WJC - 2026

[southpaw]

Not surprising Canadian fans don't want to attend events in the US right now. 

[Johnny Five]

2 hours ago, MafiaMan said:

Late to the party here as I attended all 5 games at GCA this past weekend while keeping an eye on Mariucci.  
 

My two cents so far…

I don’t want to EVER hear someone tell me that Minnesota is the “State of Hockey” again.  Ever.  500 people in the stands at Mariucci to watch Czechia vs Canada?  Maybe 3,000 for the opener at GCA between Sweden and Slovakia.

What a total embarrassment.  

Admittedly a Gopher fan living in Central ND.  Never understood the obsession with Hockey attendance...if only that was the deciding factor in what defines the state of hockey, which is in itself a marketing phrase established when the Wild returned.  

But if you're gonna say ND or any other state in the country wouldn't trade the hockey experience with Minnesota from Youth, to HS to JR to D3 to D1 to professional men's and women's leagues all the way into beer league, coaching and paying it back to the game....well I got news for ya.  

[Johnny Five]

10 minutes ago, southpaw said:

Not surprising Canadian fans don't want to attend events in the US right now. 

Yeah we are so mean to Canadians in the US, lol.

[Dustin]

1 minute ago, Johnny Five said:

Admittedly a Gopher fan living in Central ND.  Never understood the obsession with Hockey attendance...if only that was the deciding factor in what defines the state of hockey, which is in itself a marketing phrase established when the Wild returned.  

But if you're gonna say ND or any other state in the country wouldn't trade the hockey experience with Minnesota from Youth, to HS to JR to D3 to D1 to professional men's and women's leagues all the way into beer league, coaching and paying it back to the game....well I got news for ya.  

Yep, no doubt.

[The Sicatoka]

17 minutes ago, Dustin said:

I was told by someone that the event has gotten too large for Grand Forks to be the primary host, so I figured a city with an NHL arena and fan base (Winnipeg) would help make the case.  But perhaps Fargo and Grand Forks would do, too.

Yeah, ... MSP, they're packin' the 'oochi. 

[cberkas]

25 minutes ago, Dustin said:

I was told by someone that the event has gotten too large for Grand Forks to be the primary host, so I figured a city with an NHL arena and fan base (Winnipeg) would help make the case.  But perhaps Fargo and Grand Forks would do, too.

I think this has more to do with Canada using NHL arenas and the US wanting to be the same. 

2024 (Sweden), 2023 (Canada), 2020 (Czechia), 2016 (Finland), 2014 (Sweden), and 2013 (Russia) all had arenas smaller or about the same as the Ralph except in 2016 and 2017 there was 13,000 seat arenas used. Most Euro arenas are smaller or about the same as the Ralph.

I left off all but the one in Canada since they are at NHL arenas most of the time (since 2006 for how far I went back).

[cberkas]

 

[The Sicatoka]

The politics ends now. 

Next time I have to clean up, I'll clean up more than just posts.

[cberkas]

Verhoeff registered by Canada

[The Sicatoka]

3 minutes ago, cberkas said:

Verhoeff registered by Canada

Are they admitting their existing D group is underwhelming? 

[nascar99]

22 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Are they admitting their existing D group is underwhelming? 

Correct. Brunicke has disappointed, Parekh has been the usual "good offensively, all over the place defensively", Danford has just been meh at best. Verhoeff gives them another high end right shot D option

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

1 hour ago, Johnny Five said:

Admittedly a Gopher fan living in Central ND.  Never understood the obsession with Hockey attendance...if only that was the deciding factor in what defines the state of hockey, which is in itself a marketing phrase established when the Wild returned.  

But if you're gonna say ND or any other state in the country wouldn't trade the hockey experience with Minnesota from Youth, to HS to JR to D3 to D1 to professional men's and women's leagues all the way into beer league, coaching and paying it back to the game....well I got news for ya.  

A sizeable amount of the MN hockey fandom isn't particularly attached to USA Hockey; might just be a casualty of already following NHL, NCAA and HS. There's also an underlying ethnocentrism about hockey in MN (which is admittedly understandable given the aspects you listed) that no matter how many MN kids are on the team, people want it to be like Team USA in Mighty Ducks 2 with only a few randoms from other states. Personally, I grew up in the cities and didn't start following WJC until the 2012 lockout when it was the only hockey to watch.

[Dustin]

9 minutes ago, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

didn't start following WJC until the 2012 lockout when it was the only hockey to watch.

I had never heard of the WJC until 2004 when Parise helped win USA's first gold and then the Ralph was set to host starting later the same year.  Ever since then, though it's been a highlight of the Christmas / New Year's period when the colleges are on break.  I don't follow the NHL much.

[cberkas]

Sweden dismantled Germany 8-1

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

13 minutes ago, Dustin said:

I had never heard of the WJC until 2004 when Parise helped win USA's first gold and then the Ralph was set to host starting later the same year.  Ever since then, though it's been a highlight of the Christmas / New Year's period when the colleges are on break.  I don't follow the NHL much.

I'd heard of it (helps when the team regularly sends players) but this time of year was reserved for ski trips until work became more important than recreation and bachanalia. A year or two ago I got the bar at my local ski resort to switch from a D tier bowl game to a USA WJC game and people tuned in.

[Blackheart]

5 hours ago, MafiaMan said:

Gofer holiday tournament?

[cberkas]

Good job Bob putting the leading scorer on the 4th line. 🤨🙄😑

[Oxbow6]

The only 2 good things to ever come out of Canada....Timbits and Shania Twain. 

 

.....OK 3 things. I'll add Jonathan Toews.

[Frozen4sioux]

All these attendance posts are just missing the boat I think, there really is no point in comparing it to the attendance in GF back in the day. It's just not the same, It's like comparing the '85 bears and the "27 Yankees.

and the It's not MN fans being focused on only MN hockey or Twin Citiy-ites being ignorant about it.

Theres just too dang many other avenues that draw people's attention in other directions. Especially this time of year. 

Even outside of sports, getting people to do almost anything other than doom scroll the tok tiks on their couch holders is about impossible.

That and with the all the other draws the prospect of the costs involved and what people have available after splurging on the latest GI Joes and special edition barbie vans for Jenny and Johnnys special Christmas surprise... dropping a couple grand to go watch a few countries they probably can't find on a map is not in the cards.

Add in some weather and yeah, those butts ain't leaving the house let alone finding their way to Mariucci.

But the tourney itself sounds like a "corporate" success already for USA Hockey with sponsorships and tickets sold and the ease of travel into a major hub for execs and scouts, coaches and teams. 

Unless this thing basically tanks over the next decade there's no way it will ever be in or around places the size of Forks and Fargo again.  NHL hub cities in the US for as long as they can be milked.

[Frozen4sioux]

3 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

The only 2 good things to ever come out of Canada....Timbits and Shania Twain. 

 

.....OK 3 things. I'll add Jonathan Toews.

I'd probably toss in Labatt Blue as well.....    and I'm willing to bet you wouldn't turn down a piping hot plate of poutine either.

[Blackheart]

1 hour ago, cberkas said:

Good job Bob putting the leading scorer on the 4th line. 🤨🙄😑

What a putz…if the games close watch for Zellers to get more time in the 3rd.

[petey23]

5 minutes ago, Blackheart said:

What a putz…if the games close watch for Zellers to get more time in the 3rd.

At least he put that line back together....best and most consistent line against Germany in 1st game.

[cberkas]

 

[cberkas]

1-0 SVK

[Dustin]

I knew that was coming. USA looking lifeless so far.