Would IIHF WC Benefit from Rescheduling?

In sports, there is often a metaphorical power play between the organisers of international competitions and the more financially powerful clubs. Take the scheduling of the 2022 FIFA World Cup for example. The soccer World Cup normally takes place in June and July, but it must be held in winter next time due to the intense heat in the Gulf country.

That’s perfectly fine for Veikkausliiga players and fans – should Finland manage to qualify – as the dates fall after the end of the league season. But there has been lots of opposition from the powerful English Premier League, who decried loss of revenue as it interrupts one of the busiest parts of England’s soccer season.

World Championship clashes with NHL Playoffs

While those issues have seemingly been resolved, they do throw up questions about how major sports events are scheduled and if it is possible to please everyone. Consider the 2019 IIHF World Championship, which will be held from 10^th-26^th May in Slovakia. Now, for many players in Liiga or the KHL that scheduling is absolutely no problem – the likes of Tommi Kivisto or Marko Anttila can wrap up their club seasons, grab a week or twos rest and then get ready to shoot for glory with Finland.

However, for many hockey fans around the world when you say ‘May’, they do not think of the IIHF World Championship. Rather, they think of the NHL and the business end of the season in North America – the Stanley Cup Finals. Essentially, the World Championship takes place at the same time as the most watched ice hockey club competition reaching its conclusion. Does the quality suffer as a consequence?

Canada remain betting favourites for tournament

Well, for a start, there is a difference between the level of quality and competitivity. We know that the 2019 IIHF World Championships will be passionately contested. Indeed, the odds from Unibet show Canada at 2/1, the USA at 3/1 and Russia at 7/2 as the favourites to bag the gold medal, indicating a tight battle at the top. Incidentally, Finland, who can be backed with the latest free bets from Veikkaussivut.com are fourth-favourites at 13/2.

But competition does not always mean that all the quality is on show. The NHL has form with this kind of thing of course, famously restricted players from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Lots of NHL players will make their way to Slovakia for the World Championship, but those concentrating on the Stanley Cup Finals won’t.

World Championship should have more exposure

In truth, the IIHF should be a show-stopping showcase for global ice hockey. The stars of NHL should be champing at the bit to get to represent their country in global competition. But it’s just not that simple. We know that, for example, if the Premier League restricted its players from going to the FIFA World Cup, the tournament would still be great – but it would still lack something.

In the end, there will be push back to any solution mooted. However, a rescheduling of the event to late June or July, after the Stanley Cup Finals have completed might raise the profile of what should be a flagship event for all hockey loving nations. An even more radical idea would be to host it as a quadrennial event like the FIFA World Cup or Winter Olympics, thereby creating more prestige and a sense of uniqueness. Maybe it wouldn’t work, perhaps the money in NHL will sill remain the most important aspect of all.