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Connor Bedard (left) has already confirmed for the World Cup, Sidney Crosby is still thinking.Image: keystone
There will probably be more NHL stars playing at the upcoming Ice Hockey World Cup in the Czech Republic than in a long time. These are the reasons.
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The Ice Hockey World Championships begin in Prague and Ostrava two weeks from tomorrow. While there is unrest in Switzerland insufficient results from the national team this season and the controversial banishment of defender talent Lian Bichsel until 2026everything points to the most spectacular World Cup in recent years.
After the coronavirus pandemic, NHL stars from top nations such as Canada, Sweden, Finland and the USA increasingly decided not to take part in the World Cup. There were various reasons for this. On the one hand, due to the pandemic, the Stanley Cup playoffs took place later in the early summer than usual, which ensured that more teams were still involved in the playoffs during the World Cup. The schedule was also more condensed, which meant even less recovery time. On the other hand, the temporary travel restrictions meant that the players focused more on their own families in the summer than in other years.
But there are many indications that a World Cup with big names from the NHL awaits us this year. Yesterday the US association announced the first players for the World Cup team and while in previous years the Americans often competed with a somewhat strengthened AHL and college team, things now look completely different.
There’s Brady Takchuck, the Ottawa Senators captain who has 37 goals and 37 assists in 81 NHL games. There are the youngsters Cole Caufield (Montreal Canadiens) and Matt Boldy (Minnesota Wild), both of whom are nearing the 70-point mark. There’s Johnny Gaudreau, who, although far from his best this season, was one of the best players in the NHL two years ago. In defense, Zach Werenski and Seth Jones bring a lot of experience, while Luke Hughes and Jake Sanderson provide young dynamism.
Star defender Erik Karlsson is coming to the World Cup.Image: keystone
And the US team is not alone. Defenders Erik Karlsson and Rasmus Dahlin as well as strikers Joel Erikson Ek and Viktor Olofsson have already signed up for Sweden. There is still little definite about Canada and Finland, although super talent Connor Bedard will definitely be there in the Czech Republic. Sidney Crosby is still thinking about traveling to Europe.
Why this rethink? It has, at least in part, to do with the NHL as a league. They are planning to let their players return to the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in 2026, after the best players in the world were last missing from the Olympics twice. At the same time, the World Cup of Hockey – an international tournament organized by the NHL – is to be brought back to life.
The NHL last organized the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 – the tournament is scheduled to return in a new format from 2028. Image: keystone
A first, provisional edition will take place on a smaller scale next year. In February 2025, the best NHL players from Canada, the USA, Sweden and Finland will meet at the Four Nations Faceoff. The first new edition of the World Cup is scheduled to take place in 2028, which will then alternate with the Olympic Games every two years.
What does this have to do with the current World Cup? Well, if the NHL players want to take part in the four-nation tournament in 2025 or the Olympics in 2026, then it is of course an advantage if they have already appeared in international competitions in previous years. The World Cup in the Czech Republic, which is about to begin, is a first chance. You can expect that more NHL stars will confirm their participation in the World Cup in the next few days.
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