Welcome to Hockey in Society’s Weekly Links post. This feature highlights articles or blog entries that are related to Hockey in Society’s areas of interest and that may be of interest to the site’s readers. Please check out some of the great writing that is happening in the hockey media and blogosphere!
Editor’s Note: Due to the large amount of news and opinion about the NHL’s World Cup 2016 announcement and the league’s 2015 All-Star Game, links on these topics are included in separate sections below.
General Links
- With Bell’s #LetsTalk campaign continuing to draw a great deal of support from the hockey community, Clare Austen reminds us that mental illness is much more complicated than the campaign suggests and argues that Twitter is not an ideal medium for therapy. [Puckology]
- And Adam Proteau used the occasion to remember the many people in the hockey community who have lost their lives because of mental illness, including Rick Rypien, Wade Belak, Terry Trafford, Daron Richardson and Clint Reif. [The Hockey News]
- Josh Cohen with a really important look at a lawsuit in Washington State that is determining whether junior hockey players are considered child labourers. [Vice Sports]
- A really upsetting story about Native American spectators, most of them children, being racially taunted and having beer thrown on them by spectators at a Rapid City, ND hockey game. [Native News Online]
- David Shoalts presents a really fascinating investigation into the machinations of hockey ownership, with a look at a complex ploy by Oilers’ owner Daryl Katz to use the threat of moving to Hamilton as leverage for funding for a new Edmonton arena, which involved purchasing and moving the OHL’s Erie Otters so he could gain contol of the lease at the Copps Coliseum. [Globe and Mail]
- The NHL announced that it will collect and publish advanced statistics such as Corsi, leading to some crowing from the mainstream media and some backlash to this from the blogosphere. Here are responses from Andrew Berkshire and Canucks Army’s “Graphic Comments.” [Habs Eyes on the Prize; Canucks Army]
- A call for repeat violent offenders to be banned from the NHL. [Faceoff Circle]
- Could a new arena for the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, coupled with lack of movement on a new Seattle arena, mean that the Wisconsin city will enter the NHL’s expansion mix? [SI.com]
- Go-Pro and the NHL have signed a new partnership deal. Anatoliy Metter explores the significance of this new business deal. [The Hockey Writers]
World Cup of Hockey
The NHL has announced that it is reviving the World Cup of Hockey, which was previously held in 1996 and 2004, in 2016. Here is a round-up of major news and opinions about the new tournament:
- Rick Westhead reports that the tournament will feature eight teams: Canada, the US, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and the Czech Republic; and, controversially, a “best of the rest” mixed European team and a U-23 North American team. [TSN]
- Greg Wyshynski provides an overview of major components of the tournament. [Puck Daddy]
- Chris Johnston on the significance of this move in the context of the NHL’s broader global marketing efforts. [Sportsnet]
- Rogers will be the exclusive broadcaster of the tournament in Canada, much to the chagrin of TSN, which put in a higher initial bid. [Globe and Mail]
- The NHL is likely to sell advertizing space on the jerseys – the first step toward a similar move for NHL teams? [Puck Daddy]
- The NHL will also organize a tournament, similar to golf’s Ryder Cup, that will pit North America vs. Europe and be held two years apart from the World Cup. London and Berlin look to be favourites for hosting the event in 2018. [Kukla’s Corner]
- While the tournament format has proved controversial amongst hockey fans, it has many supporters too. Arctic Ice Hockey’s HappyCaraT is bullish on the new World Cup. [Arctic Ice Hockey]
- And Adam Proteau provides four reasons to support the new tournament. [The Hockey News]
- Finally, while it remains unclear if the NHL will no longer send players to the
Olympics, Nicholas Di Giovanni argues that the league should not abandon the Games. [Last Word on Sports]
NHL All-Star Game
The NHL held its All-Star Game in Columbus last weekend. Below are some of the reactions to the event:
- Mark Spector on how the All-Star game matters primarily to the local market, rather than fans elsewhere (i.e. in Canada, where much criticism of it originates). [Sportsnet]
- Travis Hughes also supports the game remaining as is. [SB Nation]
- However, the game drew poor ratings in both the US and Canada. [Puck Daddy]
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