Europe players furious over World Cup format

The World Cup of hockey will be resurrected in a year and the adopted format isn't making everyone happy. Along with six "powerhouse nations", two "all-star teams", one for the rest of the Europeans countries and one of North-American players younger than 23 years old will compete in the eight-team tournament.

Except not every "Team Europe" possible players are happy with this. Many of them from Slovakia and Switzerland feel like their country should have been represented in the tournament.

“I really feel like Swiss hockey made a good step forward in the last few years. We played some good international tournaments, did well at the Olympics too. It’s disappointing that Switzerland can’t be there as a nation. But it’s the World Cup. You play against the best players in the world. It would be an honor to be on that team”, said Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi according to Yahoo sports.

Josi does have a point, as team Switzerland have constantly challenged the powerhouses, even winning a silver medal at the last world championships. Team Switzerland teammate Mark Streit isn't a fan of the concept either.

"I don't like it at all. Not one thing about it. It's a nations tournament. You love playing for your country,” he said back in January.

Tomas Tatar of Slovakia is also scared that such a format won't be good for hockey in his country.

“I don’t know if they’re going to cheer for a Team Europe,” he said. “We’ve been part of hockey tournaments for a decade. Slovakia … I’m not saying we’re the best, but we’ve been a part of the Olympics and the World Championships. So the fans are disappointed. It’s the not the same.”

Even if they won't directly represent their country, veteran Zdeno Chara says the players for team Europe will have to find motivation to still do the best they can.

“Even when you say you’re not playing for Slovakia, you actually are. It’s just that you’re playing on a team with other countries, too,” he said.

But since it is an NHL sponsored tournament, the league wanted all the team to have a maximum of players coming from

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Image courtesy of Keystone Press Agency