Underthinking International Ice Hockey NZ

I am not sure how many of you are aware that there is a company in NZ promoting an international ice hockey match between Canada and USA. The promotions can be viewed here or you can view their facebook page here. Now I am not saying that there won't be a hockey game, just I am concerned by their marketing of this game, so here are some things you should consider before spending $60 -$200 on a ticket.

1/ This event is not sanctioned by IIHF, NZIHF, Hockey USA or Hockey Canada

This link shows a letter from the president of the NZIHF (New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation) outlining this fact.
This event is not a rematch of the 2010 Winter Olympic final, any more than a composite team of 3rd Division NPC players playing a third division side from France is a rematch of that game we don't talk about anymore.

"They lost David, The All Blacks lost"

The players themselves will not represent Canada or the USA in official statistics held by the IIHF (international ice hockey federation) unless their national bodies have decided to outsource their selection to two rodeo promoters from Canterbury, (Pro tip: they haven't).

Although the Southern Stampedes (A NZIHL team) Cowboy Coach Dave Le Comte did pretty well there for a while, so maybe they are onto something.

So why do the promoters keep the misconception out there, recently they have claimed never to have said anything to start this

Well done for admitting it.

but if this is true then why do they use this photo on one of their sales sites? Vector Arena game
 

To bad on your promotional material the players are quite clearly wearing Team USA and Team Canada uniforms. Why are people getting confused is beyond me?

 And even calling it Canada vs USA, is misleading, sure it is not Team Canada or Team USA, but if I told you I had organised an international rugby match between NZ and Australia, you are immediately going to think I have got the All Blacks and Wallabies to play.

In fact the promoters are comparing there event to All Blacks vs Wallabies, which is insinuating this is the actual Canada and USA national squads, which it  is not. I mean it does raise an interesting philosophical debate, what makes an event an international? To me to qualify the squads in the teams need to be selected by the sports national body, it is not enough to have two teams with different sets of passports.

2/ Despite claims these players are not superstars of the game

So far they have only announced two players, which they are trumpeting as Superstars of ice hockey.

That is why they are using Generic Hockey guy to promote the game.

These two players Kyle Quincey and Rob Schremp both play in the NHL that is true, but Brayden Mitchell and Craig Clarke both play in Super 15 and that doesn't make them superstars.
Kyle Quincey is a very good player having lead the Colorado Avalanche Defense in playing minutes in the 2009-2010 season, but this season injured himself in December and won't play any further part in this years competition, so probably for him this will be a low risk way to get some ice time. (which is a clue perhaps the intensity not so high)
The other player is Robbie Schremp who has made himself as a trick shot specialist in Shootout competitions.

But has struggled to hold down a regular position in an NHL team since he was first drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2004, mostly playing in the minor leagues, before being picked up off waivers for the Islanders, who also put him on waivers, and he has been picked up by the Atlanta Thrashers. Waivers basically mean since you are no longer using that player in the majors, other teams have the right to offer to pick that player up for the rest of his original contract. Hardly the mark of a global superstar.
They may be the best players to have ever played in NZ, although we have had some pretty good Europeans play in our national league, so this is debatable, but global superstars they are not. And well the promoters have not said certain superstars like Sidney Crosby, or Martin Brodeur are coming, they haven't set the people claiming this to the case on their FB page correct either.

3/. First International Ice Hockey game in NZ

This I find quite frankly insulting, since A/ this is not an International game (see not sanctioned by IIHF) and B/ there have been a multitude actual international games in this country. Sure these games have not been between global superpowers.

NZ and Ireland not traditional powers, but they are legitimately representing their country.

I will probably miss teams off this list, so please feel free to correct me, but the following teams have played real international matches in NZ at a Senior mens level.

NZ, Australia, Spain, Turkey, Luxembourg, Iceland, Mexico, Greece, China, North and South Korea

On a side note Don Cherry acknowledges the Irish Team, so they must be real.

Other countries have also played here at a senior women level, as well as at age group. If you want to see real international ice hockey in NZ this year, you could attend the NZ Winter Games, this August. Where International Ice Hockey matches will be played between Australia, NZ, China and potentially Korea.

4/ Playing Rules

A big concern amongst true hockey fans, is the fact they are only bringing 22 players across. That is not 22 a side, that is 22 altogether for a 3 game series. For those of you unaware at any one time a team would have 5 players on the ice, and to keep the frentic pace, they will have 3 other lines on the bench, which they will rotate through, with a heavier weighting on your top lines, giving 20 players, plus a goalie on the ice, and a backup, meaning each team should have 22 players.

Players after 10 minutes of real hockey with two lines

No team in the world is fit enough to play good fast hockey for 60 minutes with 2 lines, the quality and intensity will suffer.

Unless the promoters have managed to bring Herb Brooks from beyond the grave.

It also disturbs me that the promoters are discussing on their wall whether they should change the rules of ice hockey to try and address the fatigue issue.

Truly Ice hockey aficionados

Ice Hockey is a game of 3 periods, not 4 quarters, or 3 quarters as some times it is referred to in NZ media or crowds.

It can't be 3 quarters! Gawd

Summation

I am not saying this is a bad event, in fact given the players it has the potentially to be good, just not $60 +  good. The lack of players leads one to believe the intensity will not be the highest. I just feel if they had a great product, they wouldn't have to use to misinformation to get people along. Its Underthinking marketing at best.

Also if you do want to see some great hockey in this country with local players, and a sprinkling of talented Europeans and North Americans, then you should head along to the NZIHL games this season, where the price of admission will be closer to $10 - $20. Highlights in below video show the quality is quite high.