The World Cup of Hockey begins Saturday in Toronto, and the tourney will "take another shot at trying to get the formula right over the next two weeks," according to Curtis Rush of the N.Y. TIMES. The joint effort by the NHL and NHLPA has been "criticized as a cash grab that lacks the authenticity of World Cups in other sports." Much is "at stake" for the NHL, and if all goes well, it may "decide to hold future World Cups every four years as an alternative to the Olympics." Previous World Cups had "challenges related to timing, location and circumstance, but holding all the games in hockey-loving Toronto may overcome some of those hurdles." In '96, the games were "spread over three Canadian cities," along with Philadelphia and N.Y., and there was "little buzz in the U.S." In the '04 World Cup, the looming NHL lockout "stripped away the energy" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/16). ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun wondered if the event ends up "being a smashing hit, will that lead NHL owners to believe they've found their new, best-on-best vehicle?" After all, the owners have "never been that enamored with shutting down their season in mid-February for an Olympic tournament they make no money from." It is "foolish to think that the level of success of this World Cup isn't related in any fashion to the Olympic discussion." It "has to be, regardless of the decision." They are "tied to each other in some fashion." In the end, what a successful World Cup could mean for the NHL and NHLPA is "enhanced leverage in talks with the IOC" (ESPN.com, 9/15).
WHO IS WHO? The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Vipal Monga noted the World Cup "represents the NHL’s most high-profile attempt at boosting ice hockey in a tournament not named the Winter Olympics." If things "go the league’s way, the for-profit tournament could be the first of a new quadrennial tradition." But even before its opening game, this year's tournament is "already off to a confusing start." The competition "features the standard six hockey powers, Canada, Russia, Sweden, the U.S., Finland, and the Czech Republic." Then there are two "Frankenstein squads: Team North America and Team Europe, the latter composed of players from countries that aren’t fielding their own teams." The awkward format has "already led to some weird contortions" (WSJ.com, 9/15). The GLOBE & MAIL's Eric Duhatschek notes for the players, the "appetite for best-on-best competition doesn't ever seem to wane." Any time the game's elite "get together, highly motivated to play, good things usually happen." Just how well the tournament does will "go a long way in shaping the NHL's international policy in the years to come." If adopted, it would "eventually become a once-every-four-years fixture on the calendar as well." Where that leaves the NHL's Olympic involvement is "anybody's guess" (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/16).
FORE CHECK: In Columbus, Michael Arace noted estimates are that the event will "turn a profit" around $65M for the NHL and NHLPA. But the NHL is "manufacturing something here, for a purpose." The league’s owners "do not like shutting down their season every four years so that 150 players can participate in the Olympics." The league "doesn't make a dime off the Olympics." Ultimately, the NHL's goal is to "divorce itself from the Olympics" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 9/14). In Chicago, Mark Lazerus writes the World Cup is "not the Olympics." It likely "won't ever be the Olympics," and seemingly every elite NHL player "wants to keep participating in future Olympics." While the World Cup "satisfies players' desire for a best-on-best tournament and to represent their countries," it still "lacks the history and romance of the Olympics" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/16). In Toronto, Steve Simmons writes the event is a "semi-contrived, made-for-September television event, set up to make a buck or three for the NHL and the NHLPA." This is a "terrific event." Simmons: "But understand this: these are not the Olympic Games." The feel is "completely different." Simmons: "A different buzz. A different pressure" (TORONTO SUN, 9/16).
NO MORE AN AFTERTHOUGHT? In Boston, Chad Finn writes hockey has "seemed an afterthought at ESPN," which is carrying the tournament. However, there has remained a "dedicated and occasionally outspoken group of staffers who remain passionate about the sport." It is "satisfying to see some of them get a chance to broadcast the game at a high level again" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/16). On Long Island, Neil Best noted ESPN's Steve Levy, who is calling games for the net, "naturally wants the largest possible audience for ESPN's coverage." But there is "one particular audience member who will be prominent in his thoughts." Levy: "My only butterflies, really, will be Mike Emrick sitting on a couch watching me. I don't need his approval, maybe just a little nod, a smirk, anything. I’ll never know or see, but part of me will wonder through that first game: ‘I hope I’m doing an OK job according to Mike Emrick.'" He added that hockey-loving producers and directors "jockeyed to be assigned to the tournament." As much as Levy might "eye NBC with some envy, he applauded how they have treated his favorite sport" (NEWSDAY, 9/15).
