For the first time in a dozen years next weekend, the world’s best hockey players will compete for their countries with something other than an Olympic gold medal on the line.
The World Cup of Hockey kicks off in Toronto on Saturday, marking the return of an event previously held in 1996 and 2004. While non-Olympic international hockey has a slightly irregular history, it could become a more permanent fixture on the calendar moving forward as the NHL reconsiders its stance of letting its players participate in the Olympic games.
Though it may be difficult to replicate the overall Olympic environment, it doesn’t mean the World Cup is without merit.