Canada wins the Spengler Cup

[Craig2]

My problem with the Spengler Cup is that with only 3 teams per division Canada was able to go 1 win and 1 OTL and get a bye to the semis. Then win the semi and final and they are Champions. Too short of a tournament but still entertaining and the players and fans care about it.

The tournament should add a team from the top Finnish and Swedish leagues and expand that way. I heard rumors that the tournament is considering adding an AHL team to it if a deal can be made.

I believe they've kept it at six teams so they can fit the tournament in quickly, but I agree with you that it would benefit from adding two teams. Create two four-team groups, play three games each in the preliminary with the top team in each getting a bye, then do crossovers for the quarter-finals. A team from Sweden/Finland, along with an AHL team or another European team, would be great. Again, though, you're talking about a much longer tournament and the removal of some of this one's charm. You and I would like to see it, but we might be in the minority.

This was a crazy year in that all six teams had a win and a loss in the round-robin portion of the tournament. I was actually hoping Canada wouldn't get the bye, so I would have the opportunity to watch them play more games. That's as strong a team as we'll ever have there.

I'd also agree with Ranforfan's earlier comment that this isn't really an international tournament, since it's essentially our Europe-based players and a bunch of club teams. Still, what a great tournament. I can't wait for the World Championships this spring.

[mooneyes]

This was my first year watching this tourny, was kinda of confusing as I always assumed it was a country based event! Seemed strange watching Joe Thornton play against his country while other guys, Bergeron etc, left their club teams for the honor of putting in the TC jersey. Maybe Thornton was not allowed to leave his team like the other players?