lied to us about everything from Price's injury to shopping Subban.

If nobody voted Pacioretty and he got the C, the locker room would go nuts.

I have no doubt in my mind he got picked for the C, but the players don't always know best.

If you need proof that the coach isn't choosing the letters, just notice that Desharnais doesn't have one, and Subban still got one.

I also believe if Subban did get the C, he still would have been traded. Wouldn't have changed a thing.

[xXx..CK..xXx]

If nobody voted Pacioretty and he got the C, the locker room would go nuts.

I have no doubt in my mind he got picked for the C, but the players don't always know best.

If you need proof that the coach isn't choosing the letters, just notice that Desharnais doesn't have one, and Subban still got one.

I also believe if Subban did get the C, he still would have been traded. Wouldn't have changed a thing.

The players voted for the captain but Therrien chose the assistants. He decided to keep Plekanec, Subban and Markov from the year before and added Gallagher as a 4th assistant. Assistants would be rotated depending on whether or not we were home or away.

There's an article out there about how the process went down. It's not the most convincing article if you're trying to prove that there was actually a vote because it's mostly from management's perspective but Pacioretty does candidly describe his day which included the vote at one point.

I think something would have come out of it didn't actually happen and if most players hadn't actually voted for Max Pac, they would have been able to tell something was up.

[DON]

He was a frigging disgrace when I saw him play in Sunrise after the year got flushed down the toilet.

He's a management toady. A kissass type that gets promoted because he's buddies with the boss.

Guys like Pacioretty are supposed to be big stars in our eyes, and they can barely hang among the best.

Jeepers, I thought he actually cranked it up at end of season, but you could be on to something (or I mean on something).

And kissass guy, also was the guy who called out Mgmt as a rookie and didn't pull any punches with the media.

But, you obviously have some inside information and wouldn't just be spouting foolishness would you.

Who is saying he is a kissass player and Molson's best friend, lets hear it? Carbo? maybe as the disgruntled fired coach I bet is dishing out the scoop on Pacioretty.

[JoeLassister]

They can claim that all they want. It's extremely easy to stop from happening as they would be in violation of their contract and as a result, wouldn't be eligible to play in an IIHF-sanctioned competition such as the Olympics (they're run by the IOC but under IIHF guidelines). Unless the NHL team were to willingly loan them, they can't play no matter how much they publicly grandstand about it.

I always thought that IF Russians wanted to attend Olympics, they would just retire from NHL and attend Olympics.

Like, would Datsyuk be elligible for Olympics if there was a Winter Games in 2017 ?

[dlbalr]

I always thought that IF Russians wanted to attend Olympics, they would just retire from NHL and attend Olympics.

Like, would Datsyuk be elligible for Olympics if there was a Winter Games in 2017 ?

They can do that. However, they'll be in tough when they want to un-retire to return to NHL play as I believe it would require permission from all 30 GM's within the first year (I think that's the rule, I don't know the specific CBA point to reference but I remember reading that before).

In Datsyuk's case, I'm sure an agreement would be worked out to allow him to play in your scenario since he already has retired. Arizona signed some sort of waiver that permitted him to join the KHL so I imagine it would be extended to international play.

[JoeLassister]

They can do that. However, they'll be in tough when they want to un-retire to return to NHL play as I believe it would require permission from all 30 GM's within the first year (I think that's the rule, I don't know the specific CBA point to reference but I remember reading that before).

In Datsyuk's case, I'm sure an agreement would be worked out to allow him to play in your scenario since he already has retired. Arizona signed some sort of waiver that permitted him to join the KHL so I imagine it would be extended to international play.

Could a player retire mid season from the NHL, participate to Olympics and then somehow play in another league. Or he'd need a waiver absolutely ?

[Machine of Loving Grace]

If enough superstar players do it the league will probably bend for them. Especially if other national players follow suit. I can't see Canada sitting quietly while Russia out patriotism's them in hockey. The moment Crosby and McDavid step over the NHL will play nice.

[dlbalr]

Could a player retire mid season from the NHL, participate to Olympics and then somehow play in another league. Or he'd need a waiver absolutely ?

If a player under contract retires midseason, he would need permission from that NHL team before going to another league.

Some World Cup tidbits, Price starts tomorrow while Pacioretty will start with Kesler and Oshie on the 3rd line for the US tonight.

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

ARe we forgetting that patches seriously injured his knee and didn't start training till 1 week prior to the season? He also wore a don joy brace on that knee for more then half the season I believe.... Just saying!

[Lovett's Magnatones]

I think something would have come out of it didn't actually happen and if most players hadn't actually voted for Max Pac, they would have been able to tell something was up.

Though there were reported locker room issues the entire year...and maybe I sound like Alex Jones, but all the Subban homeboys got traded with the exception of Galchenyuk...management of this franchise has lost all credibility to be taken at their word.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I tend to agree that management can't be taken at their word, but who are these 'Subban homeboys?'

[Machine of Loving Grace]

I tend to agree that management can't be taken at their word, but who are these 'Subban homeboys?'

Dale Weise and Devante Smith-Pelly.

Of course if you look at who Subban would go out with on the team, Nathan Beaulieu, Alex Galchenyuk, and Brendan Gallagher could be seen with them a lot as well.

Gallagher distanced himself quick from Subban after the trade, though I'm sure they are still friends, I doubt he gets lumped in. If we see Galchenyuk and Beaulieu moved soon, well, that's because they didn't fit the system.

[Scott462]

Patches is playing well tonight against the Fins, he made a really good assist on the second goal.

He is skating hard and giving some really solid effort.

[sbhatt]

Patches is playing well tonight against the Fins, he made a really good assist on the second goal.

He is skating hard and giving some really solid effort.

I guess Tortorella's holding him accountable woke him up. Therrien should try it this season when Max gets into one of his lazy floater stretches.

[DON]

Ya that Torterella is one type of coach we really need

[Machine of Loving Grace]

I guess Tortorella's holding him accountable woke him up. Therrien should try it this season when Max gets into one of his lazy floater stretches.

Or he just had a better game against a different opponent?

[Scott462]

I guess Tortorella's holding him accountable woke him up. Therrien should try it this season when Max gets into one of his lazy floater stretches.

I think it had more to do with it being his first games back this season and those two games were barn burners and he didn't expect it. He has a lot ruding on his shoulders this year for Montreal, it kind of makes sense he didn't want to come out guns blazing.

It was pretty funny I saw a clip of Patches entering the zone against Canada in the first game and Weber giving him a love tap hit on the boards and they both kind of smiled at each other and continued playing and then all of a sudden Weber got plastered into the boards by Kesler and then it was on.

I'm sure Torts message had something to do with it but I bet he just felt a bit more comfortable yesterday more than anything.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Ya that Torterella is one type of coach we really need

He's got a Stanley Cup at least.