2016 World Cup of Hockey
The next installment of the World Cup of Hockey is supposed to take place in the summer of 2016.[1] During the timeframe of the 2014 Winter Olympics men's ice hockey tournament, in mid-February 2014 NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the NHLPA discussed the likelihood of the World Cup of Hockey competition returning, without any interference to the NHL's participation in any future Winter Olympics' ice hockey competition.[2] Teams of Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Czech Republic have secured a participation at the tournament. The remaining two teams are going to be selected later according to how many players they have in the NHL as well as what their IIHF ranking is. Teams of Switzerland, Slovakia, Latvia, Norway and Germany come into consideration.
The plan for the future is to hold the World Cup of Hockey every two years in September as a preparation for players for the upcoming NHL season as well as a part of marketing of the NHL. There are efforts to make a tournament on a regular basis comparing to on and off event that has been the case so far. The first World Cup of Hockey took place in 1996 and the second one in 2004.
- ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/tretiak-world-cup-hockey-set-comeback-2016-214335953.html
- ^ Rosen, Dan (February 18, 2014). "Bettman: World Cup of Hockey could return". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved February 18, 2014.