Are Shea Weber and Ryan Suter unpatriotic for not competing at the World Championships?

by Dirk Hoag on May 19, 2010 11:05 AM EDT

Szymon Szemberg of the IIHF published a fire-breathing missive today calling out those hockey players who are healthy enough to compete in their respective league playoffs, but decided for any number of reasons not to represent their country at the World Championships taking place in Germany right now:

The IIHF member national associations spend substantial money – often earned by organizing junior championships or from revenue generated by the IIHF World Championships or Olympics – on development programs designed to increase the skill level of players.

The National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan has cost USA Hockey millions and has laid the foundation for the development of players such as Patrick Kane, Jack Johnson, Erik Johnson, Phil Kessel, Ryan Suter, Zach Parise, John-Micheal Liles, Mike Komisarek, and Ryan Kesler.

Thanks to this program, USA Hockey has had tremendous success at the IIHF World U18 Championship and is an annual gold-medal contender at the U20 event (World Juniors). But primarily, thanks to this program, American prospects are fundamentally better educated than ever before, which of course boosts their chances of a successful career.

When Canada re-entered international competition in 1977, not many observers where impressed by the general skill level of Canadian players. But it was during that period that Hockey Canada invested serious resources into the Program of Excellence which today has paid off in two Olympic gold medals, five men’s IIHF World Championship gold medals, and 15 World Junior gold medals.

This raises a natural question - should prominent Nashville Predators like Shea Weber & Ryan Suter have participated for Canada and the U.S., respectively? Several other NHL players who were eliminated in the playoffs have headed right over to Germany, including Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Ryan Smyth, and many more.

Poll

Should Shea Weber and Ryan Suter have gone to Germany to play in the World Championships?

No

150 votes

Yes

46 votes

196 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

IIHF sets up a Battle of Attrition...

No, neither Weber or Suter should feel any responsibility for not heading over to the World Championships since both were fighting through legitimate injuries when the season ended and had already represented their countries in the Olympics just 3 months ago.

Holding this tournament in an Olympic year (IIHF vs. IOC) is primarily done for money. It’s all about the money the IIHF will make off the event. Sure, the event helps smaller countries move up the world rankings to potentially qualify for a higher division next year, but even they know it is about the money.

There is no doubt that USA Hockey sent a very weak team over to Germany without any discernible practice time together, but that is dictated by the IIHF scheduling the tournament according to the European league schedules and not giving any consideration to the NHL schedule. Additionally, due to the scheduling, it also prevents the US from sending over a team of NCAA student-athletes due to finals at their respective schools.

Asking players to play an 82 game regular season, plus playoffs, plus Olympics, and then to finish everything off fly overseas to compete in the World Championships is a losing proposition and instantly sets up a scenario where it comes down to a battle of attrition where many of the players will be eliminated due to fatigue or injury and you’re left to makeup a team based on those that are remaining.

It will always be a problem in an Olympic year unless the IIHF moves the tournament back at least a week or two to allow more NHL players to compete as their teams are eliminated from the playoffs…

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by Seth Lake on May 19, 2010 11:29 AM EDT reply actions

Well said

and reinforces Scott Salmond, the men’s national team director for Hockey Canada, in defending Sidney Crosby’s decision not to attend the Worlds.

by Hockey Hillbilly on May 19, 2010 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Or, put more simply...

~~Nobody~~ Hardly anybody in the US cares about the World Championships.

I don’t think they’d get significantly more NHL pros coming over even if they delayed it by a week or two. The guys who want to play, go head right over, like Datsyuk. If anyone can cite fatigue, he could.

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by Dirk Hoag on May 19, 2010 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Our boys can never have too much practice

But to suggest they’re unpatriotic because they didn’t is about as stupid a thing as anyone can say.

by stackiii on May 19, 2010 12:28 PM EDT reply actions

IDIOTIC

after a full season plus the olympics its ridiculous to suggest that. also it will give the players that just missed the olympic teams a chance to show their talents on a big stage, so it can serve as a training/audition of sorts as well.

by predswilrule on May 19, 2010 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

BS

“I don’t want to leave my family. Three weeks is an awfully long time away from home.”
Anyone with a job that takes them away from home often would realize how important it is when you finally get a break with them.

by flyalder on May 19, 2010 1:36 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

These guys gave absolutely everything for their countries (especially Weber and Suter) in February. To call them out for resting after 82 NHL level games and close to 10(?) world class level games where they were both dominant is ignorant and immature. Don’t really feel like giving his piece the time of day, to be honest.

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by Chris Burton on May 19, 2010 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

European player vs North American player for IIHF Championships

You typically see European players doing this since there are still a lot of family members over in Europe that they don’t normally see. In North America and the NHL, you are already home and do not have to deal with travelling overseas to be with more family.

by djzielin on May 20, 2010 2:14 PM EDT reply actions