The worst World Cup hockey of the 21st century is played in Tampere

If the number of NHL players and efficiency in the dollar league is used as a measure, the 2023 World Cup of Hockey tournament is the weakest normal time event of the millennium.

So far, a total of 76 NHL players have played in the tournament organized in Tampere and Riga, Latvia.

It is less than ever before in the 2000s, when we ignore the 2005 games of the NHL lockout year and the 2021 Latvian event played to empty stands in the severe corona bubble. Two years ago, there were a total of 66 NHL players in Riga.

In many Olympic years, the free bridge from North America to Europe has been limited. The World Cup ice of 2006 and 2010 had a legendary 77 players.

When the players’ NHL power points are used as a measure, the 2006 and 2010 World Cup events had more quality than this season: the games had five times the number of players who reached the top 20 in the NHL regular season point exchange.

In this year’s tournament, the only top-20 player is the Lions Mikko Rantanen.

Of the big hockey countries, Canada has two and Sweden has one unstamped competition pass, so the number of NHL players for the 2023 World Cup can still increase. It still doesn’t change the overall picture.

Appreciation is missing

Why are NHL players not interested in the World Cup?

Iltalehti’s ice hockey expert Pekka Virta highlights three factors: too long a tournament, too familiar host cities and a general lack of appreciation.

– I’m not underestimating the games, but a possible victory is for Europeans and especially Finns in a completely different category than for North American players. In Finland, world champions are remembered forever, but in the USA and Canada, world champions are not valued in nearly the same way, says Virta.

– The other extreme is the World Cup soccer tournament. Few players refuse that, he adds.

It is no coincidence that the most NHL players for this millennium have been at the 2008 Canadian Games. A total of 118 players arrived, of which no less than nine were in the top-20 of the league’s point exchange and 12 were their team’s best points scorer in the regular season.

It should be clear to everyone that in terms of the accessibility of star players, the World Cup should be held behind the scenes instead of in Europe.

Long milky

The WC tournament lasts 17 days. The teams advancing to the top four will be at the venue for three weeks.

– If there were a little shorter roughs, one and a half to two weeks, there would be more interest. The competitions are artificially stretched, Virta estimates.

He throws a slightly tongue-in-cheek analogy about a group of boys’ beach vacation.

– Before the trip, two weeks seems like a fascinating idea, but after ten days of wandering, many people say that a week would have been enough.

Riga was the host for 2021 and Tampere for last season. It might sound silly, but these are the things NHL millionaires think about.

– Kalja’s price is higher in Tampere, but I think the boys have the cash. The time will be long when you go around the same streets of the center of Tampere for three weeks. You shouldn’t go anywhere or do anything when someone makes a fuss about it.

Finland’s interest

Finland is an exception from other hockey countries. There is a lot of pressure on lions at the moment.

– I would believe that it is in our interest. The jungle drum is playing in the NHL: The Lions are in a good mood and have a chance to win. Hardly anyone misses winning. It would seem pretty silly if someone didn’t want to come compete and play, says the assistant coach of the Lions Mikko Manner.

There are five NHL players in Finland. Canada has 22, the USA 18, Sweden nine, the Czech Republic and Switzerland six.

– I came to the games because I wanted to be able to play games that matter. In addition, it’s great to be part of the home games, Detroit’s NHL team Olli Määttä comment.

He says that a surprising number of North American players talk positively about the World Cup trip, but in the end don’t go.

– Of course, there are always small problems and contracts during the break, but perhaps this year’s absences were influenced by the fact that there were no less than four weeks between the end of the NHL regular season and the start of the World Cup.

Less often

How does the lack of NHL players affect the quality of the World Cup tournament?

Lions head coach Jukka Jalonen is a strong advocate of the European ladle. For him, there is no level difference with the so-called basic players.

On the other hand, the issue can be approached simply: for example, the quality of shots and passes is better on average among NHL players than players from the old continent.

– At their best, NHL players bring super skill to the World Cup, Virta states.

The International Ice Hockey Federation will stick to the current tournament format. That’s not surprising, because last year’s games brought the Finnish Ice Hockey Association a profit of 13.9 million euros.

Finland must also be an exception financially, because the spring puck rush is still a big deal here. That is not necessarily the case in the World Cup tournaments in Sweden and Denmark in 2025 or in Switzerland in 2026. It is very possible that the World Cup tournament is at saturation point.

– The feeling is that the World Cup tournament is played too often.

So.

Statistics: Juha Aaltonen