While I appreciate the hockey talent on the Olympic level, I actually enjoyed the World Junior Championships more. No puff pieces by the network, no millionaire primadonnas, no piped in arena rock, almost no commercials, and an enthusiasm level and innocence that teens bring which cannot be duplicated by crusty vets.

As nice as the Olympic hockey may be, I can't quite separate the fact that this is secondary to their professional careers...much like Olympic basketball, tennis and baseball. I look forward to the day when pros are removed and the kids take over again.

It's what made 1980 so special.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

There is no such thing as "amateur hockey" anymore, unless you want to see beer league mill workers in the Olympics.

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mechaphil

The kids aren't pro, Phil.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

I know, the world juniors are way better. I'd rather watch the young and up and comers rather than seeing Pronger, Niedemiayer and Brodeur look lost and useless.

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

I don't know... do you think the olympics are really second to their professional careers?

It seems to me like nobody is holding back. They all want to win, and I think it's pretty evident in their play thus far.

I mean, look at the play Kesler made for the empty net goal.

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Wheelhouse

College age kids? 18 and 19 year old junior kids? They're groomed to be pros from the start of their chosen paths.

What about the European teams? Are their pro leagues any less pro than the NHL in the eyes of the IIHF or IOC? Kids turn pro in Europe as early as 15 (see Numminen, Teppo). Does that mean only 14 year old and some non-pro 15 and 16 year olds are the only players eligible?

What about AHL players? They don't play in the NHL, but are owned by member clubs, so does that make them pros or amateurs?

It's not as easily executed now as it once was, and even then it was American and Canadian college boys versus hard-fought teams from Europe who trained, lived, and played like "pros".

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mechaphil

Also,
Prima donnas? Ladies and gentleman, Taylor Hall!
Piped-in arena rock? WJC has it in droves
Enthusiasm and innocence? Team USA brought it in DROVES last night

Lastly,
Ovechkin has said he'll take a suspension from the league he plays in that awards the Stanley Cup to the champions in order to play for gold at Sochi. A large number of players agree with him. Not so secondary, eh?

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mechaphil

I second that. At his age right now he is more of a whiney little bitch than Crosby ever will be.

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just call me Brad

Twitter @BUrbanowicz13

Phil, the major juniors and colleges remain amateur, while the AHL, WHL and other professional minor leagues are not. Theses kids certainly are aspiring to become pros, and many of them have been drafted...just as had been the case before pros were admitted to the games.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

They're not far from it.

Players in the CHL major-junior leagues are given scholarships to Canadian universities if they don't sign a pro contract. They receive fairly decent stipends , especially when they're good. They sign contracts, can be traded to other teams, and earn bonuses and escalators. From the NCAA's perspective, any player who signs on with a CHL team is considered a pro and loses all NCAA amateur eligibility.

Obviously not all countries are like that, but you can pretty much consider anyone in Canadian major-junior to be a pro athlete.

The WHL is major junior, not a minor league. The AHL, ECHL, etc are minor leagues.

So, let's say the college kids and major junior players are the only players eligible for participation in the Games from North America. Does the IIHF and IOC crack down on every other participating nation to only send their college age/major junior age kids to the games? Because then you'd see our juniors in college playing against guys who have been professionals in Europe for three years.

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mechaphil

Phil, I do think there is plenty energy and enthusiasm, but it is somehow more meaningful to me when the young and untainted kids are wearing the colors and playing their hearts out knowing many will never play in a tournament that meaningful again.

Anyway, sorry to upset you so much with this topic. I guess I'll stop sharing my personal opinions about the differences between professional era Olympics and pre-professional era Olympics. Way too touchy of a subject.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Yeah, I meant QHL and OHL...sorry.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Methinks you're the one being too touchy about it. All I'm saying is I take exception to your opinion because of the following bullet points. Stating your opinion and then tucking tail when someone provides valid counterpoint is a bitch move.

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mechaphil

Dude, the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL are all the three leagues that exist under the governing body of the CHL.

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mechaphil

Why are you so hostile at me for having a different opinion, Phil? I already apologized for upsetting you.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

The tern 'professional' is very relative.

I think the point that Phil was going for was that for most the the kids that play in the WJC, hockey is their job. They may or may not be paid for it, but it's their job. It's not like you have glorified travel teams playing in these things. These kids have mostly moved away from home, get placed in special schools to meet educational requirements, and live and breathe hockey with their teams.

That's a professional to me, paycheck or not.

True, Squanto, but that's how the pre-professional Olympic era was and what made it so special when our major junior kids and college kids took on other countries that often played their established pros. I miss it...

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

For what it's worth, I think that the professionals who have dedicated their lives to hockey and entertaining us deserve to represent us at the olympics.

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Wheelhouse

That's fine...no right or wrong answer. I happen to appreciate the kids more in this setting.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.