IIHF World Championships.

[drunkdog306]

Anybody that enjoys the NHL or hockey in general should know about this tournament. Some very high profile players are in it this year. Here are some highlights from the first two games for Team Canada:

IIHF World Championships

Matt Duchene scores a nice penalty shot goal to put Canada up 10-0 over Germany:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kTCtZKL3K4

Matt Duchene makes a beautiful saucer pass over a sliding defender to Taylor Hall who scores his third of the game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-phUjNKrqNM

Crosby scores shorthanded from O'Reilly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qc9aOxyli8

Crosby scores a beautiful penalty shot goal vs Latvia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbKCwBAGqLU

MacKinnon with some slick moves vs Latvia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYnwc5SK_qY

[Conker]

TBH, it sucks they have this in whilst NHL is in Stanley cup playoffs, be much better Imo if it was on when NHL was in its off-season,

[Chenardizzle]

TBH, it sucks they have this in whilst NHL is in Stanley cup playoffs, be much better Imo if it was on when NHL was in its off-season,

 

Really? I've always seen the worlds as a chance at a "runner up" type prize to those who never had the opportunity to play for the cup. A guy like Mike Smith for example is never going to get a chance to play for the cup in Arizona, but he gets a chance at gold in the worlds... And if the IIHF ran after the NHL playoffs concluded, he may not even be on that team. Price would be the starter with likely Crawford as his backup.

 

I like that it spreads the wealth a little bit, moreover, it also gives me more hockey to watch in a day from when I wake up to right before I go to bed.

[acasser]

TBH, it sucks they have this in whilst NHL is in Stanley cup playoffs, be much better Imo if it was on when NHL was in its off-season,

 

I don't think your "pool of players" would really be any deeper if that were the case.  Players on teams that make deep playoff runs still wouldn't go for the same reasons why NFL players on Super Bowl teams don't participate in the Pro Bowl:  at some point, the body needs downtime and rest to recover from the extended season.

 

Also, the IIHF and the NHL don't have a particularly wonderful relationship.  The NHL isn't about to do the IIHF any favors.

[Jello]

TBH, it sucks they have this in whilst NHL is in Stanley cup playoffs, be much better Imo if it was on when NHL was in its off-season,

 

I agree if it's about the top players of each country competing, it doesn't make much sense when many top players are competing in the NHL. I think having it at a different time would give them more viewers, since they wouldn't be competing with Stanley Cup playoff games.