"Flat out unacceptable" - NHL and NHLPA unimpressed with IIHF's 2028 World Cup of Hockey proposal

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) are unhappy with the IIHF’s proposal for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. TSN’s Darren Dreger said the proposal, received in December, was seen as unacceptable by multiple sources.

Speaking on TSN's insider Trading, Dreger said,

"The NHL and the NHLPA have been waiting for months for some type of proposal from the IIHF to partner with the next World Cup of Hockey, and that's in 2028 well, that proposal was received in late December. Multiple sources tell me it was just flat out unacceptable." [4:06 onwards]

The main issue is the tournament’s schedule. The NHL and NHLPA want the event in February 2028. The IIHF says February is too disruptive to their calendar. Despite this, the NHL and NHLPA are willing to hold the tournament without the IIHF.

"Now the focus remains on that World Cup in February of 2028. The IIHF says that an event in February is too disruptive." Dreger said, "The NHL is stuck on that month and the NHL, NHLPA are expected to review the IIHF proposal next week. Keep in mind, the League and the Players Association are okay with hosting the 2028 World Cup of Hockey without the IIHF involved."

The World Cup of Hockey is different from other international events like the Olympics or World Championships. It is organized by the NHL and NHLPA, allowing NHL players to compete without conflicts. Past tournaments featured top players like Sidney Crosby and John Tavares, with Canada winning in 2004 and 2016 and the U.S. winning in 1996.

The tournament has happened irregularly since 1996, replacing the earlier Canada Cup. It uses NHL rules and is usually held before the NHL season starts.

The IIHF proposal will be reviewed by the NHL and NHLPA next week. However, for now, the League and Players’ Association seem committed to their February timeline.

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Sidney Crosby and Carey Price led Canada to win the World Cup of Hockey in 2016

The 2016 World Cup of Hockey was held in Toronto, Canada, from September 17 to 29. Eight teams competed: Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Team Europe and Team North America.

Canada won the championship by beating Team Europe in the final series. Sidney Crosby was the top scorer and MVP, with 10 points in 6 games. Carey Price was the best goaltender, with a 1.40 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage.

All games were played at the Air Canada Centre. The tournament included pre-tournament games, group stages, and knockout rounds. This was the third tournament after 1996 and 2004.