The Colorado Avalanche have sent 6 players to the World Cup of Hockey. They will be representing Canada, The United States, Sweden and Russia and Team North America.
The grueling offseason for Colorado Avalanche fans is coming to a close with the reboot of the World Cup of Hockey. While I’m stoked to see hockey again, there seems to be very mixed feelings surrounding the tournament.
I’ve seen many fans on social media (let’s be real, it’s Twitter; Facebook sucks) that are either apathetic or outright against it. Those who are apathetic are comparing it to the World Championships. Those who protest are comparing it to the NHL’s All-Star Game. Personally, I find both to be poor comparisons.
First of all, it should be said that the World Championships are a big deal in almost every other sport other than hockey. The only reason fans are indifferent about it is because the Stanley Cup playoffs are in full flight making it difficult for each nation to send their best players. This makes it easy (especially for Canadians) to write off losses blaming it on inferior roster construction.
The World Cup will not suffer the same fate. Not only are teams sending Olympic calibre rosters, but they are also playing in September. So unless Avs fans all of a sudden decide to embrace mid-season baseball there should be no major conflicting events.
The All-Star Game is an even worse comparison. Many players grudgingly attend, but only because they’re forced to. I find myself sympathetic with their situation. It’s in the middle of a rare scheduled break. Who wouldn’t rather be sipping beers on a beach than playing a game they don’t care about?
I understand that the World Cup is ultimately pointless from an NHL perspective, but I do not subscribe to the idea that players don’t care about it. The reason the All-Star Game is such a drag is because it’s manufactured competition rather than raw emotion.
More from International Tournaments
- Colorado Avalanche international series news and notes
- Colorado Avalanche: The 4 Prospects Representing at IIHF Worlds
- Colorado Avalanche: Catching up with the Players at IIHF Worlds
- Colorado Avalanche Center Tyson Jost to Play at IIHF Worlds
- Colorado Avalanche Forwards Making Waves at 2018 IIHF Worlds
Looking at the exhibition games alone it’s pretty clear that the players want to win this tournament. It’s been extremely chippy, and we’ve already seen emotions boil over on a couple of occasions.
The biggest complaint from Colorado Avalanche fans is that six of their best players are risking injury by attending. Colorado cannot afford another slow start, so I understand the hesitation, but I don’t buy the argument. I’ll submit to the fact that the Avs will be risking injury, but my question is how is this any different than preseason? Avs fans will recall two years ago Jesse Winchester suffered a career-ending injury in a preseason game.
Injuries don’t exclusively happen during games either. They can happen during practice, warm up and even in goal celebrations. The hard reality is that injuries are an occupational hazard every time players step on the ice.
Next: World Cup of Hockey Good For Team
For these reasons I think the concerns revolving the Avalanche players and the World Cup in general are overblown. Ultimately, I agree in essence with Mark’s article (linked above) – the World Cup is much more of a benefit than a detriment for the Colorado Avalanche.